Why do young people choose to study opera? Alexandra Gibb asked three UBC Opera students why they pursue this amazing discipline. Alexandra is a dual Canadian-American citizen and UBC Masters of Journalism student specializing in national defence and security reporting.
UBC Opera is thrilled to have had Adéla Velová, Prague native, study as an exchange student here since the fall. Adéla arrived in Vancouver, and was immediately thrust into the active lifestyle of UBC Opera, studying voice and acting with Nancy Hermiston and singing the role of Mercy Lewis in The Crucible this November. She graduated from the Prague Conservatory where she studied under Professor Brigita Sulcova, and more recently studied at the Prague Music Academy under Professor Helena Kaupova. For the past two years, Adéla has been a guest singer at the Theatre Liberec (Reichenberg) where she performed the role of The Princess in The Devil and Kate. This past July, Adéla sang the role of the Foreign Princess with the UBC Opera Ensemble at the European Music Academy in Ústí nad Labem and Teplice, Czech Republic. This Friday and Sunday, Adéla reprises the role of the Foreign Princess as a part of her student exchange at UBC, and we couldn’t be happier to have her here with us!
The Little Mermaid has always resonated with me. It might be because it’s more than a tragic tale about the plight of a young woman in love. It’s a story about boundaries—a story about overcoming limits and growing up, realizing responsibilities and understanding the inconsistency of love.
Heading into the show, I did not know what to expect as this fairy tale has been adapted so often that the real account undoubtedly lies somewhere at the bottom of a lake. Antonín Dvorák’s Czech masterpiece is darker than the typical Disney tale and, in my opinion, far better.
UBC Opera did not disappoint. The set was magical and yet highly simple, and the costumes dazzled in the light. Kayleigh Harrison warmed the audience with her chilling portrayal of the independent and doomed Rusalka while Scott Brooks brilliantly played her protective, yet caring father, Vodník. A much needed comic relief was provided by Ana Toumine as the frightened kitchen boy and Aaaron Durand, the plump gamekeeper.
Choosing her own fate and defying tradition, Rusalka plunges into the human world only to resurface as a rejected love. In doing so, she grows from an infatuated child into adulthood. The transition is painful but honest, sad but beautiful. It is also a transition that many students make at UBC throughout their four years. Often, it means casting off defunct prejudices and finding the will to walk on our own two feet.
Wanting to dive into a refreshing take on the Little Mermaid? Consider going to the UBC Opera as they recreate the ethereal and magical world of Dvorak’s Rusalka—no packs with an evil witch required!
In Anna Theodosakis’s final episode of her video blog, she takes to backstage at the Chan Centre for the final Rusalka rehearsals.
JENICA CHUAHIOCK (article for The Ubyssey, February 9, 2012)—Nowadays every fairy tale has dozens of adaptations, but few could ever beat the original. This week, UBC Opera brings back the Czech masterpiece Rusalka by Antonín Dvorák, one of the earliest versions of The Little Mermaid story.Based on Czech folklore, Rusalka is the tragic love story of a water sprite who falls in love with a human prince. This story was later adapted by Hans Christian Andersen in the 1800s, and more popularly by Walt Disney Studios in 1989.
But unlike the more popular versions of The Little Mermaid, Rusalka as an operatic piece is noticeably more sinister, combining Czech folklore with Dvorák’s ethereal music. “I grew up on fairy tales and princesses, so it’s such a privilege to be able to play the original version of The Little Mermaid,” said Kaleigh Harrison, who plays Rusalka. “[Rusalka] has a darker side to it, and that comes out of Czech mythology and storytelling. But it’s got a lot of the same heart that The Little Mermaid story has that we’re used to, and many of the same characters”.
Even with some differences, Rusalka along with other variations of The Little Mermaid is still the story of a young woman asserting control over her heart and destiny, regardless of what consequences that entails. “I think the darker story of Rusalka is great,” said Kwangmin Brian Lee, who plays the prince.
“There are a lot of talks now saying that these Disney princesses are giving the wrong idea of what women should be like, and Rusalka is totally opposite. I think that’s something all of us should really feel, that women are very independent. Their fate does not go about changing because of the men, but because they are the individual.”
“What Rusalka does is try to transcend her own fate as a water nymph into the human world, which is the destruction of the natural order of things,” added Scott Brooks, who plays Vodník. “That’s the essence of tragedy and everyone has to suffer for it. [Here] you have someone from the spirit realm trying to get into the human world, and what it points up is just how many of the same mistakes we’re capable of making.”
Romance, betrayal, redemption and tragedy are ultimately what make Rusalka an honest portrayal of doomed love. “It’s pretty exciting to be part of something so big,” said Gabriele Thielmann, the concert mistress for Rusalka. “[That] means a lot people here, and across the world.”
