Vancouver Opera Blog

Opera Magazine Loves our West Side Story!

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:37:20 PST

I received my copy of Opera magazine today. Published in the UK, Opera truly takes an international view of the art form, reviewing the productions of companies around the world, presenting interesting stories on singers, producers, creative artists, etc., and sharing news of the industry.

Vancouver Opera is reviewed occasionally – more frequently in the past couple of years than previously – but not every production we put on appears in Opera.

I was very pleased to see a really glowing review of our West Side Story in the latest issue. The critic, Bernard Jacobson asked, “How well can an opera company production of West Side Story stack up against the brilliant movie Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise made of this quintessential Broadway masterpiece?” He answered, “Very well indeed. In some respects... [VO's production] can even be said to have outshone the movie version.”

Some readers may be aghast - some may say, “never!” and some may think, hmm...maybe.... I, of course, am happy to agree with him! But the writer lays out the arguments for his case strongly and succinctly, lavishing praise on everyone involved along the way: Leslie Dala’s conducting, Ken Cazan’s vision and staging, Tracy Flye’s choreography, Cameron Anderson’s set design, the singers, the dancers, the costumes... all get kudos from Opera magazine.

Of course, this makes me very proud of the production and all involved with its creation, and bolsters my already-strong belief in the validity of West Side Story for the opera house and for its place in the repertoire. It also confirms my feeling that an opera company can bring its considerable forces to a major music theatre piece such as West Side Story in a way that’s hard for any other regional arts organization to equal.

As we embark on a major strategic planning initiative at Vancouver Opera, we are seriously considering the ramifications – positive and perhaps some negative – of producing “music theatre” in addition to what’s commonly perceived as “opera.” Do we? What? How often? In lieu of what, if anything? As we toss around these ideas, it is inspiring and instructional to read today the opinion of the respected trade paper, Opera magazine.

- James Wright
General Director, Vancouver Opera
@jwwright61

The Volunteer Committee of Amatori dell'Opera

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:10:10 PST

Carmen Murphy
Development Manager, Individual Giving
Vancouver Opera

My primary role at Vancouver Opera is fundraising and stewardship of our major donors. Part of what I also do is participate in a committee that attracts and stewards planned gifts to Vancouver Opera: the Amatori dell'Opera committee.

Amatori dell’Opera means “lovers of opera”. To Vancouver Opera, this means that the person has professed to “love opera” and has made plans to leave a gift to us. There are more than 75 Amatori members today.

The committee of Amatori dell’Opera is made up of volunteers, all of whom are Amatori members themselves. These committee members meet at least quarterly to plan marketing opportunities, seminars, provide ideas for house program ads and updates on cultivation and stewardship activities.

Recently, I had the distinct pleasure of making a presentation on the value of our Amatori dell’Opera committee volunteers.

The Canadian Association of Gift Planners invited me to speak at a panel presentation yesterday at their monthly breakfast meeting at the Terminal City Club in Vancouver. The invitation sent to the membership of the CAGP was

Bequests, advice, teas and beyond: the magic of volunteers in the Planned Giving world. Learn from a panel of planned giving experts representing 3 non-profit organizations about how volunteers have helped to make their meaningful contribution that benefits both the cause and you personally.

My co-presenters were Joanne McLellan, Director, Gift Planning, Lion’s Gate Hospital Foundation and Heather Wardle, Development Director, Seva Canada.

Before I made the presentation, I asked members of the Amatori committee to tell me why they wanted to be a part of this volunteer group. Their responses were almost unanimous: to make a personal commitment to making sure Vancouver Opera is well supported, to ensure that their legacy will sustain their love of opera, to make a valuable contribution to planning the future of Vancouver Opera, to promote what they believe to be vital and important.

I believe in the value of volunteers, and the dedication of the Amatori dell’Opera is one great example of the power and strength of volunteers in our company.

- Carmen Murphy
Development Manager, Individual Giving
Vancouver Opera

To find out more about Amatori dell'Opera, email us!

Coming to Vancouver?

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:00:04 PST

Coming to Vancouver but don't know where to stay? We have a nifty hotel search engine that you can use to plan your trip. It will give you a range of hotels close to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Check it out here.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy: A Salute to Multiculturalism!

