Shaham doesn't steal anyone else's scenes--she owns the show.

Vancouver Courier in another rave review.

Rinat Shaham is Mesmerizing as Carmen!

"It's official", says www.reviewvancouver.org

Twenty Questions with Michael Nyby

Michael Nyby is another rising star at Vancouver Opera. He's gained some nice reviews for his work as Morales in Carmen, and we couldn't be happier. Michael was kind enought to spend a few minutes with our "Twenty Questions"









Guilty musical pleasure?
I love singing Karaoke.

Where do you love to sing?
I often sing when mountain biking or snowboarding.

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
If only I knew.

To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
I have a serious professional hockey addiction.

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines of fiction?
Macbeth, Jean Valjean, Odysseus, and Batman

Who are your favourite characters in history?
I'd have to go with Cleopatra - her life reads like an epic novel.

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines in real life?
Leonard Warren, Barack Obama, and Wayne Gretzky

Who is your favourite author?
I've gone through many, but I always seem to come back to Kurt Vonnegut and Tom Robbins.

Your favourite musician?
My wife.

Your favourite composer?
That's a tie between Mozart, Verdi and Curtis Mayfield. Only a true genius could write Die Zauberflote, Otello, or the Soundrack to Superfly.

What quality do you most admire in a person?
A sense of humour.

Your favourite virtue?
The ability to accept and make light of one's faults.

Your favourite occupation?
If I weren't an opera singer, I would wan to be Indiana Jones, so I suppose the anser is a totally-awesome-archaeologist-adverturer.

What did you want to be as a child?
Indiana Jones. I still do!

Your most marked characteristic?
It's hard for me to say, but my wife says the first thing she notices about me was my eyebrows. They're very pronounced.

What do you most value in your friends?
Constancy. I have very few friends whom I can contact after years apart and it is like no time at all has passed.

For what would you like to be remembered?
I'd be happy just being remembered.

What natural gift would you most like to possess?
The Force.

What is your motto?
"Come on, it'll be fun!" Which could also qualify for my famous last words.

What non-opera song do you rock?
Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness"

Twenty Questions with Ricarido Gimena

Ricarido Gimena has been steadily increasing his visibility at Vancouver Opera over the past year or so. Most notably, Ricarido stepped in at intermission of La Boheme last year for an ailing Roger Honeywell as Rudolfo in La Boheme, to great acclaim. This season in Carmen he's featured as Le Remendado, which is also getting notice.
We're thrilled to get his response to our "Twenty Questions"

Guilty musical pleasure?
I love Barbra Streisand from the 1960s.

Where do you love to sing?
Like most people, I enjoy singing in the shower, but it's beginning to hurt my ears.

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
A big dinner with my family.

To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Eating out

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines of fiction?
Superman/Wonderwoman

Who are your favourite characters in history?
Cleopatra, Ghenghis Khan, Ghandi

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines in real life?
Ghandi, Mother Teresa.

Who is your favourite author?
J.K. Rowling

Your favourite musician?
Evgeny Kissin

Your favourite composer?
Richard Strauss

What quality do you most admire in a person?
Kindness

Your favourite virtue?
Humility

Your favourite occupation?
Singer

What did you want to be as a child?
Medical Doctor

Your most marked characteristic?
You have to ask others for that.

What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty

For what would you like to be remembered?
That I was a happy and content person

What natural gift would you most like to possess?
Self-assurance

What is your motto?
"Do unto others what you would have them do unto you."

What non-opera song do you rock?
Single Ladies - Beyonce

Blogger Night Connections

OK, here's how this is going down. We've got four bloggers we've invited to Tuesday Night's performance of Carmen. We've invited them to blog live throughout the evening on their experiences. We've added a blogroll on the right hand side bar which should update as they post. You can also connect to each of them here:


http://blog.deliciousjuice.com/





http://www.miss604.com/





http://netchick.net/











http://beyondrobson.com/








I'd say start checking in around 7:30pm-ish when the show starts.....

Big thanks to all of them for taking us up on this little experiment!

PI Financial Comes Full Circle With Carmen

Vancouver Opera is proud to again have the support of PI Financial Corp. as production sponsor for Carmen, which opened last Saturday. PI Financial Corp. started its association with Vancouver Opera in 2002 as production sponsor for that season's Carmen, followed by Aida and Girl of the Golden West in 2003, Madame Butterfly in 2004,Don Giovanni in 2005, Magic Flute in 2006,and most recently sponsored Cavalleria Rusticana/I Pagliacci in the 2007-2008 season.


