Tag Archives: coc

April in Toronto

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RevolutionsPosterThe opening weekend of April is almost absurdly rich in opera going opportunities and I’ve already previewed it here.  There are updates on the Tapestry/Volcano show Revolutions.  This is going to be highly experimental and aims to “test the boundaries of how opera is presented in the 21st century.” by exploring the relationship between physical and musical expression.  Marie- Josée Chartier (contemporary dance), stage director Michael Mori, will work with four athletic young opera singers, Neema Bickersteth, Andrea Ludwig, Adrian Kramer and Andrew Love.  Unfortunately it’s one night only and I shall be at the opening of Peter Sellars’ production of Handel’s Hercules at the COC.  Eric Owens, Alice Coote, Richard Croft, David Daniels and Lucy Crowe are singing and Harry Bicket is in the pit.  If that’s not incentive enough the COC is offering a 25% discount if you buy tickets to any two of the three spring operas (the other two are Roberto Devereux and Don Quichotte).  Continue reading →

Upcoming events

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There’s quite a lot happening before the COC season kicks off again with the opening of Handel’s Hercules on April 5th.  Here are some of the highlights including several rarities.

On March 22nd at 7:30pm and 23rd at 3pm the Cantemus Singers are putting on a concert performance of Purcell’s The Fairie Queene at the Church of the Holy Trinity. The cast includes Iris Krizmanic, soprano (Juno); Maria Soulis, soprano (Mopsa); and Michael Pius Taylor, tenor (Phoebus).  Tickets are $20; $15(sr/st); $10(child).

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Long weekend discounts at COC

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0640 - Cosi - Ferrando_Despina_Guglielmo - credit Michael CooperIt’s a long weekend in Ontario and COC is discounting Saturday evening’s Così fan tutte and Sunday’s matinee of Un ballo in maschera.  There are two deals.  The first allows you to buy at rush prices without queuing up at the box office. Tickets start at $25 and Orchestra seats (regularly $224) are $70. Go here and use the promo code WINTERRUSH.  The second deal is box office, in person, only.  Starting at 11 a.m. on the day of each performance, Orchestra level Rush seats are priced at $40.

So do they all

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Once a year the COC Ensemble Studio get to show their talents on the big stage with a fully staged performance of a current production.  This year’s choice of Atom Egoyan’s production of Così fan tutte was a good one.  It showcased the talents of the singers really well and by using a different quartet of lovers in each act they were able to provide substantive roles for all the singers of the ensemble. I won’t dwell on the production as I have already reviewed it.  The only changes I noted were a few change ups on the visual gags and that the “Albanians” kept their disguises on for quite a lot longer than with the main cast.  So, how about the performances?

0164 - Act 1 Fiordiligi, Dorabella and Don Alfonso Continue reading →

Kennedy era Un ballo in maschera works on many levels

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The Canadian Opera Company’s new production of Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera is based on an intriguing concept that adds insight in many places but comes a bit unstuck in others.  Coupled to some superb performances, it makes for an enjoyable and intriguing night at the theatre that will have the more adventurous busily and happily dissecting the piece for hours and the die hards reaching for their Zeffirelli pills.

13-14-04-MC-D-0034 Continue reading →

Così preview

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Today’s lunchtime concert in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre featured members of the COC Studio Ensemble performing extracts from Act 1 of Così fan tutte as a teaser for their performance of Atom Egoyan’s production on February 7th.  This promises to beeven more confusing than usual as the young lover roles are all being shared to accommodate everyone.  Today, Clraence Frazer and Danielle MacMillan being sick we had but one Guglielmo, Cameron McPhail, and one Dorabella, Charlotte Burrage.  Andrew Haji and Owen McAusland alternated as Ferrando and Sasha Djihanian and Aviva Fortunata doubled Fiordiligi (those two, at least, are easy to tell apart).  Gordon Bintner sang Don Alphonso and Claire de Sévigné played Despina.

2014-01-28-Ensemble-044 Continue reading →

COC Orchestra Academy

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1011debus1I recently posted about additions to the COC’s Ensemble Studio and briefly alluded to the company’s new programme for young orchestral musicians.  Three student musicians will be mentored by members of the orchestra and will attend orchestra rehearsals of the company’s spring season productions.  The new Orchestra Academy project will be led by Music Director Johannes Debus.

Two of the students are currently studying at the Glenn Gould School.  Cellist Ashton Lim will be mentored by COC assistant principal cellist Paul Widnerand oboist Alessandro Rauli will be mentored by COC principal oboist Mark Rogers and COC oboist Lesley Young. The third student is from the UofT’s Faculty of Music; violinist Rebecca MacLeod will be mentored by COC violinist Dominique Laplante.

It sounds like a great opportunity to introduce young orchestral musicians to the world of opera and one hopes it will be repeated for future rehearsal cycles.

Another look at Così

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I was back at the Four Seasons Centre last night for another look at the COC’s new production of Così fan tutte.  Broadly speaking, I stand by what I wrote about Saturday’s opening performance.  There were a few things I noticed or paid more attention to this time though.

  • The girls in on the plot? – There’s a lot of silent business between Don Alfonso and the girls right at the beginning.  Is he giving them rings?  Is it a token that it will be all right on the night?  The girls may know about the bet but do they know the details?  Does it get a bit out of control and the emotions unleashed become genuine?  All, I think, valid questions and none clearly resolved.
  • The chemistry between the girls is extraordinary.  They really do feed off each other and are totally credible as teenage sisters.  This has to be seen to be fully grasped.
  • Robert Gleadow is a very interesting combination of sexy and dangerous.  He showed his abilities as Publio last year; making of the role more than I would have thought possible.  Here, Guglielmo comes off as a just about in control sociopath.  I really want to see this guy sing Don Giovanni.
  • The house was full on a truly filthy Toronto winter evening.  People were enjoying themselves.  There was laughter.  Sure, I heard the occasional snooty remark about Egoyan’s OTTness but overall I think it showed that there is a market for smart, sexy opera that doesn’t assume that the audience is firmly stuck in the 1950s.  Canada’s regional companies might take note.
  • That said, two of the three performances that aren’t padded by season subscribers have lots of tickets available.  The “new” COC season model relies heavily on single ticket sales so it will be interesting to see whether that inventory moves.

1551 - Cosi - Fiordiligi - credit Michael CooperPhoto credit: Michael Cooper

A School for Lovers

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Atom Egoyan’s new production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte opened at the Four Seasons Centre last night.  It’s a visually appealing production with an interesting concept and some glorious singing and acting.  One may question aspects of the concept but nowhere does it do serious violence to da Ponte’s libretto and the end result, coupled with some outstanding performances makes for a most enjoyable evening.

0884 - Guglielmo_Ferrando_Dorabella_Fiordiligi - credit Michael Cooper

Photo credit Michael Cooper

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