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:07:18 PST

A group of friends and I attended the celebrated Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner Sunday evening at Floata Restaurant.

Todd Wong (or Toddish McWong as he is also known!) started this multicultural event more than a decade ago and it has blossomed into a much-anticipated party that acknowledges BC’s Scottish and Chinese influences. Along with the piping of the Haggis we also witnessed a dragon parade!

Toddish McWong

We enjoyed a wee scotch tasting, a fabulous, multi-course dinner prepared by Floata which included – believe me – haggis shumai and dumplings, plus wonderful Chinese dishes and our own haggis at each table.

As the evening progressed through Robbie Burns tributes, the addressing of the haggis, Scottish songs with Mandarin lyrics, Todd presented the Inaugural Gung Haggis Fat Choy Intercultural Awards of Awesomeness! I happily shared the stage on behalf of Vancouver Opera, and the award, with two truly inspiring gentlemen: Jim Wong-Chu and Fred Wah.

Tetsuro Shigematsu (left) and Todd Wong (right) present the
Intercultural Awards of Awesomeness to James Wright,
Fred Wah and Jim Wong-Chu. Photo by Charlie Smith.

The accomplished poet Fred Wah was born in Saskatchewan, but grew up in the interior British Columbia. His Canadian-born father was raised in China, the son of a Chinese father and a Scots-Irish mother, and his mother was Swedish-born Canadian. His diverse ethnic makeup figures significantly in his writings.

Jim Wong-Chu is a co-founder of Asian Heritage Month and a poet whose book Chinatown Ghosts was the first poetry book by an Asian Canadian writer. Jim is also the founder of the Asian Canadian Writers Workshop and Ricepaper magazine.

Bring on the Haggis shumai!

Todd cited Vancouver Opera’s commissioned opera Naomi’s Road, along with our other community engagement programs, as important steps in multicultural understanding in Vancouver.

I was honoured to accept his accolades for the company, and truly honoured to share this award with such distinguished an accomplished men as Jim Wong-Chu and Fred Wah.

- James Wright
General Director, Vancouver Opera
@jwwright61

Opera 101: No Experience Necessary

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:33:37 PST

Going to the opera for the first time? Or know someone who is? It can seem intimidating, but rest assured it is not! People of all ages and walks of life enjoy opera, especially here in Vancouver. No matter who you are, you'll fit right in.

You can read up on the opera in advance on the Vancouver Opera website. We have synopses, music clips, videos from rehearsals and video interviews with the cast and creative team to help you prepare. (We also have manga versions of each opera!). Check it all out here.

If you don't have time to explore the website, not to worry: you'll be given a house program at the theatre that includes a synopsis, history, notes on the production, and notes on the music.

And if you don't get a chance to read all that, that's fine, because there will be English translations projected above the stage during the performance, so you'll still know exactly what's going on.

How do I get tickets?

You can buy single tickets online, using our very swank Select Your Own Seat application, which actually lets you check out the view of the stage from any seat in the house! Or you can call the friendly people at our Ticket Centre, 604-683-0222, Monday to Friday from 9:00am - 5:00pm. You can also come to the Ticket Centre at 1945 McLean Drive, near 3rd Ave and Clark. Free parking!

The Ticket Centre staff can help you choose a great seat to fit any budget. You can even give them a price range and they'll show you what's available. Here's a seating map of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

If you'd like to come to all the operas in a season, consider a subscription, which comes with several great benefits. Here are some details.

Opera Manga!

I have my tickets! I'm so excited! OMG what do I wear?

Wear whatever you'd like! There's no dress code. Some people like to dress up, especially on opening night, but many people go casual. Wear whatever you feel comfortable in (especially since some operas can be 3 hours long).

To get an idea of what people wear, check out the Fashion at the Opera albums on our Flickr site.

Photo courtesy of the stylish opera lovers
Erin Gillespie and John Christensen

How do I get to the theatre?

Please note! The Vancouver Opera Ticket Centre and offices are NOT in the same location as the theatre!

All Vancouver Opera mainstage productions take place at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, which is on the corner of Hamilton and Georgia, downtown Vancouver. The closest Skytrain is Stadium-Chinatown. Here are some tips for driving and parking. Get there early - hockey games and concerts are often on the same nights as our performances, which means it can get crazy busy downtown!

