And Here We Are: voice versus volume

Review

The opera is billed as a shadow puppetry opera. That sounds interesting but it is a concept that, while lending a certain artistic edge, falls short of fulfilling the promise of collaborative storytelling. The impression it leaves is more that of a crutch, which Welch's fine composition does not need.

4 singers you might not know - but should

I browsed through some boxes and found records by Caruso, Bjoerling, Pavarotti, Tozzi, and on and on. I didn't even own a record player, but I purchased about $45 worth of vinyl at about $5 per record, and so began my latest obsession.

Talking with conductors: Lidiya Yankovskaya

Interview

"Being an operatic singer is one of the most challenging jobs in the world - not only do you have to be a great musician, but you also have to be a great actor, to be able to move convincingly on stage, to sing in half a dozen languages without an accent, and to know your part to such an extent that if something goes wrong - you don't miss a beat."

Slightly unsettling: The Overcoat

Review

Sometimes they'll just lay under the bed and watch the action taking place, or curl up into a corner; it is creepy and odd, but works so well for this style.

Upcoming in Toronto: 4 reasons to mark your calendars

News

Estonia counts more from its diaspora in Toronto than anywhere else in the world, and in the 100th year of the country's independence, Estonia sends some of its finest musicians to collaborate with artists in Toronto.

"After 15 years, I felt like having a party."

Editorial

"I think we really mined [masque] to a huge extent," he says. Now, Beckwith's decision to wrap up TMT is fuelled by a desire for something new.

Grappling with daily life: WNO's Candide

Review

The production is the focal point of the Kennedy Center's programming in honor of Bernstein's 100th birthday, and amounts to the most enjoyable night of theater offered by WNO this season with its just-right combination of thrilling music, vocal gymnastics, impressive theatrical effects, belly-aching comedy, and effective storytelling.

Exquisite singing in the COC's Anna Bolena

Review

It's not the most dramatically fulfilling show but the singing is exquisite. The show definitely could have benefitted from (more than) a few judicious cuts. It's one thing when the text is repeated in a number, it's quite another when it's repeated in three or four.

Abrahamyan's Carmen "smooth, sexy, and enticing."

Review

There was a lot about this production that I enjoyed - Corner's staging keeps the energy and feel of Bizet's original piece while also allowing for Atlanta Opera's chorus to provide some of their trademark cheekiness within the larger chorus numbers.

Touching & traditional: Eugene Onegin in Vancouver

Review

As one of the few non-Russian principals, one would think she'd be at a disadvantage, but her diction was so flawless, that a native Russian speaker in attendance was amazed that it wasn't her first language. I hope this role becomes a staple in her repertoire.