The COC's Summer Youth Intensive: Opera really is fun!

Interview

Each summer, the Canadian Opera Company presents the Summer Youth Intensive program, which is designed for young opera lovers, from grades 9 to 12. At the SYI, the participants bring their existing interests and skills, and refine them with the help of professionals in the operatic industry.

Vania Chan on Airline Icarus

Interview

Canadian lyric coloratura soprano Vania Chan splits her time between Early Music like Mozart and Rameau, and New Music, like the upcoming Airline Icarus, opening in Toronto on June 3rd. Brian Current's opera, set to Anton Piatigorsky's libretto, tells the stories of several passengers on a Cleveland-bound flight.

Masetto

Interview

Vancouver-based baritone Aaron Durand is joining Against the Grain Theatre at the Banff Centre to sing the role of Masetto in Uncle John. He answered my questions about what fun about Banff, and about the mind of Masetto, Mozart's favourite doormat.

Cameron McPhail: On Competing

Interview

Last month, fellow colleague and buddy Cameron McPhail was named a winner of the George London Foundation Awards Competition. Way to go, Cam! I asked the COC Ensemble Studio member how it felt:

Talking with Singers: David Cangelosi

Interview

American tenor David Cangelosi has worked with, well, everyone. We're talking Conlon, Ozawa, Boulez, Zeffirelli, and Plácido himself, and he made his Met debut singing Wagner with James Levine. David has even graced the stage of the Four Seasons Centre here in Toronto, appearing most recently as Spoletta (Tosca, 2012) and Dr. Blind (Die Fledermaus, 2012).

Listening to: Ileana Montalbetti, soprano

Interview

Canadian soprano Ileana Montalbetti is on the rise. A graduate of the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio Program, she bravely dives into challenging roles like Elettra, Leonore and Antonia. Ileana shone most recently in Canada as Ellen Orford in the COC's production of Peter Grimes.