Feminism & confetti: Atelier's triple-bill

Review

Thank goodness for one-act operas. They're like a shot of great espresso, or a single chocolate truffle - the kind of indulgence that's short-lived, but immediate and totally satisfying. Among all the lengthy, luxuriating opera we see - all the da capo arias and all the Wagner - compact one-acts like Actéon and Pygmalion allow even the most hardcore of opera fans to admit that their attention spans don't always like to be stretched so thin.

Summer Nights at the Opera: an observation

Op-ed

With no lines or a prescribed opening time the Summer HD Festival has been a welcoming presence since its inception. Entering off Broadway, people first encounter a table with volunteers from the Metropolitan Opera Guild, providing information about the Guild's programs and benefits of membership as well as complementary issues of its publication, Opera News.

5 classical voice podcasts to try

How-to

I'll fess up: I'm a podcast addict. They're the morphine drip that gets me through the day. But I've only dabbled in shows that focus on classical voice, and that's a problem. As an antidote, I've found five series, with different focuses, that are worth checking out.

New season offerings from Esprit Orchestra

News

The four mainstage concerts of Esprit Orchestra's 2018/19 season happen at Toronto's Koerner Hall at 8pm. Pre-concert chats happen at 7:15pm, moderated by Alexina Louie. and New Wave Reprise goes up at Trinity St. Paul's Centre, with John Rea as keynote speaker.

Strong ensemble lifts Edmonton Opera production of La traviata

Review

The night, however, belonged to baritone James Westman and his standout performance of Giorgio Germont, Alfredo's father. Westman has considerable longevity with this role; he will play Germont for the 200th time in the spring of 2019 in a celebrated career that has spanned two decades.

The Flying Dutchman a stellar homecoming for HGO

Review

HGO's triumphant return to this venue was replete with sheer authenticity of spirit, dedication, and craftsmanship from all quarters. Throughout this marathon performance, I was pleasantly touched by this production that treated the central narrative of redemption through love as something to be regarded passively, and not inhabited fully, to be believed, yet inviting scrutiny from all angles.

VO's Merry Widow a comedic tour-de-force

Review

The setup for the Widow's entrance was hilarious, with all the men in the cast fussing over themselves and falling over each other to get to the door. The whole scene is an awkward, funny, madcap buildup to the heroine's entrance.

A frighteningly timeless story of abuse: Pagliacci

Review

In the second act, it felt like Burton and Partridge were no longer holding back dramatically, and in their final confrontation during the play within a play, both singers delivered the most heart wrenching vocals of the opera. Their struggle was rife with emotional and physical violence, and predictably, it did not end well for Nedda or her lover, Silvio.

Glamour & fury: Idomeneo in Chicago

Review

Matthew Polenzani, in his fifteenth(!) role at the Lyric, is the dramatic anchor of the cast. His dependably excellent and grounded singing is ideal for the role of this grand, eloquent king. Even in the most bravura moments, Polenzani's singing was refined and elegant.

Talking with conductors: Carlo Rizzi

Interview

"When I start to work with a new orchestra, the first thing that I do is to play through the piece or through large chunks of it. This allows me to get to know the way of playing of the orchestra and, likewise, the orchestra gets to know my way of conducting and if I have a deep knowledge of the piece. This is something, by the way, that experienced musicians know immediately, and you earn or lose their respect in these first moments."