Intellectual and Germanic

Observers of the Toronto opera scene will have noted the creeping influence of facial hair in the industry locally.  Perhaps it didn’t start with COC General Director Alexander Neef’s intellectually Germanic goatee but who could deny that it had a profound impact.  Earlier this week the four tenors of the Ensemble Studio appeared together sporting face rugs in varying stages of development and the scene is replete with other notable beardies.  Geoff Sirett, Robert Gleadow, Greg Finney and Alexander Dobson come to mind.  It’s almost compulsory, it seems, for baritones.   Continue reading →