Can I have dinner at the theatre?

While there is no restaurant on-site, there is a bar and concession. However, if you'd like more than wine and candy bars for dinner, you'll have to go farther afield. Here are some options for pre-show and post-show dining.

What happens if I'm late?

If you're late, you'll find yourself sitting in the lobby watching the show on a screen. We can't let people in once the show has started until there's a natural break or intermission. Don't be late! Doors to the theatre open at 6:15pm and the show starts at 7:30pm.

Doug Tuck, your host for the
evening

I really didn't want to be late and now I'm at the theatre an hour early. What do I do now?

You can come to a Preview Talk! Preview Talks begin at 6:30pm and are free for all ticket-holders. VO's Director of Marketing Doug Tuck gives the talks, which include background on the opera, interesting facts and all sorts of entertaining tidbits. The talks happen inside the theatre in the Mezzanine level. Just ask an usher to point you in the right direction.

Any other questions? Call our friendly Ticket Centre staff, or look for our Ambassadors at the theatre. Enjoy the show!

Richard Nixon Reported En Route to Kansas City

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:17:05 PST

General Director James Wright

Richard Nixon, Mao, First Lady Pat Nixon, et. al. are travelling by semi truck to Kansas City, Missouri from Vancouver.

Vancouver Opera’s vaunted production of Nixon in China, which premiered in March 2010, is off to Kansas City as part of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s inaugural season in their new home, the Kauffman Performing Arts Center.


Alan Woodrow (Mao), Robert Orth (Nixon) and Thomas Hammons (Kissinger)

The Lyric’s General Director Evan Luskin saw our Nixon in 2010 and the company soon after made a commitment to rent our production and engage the entire creative team. Also in the audience at the time was San Francisco Opera’s General Director David Gockley, who also decided to rent our production. Nixon will travel from Kansas City directly to San Francisco for performances there in June. More on that engagement in the months ahead.

Robert Orth is ready for
his closeup

I am really happy about these rentals for several reasons. First, I believe the production deserves to be seen by a wide audience in different cities: it is a very handsome and creative production that is, I believe, THE Nixon in China production for the next decade. Also, I am very happy that the creative team is getting its due and is being engaged to re-mount their original work. Director Michael Cavanagh, designers Erhard Rom, Parvin Mirhady, Sean Nieuwenhuis, Harry Frehner, and choreographer Wen Wei Wang are all traveling to those cities to oversee the installation of the production.

Chen-Ye Yuan (Chou EnLai),
Sally Dibblee (Pat Nixon) and
Robert Orth (Nixon)

I am proud of Vancouver Opera for producing this important contemporary work, and proud that it is resonating with other companies and communities. We don’t know what the future holds for additional productions, but we have fielded several inquiries from other opera companies as well.

Finally, there is a satisfaction in a “full circle” with our Nixon in China going to Kansas City. The Lyric Opera of Kansas City was the first opera company I worked for, way back in 1977-81. I enjoyed living there very much and I learned so much so quickly about this business, as I was allowed to stretch and grow, move into new roles and try out new ideas. It’s very satisfactory for me to now be heading a company sending an exciting new production back “home.”

- James Wright
General Director, Vancouver Opera
@jwwright61

photos by Tim Matheson

Five Good Ideas: Practical Strategies for Non-Profit Success

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:41:00 PST

Over the weekend I read Five Good Ideas: Practical Strategies for Non-Profit Success, a book that was recommended by a not-for-profit colleague.

I’m naturally skeptical of books that have “solutions” and “answers” to the complex challenges of not-for-profit organizations, and most of the time my skepticism is warranted. But I enjoyed this book and found some of the no-nonsense advice to be both timely and helpful to me right now, as I and my management team engage with issues of change, innovation and strategic planning every day.

Chapters that particularly resonated with me included “Reimagining Your Organization” “Leadership” and “Strategic Planning”. Vancouver Opera is in the midst of a major strategic planning exercise, attempting to confront the changes in our society that are requiring changes in the traditional “Western” arts organisations that have long dominated Canadian cities’ cultural maps.