PI Financial Corp was also a key sponsor of Vancouver Opera's ground-breaking 2007 production of The Magic Flute, an opera that was the end result of a three-year collaborative process with First Nations artists. Jean-Paul Bachellerie, President and Chief Operating Officer of PI Financial Corp., said the firm was pleased to continue its association with Vancouver Opera into nine seasons. "We are proud to support an arts organization with superb production values, strong vision and leadership, and excellent management."


"The generous support of PI Financial Corp. helps us maintain our high production standards, allowing Vancouver Opera to be counted among the very best opera companies in the world," comments Vancouver Opera General Director, James W. Wright . "With this support, we're able to make Vancouver a centre for outstanding productions that attract the brightest Canadian and international talent. We're proud to work with PI to bring the beauty and power of great opera to Vancouverites."


PI Financial Corp. is a leading, employee-owned, western Canadian based Investment Dealer providing a full range of investment products and services for individual, corporate and institutional clients. The firm has offices in Vancouver , Victoria and Calgary , serves more than 15,000 clients and has over 160 employees.

Hot Stuff Says The Straight

Check out the hot hot review of Carmen by The Georgia Straight.

Veteran Reviewer Lloyd Dykk on Carmens Past and Present

Veteran Reviewer Lloyd Dykk has moved to cyberspace! Check out his review of Vancouver Opera's long and varied history with Carmen at Splinter Annex.

Young, Tall and Buff: Okulitch dubbed "Barihunk"

Daniel Okulitch speaks very well about The Fly, Deadman Walking, and why its so cool to be Escamillo in Carmen in a feature in the Vancouver Sun.

And there's nekkid pictures <>.

Israeli Sensation Rinat Shaham as Carmen

Here's a feature story on Rinat Shaham from the Jewish Independent.

Fire and Passion in Body Armour

Here's some more Carmen coverage, this time from The Province.

Vancouver’s love affair with Georges Bizet’s Carmen continues

Check out the Vancouver Sun review here.

Including what can only be the Rinat Shaham/Carmen action figure....


Photo: Rinat Shaham as Carmen

Opera is Sexy in Vancity

Here's a delightful review from our friends at www.sexyinvancity.com

We're bringing sexy back...

Opening Night Pics

A few pics from opening night. We were honoured to have His Honour the Honourable Steven Point, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, and Her Honour Mrs. Gwen Point and the official party join us for evening. His Honour offer a few very inspiring words on the power of art and theatre after Jim's genuinely entertaining preview of the show.

Carmen - now with more Zing!

Last night I attended our final orchestra dress rehearsal of Carmen, along with about 1200 kids and a couple of hundred friends and family members of our orchestra and chorus.

This is a Vancouver Opera tradition. Each production, we hold the Jean M. Southam student dress rehearsal and students, their teachers, and a few parents flock to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre to catch the opera for $12 apiece, sponsored by TD Bank. Orchestra members and choristers also get the opportunity to purchase two tickets for their loved ones or close friends for the same amount. The revenue this generates is divided among the Actors’ Fund of Canadian Equity (singers), the Musicians’ Benefit Fund of the Vancouver Musicians Association (orchestra musicians) and Vancouver Opera.

The student dress rehearsal is just one of the programs in our education department, which includes our province-wide Vancouver Opera in Schools tour, the classroom-centered Music! Words! Opera! curriculum based program, and other activities. It is great fun to attend the student dress; all have been prepared for the evening by studying the opera being performed and opera in general, and are always attentive, appreciative and discriminating. If the kids like the show, we know we have a hit!

The performers really appreciate the student dress, too. After all, many of them got their first taste of opera as youngsters in their schools or, often, by attending a similar in-theatre event. They also like the opportunity to pace and time their performance: here’s where there will be some applause; here’s where there will be some laughter; here’s where the pace slackens a bit (we won’t keep the attention of 1200 kids if things get boring!). And finally, they just really enjoy performing for such an enthusiastic, uninhibited audience.

When I spent a few months in Italy a couple of years ago, I unknowingly purchased a ticket to a student performance of The Daughter of the Regiment in Turino. I had prided myself on purchasing the ticket over the telephone from where I was living in Bologna, and doing it all in Italian – at least my version of Italian. I knew I was attending a matinee, but didn’t know it would be with only high school students. I must say, it was quite a dull affair compared to VO’s student dress rehearsals: only a few hundred kids in the middle of the auditorium, a gaggle of opera administrators huddled near the back of the house, and a few dozen patrons (me included) seated in between. I enjoyed the performance, but it sure didn’t have the “zing” I was used to with a student audience!


