The Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio is a major training ground for opera singers of the future. Since 1980, nearly 230 young professional Canadian singers and pianists have gone through the program, with many of them going on to major careers.
The many Canadians who have gone on to significant careers reads like a who’s who in Canadian opera: Ben Heppner, Emily D’Angelo, Claire de Sévigné, Gordon Bintner, Ambur Braid, Wallis Giunta, and David Pomeroy, to name just a few. They all honed their craft as a member of the COC Ensemble Studio.
In recent seasons, special mainstage performances featuring Ensemble Studio artists in principal roles have given them invaluable opportunities to shine. This year, the ensemble show was Donizetti’s effervescent Don Pasquale. It took place at the Four Seasons Centre on May 14.
Photo by Dahlia Katz
This Donizetti’s comedic gem is ideal to showcase young artists – a happy piece, not heavy musically for voices still in development, but with plenty of opportunities for those with the right musical and dramatic chops to shine. Soprano Ariane Cossette was the beautiful and smart Norina, tenor Wesley Harrison the lovesick Ernesto, and baritone Korin Thomas-Smith as the scheming Dr. Malatesta. Returning to take on the title role of Don Pasquale was the recent Ensemble graduate, bass-baritone Alex Halliday.
Having heard them on many occasions, I can say that all of them possess beautiful voices, innate musicality, and great potential. If the rousing audience response at the end was any indication, they succeeded in spades. This Barbe and Doucet production opens with comic strip-like projections during the overture, and amusingly the stock characters’ faces were replaced with those of Ariane Cossette, Wesley Harrison, and Korin Thomas-Smith, but for some strange reason not that of Alex Halliday.
As Norina, Ariane Cossette’s beautiful full lyric soprano rang out impressively, even in the opening scene when she had to sing in the upper level, without the benefit of a backdrop to push her voice into the theatre. Wesley Harrison’s sweet-timbred tenore di grazia was ideal as Ernesto. Also enjoyable was the warm and solid baritone of Korin Thomas-Smith as Dr. Malatesta.
Perhaps the biggest challenge fell on baritone Alex Halliday. Not vocally to be sure, as he sang very well. It was more the case of a twenty-something trying to convince the audience that he’s a crusty old curmudgeon. With the help of some terrific makeup, a little padding and a hairpiece, not to mention a very well-rehearsed body language, the effect was amazing. A highlight of the evening was the duet between Pasquale and Malatesta – kudos to both for a great job with their pitter-patter!
Conductor Simone Luti led the COC Orchestra in a high-energy, briskly paced reading of the effervescent score. The COC Chorus was terrific in Act 3. Last but decidedly not least was the three hilarious actors – namely Colleen Winton (Maid), Thomas Jones (Porter) and Matthew Romantini (Cook) for their silently side-splitting contributions. All in all, a fun evening at the opera.
