Volume 11 Issue 5 - February 2006

three children live.

three children live. Toronto provides a good base for his frequent travel and (believe it or not) he likes the weather: "I much prefer the crisp cold to the typical English damp that creeps into your bones". Albery comes to "Gotterdammerung" having completed his own highly acclaimed Ring Cycle for Scottish Opera in 2003. Tim Ashley, music critic for "The Guardi- From this situation two questions naturally arise: Is it difficult, having directed his own entire Ring, now to be directing only one part of the Cycle? And will his "Gotr- . . an", called it "a blisteringly angry, fiercely political version" and hailed it as "a devastating achievement that gets closer to the heart of Wagner's masterpiece than any other staging I know". -~ • • I Presents .... • Two by Puccini! I • I • I with • I St. Sabatino Vacca, Artistic Director Gianni Schicchi Starring: Andrew Tees with Zorana Sadiq, James Levesque, I Michael Toby, Adam Luther, Trevor Bowes, Jay Stephenson, Ramona Carmelly, Renee Winick.Neil Aranoff, and Douglas Tranquada Suor Angelica Starring: Stacia Carmona Deborah Overe, Renee Winnick, Adriana Albu, Ramona Carmely, Vanessa Grant, Louisa Cowie, Andrea Rebello, Sarah Hallyburton & Sara Papini March 19 - 2:00 pm; March 21, 23 - 8:00 pm at • Elizabeth Performing Arts Centre. Call Opera York at 905-763-7853 to order tickets. , March 25 - 8:00 pm; Markham Theatre for Performing Arts. Call 905-305-7469 TICKETS • • I 'Jewels of the Opera" 9th Annual Fundraising Gala • I • I • • I I • ~ 8 ~:;;f£~:f};;~ I I • ..,.. 'Nt_ Gisele Fredette, Adam Luther • & Lucia Cesaroni Tickets , includes full-course dinner with wine & dancing. I • terdammerung" for the COC in some way reflect his production for Scottish Opera? Albery's answer is that directing only one opera in the cycle comes as a kind of "relief". "In directing an entire Ring Cycle for a company the director carries such a burden of expectations it can be quite exhausting. In Toronto I enter into a situation where there is already a set of givens-the designs by Michael Levine and what has been done before by Atom Egoyan and Frani;ois Girard. Because what happens in 'Gotterdammerung' so obviously relates to what happens in 'Rheingold', I am working very closely with Michael [Levine], who is also directing it to ensure that cyclical nature of the four operas is clear". As a result of fitting into the givens in the COC's Ring, Albery doubts that "there will be a single gesture" that repeats what he did at Scottish Opera. One singer, the Hagen, Swedish bass Mats Almgren, is common to both productions, but Albery has found in rehearsal that they are constantly exploring the character in new ways. Albery calls "Gotterdammerung" the "most human" in the cycle because in it "the gods no longer have any influence and humanity is left to fend for itself". In the work, "Siegfried and Briinnhilde set out to create a world based on love only to witness its total failure. Briinnhilde seems to foresee this at the end of 'Siegfried' when she unites herself with him and sings of 'leuchtende Liebe, lachender Tod' (light-bringing love, laughing death)". Yet, Albery does not view the final cataclysm of "Gotterdammerung" as nihilistic. Instead, he says "it is both a celebration of the ideal of love and an acceptance of the cyclical nature of all things". As the only one to have directed an entire Ring, Albery served in the directors' group meetings as a reference and de facto dramaturge, bringing up such questions as "If we portray the dragon Fafner this way in 'Siegfried', how do we portray him as a giant in 'Rheingold'? When asked what scenes are the most difficult to direct, Albery answers, "The ones with only two people where one is narrating important information to the other. The scene in Act I when Waltraute pleads with Briinnhilde to cast off Siegfried's ring is particularly difficult. Wagner often has up to twelve seconds of music between responses. If I took an hieratic approach, as does Peter Sellars, where all the action is in slow motion there would be no problem. But since it seems that I direct in a realistic mode, we have to portray the sequence of thoughts playing in the minds of both parties as indicated not merely by the text but by all things the orchestra is also telling us". "Gotterdammerung" opens at the Hummingbird Centre on January 30 and plays February 2, 7, 10 and 12. See www.coc.ca and note the early starting times. CULTURAL SUPPORT SERVICES PROFESSIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT Expert advice and career development activities available from experienced arts management professional for classical soloists. • Promotional Materials Audition Trip Coordination • Grant Submissions • Career Development Consultations • Performance Majors Workshop (2hrs) # 1580 Line 37, New Hamburg, ON, N3A 487 To order your tickets, call (905) 763· 7853. ph: 519 662 3499 fax: 519 662 2777 www.operayork.com L • • • • .J 30 WWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COM FEBR UARY 1 - M ARCH 1 2006

