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.

In Review: Tap:Ex Revolutions

Review

I saw something beautiful on Friday night, and I'm not quite sure I can even tell you what it was. I can tell you that it was the inaugural presentation of Tapestry Explorations: Revolutions, and that it left an impression on me. The evening seemed to evolve on its own accord, beginning with understated and subtle entrances by performers Neema Bickersteth, Andrew Love, Andrea Ludwig and Adrian Kramer.

Go, Canada!

Review

I went to hear some music by Canadians yesterday at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, as part of the Free Concert Series (that you should all be checking out!). It was a chance for the public to hear some of the products of the ongoing Canadian Art Song Project, headed by artistic directors Lawrence Wiliford and Steven Philcox.

In Review: Stiffelio

Review

On Sunday, I attended the final show of the season by Voicebox: Opera in Concert at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. They presented Verdi's Stiffelio, one of his lesser-known opera written after Nabucco and Ernani, but before La traviata and La forza del destino. I'd certainly never heard of it, so I was curious.

In review: Albert Herring at UofT Opera

Review

So much celebration happened on Thursday night. Director Joel Ivany celebrated the opening night of his production of Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring in the MacMillan theatre at the University of Toronto. UofT celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first opera performance in 1964: Albert Herring. And of course, everyone celebrated Albert the Good.