~ Jim Wright

Photo: Rinat Shaham as Carmen

Vancouver's Florestan to be COC's pinch tenor

Richard Margison, who starred as VO's Florestan in last season's Fidelio is one of two tenors being flown in to Toronto's COC to fill the role for them at the last minute after their guy walked off the stage at dress rehearsal Wednesday night.

As a refresher, here's the review on Margison's performance here last year. He's a fabulous singer and a stand up guy and a perfect choice for COC.

Road trip anyone? Show opens Saturday, just like our Carmen, but runs through Feb 24, so we can see both.

Burning Down the House

Rinat Shaham is burning down the house in Carmen, opening this Saturday.


Take it from those of use who have seen rehearsals, between Rinat, David Pomeroy,and Daniel Okulitch, you're going to need a fan and a nice cool drink at intermission.


Or listen to these folks:

Georgia Straight: Who needs Viagra when you've got opera like this?

Vancouver Sun: "One of the world's great seductresses returns to Vancouver in erotic masterpiece"


Globe and Mail: "The character also lets the singer take a walk on the wild side."



Dress for hot weather when you come see Carmen.
Call 604-683-0222 for tickets now!

And just to be fair - some shots of Daniel Okulitch (our Escamillo), who seems to have a thing for taking off his shirt -- not that anyone is complaining...


So it kinda looks like there's something for everyone in this show. Good date night material.

PS: As for David Pomeroy (our Don Jose), you're just going have to see him in person. Somehow he's managed not to let any sexy pics of himself leak to the internet....yet...



Photo creds:
Rinat Shaham pic: Laura Leyshon for The Globe and Mail
Rinat Shaham pic: Rinat Shaham
Carmen pic: Florida Grand Opera
Daniel Okulitch (Deadman Walking) pic: Trudie Lee for Banff
Daniel Okulitch (The Fly) pic: Marie-Noell Robert for AP

Blogger Night @ The Opera

As we mentioned earlier this week, we’ll be doing the first ever Blogger Night @ The Opera this Tuesday (Jan 27). Four prominent local bloggers have been invited to bring their laptops down to the QET and blog from the lobby before the show and during the first intermission.

Some of these bloggers have been to an opera before while others are complete newbies. We’ve asked them to share their thoughts on the entire experience, from hobnobbing with other opera patrons at the bar, to seeing the gorgeous costumes and sets, to hearing all those famous tunes performed live. We’ll be linking their reports to our website, too.

These bloggers all have very strong readership, so this event will help many many people learn a bit about what VO does. And hopefully, those many many people will come to the opera themselves next time!

Here are the blogs:

http://blog.deliciousjuice.com/
….and here’s her post that shows just how excited she is:





http://www.miss604.com/
…and her review of Onegin:





http://netchick.net/











http://beyondrobson.com/






If you’d like to know more, post a comment, and we'll get back to you asap. And feel free to say hello to the bloggers if you’re there on Tuesday!

~ Ling & Selina, blogger mavens

Traffic Alert! Opening Night Jan 24th!

West Georgia Street Closure

Please be advised that all four lanes of traffic in the 800 block of Georgia Street(Georgia and Howe) will be blocked on January 24th! So if you've purchased opening night tickets, please find an alternate route to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Try mapquest

Heads up, there is also a concert at GM place that night.

Best bet: BC Hydro Parking for opera patrons only for $6 at Homer and Dunsmuir (enter from Homer).

For GPS Users: Use 400 West Dunsmuir for an address

For more parking suggestions, go here.

Golden Anniversary Artist: Edel Rodriguez

Edel Rodriguez commissioned to create posters for VO’s milestone 2009/2010 season

Vancouver Opera is pleased to announce that award-winning Cuban-American illustrator Edel Rodriguez has been commissioned to create the artwork for its 50th anniversary season.

Recently featured in Communication Arts Design Annual 49, Rodriguez is the recipient of Gold and Silver Medals for editorial illustration from the Society of Illustrators.

No stranger to the arts world, Rodriguez created the artwork for New York’s Metropolitan Opera production of Dr. Atomic - John Adams’ opera about Robert Oppenheimer - as well as posters for the tenth anniversary season of Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre.

Rodriguez’ work, a strong, contemporary blend of Cuban aesthetics and American commercial illustration, has appeared in The New Yorker, Time Magazine, Rolling Stone, Playboy, The New York Times, The New Republic, The Wall Street Journal, Esquire magazine, Conde Naste Traveler, The Washington Post, Fortune Magazine, Billboard Magazine and the Los Angeles Times, as well as in three children’s books. A stamp he created for the United States Postal Service was released in the Summer of 2005.

