It is not every day that Toronto experiences the world premiere of a new opera. What makes Canadian Opera Company‘s Aportia Chryptich even more special is its quintessential Canadian connection. Not only is the opera composed, directed and performed by an (almost) all-Canadian cast, its subject focuses on Nova Scotian contralto Portia White (1911-68), the first Black Canadian concert singer to achieve international fame.
Contrary to her last name, White’s identity was defined by her blackness, her race presenting numerous hurdles along her path to success. At the height of her career, she performed across the Americas and Europe. One of her pinnacle moments was performing for Queen Elizabeth II in Charlottetown in 1964. Despite all these accomplishments, she faded into obscurity and was forgotten in history.
What you missed
The opera is the brainchild of Sean Mayes (composer and conductor) and HAUI (librettist and director.) The music is an eclectic mix of opera, gospel, soul, rap, jazz, R&B and African beats. Mayes provides new arrangements and orchestration for a number of traditional folk songs, Negro spirituals and poems, and he weaves into the score recognizable tunes like “I Wander as I Wonder” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”
The opera is set against the backdrop of historical events—World Wars I and II, the Halifax explosion, and White’s debut in Toronto and New York. The story begins at Portia’s death, when she crosses into the Bardo (the crossroads between life and death), where she is divided into her Body, Soul and Spirit. Collectively, they revisit and reflect on moments of her earthly life, while trying to decode the meaning of events that shaped her identity. Portia must learn to reconcile and let go, in the hopes of ascension and finding inner cohesion of her fractured self.
Neema Bickersteth (Portia Body), Adrienne Danrich (Portia Spirit) & SATE (Portia Soul) in Canadian Opera Company’s Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White. Photo: Michael Cooper
Mayes and HAUI have a lot to unpack in this two-and-a-half-hour opera, which explores the intersection of race, gender, sexuality, spirituality and cultural identity. It also explores the concept of “firsts,” which comes with undue pressure and societal expectations for people of colour considered to be pioneers, as in the case of Portia White. A line from the opera “Being first is good if the door remains open” is a poignant reminder of such.
There are only three principal voices in this opera, portraying Portia’s Body, Soul and Spirit. They also take turns assuming various important figures in Portia’s life: her family — Father, Mother, Sister; and historical figures — voice teacher Ernesto Vinci, contralto Marian Anderson, civil rights activist Viola Desmond and Queen Elizabeth.
Three singers take on Portia White
The two sopranos, Neema Bickersteth (Portia Body and Dramaturg) and Adrienne Danrich (Portia Spirit) both have supple voices with a hint of dark timbre, an incredible range and great stage presence. Contralto SATE has a silvery tone that sounds more like a mezzo. Together, the three women create some ethereal harmonies, notably in the reprise of “Think On Me”, one of the most moving musical moments in the opera. Henos Girma, the young boy who plays Portia’s son Jimmie, has a small but charming singing role.
The set is a simple, dark space that represents the Bardo, with a large oculus suspended above serving as a canvas for video projections that depict Portia’s memory of people and events in her life. Along with the evocative lightning, it conjures a powerful image.
Henos Girma (Jimmy), SATE (Portia Soul), Adrienne Danrich (Portia Spirit) & Neema Bickersteth (Portia Body) in Canadian Opera Company’s Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White. Photo: Michael Cooper
Aportia Chryptich: A Black Opera for Portia White employs a unique mix of multi-media forms and musical styles to convey many important messages. It leads audiences through a journey of discovery and reflection on our own values. Above all, it celebrates the legacy of Portia White in the most appropriate way, as HAUI aptly describes, “a poetic justice to share Portia’s story in the art form that rejected her in her lifetime.”
Canadian Opera Company presents Aportia Chryptich: A Black Opera for Portia White at the Canadian Opera Company Theatre in Toronto June 14-16 2024. www.coc.ca
