A "vital and contemporary" evening in BERLIN: The Last Cabaret
Op-Eds
Don't miss: yoga & mindfulness for singers
Op-edOn December 15th, opera singers will come together for a yoga and meditation practice specifically designed for their profession. We are Opera Yogis Madison Arsenault and Danielle Simpson, and we have designed a 2-hour workshop for singers who want to carry the benefits of yoga into their singing.
This year's Elizabeth Krehm Memorial Concert: a follow-up
Op-edAt last count, the evening raised over $20,000 for the ICU at St. Michael's Hospital, showing once again that music can heal almost any hurt. On the whole, since the inaugural concert, the Krehms have raised over $60,000 in support of the place that provided Elizabeth with the top-level care and support.
What crippling stage fright taught me about money
Op-edA money technique is built in the same way, by investing hours of time into building solid fundamentals. Instead of breath, it's cashflow (the daily ins and outs of your money), instead of onsets it's deliberate decision making (learning to stop making default money decisions and make the ones you really want), and instead of working with someone to lift your soft palette, you work with someone to find one of a thousand little ways you can make your money life easier (by building a safety net, learning to save, and eliminating debt).
...and then it was November
Op-edYou may be the title-holder of a thousand singing prizes. You still didn't fit the bill. You may have been the toast of the town at the end of last season - but you still didn't fit the bill. You may be the most delightful person to work with - but you still didn't fit the bill. You may have received nothing but glowing reviews - but you still didn't fit the bill.
Why our artistic roots matter
Op-edIt's no secret that many professionals in the arts struggle to make ends meet. There is little to no job security, financial stability, or benefits that people in other fields often take for granted. Artistic professionals are often self employed or freelancers. It is an unfortunate reality of our field that artists are sometimes asked to provide their services for free, in exchange for "great exposure". What a steaming pile of horse shit.
Strength in numbers: Indie Opera T.O.
Op-edThe launch of Indie Opera Toronto includes profiles of each company's history and creative teams, brand new photography by Dahlia Katz, integrated social media for the Indie Opera platforms and each company's own social media outlets, an integrated calendar for all upcoming productions and short films by Darren Bryant.
"I didn't get in": a short story about clarity
Op-edI cross the street and jump over a huge puddle to get to the sidewalk that leads to my apartment. I look up, and there they are: Mrs. Shame and her good friend Mr. Humiliation. So we greet each other, reluctantly shake hands and pick up our usual conversation where we left it the last time I ran into them: "How can this happen to you? They said they loved your dress! But perhaps, if I you had done this phrase differently... I didn’t want to have to tell you this, but your high C was flat.
When lost, find roots
Op-edFor any of you involved in the freelance performing arts as a source of income, I don't have to tell you the struggles of making a living, having a life, or maintaining relationships. There are, of course, the 1% who have hit the jackpot of a permanent gig that provides steady income, God forbid benefits, and the luxury of being in one place year round as to actually have a family and a home.
Audition season, or the annual Festival of Shattered Dreams
Op-edThe business of opera is at times wonderful and at other times loathsome. It is, sadly, mostly run by the ill-informed and the ill-equipped. It is therefore oftentimes arbitrary and frivolous though it can sometimes be sublime.
Rehearsing trauma: How working on an opera helped me heal
Op-edIt is not enough to re-experience our own pain on stage; we must externalize it so the audience can join us through empathy.