MUSICAL LIFE WE ARE All Music's CHILDREN by mJ Buell February's Child ... "little sister dance with me .. " (photo taken in 1976) Identify these finely tuned members of our music community for a chance to win tickets or a recording. Think you might know who February s Children are? Send your best guesses to musicschildren@thewholenote.com. (Winners will be selected by random draw among correct entries received by February 15th, 2006.) December's Child .... was Dr. George Brough "I DIDN'T decide to be a musician. It just happened. It was never a thought .. . " ~ Right: George Brough and Lo­ ;------ 'r rand Fenyves, in rehearsal/or a summer concert in Ban.ff, the year in which they both celebrated their 85th birthdays. Associated Board (the English music exam system) for receiving the highest piano final 11 exam marks in the UK. 11 11 1,. ,i-_,e:.- I G . d h. d f M . PHOTO COURTESY BAN FF CENTRE eorge receive 1s octorate o us1c from Oxford, England, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists. He replied on a whim to an ad in an English paper from the Halifax Conservatory of Music, and came to Canada in 1945 as a music teacher, moving to Toronto in 1947. To say that the rest is history is particularly apt because he has touched and helped to shape the lives of countless Canadian musicians. His life in music includes work as an accompanist, recording artist, coach, conductor and examiner, in association with the Canadian Opera Company, the BanffCentre, the Royal Conservatory of Music, the University of Toronto Faculty of Music; and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. His versatility in many different musical idioms has resulted in diverse collaborations - from harmonica player Larry Adler to tenor Jon Vickers. He continues to astound the music community as a skilful, reliable and versatile accompanist. And our winners ... " .. . the wonderful George Brough' " James Norcop and a guest will accompany Dr. Brough at a performance of J.S.Bach's B Minor Mass, performed by the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Choir, in May, conducted by [vars Taurins. Dr. Brough played for [vars Taurins' conducting classes at the University ofToronto until just last year. "Clearly this is George Brought" Susan Spier will receive a recording, chosen by Dr. Brough, by a performer whose musical future he has touched and supported. " ... George Brough, pianist, organist, accompanist, and friend. " Joan Colquhoun McGorman will also receive a recording chosen by Dr. Brough. CONGRATULATIONS to James, Susan, and Joan! Academy Concert Series 38 Acrobat Music 63 Aldeburgh Connection 39 All the King's Voices 36 Amadeus Choir 44 Amici 39, 43 Analekta 15 Associates of the Toronto Symphony 34, 46 ATMA Classique 5, 42 Aud iolin Music 13 Bata Shoe Museum 38 Bay Bloor Radio 72 Burlington Civic Chorale 36 Canadian Children's Opera Chorus 35 Canadian Music Centre 26 Canadian Sinfonietta 35 CanClone Services 63 Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra 44 Centenary Concert Series 52 Chatauqua Institution 55 Christ Church Jazz Vespers 27 Colwell Arts Management 30 Cosmo Music 53 Dave Snider Music Centre 28 Deer Park Concerts 40 Denise Williams 54 Dr. Katarina Bulat 55 Earwitness Productions 40 Elisabeth Pomes 36 Elmer lseler Singers 32 Exultate Chamber Singers 22 Fridays@ Eight I RCCO 34 George Heinl 20 Hannaford Street Silver Band 11 Harbourfront Chorus 23 Harknett Musical Services Ltd. 28 Heliconian Hall 56 Honest Ed's Optical Depot 55 Janet Catherine Dea 54 Joseph Dudizinsky 55 Jubilate Singers 44 Karl Machat 63 Kiwanis Music Festival 18 Koffler Chamber Orchestra 37 Lockridge HiFi 13 Long & McQuade 55 Maestro Enterprises 55 Marjorie Sparks 55 Michael lerullo 24 Michele Bogdanowicz I Amanda Johnston 36 Mikrokosmos 64 Mississauga Children's Choir 41 Mississauga Chorale Society 42 Mississauga Symphony Orchestra 36 Mooredale Concerts 42 index of advertisers Music Gallery 25 Music on the Donway 36 Music Toronto 9, 34, 40, 43. 46 Naxos of Canada 61 New Music Concerts 25, 39, 42 North Toronto Institute of Music 52 Off Centre Music Salon 45 Opera York 30 Opera-IS 29 Orchestra Toronto 39 Oriana Women's Choir 45 Orpheus Choir 41 Pasquale Bros. 56 Pattie Kelly 54 Perimeter Institute 51 Peter Mahon 22 Philip L. Davis, Luthier 21 Remenyi House of Music 57 Research Division, Baycrest Centre 55 Roy Thomson Hall 2 Royal Conservatory of Music 33, 35, 53 S&B Entertainment Inc. 38 SRI Canada 4 Serhiy Salov 43 Shambhu Das 54 Show One Productions 8 Sine Nomine 38 Sinfonia Mississauga 44 Sinfonia Toronto 17, 19, 41 Sound Post 20 Soundstreams Canada 37 St. John's Norway Anglican Church 42 Studio 92 65 Sue Crowe Connolly 54 Syrinx 33, 45 Tafelmusik 6, 55 Talisker Players 37 Tapestry New Opera Works 29 Theatre of Early Music 21 Toronto All-Star Big Band 40 Toronto Consort 43 Toronto Masque Theatre 21 Toronto Mendelssohn Choir 23 Toronto Opera Repertoire 16 Toronto Operetta Theatre 49 Toronto Summer Music Academy 52 Toronto Symphony Orchestra 3, 8 Universal Music 6, 71 University of Toronto Faculty of Music 11 Victoria Scholars 45 Women's Musical Club 18 Yip's Music & Montessori School 55 York Regional Poli ce Male Chorus 23 Ysis Entertainment 19 F EBRUA RY 1 - M ARC H 7 2006 WWW, TH EWHOLENOTE.COM 31