Second opinion: The Marriage of Figaro at the COC

Review

While I loved the added element of the character "Cherubim" representing the chaos that can be wreaked by the basest desires of each of the characters, I feel like we lost a lot of the original Beaumarchais and Da Ponte brilliance. A lot of the sexuality seemed gratuitous, I think in this examination of class and propriety, there has to be a level of decorum and innuendo, or it just looks like you're trying to "sex up some Mozart".

Toronto Opera Initiative's Don Giovanni

Editorial

Led by sopranos Jaclyn Grossman and Rebecca Townsend, the artist-centric collective creates performance opportunities for young artists. During their transition between student and professional life, it's all about gaining experience, even in what may seem like "stretch roles" for these emerging singers.

Opera's love stories: 3 reasons they're doomed

Humour

But why do all our preferred operatic love stories fall apart? The specifics are unique to each show, of course (mutual death by poison, general insecurities on both parties, etc.), but we think we can boil the problems down to three big categories.

Free live stream: Sondra Radvanovsky at the National Opera Center

News

Radvanovsky will chat with Scorca about her "Three Queens" project with the Metropolitan Opera this season (she sings the title roles in Donizetti's Anna Bolena, Roberto Devereux, and Maria Stuarda); plus, she'll talk about her career and success in what will likely be an engaging and honest discussion.

Phillip Addis & Emily Hamper: The Pilgrim Soul

Interview

Baritone Phillip Addis and pianist Emily Hamper are preparing for the Canadian Art Song Project's upcoming concert, The Pilgrim Soul, February 19th, 7:30pm at Enoch Turner Schoolhouse. The husband-and-wife team are longtime collaborators, and for this concert they'll present a program of music by Canadians Chester Duncan, Larysa Kuzmenko, Imant Raminsh, plus works by Dominick Argento and Gustav Mahler.

In review: Squeezebox

Review

In an eclectic program that only an accomplished company like Soundstreams can pull off, we were treated to Squeezebox, a program of instruments from the accordion family, which is a thing, and includes one played with your mouth (think harmonica meets tiny bagpipes and has a threesome with an accordion.)

Don't miss: Toronto Opera Initiative's Don Giovanni

News

Need a last-minute-Valentine's-Day opera fix? This Saturday at 7pm at College Street United Church, Toronto Opera Initiative presents Mozart's tale of romance and love (?), Don Giovanni. The cast is full of exciting young artists, including baritone Andrey Andreychik in the title role, and Toronto Opera Initiative founder and General Manager, Jaclyn Grossman as Donna Anna.

Once again, shushing meanies

Editorial

It's almost a good thing that we now have this example of critics body-shaming a male singer, since we can put to rest some of the sexism claims that accompany criticism of women onstage. I've often thought that when you boil down an objection about a fat person falling in love, or some dumb variation on this "problem", you really just peel back the truth about the objector, who's letting the world know that they actually feel this way.

Music: the musician's therapy, except when it's not

Op-ed

One the one hand, you could argue that the test of a true musician is similar to that saying, "you know who your real friends are when your friendship costs them time and money." A real musician is one who wants to make and listen to music when there's no deadline, and no paycheque on the horizon. Right? I don't actually think that's right, but it's a nagging idea.

In review: The Marriage of Figaro

Review

The comedy in Mozart's masterpiece isn't lost on Guth, but he makes a strong focal point out psychoanalyzing the characters, exploring how they perceive their relationships with each other, and how they deal with any emotion related to lust.