Tenors' redemption at an historic Grey Cup in Toronto

Op-ed

“I don’t think we can see ourselves performing with Remigio again,” fellow Tenor Fraser Walters said in July of this year. Rightly so. The backlash received by the quartet immediately after Pereira's "going rogue" prompted the decision back in the summer, and no amount of back-pedalling by Pereira was able to save his spot in the roster - imagine. Not even this non-apology released on Soundcloud was enough to save him.

A diction lesson: French Canadian swearing

Op-ed

Words like tabarnak, câlisse, criss, simonaque, ciboire, calvaire, viarge and esti are nouns, so they generally require a "de" after them when they are used to describe something. A few of them were used as adjectives on a few occasions, which sounds off to a native speaker. For example, you can't say "that tabarnak chair". A connector word is missing: "that tabarnak de chair", "cette tabarnak de chaise". It's like saying "that f*ck chair", it just doesn't work, it has to be "f*cking" for it to make grammatical sense.

Don't miss: yoga & mindfulness for singers

Op-ed

On 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-ed

At 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-ed

A 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-ed

You 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-ed

It'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-ed

The 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-ed

I 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-ed

For 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.