Vancouver Opera looks to prominent artists like Rodriguez to create artwork that reflects the passion and energy of its productions. VO’s tradition of innovative, visually striking poster art continues with this commission.

Rodriguez brings a bold, intriguing aesthetic to Vancouver Opera’s 50th anniversary season, which anticipates VO’s bright future and honours the company’s illustrious past. The season will be formally announced in February and will feature both traditional and contemporary productions, including a Canadian premiere of a late-20th-century masterpiece.

Vancouver Opera looks forward to working with Edel Rodriguez during this milestone year.

To view examples of Edel’s work, please visit http://www.drawger.com/edel/.

Tuesday Trivia: It's All About Carmen

This week, in honour of our opening of Carmen, we offer you the following questions related to the show. Post your guesses as comments, and we'll post the answers on Thursday.





1. Whose work “The Gypsies” influenced Prosper Merimee to write his novella Carmen?
2. Where does Carmen work?
3. In the last act, what does Carmen throw at Don Jose?
4. In the first act, what does Carmen throw at Don Jose?
5. What does Carmen bring to Don Jose in jail?
6. Micaela brings 2 things from Don Jose’s mother to him– what are they?
7. March 3, 1875 was significant for Georges Bizet – his opera Carmen was first performed and he was presented with the Legion d’honneur on the same day. True or False?
8. Name the city where this opera takes place:
9. Carmen is considered to be opera comique – does this mean that it is meant to be funny?....as it is a tragedy?
10. Bizet spent extensive time in Spain to research the score – True or False?

Commitment Issues + Obsessive Personality = Riveting Entertainment.

Doug Tuck, Director of Marketing and Community Programs here at VO, recently gave the best description of Carmen I’ve ever heard: obsessive, easily-manipulated man abandons his career and family for a serial seducer with ties to organized crime. Intriguing? Definitely. And many other people thought so too, judging from the packed house at last week’s Opera Speaks @ the VPL - The Psychology of Passion: Carmen Exposed.

Three expert panelists were on hand to help us explore the topic: David Freeman, psychologist, and registered clinical counselors Tamara Adilman and Delyse Ledgard. As I took my seat in the crowded room, I was eagerly anticipating a juicy discussion on the vamp Carmen and her defenseless prey Don Jose. Instead, I learned that the personalities of Carmen and Don Jose are much, much more complicated than that.

Simply put, love is dangerous. It messes with your head and makes you do crazy things. And thanks to our three panelists, I now know why.

Drugs, man. It’s all about the drugs.

When you fall in love, your brain chemistry actually changes. Dopamine, norepinephrine and seratonin increase, which means you pretty much act like an obsessive coke fiend. You’re excited, energetic, and spend 90% of your time thinking about your new love, and you’ll do anything you can to hold on to that happy feeling… which explains why Don Jose gives everything up for Carmen. But the high only lasts 3 – 24 months, and the more often you experience it, the shorter it is…which explains why Carmen gets bored of Don Jose as soon as the flamboyant Escamillo comes along. And then, well, you know what happens next.

But then again, lots of people have fallen in love without it ending in a bloodbath. Sure, jealously drives people to do harsh things, but murder is pretty rare. So what else is going on here? There must be other factors that make Jose and Carmen act they way they do.

It’s not me – it’s you. Well, actually, it’s me too.

Poor ol’Don Jose. He tosses away a steady girl, his dear old mum, and a great job in the army for this floozy Carmen. And what does she do? Dump him for a guy in spangly pants. It’s all her fault, right?

Well, maybe not. Carmen’s got a few issues of her own to deal with – she’s a serial seducer, after all, constantly looking for validation from men. Did she turn out that way because had a rough childhood? Or maybe she didn’t get enough attention from her dad when she was growing up? (A hypothesis from David Freeman that struck visible terror into the hearts of all the fathers in the audience). Either way, she gives Jose fair warning back in Act One: “Love is a rebellious bird”. Run away, Jose – this girl is no innocent Michaela!

But Jose, blinded by his own chemistry, falls in love anyway. Not with the real Carmen, though - with who he wants Carmen to be. And when Carmen insists on being herself, Jose gets a little angry. And you wouldn’t like Jose when he’s angry.

So who’s the victim here? Is anyone innocent? We know why love makes people act crazy, so why can’t we control it? No matter how far we’ve come, it seems the reptilian brain still rules.

An hour and a half after the start of the panel, we still had many questions to explore – which goes to show just how complex the characters of Don Jose and Carmen are. And even though Bizet wrote Carmen in way back 1875, our panelists agreed it’s as relevant and insightful now as it was back then. It seems people haven’t really changed much in the past 134 years … which is either comforting or depressing, depending on how you look at it. Either way, it makes for great opera!