We know that the world is changing – or, perhaps more accurately, the world has changed and continues to change. What traditional performing arts organizations have offered over the past five decades may – or may not – resonate as strongly in our 21^st century communities as in the past.

Opera companies all over North America are re-examining their core repertoire, vision, and mission, and are assessing their appeal to their communities. Vancouver Opera is, too. How we proceed, how we perceive our mission as it relates to our community, and how we envision the future are very important questions for us, I would say more so than at any time in recent memory. This book, while not providing answers directly related to our specific questions and challenges, offers some concrete advice that is worth following. I recommend it as a helpful and sometimes inspiring read to all who are interested in Canada’s cultural community as professionals or involved volunteers.

Five Good Ideas: Practical Strategies for Non-Profit Success, a Maytree initiative, published by Coach House Books, Toronto. Support provided by Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council.

- James Wright
General Director, Vancouver Opera
@jwwright61

Poll results are in!

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:38:14 PST

We asked, and you have spoken! Here are the results of our Favourite Duets poll.

TIED FOR 4TH PLACE:
Un Di, Felice, Eterea - Alfredo and Violetta, Act 1 of La traviata

Flower Duet
- Lakme and Mallika, Act 1 of Lakme

3RD PLACE:

Mir Ist Die Ehre Widerfahren
- Octavian and Sophie, Act 11 of Der Rosenkavalier

2ND PLACE:

O soave fanviulla
- Mimi and Rodolfo, Act 1 of La boheme

AND THE WINNER IS.....

Au fond du temple saint
- Nadir and Zurga, Act 1 of The Pearl Fishers

Other honourable mentions, as selected by VO Blog readers:

"The winner of this insufficient list is Strauss." - Thomas

"At the top of my list is Siegmund and Sieglinde's love duet at the end of Act 1 in Die Walkure. The beutifully written music of Tristan und Isolde in Act 2 (apparently this is the longest love duet ever written)but, please don't get me wrong and don't assume I only like Wagnerian music. I also like "sugar coated" music (Puccini referred to his music as sugar coated). I love Cio Cio San and Pinkerton love duet at the end of Act 1 in Madama Butterfly. I also love Lucia and Edgardo Act 1 love duet in Lucia Di Lammermoor." - Anonymous

"I'll cast my vote for Sull'Aria from Act III of The Marriage of Figaro" - Uncle Fred

Thanks, everyone, for participating!

Have more ideas for polls? Send 'em in!

James Wright on VO's 2012-2013 Season

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:00:00 PST

We have just announced our season for 2012/13 and I am very excited about the variety of great works we will present.

La Bohème

It is not unusual for an opera company to present La Bohème: it is a perennial favourite, a great opera for introducing young people and those new to the art form to the emotional peaks that opera provides.

I’m especially pleased with the vocal and dramatic abilities of the singers who have been carefully chosen to represent Puccini’s beautiful vocal lines as well as the vibrant youth depicted in bohemian Paris of the 19^th century. More about this production and its creative team in a later posting.

The Pirates of Penzance

I am excited and pleased to be presenting the great satirical comedy The Pirates of Penzance and to be giving Vancouver audiences a rare opportunity to luxuriate in the talents of Christopher Gaze, Judith Forst and Jonathan Darlington!

Each brings something (actually, many things) very special to this piece: Christopher’s tremendous sense of theatre and comic timing; Judith’s exquisite vocal production and stunning theatricality; and Jonathan’s incredible musical passion and refinement: all in the cause of a timeless and classic work guaranteed to make you laugh out loud while appreciating the genius of its creators, Messrs. Arthur Sullivan and W.S. Gilbert.

Tea: A Mirror of Soul

A much different opera and exciting to me for very different reasons, is Tan Dun’s evocative and magical Tea: A Mirror of Soul.

Utilizing both “Western” and Chinese traditional instruments and sporting spectacular and fantastical costumes, Tea: A Mirror of Soul tells the tale of a prince-cum-monk suffering "bitter love" involving a princess, of passion so tainted by jealousy that it ends in death, and of fierce struggles over an ancient book of wisdom.

Tan Dun gives us lush Italianate opera, rich orchestration, and the organic sounds of nature — water, paper, and stones. Jonathan Darlington conducts this extraordinary work in its Canadian premiere, bringing his exemplary musical skills and knowledge of Tan Dun’s work to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

The Magic Flute

Many of you will recall our Coast Salish Magic Flute presented in January 2007. That special and highly-praised production is returning in early 2013, promising to captivate new audiences and re-inspire those who saw it previously.

