UBCOperaTONIC

Find out when your favourite singer will be performing in our upcoming production of Rusalka!

You can view the Rusalka Casting by clicking on the link.

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In opera, few opportunities are as rewarding as reprising a role. This past summer I was fortunate enough to perform the role of Rusalka with UBC in the Czech Republic. This was a daunting task for several reasons. First, the role is incredibly demanding technically. The second and more frightening reason is the fact that Rusalka is perhaps the most beloved of all Czech opera characters. I therefore made it my mission to delve into the language so that I would sound somewhat Czech IN the Czech Republic. I also tried to learn as much as I could about the Rusalka legend and traditions surrounding the opera so as to do justice to such a culturally significant piece of theatre.

This year I am lucky enough to reprise the role of Rusalka in Vancouver. This has been an incredible chance to learn more and more about the opera and sink deeper into my own interpretation of this gorgeous role. This opportunity has of course come with challenges. Reprising a role allows a singer the chance to improve on his or her past performance, which means constantly questioning ingrained interpretive choices. It also means not getting mixed up between different versions of the stage and resulting staging, adjusting to a different cast, and learning to move in a new set of costumes. Since professional singers rarely sing a role only once (they often, in fact, perform a few roles many times through their careers), this is an incredibly valuable set of skills to learn.

I am thankful not only for this, but more importantly for the sublime chance to simply become this character again: to get back into her body and voice and share her beautiful, heart-wrenching story with a new audience.

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JORDANNA ROSE — There is something extremely exciting about playing an evil villain in an opera, but before I could truly have fun with my character, the Foreign Princess, there was a lot of hard work to be done.   Rusalka has been a very interesting learning experience; the first challenge encountered was the language. Although I sing in Italian, French, and German, this was the first time I have ever sung in Czech.  Initially, I had a piece of paper with a phonetic translation of each Czech letter. I tried my best to write out my words using this as a reference. At my first coaching, I received instruction to finesse my phonetic translation, using IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) symbols as well. I also bettered my understanding of the literal text translation which is crucial to acting in character. Once the basis was established, I spent most of my free-time practicing, trying to best combine the notes and rhythms with the language. Walking to class, I would actively think my words, timing them in rhythm with my steps. Even when I relaxed at home in front of the TV, I had my score in my lap to read through the text and then would go back and sing each line. Final touches by our Czech coach, Milena Janda, helped me to understand the nuances of the language that one could not simply get from reading the text. Most recently, I have been working with our conductor, Norbert Baxa who explained to me that my music was meant to be the antithesis of Rusalka’s. Instead of being beautifully legato, the Foreign Princess is very march-like, combining military and seductive qualities. Understanding these two major musical aspects allows me to decipher which persona to use, villain or vixen, which has furthered my own stage presentation.  One other major challenge has been the music itself. Extremely fast tempi and tricky rhythms are both prominent in a duet with the Prince. It is always a pleasure to work with dedicated colleagues who share your love for the music such as both Princes (Kwangmin Brian Lee & Xiaodong Zhang). When I perform on the stage of the Chan Centre this February, I am confident that all my preparation will make my portrayal of the Foreign Princess very gratifying.

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JULIA KOT —From December 8-17, I was fortunate to be among a group of sixteen singers from UBC Opera who participated in thirteen concerts with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra as part of “A Traditional Christmas” concert series. With heartwarming and hilarious stories alike, Christopher Gaze hosted the seasonal concert conducted by Maestro Pierre Simard. Diane Loomer’s EnChor choir also collaborated for the shows.

Only rehearsing once with orchestra before starting the tour around the Lower Mainland, I was pleased that the group was well-prepared by coaches at UBC in the few weeks prior. Last year, I participated as an undergrad in these concerts. This time, as a Master’s student,  it was definitely a blessing not to have any final exams since the concert schedule is extremely busy. Brandon Thornhill and I were thrilled to make our solo debuts with VSO singing The Trumpet Shall Sound (Handel) and Ave Maria (Gounod arr. Simard), respectively. We all had moments in the spotlight, with fourteen singers from UBC performing solos within various pieces. Taking our first steps onstage with the VSO was both a nerve-wracking and an exhilarating experience. At each performance though, my nerves soon dissipated as I looked out at the audience full of smiling families and friends of all ages who were thoroughly enjoying our concert that brought Christmas cheer.

Photographed backstage at Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver. From L-R: Pierre Simard, Lindsay McIntyre, Tony Luca Caruso, Christina Kent, Eric Schwarzhoff, Julia Kot, Matt Chittick, Francesca Corrado, Andrew Robb, Heny Janawati, Sheldon Baxter, Jordan Collalto, Hillary Young, Richard Petroski, Taylor Pardell, Brandon Thornhill, Stephanie Domingues, Christopher Gaze

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DAVID GORDON DUKE —Each December the players of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra do yeoman service with a concert calendar that’s crammed with gigs. By far their biggest project is the annual A Traditional Christmas show, this year hosted by Bard on the Beach’s Christopher Gaze, with the UBC Opera Ensemble (featuring soloists Julia Kot and Brandon Thornhill) and EnChoir as holiday guests. Expect a classy, happy mix of seasonal music and carols. The VSO starts the run with performances downtown in the ersatz-Gothic vaults of St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church tonight, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a late afternoon performance tucked in on Saturday at 4 p.m. for good measure. Then the show goes on the road in suburban run-outs until December 16.

A TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS
Dec. 8 to Dec. 16, various times
Various venues

Check www.vancouversymphony.ca for times and venues.

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Shadow Catch (December 2nd-4th) is a brand new chamber opera developed by a team of Vancouver-based artists that explores the rich cultural history of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The music is a collaborative work that brings together a creative team of composers —Dorothy Chang, Benton Roark, Jennifer Butler, and Farshid Samandari. Libretto by Daphne Marlatt, a Japanese noh theatre specialist and a poet/librettist.  Cast, crew and chamber ensemble includes some of Vancouver’s finest performers including UBC Opera graduates, Margo Leave, Joey Bulman and Michael Mori.  The story revolves around a young runaway seeking haven at night in downtown Eastside’s Oppenheimer Park.  As the night progresses, he is visited in turn by the spirits of four troubled figures from the area’s colourful past. This new chamber opera is not to be missed!

Friday December 2nd | 8pm
Saturday December 3rd | 8pm
Sunday December 4th | 2pm
Firehall Arts Centre |  280 East Cordova Street
Tickets | $30/$18
Part of Vancouver Pro Musica’s Further East Further West Series and the City of Vancouver’s 125th Anniversary Celebration

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NOVEMBER 28, 2011 —The 10 finalists from across Canada, selected from over 160 singers in preliminary auditions in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and New York, each performed two arias with piano accompaniment in front of the audience and a panel of judges, comprised of COC General Director Alexander Neef, Music Administrator Sandra Gavinchuk, Head of the Ensemble Studio Liz Upchurch, Opera Canada editor Wayne Gooding, and Canadian soprano, voice teacher, and Ensemble Studio alumna Wendy Nielsen. Finalists included UBC Opera Alumni Rachel Fenlon and Cameron McPhail.

In addition to the four cash prizes, the finalists were competing for highly coveted positions in the 2012/2013 COC Ensemble Studio, Canada’s premier training program for young opera professionals.  The competition marked the first time in COC history that the final auditions for the Ensemble Studio were held in front of a public audience.  Based on the performances at tonight’s Ensemble Studio Competition, COC artistic administrators will now finalize the lineup of the 2012/2013 Ensemble Studio, with its new members to be announced in the new year.

This year, Montreal soprano Sasha Djihanian claimed the top prize selected from 10 finalists to receive the $5,000 award.

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In an article in the Vancouver Sun, David Gordon Duke reviews Vancouver Opera’s production of Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette (production continuing until December 3rd, 2011) staring UBC Opera alumni Simone Osborne. Below are excerpts from the article.

Beyond willingness to explore an increasingly neglected byway of the repertoire, the best single reason for this particular revival is as a showcase for Canadian soprano Simone Osborne, making her Vancouver Opera Debut in the role of Juliette. Osborne’s career was launched in 2008 with a resounding success at the Metropolitan Opera auditions; in recent seasons she’s been heard in roles with Toronto’s Canadian Opera Company.

For a young singer in the early dawn of her career, the role of Juliette might almost seem to be typecasting; Osborne’s boisterous girlishness in Act One seems appropriate and natural. But vocally, Juliette is anything but an ingenue. The composer demands a soprano with both agility, good top notes, and considerable dramatic range. Osborne acquits herself admirably, achieving her personal best in her grand Act Four soliloquy.

Is this one of Vancouver Opera’s memorable hits? That call will depend on one’s perspective. If only as the vehicle that brought Simone Osborne back to Vancouver, it should stay in our collective memory for some considerable time.

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MEGAN BROWN -The last two months of my life have been a whirlwind as I rehearsed and performed the role of Rosalia in West Side Story with Vancouver Opera. It was an experience unlike any, mainly due to the fact that I was the only non-pro dancer in the entire show, who had to dance. Needless to say my body felt pain in muscles that I didn’t even know existed. Every day consisted of 8 hours of choreographed bootcamp. Dancers never stop; they arrive early to warm up, they perfect tricky bits during breaks and then they go to hot yoga after rehearsal. My first moment of dance rehearsal consisted of meeting my dance partner, and him nervously looking around in fear then saying, “this must be wrong, why did I get put with you? You aren’t a dancer”. From that moment forth it was my stubborn determination to prove to everyone that I was a dancer. I danced every move in every single rehearsal like it was the last step I would ever take. Unfortunately my mental strength outweighed my physical strength and I dislocated my knee. One week of sitting out of rehearsal was tough, but it gave me an insightful perspective on all aspects of the show. Once it came to performances I was healthy and living a dream. I have never felt so challenged physically in my life, but I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. All the hard work paid off and now I am constantly reminded of that fearful week in January, when I had a daily panic-attack worrying about the much talked about West Side Story DANCE audition! It would have been too easy just to label myself as a non-dancer and be done with it, the fear consumed me. But it was that fear that drove me to the audition, helped me dance the audition and proved to be a strength rather than a weakness.

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