In review: Pelléas et Mélisande

Review

Do you like Debussy? Go see this show. Do you like art? Go see this show. Do you like a coherent plotline that's easy to follow and sticks to a linear timeline? Maybe, prepare yourself before seeing this show.

In review: Don Quichotte

Review

Massenet's Don Quichotte has opened at the Canadian Opera Company, the final in the three spring shows of the 2013/14 season. I'm glad I saw it last, since there was something bittersweet about ending a season with comedy and charm. I'll admit I have a strange personal tendency to get annoyed by everyone's favourite bumbling knight; but perhaps I'm coveting Don Quixote's unwavering pursuit of goodness.

In review: Cousin from Nowhere

Review

I went to Toronto Operetta Theatre's Cousin From Nowhere, an English translation of Eduard Künneke's Das Vetter aus Dingsda. Whenever I go and hear TOT shows, I always end up hearing some new music that gets stuck in my head, sung by lovely Canadian talent.

In review: Roberto Devereux

Review

Since the dress rehearsal of the Canadian Opera Company's Roberto Devereux, my Facebook and Twitter feeds have been flipping out about American soprano Sondra Radvanovksy's performance as Queen Elizabeth I. So I was really eager to see it for myself.

In review: Hänsel & Gretel

Review

I went and saw one of my favourite operas last night: Hänsel and Gretel, by Engelbert Humperdinck, based on the creepy Brothers Grimm fairytale. I think it's a show that transports itself well on small and large stages, with small and large orchestras and even pianos. So it was great to see this production by Metro Youth Opera in an intimate space, where we could see subtle moments and get to know the characters more quickly.

In review: Hercules

Review

I went and saw Hercules at the Canadian Opera Company on Tuesday, and it was the jackpot of incredible talent onstage. It's directed by the one-of-a-kind Peter Sellars, conducted by the brilliant Harry Bicket, and Eric Owens and Alice Coote star as the soldier and soldier's wife. Beautiful. And it really was a stunning spectacle, one with an uncomfortably true message.

In review: Ash Roses

Review

Ash Roses is the first CD released by the Canadian Art Song Project (CASP), and it features the music of composer Derek Holman. I'm not personally familiar with Holman's work, but I caught some at the CASP recital in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre a few weeks ago, and I distinctly remember liking it.

In review: Fawn Opera's L'homme et le ciel

Review

Friday night, I went to a workshop presentation given by Fawn Opera & New Music. They presented three excerpts from their latest operatic project, L'homme et le ciel by Canadian composer Adam Scime, with text by Ian Koiter with a French translation by Eric Démoré.

In review: Isabel Bayrakdarian and Tafelmusik

Review

On Thursday night I went to see the Tafelmusik orchestra perform with Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian in a concert with a good title: Rival Queens. The queens in this case are 18th-century operatic divas Francesca Cuzzoni and Faustina Bordoni, who were in a famous feud throughout their careers, resulting in onstage catfights and general shallow rivalry.

In Review: Essential Opera's Triple Bill

Review

This past weekend, Essential Opera achieved a true feat in the Canadian opera scene: they presented a triple bill of Canadian works, all brand new. It was really exciting to see an event like this in Toronto; to hear Canadian opera, you most likely need to attend something involving Tapestry New Opera Works.