The original creative team is working with our friends at First Peoples’ Heritage, Language, and Culture Council to both re-create the work and bring fresh new insights and theatricality; if you saw it before, you will want to see it again! I will be talking and writing much more about this work in the months ahead.

This is my overview of our 2012/13 season; I look forward to visiting more about each of these special works and having a conversation with our subscribers, donors, single ticket buyers, and all who have an interest in Vancouver Opera.

- James Wright
General Director, Vancouver Opera
@jwwright61

Vancouver Opera's 2012-2013 Season!!

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:00:03 PST

Here it is! The announcement you've all been waiting for....

VANCOUVER OPERA ANNOUNCES 2012-2013 SEASON

Season opens with universally loved La Bohème

Christopher Gaze and Judith Forst star in The Pirates of Penzance,

conducted by Jonathan Darlington

VO’s acclaimed First Nations-inspired The Magic Flute returns

Canadian premiere of Tan Dun’s Tea: A Mirror of Soul

Vancouver, BC ~ A visually striking production of a beloved classic, two legendary performers in a hilarious masterpiece of satire, the return of one of the most distinctive productions in Canadian opera history, and an extraordinary fusion of western opera and eastern myth are just some of the highlights of Vancouver Opera's 2012-2013 season.

In order of presentation, VO's 53rd season will include Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème (October 20 - 28, 2012), Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance (December 1 - 9, 2012), VO's First Nations-inspired production of W.A. Mozart's The Magic Flute (March 9 - 17, 2013) and the Canadian premiere of Academy Award®-winning composer Tan Dun's Tea: A Mirror of Soul (May 4 - 11, 2013). Three of the four productions will include matinée performances.

Christopher Gaze will play Major-General Stanley and Judith Forst will sing Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance. Mr. Gaze will also stage-direct the production, with assistance from associate director and choreographer Allison Grant. "The piece is a jewel in Gilbert and Sullivan’s crown and in the right hands, the wit in both the libretto and the music can still bring the house down," says Jonathan Darlington, Vancouver Opera's music director, who will conduct both The Pirates of Penzance and Tea: A Mirror of Soul. "VO has assembled a great team of personalities who have contributed so much over the years to Vancouver’s cultural life and I’m sure the end result will be a riot.”

In announcing the season, VO’s General Director, James W. Wright, said, “We are proud to present four productions of great variety, excitement and surprise. The strong receptions for our recent productions of West Side Story, Lillian Alling and Nixon in China have shown us that our audiences want compelling, innovative options along with traditional operas. I believe that the 2012-2013 offerings will display Vancouver Opera’s versatility, our artistic strengths, and our ability to connect widely and deeply with our community."

For casting details and to learn more, read the entire press release here!

Review: The Sisters Brothers

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:16:11 PST

I’ve been reading various book reviews and book columns over the past few months, all of which have mentioned Patrick DeWitt’s The Sisters Brothers as 1) a book to watch for; 2) a book that will be nominated for various prizes; 3) a book which has been nominated for...; 4) the winner of....: all of which piqued my interest, of course, and got the book onto my “must buy” or “must get for Christmas” lists.

Well, I didn’t get it for Christmas – so I bought it on Boxing Day and read it recently. DeWitt’s book comes with a litany of prizes and nominations: winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award; winner of the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize; finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize; Man Booker finalist, etc. And in my opinion, worth every accolade. It’s a fresh take on an old genre: Western fiction.

The Edmonton Journal says, “With nods to Charles Portis and Cormac McCarthy and the classic cinematic Western, this is a quirky, lustful tale that clips along...” And I love this quote from the Winnipeg Review: "[it] practically holds a Colt to your head and growls: read me.”

I used to, as a kid, devour Westerns (along with Perry Mason mysteries) and still delve in occasionally (especially the likes of Michael McGarrity), and through either McGarrity or Nevada Barr – I can’t remember which – I was introduced to the charming Western novels of Eugene Manlove Rhodes (The Proud Sheriff, 1935).

