JULY 9 - JULY 31, 2011World-class performers in intimate settingsElora Festival SingersKarina GauvinMichael Burgess & Rebecca Caine David Eggert519.846.0331 · 1.888.747.7550Stuart Hamilton celebrates his 80th birthday.I came back to Toronto all puffed up and told Greta what Verahad said. Greta said, “I should hope so. Strauss was a terriblepianist.”What about Jon Vickers? There’s no question he was one of thegreat singers. He had a wonderful voice, but it was his intensity thatwas really amazing. Yet he was a very, very insecure person.I’ve heard of singers being scared of him on stage, because hewould get so wrapped up in the character he was playing. Vickers wasa very scary performer. Teresa Stratas told me that she was absolute-Pagliacci, because he would throw things.Otello for atelevision show from the National Arts Centre. Desdemona was oneof my coaching pupils, Stephanie Bogle, who was very experiencedto her, “You must do exactly what I say. If you don’t, you’re liableto be injured.” In the opera, of course, Otello strangles Desdemona.But it seemed as though Jon was really going to kill her. Of coursehe didn’t, because she did exactly what he said. I saw performancesWhy does Canada produce so many outstanding singers? When Iused to go down to New York to do the Metropolitan Opera broadcastquiz – I did that for seventeen years – they kept asking me howwe produce all these wonderful singers up here in Canada. I think ithas something to do with our immigration policy. We have so manypeople from different ethnic backgrounds.With all the work you have done in producing operas, accompanyingrecitals and coaching opera singers, you are still best known here asquizmaster on the CBC opera quiz. How did the Canadian version getstarted? When the Canadian Opera Company arranged with theCBC to broadcast their productions in 1982, the sponsor, Texaco,wanted to have a quiz like they had on the Met broadcasts. TheCentre. When we got to the end of the scripted questions I started towind things down when I got a message from the producer, RobertCooper, who was a good friend and also the conductor of the chorusfor Opera in Concert. He said, “Stretch it out for 2 ½ more minutes.”Well, my hair just about fell out – how was I going to do that?the world what operetta would you produce?” At that time he hadalready done most of the opera repertoire, so I thought it would bea great talker, went on for 2 ½ minutes.Do you think the CBC quiz was an important part of our culture? YesI do, because even though it was amusing and entertaining, there wasalways a lot of intellectual depth. We had very good people on thepanel – they all knew what they were talking about and were veryarticulate. So I think it had an enormous impact. We got many letterssaying, “I don’t always listen to the opera but I always listen to thecontinued on page 5914 thewholenote.comApril 1 - May 7, 2011PHOTO BILL PUSZTAI
Opera Times EightCHRISTOPHER HOILEApril is once again the opera month of the Ontario cultural calendarwith eight fully-staged operas in Southern Ontario plusat least two operas in concert on offer. One of the fully-stagedproductions comes from a brand new company, Wish Opera, thatseeks to further the work of Canadian artists in its productions. ingscoverage area, on April 2, of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoorby Opera Lyra Ottawa, at the National Arts Centre. It stars LyubovPetrova as Lucia, Marc Hervieux as Edgardo and Gregory Dahl asEnrico. See www.operalyra.ca.The month continues with the peripatetic Opera Kitchener presentingRossini’s in Guelph on April 7,in Waterloo on April 9, and in Mississauga on April 15. Visitwww.operakitchener.com for more information. Remaining on theperiphery of the Big Smoke, Opera Hamilton presents the favouritedouble bill of and I Pagliacci on April 21 and23. Many familiar singers – Joni Henson, Sally Dibblee, WendyHatala-Foley and Gregory Dahl – appear along with Richard Troxallas Turiddu and Jeffrey Springer asCanio. See operahamilton.cafor more.The season in Toronto properstarts with performances of RudolfFriml’s on April 15and 16 by Wish Opera, aboutwhich there is more below. OperaAtelier concludes its 2010-11ever period production of Mozart’sLa Clemenza di Tito runningApril 22 to May 1, and reunitingmany of the cast members thatMale soprano, Michael Maniaci.made OA’s Idomeneo so electrifying: Measha Brueggergosman asVitellia, Michael Maniaci as Sesto, Krešimir Špicer as Tito andCurtis Sullivan as Publio. They are joined by Mireille Asselin asServilia and Mireille Lebel as Annio. David Fallis conducts theTafelmusik Orchestra. See www.operaatelier.com.The Canadian Opera Company begins its spring season withRossini’s version of the Cinderella story, La Cenerentola, April 23to May 25. The COC last staged this work in 1996. This production,co-produced with Houston Grand Opera, Welsh National Opera andtwo European companies, is directed by Joan Font and conductedby Leonardo Vordoni. Elizabeth DeShong in the title role is joinedby Lawrence Brownlee, Brett Polegato and Donato DiStefano. TheRossini runs in repertory with Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos,April 30 to May 29. The COC last staged this work in 1995. Thisand conducted by the great Sir Andrew Davis. Richard Margisonsings The Tenor and Bacchus, Adrianne Pieczonka is The PrimaDonna and Ariadne and Jane Archibald scales the coloratura heightsas Zerbinetta. For more details see www.coc.ca. the Gilbert and Sullivan classic, The Pirates of Penzance, from April26 to May 1. Ryan Harper and Jessica Cheung will be Frederic andMabel while David Ludwig and Jean Stilwell will sing the PirateKing and Ruth, his trusty maid of all work. Robert Cooper willconduct and Guillermo Silva-Marin will direct.As for operas in concert, Opera by Request will present Verdi’s on April 6 in St. Catharines, April 8 in Toronto andApril 11 in London. OBR’s next presentation is Britten’s The Turn ofthe Screw on April 16. See www.operabyrequest.ca.On April 28, the COC Ensemble Studio offers a triple bill forfree at noon at the Richard Bradshaw Auditorium. On the programare Menotti’s The Telephone, Samuel Barber’s A Hand of BridgePHOTO MICHAEL COOPERAnton Kuerti, Artistic DirectorTWO FABULOUSCONCERTSApril 30, 20111:15PM MUSIC & TRUFFLESA special treat for children (adults too!)The Story of Babar, the Little ElephantBoston pianist Andrew Rangell tellsa story, draws pictures and plays thedelightful music by Francis Poulencat Walter Hall ONLY 8:00PMAnton Kuerti, piano andOntario Philharmonic Orchestra,Marco Parisotto, conductorAll-Brahms ProgramPiano Concerto No. 1 in D minorSymphony No. 1 in C minorHear the beauty and magnificenceat Koerner Hallcall 416-587-9411 or visitwww.mooredaleconcerts.comApril 1 - May 7, 2011 thewholenote.com 15
chaconne and lament movements.This
in G minor; the Partita No.1 in B m
POT POURRISentirYasmin Levy4QRecord
MULRONEY: THE OPERA continued from
NEWSWEEK CALLS HIMTHE KING OFOPERA
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