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.

Josephine and The Artizans: "We call it hip-hopera."

Interview

The band is headed by Josephine Permaul, a classically-trained singer with a love for songwriting and genre fusion; her Artizans are rappers Jermaine Davidson and Michael Wordley, violinist Tanya Cracknell, cellist Marianne Hardisty, electric cellist Laura Dodds, keyboardist Thom Rowlands, and bassist/producer Debs Spanton.

Opera shorthand: how to speak like an insider

Humour

Often, opera titles get whittled down to one indicative word in the full title. Instead of The Magic Flute, it's just Flute, the same way it's just Ballo, not Un ballo in maschera. Così rarely needs the fan tutte in general conversation, Fanciulla will do without the del West, and The Turn of the is redundant when we're talking about Screw. It's Dialogues, but no Carmélites, Elixir with an assumption of Love, and one can just say Rake, with the Progress implied.

Artists to watch: 2 new singing stars of tomorrow

News

At the end of the evening, we learned that after their intensive work with Radvanovsky, "La Wowza" couldn't decide which singer should be awarded the Career Blueprint - so they decided to send TWO singers. The winners of the evening were Marjorie Maltais and Natalya Gennadi.

Talking with singers: Brian Jagde

Interview

"You have to continue to get better," says Jagde of his constant work with his teachers and coaches. "You're working really hard to just even have a job and to have a career, and now you have to keep it. The work never stops. It's not that you make it, and then you're there."

Talking with singers: Kate Lindsey

Interview

"One of the most challenging things on stage is to really, really open yourself up and give," she says. Singers often feel a responsibility to do well, to move an audience, and as a result, it's easy for the body to give in to pressure. "We can either play it safe, because we're just not sure what the support is like, we may not feel like we have enough breath under us, so we can play it safe, maybe not go for that pianissimo," Lindsey explains of taking risks onstage. "It's really hard to do that in front of thousands of people when your heart's pounding."

The time I spilled some secrets into a microphone

News

How do I get away with writing about opera from within it, when I know the cast and creative team? How do I publish fair reviews? How do I address problems in different organizations, and decide whether or not to name names? Why do some in the opera industry resort to anonymity in order to say what they feel is true?

Talking with singers: John Brancy

Interview

Fresh off a recording session for his new album with pianist Peter Dugan, A Silent Night, baritone John Brancy relishes the chance to take a break from the opera stage, and spend time with art song.

Ways to procrastinate: the plot-generated opera

Humour

Readers, we've discovered a new game. If you head over to Plot Generator, you can fill in a form that creates your own short story (sort of like Mad Libs). It's kind of fun on its own, but there's a nerdy twist to it.