Of course, since coming to Canada, I have explored the Western Canada works of Guy Vanderhaeghe, Richmond P. Hobson’s Jr. two non-fiction ranching classics, Grass Beyond the Mountains (1951) and Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy (1955), and others. And Wallace Stegner’s Wolf Willow, while not Western fiction, is certainly a vivid portrait of the North American West at the turn of the last century.

But back to The Sisters Brothers: I was entranced by DeWitt’s slightly formal, a bit stilted and quirky 19th century manner of dialogue – not at all off-putting; rather, quite engaging. I also was intrigued by his deadpan approach to the violence – of which there is a great deal. Again, I think perhaps it is a style that in part pays homage to the genre – and perhaps the Spaghetti Western – and also takes the edge off the many violent episodes the professional killers find themselves in.

In short: a tremendous read, very engaging, quite original. Highly recommended by literary experts around the world – and me!

A final note: Dewitt has acknowledged the essential assistance provided at a critical time by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Government of Canada through the Canadian Book Fund. This is another excellent example of why we need all our levels of government to support creativity and the arts.

-James Wright
General Director, Vancouver Opera
@jwwright61

Family Packs are Back!

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:31:08 PST

Looking for something the whole family can enjoy? Here's your answer! We'll be offering Family Packs to our Sunday, March 25 matinée performance of Barber of Seville.

With the purchase of two regular-price adult tickets, you can bring two kids (up to age 18) to the show for only $35 each! This offer is only available for the March 25 1:30pm performance.

Book now for best selection - call the VO Ticket Centre 604-683-0222.

What does next season hold?

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:00:08 PST

We have two more exciting productions left in the 2011-2012 season... but that doesn't mean we're not thinking ahead! Watch this space next week, when we will announce the lineup for 2012-2013!

No hints, but we can say that there will be something old, something new, something unique...and something really really fun.

The Hope in Shadows Calendar

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:30:00 PST

On New Year’s weekend I finally got around to purchasing the 2012 Hope in Shadows calendar. Available from low-income and homeless vendors throughout the city since 2003, the project is coordinated by Pivot Legal Society.

To quote the calendar, "Vendors buy the calendar for $10 and sell it for $20. All the money from the transaction goes to the vendor. Additional proceeds support the financial sustainability of [the] project and provide community legal resources for low-income residents of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside."

The calendar is a bit of a fixture for many who look forward to buying one of their own and others for gifts.

The baker’s dozen of photographs - both colour and black and white – are artful, often stunning and frequently moving, depicting the special place the DTES is – its people, architecture, vistas, and activities.

Vancity is the major sponsor of the project, along with a long list of governments, agencies, organizations and businesses who are also generous supporters. To learn more, see pictures and read about sponsors, visit the Hope in Shadows website.

- James W. Wright, General Director, Vancouver Opera

The Barber is everywhere!

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:57:00 PST

If you've never been to an opera before, Rossini's The Barber of Seville is a great place to start! Chances are extremely high that you've heard snatches of this opera before. Perhaps in a very familiar Bugs Bunny cartoon?

Or perhaps in a Woody Woodpecker cartoon!

Maybe you've heard it performed by your favourite barbershop sextet....

Or on America's Got Talent? (Skip to 1:00 - unless you'd also like to hear his rendition of La donna e mobile)

See? Opera's not scary at all! The Barber of Seville opens on March 17th.

Is there a program like Opera Under Thirty for people under 19?

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:32:44 PST

We offer special subscription rates for students of all ages - all you need is a student ID. Our Ticket Centre can give you more information. Give them a call at 604-683-0222.

We also offer the Opera Experience program for high school students, which includes $35 tickets to our dress rehearsals. You can find out more here.

To participate in Opera Experience, students need a teacher to sponsor them. (It doesn't have to be a music teacher!). The sponsor teacher can contact our Director of Education, Michael Grice at 604-682-2871, ext. 4834 or by email to find out more.

A Between-the-Holidays Dinner at Campagnolo Roma

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:13:28 PST

James Wright

I have always enjoyed exploring the restaurants and shops east of Main Street, and now that Vancouver Opera has moved into its new facility off Clark Drive, I’m finding myself spending more time exploring and discovering new (some just new to me; others actually rather new) places.

