Sunday afternoon saw VOICEBOX:Opera in Concert’s first performance in their new home; Trinity St. Paul’s.  The offering was Gluck’s Alceste in the French language 1776 Paris version.  Lauren Margison sang the title role with Colin Ainsworth as Admète.  Guillermo Silva-Marin directed.

Trinity St. Paul’s has advantages and (perhaps) disadvantages over the Jane Mallett.  It’s significantly better acoustically but much harder to do much in the way of staging.  It’s a church and it looks like one with lots of carved wood and stained glass!  I’m not sure that this is a disadvantage though.  Rudimentary blocking with entrances and exits for the principals and concert wear is fine with me given that in either venue full staging wasn’t/isn’t very practical.  The value proposition is more around getting to hear operas live that no-one else in Toronto is likely to do.  I’m fine with that. Continue reading →