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Airat Ichmouratov (à droite) et Bertrand Laverdure (à gauche). Photo: Rico Michel

Festival Classica: The Man Who Laughs, opera by Airat Ichmouratov and Bertrand Laverdure

By Charles Angers on 25 March 2023 Canadian Music, Interviews, Opera

In 2019, Russian-Canadian composer Airat Ichmouratov teamed up with librettist, poet and writer Bertrand Laverdure to bring to life the favourite novel of his youth: The Man Who Laughs, based on the timeless tale of legendary playwright Victor Hugo. For both men, this is their first foray into opera, and for Ichmouratov, this will be his 75th opus. Ichmouratov’s love and obsession for the novel began at the age of 16 after his brother had gifted him a copy. “I was immediately captivated by the story of love and betrayal,” said Ichmouratov. Laverdure added: “Working on an unadaptable 800-page novel…

Festival Classica Goes Opera

By Justin Bernard on 25 March 2023 Canadian Music, Interviews, Opera

The history of opera in Quebec begins a new chapter this year with the arrival of Nouvel Opéra Métropolitain (NOM). In its upcoming 13th edition, Festival Classica paves the way for the future by introducing a most promising and ambitious component in its program devoted to this genre, with no less than three original productions—two of which are world premières: L’Homme qui rit (2023), L’adorable Belboul (1874) and Miguela (1891). New opera, new venue The festival team and its joint artistic and managing director Marc Boucher have worked out an agreement unlike any other with the venue, the Salle Claude-Champagne.…

Newswire | New Principal Cast Announced for COC’s Macbeth and Tosca

By Newswire on 24 March 2023 Classical Music, Newswire, Opera, Vocal

Toronto – The Canadian Opera Company welcomes four new cast members for its spring season, stepping in for sopranos Sondra Radvanovsky and Olga Busuioc who must regrettably withdraw for personal and health reasons, respectively. Bulgarian soprano Alexandrina Pendatchanska and Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska will now share the role of Lady Macbeth in the COC’s production of the classic Verdi opera. In addition, Irish soprano Sinéad Campbell-Wallace and American soprano Keri Alkema will share the title role in Puccini’s Tosca. “The nature of opera as a living art form means that, occasionally, life off stage will impact artists’ planned performances on stage,”…

Photo : Guy Rochette

Newswire | Announcing NYCC’s 2024 Guest Conductor

By Newswire on 16 March 2023 Choral

March 16, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – Choral Canada, the National Arts Service Organization for the choral and group singing arts sector and community, announced yesterday that Roseline Blain has been chosen as the 2024 Guest Conductor for the National Youth Choir of Canada (NYCC), one of Canada’s finest youth choirs. “We are delighted that Roseline will lead the 2024 National Youth Choir of Canada. She is a tour de force in the Montreal community and will bring fabulous energy and expertise to the singers. What an opportunity for all of us to experience her repertoire choices and interpretive approach in…

Photo: Mark Allan/Barbican

Newswire | The Metropolitan Opera announces its 2023–24 season, with the most new works in the company’s modern history

By Newswire on 24 February 2023 Newswire, Opera

New York, NY (February 22, 2023) — The Metropolitan Opera today announced a 2023–24 season with the most new works in the company’s modern history—including four Met premieres—showcasing its dedication to expanding the repertoire and to reaching new audiences. While fully one-third of the operas presented next season are recent, the lineup also includes a full slate of classics, among them new productions of Bizet’s Carmen and Verdi’s La Forza del Destino and revivals of works by Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Gounod, Mozart, and Gluck. The season includes six new productions in all. A host of major singers, conductors, and directors…

CD Review | Albertine en cinq temps – L’opéra (ATMA Classique, 2022)

By Zenith Wolfe on 18 February 2023 CD and Book Reviews, Opera, Quebec Music

Albertine en cinq temps – L’opéra Chantal Lambert, Monique Pagé, Chantal Dionne, Catherine St-Arnaud, Marianne Lambert, sopranos; Florence Bourget, mezzo-soprano; Marie-Claude Roy, piano; Mélanie Vaugeois, violin; Élise Poulin, English horn; Annie Gadbois, cello; Anaïs Vigeant, double bass ATMA Classique, 2022 Albertine en cinq temps – L’opéra follows the touching story of Albertine, an aging Québécois mother reflecting on five different parts of her life as she moves into a retirement home. There’s a good reason soprano Chantal Lambert stars as the most prominent voice in the opera, Albertine at 70 years of age. She pours her soul into the album,…

2023 Singing Valentines: Spreading the Love!

By La Scena Musicale Team on 6 February 2023 Art Song, Classical Music, Opera, Popular Music, Vocal

“Over the last year and a half, I lost both my 86-year-old father-in-law and my 99-year-old father, and I want to do something special for seniors.” – Wah Keung Chan La Scena Musicale’s Singing Valentines Fundraiser is back for its 13th edition, and we are here to spread the love. We have 20-plus amazing professional singers involved in this year’s project. Previously, we have used this incredible service as a fundraiser for La Scena Musicale. This year we have a new objective: to show love to our community by offering 100 FREE serenades for seniors 65+. “Over the last year…

Microphones in the Opera House!?

By Karim Blondy on 6 February 2023 Audio, Opera, Technology

by Karim Blondy and Adrian Rodriguez The use of microphones in opera productions is a topic that has long been a source of debate among opera enthusiasts and professionals alike. While some argue that the use of microphones detracts from the authenticity of the performance, others argue that they are necessary to enhance the audience’s experience and the performers’ ability to hear and stay in tune with the orchestra. Traditionally, operas were not performed with microphones, but these days many performances take place in large theatres which were built for a multiple array of musical productions, mostly electrified music types,…

Photo: Tam photography

St. Lawrence Choir: Reger, Kodàly & Raminsh Psalms

By Kristine Berey on 5 February 2023 Choral, Classical Music, Vocal

Max Reger (1873-1916) was born at a time marked by profound changes, when every aspect of human experience—social, political and cultural—was called into question. This was reflected in classical music written around the turn of the century, as composers negotiated the tension between tradition and modernity. Paul Hindemith called Reger “the last of the giants” and said his own work would be “inconceivable” without Reger’s influence. Schönberg considered him “a genius.” In Reger’s short lifetime, he composed over 1,000 works in most genres, yet he is less familiar to audiences than his contemporaries including Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Ravel, Richard Strauss and…

The Songs of Jules Massenet: An Under-Appreciated Repertoire

By Justin Bernard on 4 February 2023 Art Song, Romantic

From a historical perspective, Jules Massenet’s art songs have been given short shrift compared with his larger-scale operatic undertakings like Manon, Werther and Cendrillon. Baritone Pierre Bernac (1899-1979), in a work dealing with the interpretation of French art songs, is unequivocal in his assessment of Massenet; he viewed him as being a gifted melodist who wrote tunes wrapped in sugar-coated sentimentalism. If only a few pieces survive now as tokens of that repertoire, it may be due in part to the composer’s reluctance to deal with the subject. Jacques Hétu, in his liner notes to the recently issued box set…

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