On a rainy weeknight between Christmas and New Years and seeking something quite different from turkey or ham, a friend and I went to Campagnolo Roma – a sister restaurant to Campognolo on Main Street near Terminal.

Campagnolo Roma is at 2297 Hastings (across and down a block from East Village Bakery – more about it another time!) and specializes – surprise - in dishes with a bit more Roman bent versus Northern or Southern Italian.

Campagnolo Roma

The place is not at all fussy: clean lines, spare, lots of windows through which I could watch folks scurrying home through the heavy rain.

I love Italian food (all food, I guess), nurtured by the three months I spent in Bologna a few years ago studying the language. I think I studied il cibo bolognese as much as I did la lingua italiana….

But back to Campognolo Roma: I enjoyed the “local octopus salad” for starters, with greens, chilled potato, gaeta olives and red wine vinegar, then dug into a nice bowl of spaghetti con salsiccia finocchio; I believe my partner had the pasta with wild boar special, but I’m frankly not sure as I was concentrating on my own dinner. I do know we shared a bottle of Montepulciano d’abruzzo riserva. Being very careful as always about my weight, I virtuously turned down dolce.

As we were finishing a young couple came in, sat at the cozy little bar and started off with a couple of glasses of prosecco – now why didn’t I think of that??

- James W. Wright
General Director, Vancouver Opera

You asked for it!

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:07:22 PST

One of our readers has made a great suggestion: how about a poll of our favourite duets?

In the left column of this page you'll see a place where you can vote. If you think none of these make the cut, leave a comment below with your suggestion.

Here are some clips of our top 5.

Option #1 - O soave fanciulla
Mimi and Rodolfo, Act 1 of La boheme

Option #2 - Un Di, Felice, Eterea
Alfredo and Violetta, Act 1 of La traviata

Option #3 - Mir Ist Die Ehre Widerfahren
Octavian and Sophie, Act 11 of Der Rosenkavalier

Option #4 - Au fond du temple saint
Nadir and Zurga, Act 1 of The Pearl Fishers

Option #5 - Flower Duet
Lakmé and Mallika, Act 1 of Lakmé

Vote now! The poll will be open until January 9th!

VO posters at the Society of Illustrators show!

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:24:28 PST

We've just received word from Brian Stauffer that our 2011-2012 season posters have been accepted into the Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition in New York!

Brian also tells us that one of the posters is up for a Best of Show medal.

Here are the four posters if you haven't already seen them. The illustrations are by Brian and the posters were designed by Annie Mack.

Instrument Zoo!

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:02:34 PST

Here are some weird and wacky instruments you may have seen in an orchestra... and some you may never see in an orchestra!

1. Cornetts and Serpents

Mute cornett, curved cornett and tenor cornett

Cornetts (also known as cornettos or zinks) are hybrids of woodwinds and brass: they have the toneholes and fingering systems of woodwinds but the cup mouthpiece of brass.

Their unique sound is very similar to the human voice and were often used to support church choirs.

The Serpent is the contrabass member of the cornett family.

2. Shawm

Spanish soprano shawm in C', Spanish alto shawm in G, Spanish alto shawm in F

The shawm was a woodwind instrument used in Europe between the 12th and 17th centuries. It's the predecessor of the modern oboe and was developed from the zurma, an early Middle Eastern woodwind.

Shawms were made in several sizes and ranged from sopranino to great bass.

3. Sackbut

Sackbut!

The sackbut was the predecessor of the slide trombone and was in use in Europe during the 15th century, when it began to develop into the trombone we're familiar with today.

Do you play the sackbut? You might be interested in a Sackbut t-shirt!

4. Basset Horn

The basset horn in action

The basset horn is a member of the clarinet family and is still in use today. Mozart used it in several of his works, including Die Entführung aus dem Serail, La Clemenza di Tito and Die Zauberflöte.

4. Cor anglais

The cor anglais

The cor anglais (or English horn) belongs to the oboe family. It's pitched a perfect fifth lower than the oboe and is consequently one and a half times the length of the oboe.

It has a pear-shaped bell and is regarded as the alto member of the oboe family, with the oboe d'amore as the mezzo-soprano member.