“We’re otherworldly in this piece,” said Nancy Hermiston, director of UBC Opera. “We’re in the human world, and we’re in the fairy tale world of Vodník and Rusalka, so it’s larger than life.”
ERIN MILLEY-PATEY —Trouser roles are fairly common in opera, and they refer to male characters that have been written to be played by a female singer. This is usually done so that the voice of a young man or boy will sound more youthful. These types of roles are most commonly reserved for mezzo-sopranos, such as Cherubino in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Octavian in Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier or Romeo in Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi. Dvořák’s Kitchen Boy in Rusalka is one of the few pants roles written for the soprano voice. The young Kitchen Boy works in the Prince’s castle, and along with the Gamekeeper, these characters provide the comic relief in this opera.
Becoming a completely different character is both exciting and challenging, and which I have found is definitely true of this role. Ana Toumine, my double, and I both enjoy the fun and beautiful music as well as the creative staging (Nancy Hermiston) of the Kitchen Boy. Nancy has given us lessons in physicality that enable us to become a character that we have no experience with in reality!
The most exciting step for me in the creative process was finally getting to try on the costume. Our costume designer, Ines Ortner, knew exactly how the Kitchen Boy should look and I think the result is great! While most of the other ladies in the opera are wearing gorgeous dresses or colourful Sprite costumes, Ana and I get to wear white pants, a chef’s hat, and a fat suit! Dress rehearsals ended yesterday, and the show opens in less than 48 hours – I am excited to put everything together and finally see the finished product. The orchestra, sets, lighting, costumes, staging, and singing are coming together to make this an opera you will not want to miss!
In the third episode of her video blog Anna Theodosakis takes you to the Rusalka dress rehearsal and interviews director Nancy Hermiston.
In the second episode of her video blog Anna Theodosakis takes you to a rehearsal, a sitzprobe, and the costume workshop. She interviews flutist Heather Beaty, costume designer, Ines Ortner and members of the UBC Opera Ensemble.
Vancouver Opera recently announced their upcoming season featuring many UBC graduates. Puccini’s beloved La Bohème starts the season off in October, and will be directed by our own Nancy Hermiston. The role of Schaunard will be played by Aaron Durand who will be graduating his Master’s this spring. In the December production of The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert & Sullivan, soprano Rachel Fenlon (M.Mus. ‘11) will sing with role of Mabel. In March’s production of a First Nations-inspired The Magic Flute, Teiya Kasahara (B.Mus. ‘07) will sing Queen of the Night, a role she also performed with UBC Opera.
Vancouver Opera’s 2012-2013 season also marks the inaugural year for The Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program which aims to engage, enrich, mentor, and train rising young Canadian opera artists. Among the chosen artists are UBC alumni: Aaron Durand, Rachel Fenlon, Martin Sadd, and Sylvia Szadovszki who will be given several performance opportunities throughout the year. Congrats to you all!
Magic Flute photo: Tim Matheson
When I first saw UBC opera’s posters for Rusalka, I was a little surprised that under the title were the words: “The Little Mermaid Story” – An opera about The Little Mermaid? Really? At the outset of this project I can’t say that I took the plot of Rusalka very seriously. Rusalka was a story set in the fairytale lands of my childhood, brought to life with the musical genius of a great composer. I regarded it as a silly old story paired with great music. But as the weeks have gone by, my thinking has changed.
For most of us twenty-something’s, fairytales were something that we were introduced to as children, watching Disney movies in our pajamas. Now that we’re older, the tendency is to treat those stories with a nostalgic, non-seriousness. But Rusalka, first known to us as Ariel, is a deeply rooted figure in Slavic folklore. Her origins are unclear, but it’s certain that her story has been told and re-told for centuries. Simply by virtue of how old it is, one might ask: What is it about this quaint old tale that makes it so appealing? Well… I think the lasting appeal of fairytales lies in their sense of timelessness. Because these events exist in a world separate from our own, they could just as easily have happened yesterday as five hundred years ago. Being so separated, they are also devoid of all the political and social concerns that define our everyday lives. Essentially what you are left with is something so distant and fantastical that it easily connects with humanity.
The characters in Rusalka, as with all fairytales, are decidedly archetypal since everyone can relate to them on some level. Rusalka, the naïve dreamer who wishes for nothing more than to be loved, the dashing head-strong Prince, Vodník the loving father, the scheming Foreign Princess, and the list goes on.
Fairytales like this one remind me that to some extent, people have always been the same. The characters and stories that were a part of my childhood also informed the lives of kids in countless preceding generations. Despite being separated by hundreds of years, we still share these stories.
Although it is glazed with a veneer of mysticism, at its heart Rusalka is a story of triumph, tragedy, love and heartbreak. Making it every bit as relevant to today’s world as the newest Hollywood movie. All the more reason to come see it, don’t you think?
– Cameron Killick who plays one of the Hunters in Rusalka
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