5. Contrabassoon

The contrabasson in action

The contrabassoon sounds an octave lower than the bassoon. It's so long that it curves around on itself twice and is supported by an endpin and a strap around the players's neck. Some models cannot be disassembled without a screwdriver.

6. Contrabass Clarinet

Contrabass clarinet in B-flat and Contrabassoon

The contrabass clarinet is one of two largest members of the clarinet family that have ever been used commonly , the second being the contra-alto clarinet. Some contrabass clarinets have a range down to low E♭ or even further to low C. Subcontrabass clarinets, pitched even lower than the contrabass, have been built only on an experimental basis. (Photo from fellerich.lu¸)

Congrats to Cybele Young!

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:55:01 PST

Cybele Young has won the Governor General's Award for Children's Illustration!

We're excited because Cybele is the illustrator of Jack Pine, the picture book by Christopher Patton, upon which our children's opera Jack Pine was based.

Our set for this travelling production also incorporated some illustrations from the book.

Find out more about Cybele's GG win here.

From book....

To stage set mock-up....

To performance! Brought to life by Tenor Adam Fisher, soprano Hiather Darnel-Kadonaga, mezzo Rose-Ellen Nichols and baritone Michael MacKinnon.

Bass Donald Garrard, 1929-2011

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:44:17 PST

A Vancouver native and respected opera bass died recently in South Africa; Don Garrard was 82. Quoting from Opera, a British publication, “Garrard studied in Santa Barbara with Lotte Lehmann. He sang at the Canadian Opera Company, Sadler’s Wells Opera in London, and made his Covent Garden debut as Ferrando in Il Trovatore in 1970. His 120 roles ranged from Boris to Bluebeard, Sarastro to Wotan. He recorded The Rake’s Progress under Stravinsky’s leadership.”

Don Garrard also sang in two productions with Vancouver Opera, as Mephistopheles in Faust in 1976 and as Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor in 1982. I had a conversation with a VO patron today who remembered fondly his strong and secure bass voice.

Don Garrard's secure technique and warmth of vocal feeling brought him engagements around the world. In 1969 the Canadian press referred to him as “Probably, the greatest Bass ever to come from this country”.

Notes The Canadian Encyclopedia of Music in Canada:

With his commanding presence, his keen theatrical sense, and a voice both substantial and flexible Garrard [became] respected on both sides of the Atlantic for his effectiveness in the whole range of operatic roles for bass. After his 1988 performance of Verdi's Requiem with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, critic Peter Mose wrote "Garrard's was the voice of the wisest, ripest eminence" (Toronto Star 11 May 1988).

Garrard was resident 1961-85 in England but continued to appear in Canada with the COC, in recital, and on CBC radio and TV.

In 1989 he moved from Canada to South Africa where he [sang] King Heinrich in Lohengrin, Rocco in Fidelio, and Philip II in Don Carlos, appeared in concerts, and [gave] master classes. He [was] heard on the BBC, RAI (Italy) and PBS networks.”

- James Wright, General Director, Vancouver Opera

Hi from Bob. Can i get alist of winning numbers for the Oct 31 2011 draw? thanks

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:27:44 PST

Hi Bob. You can find all the winning numbers here:

http://www.vancouveropera.ca/winners.html

Ask me anything

what time does the performance tonight end thanks

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:22:17 PST

Tonight's performance of Roméo et Juliette will run just about 3 hours, so should wrap up close to 10:30pm.

Note that downtown will be busy tonight - there's a hockey game! Check the Your Night At The Opera on www.vancouveropera.ca for tips on parking.

Ask me anything

Opening Night at Roméo et Juliette

clibby@vancouveropera.ca — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:07:25 PST

Here are a few shots from opening night of the spectacular Roméo et Juliette!

Here's Peter Volpe (Frere Laurent) with Irving Guttman, CM, OBC, Artistic Director Emeritus of Vancouver Opera.

And here's Simone Osborne (Juliette) with General Director James W. Wright

Aaron St. Clair Nicholson (Mercutio) performs at a pre-show event with Principal Répétiteur / Assistant Chorus Director Kinza Tyrrell on piano

Guests at the Opera Round Table Prelude Dinner

There are only 3 more performances of Roméo et Juliette remaining! Read the reviews in the Straight , the Sun and Vancouver Is Awesome!