~ Selina Rajani, Communications Manager

Twenty Questions with Daniel Okulitch

We are thrilled to have Daniel Okulitch back to sing with us again. Daniel was terrific in his last appearance with us in La Boheme, and he got great reviews as Seth in The Fly. Now he's back with us again as the dashing Toreador in Carmen, and we couldn't be happier. Daniel took a few minutes recently to sit down and answer our 20 Questions:

Guilty musical pleasure?
Journey

Where do you love to sing?
Alone in my apartment

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
A solo road trip, with no one knowing where I am.

To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Far too much time wasted online.

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines of fiction?
Howard Roark.

Who are your favourite characters in history?
Lao Tzu, daVinci, Buddha

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines in real life?
The unsung heroes.

Who is your favourite author?
Ray Bradbury, James Clavell, Brad Warner.

Your favourite musician?
Louis Armstrong, Freddy Mercury, Ray LaMontagne.

Your favourite composer?
Vaughan Williams

What quality do you most admire in a person?
Independence, a dynamic sense of self, patience.

Your favourite virtue?
Objectivity.

Your favourite occupation?
An occupation that helps others.

What did you want to be as a child?
Marine Biologist.

Your most marked characteristic?
It takes a lot to make me mad, also I'm tall and even taller with my boots on.

What do you most value in your friends?
Intelligence and humour.

For what would you like to be remembered?
Hopefully for something grander than what I've already accomplished.

What natural gift would you most like to possess?
To be a great dancer.

What is your motto?
"It is easier ot ask forgiveness than permission", and "Well see..."

What non-opera song do you rock?
Blues!

Ticket Sales Freak Out

Heads up everybody! We've got such a huge amount of traffic on the website and on the phone from people buying Carmen tickets that the servers and phone systems are freaking out.

So - if you have trouble getting through on-line:
Call us at 604-683-0222.

If you're having trouble getting through on the phones:
PRESS 1 as soon as you are prompted and you'll get in the queue.

If you're not quick, you might get shuffled off to Polly Parrott, our receptionist, who's quite sweet, but unable to help you.

We're extending box office hours to 9am - 7pm (M-F) and 9-5 (Sat)to take care of you all.

Thanks for your business! This show is going to be packed! Tickets are still available most nights - so call or go online to get yours!

Carmen Will Be Smokin'

A message from William B. Davis, VO Fan:

Carmen will be seriously smoking. As in she works in a cigarette factory and the director is planning on having people smoke on stage. If anyone's dares to complain they will switch to cheap Cuban cigars and really give them something to choke on.




~editor's note: Seriously, if you've got a problem with cigarette smoke, call us to make arrangements to enjoy the show 604-683-0222

Profiles of the Pacific Rim: Gina Oh

Voices of the Pacific Rim
February 8, 2009 at 7:30pm

Vancouver Opera brings Asian and western cultures together in Voices of the Pacific Rim, a recital of popular opera selections combined with traditional Asian songs, performed by rising young Asian Canadian opera singers and celebrating and honouring the Chinese, Korean and Japanese communities.

In German, French, Italian, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, and Japanese

One of the leading lights of the Canada's Pac Rim operatic voices, Gina Oh has been instrumental in helping Vancouver Opera put together this concert. Check her out online at her website: www.ginaoh.com


Most recently having sung at the Presidential House in South Korea and greeted by the First Lady, Vancouver born soprano, Dr. Gina Oh was honored as one of the most influential Korean Women Of The World of 2008. Representing Canada, she stands out as a cultural ambassador through music and song. Gina has been recognized for her talent and good work by the Korean Consulate, Elite Canadian Politicians, the Canadian National Press and the major Vancouver music communities.
Gina now resides in Vancouver, proudly teaching at Caulfield School of Dance, assisting the opera program at Vancouver Academy of Music, and continuing her diligent community outreach with Vancouver Opera.

Come see Gina and other rising stars of the Pacific Rim on Feb 8th!
Call 604-683-0222 for tickets or go to www.vancouveropera.ca

Tuesday Trivia: The Late Edition

Hi everybody. We usually do Tuesday Trivia on, well, Tuesday. But I missed it this week - so here's a special Late Edition. We'll post answers and a new quiz next Tuesday. So since we're giving you extra days to figure out the answers, here's an especially hard one....

"All Together Now!!! - From what show are each of these choruses?"

1. "Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate;
Va, ti posa sui clivi, sui colli,
Ove olezzano tepide e molli,
L'aure dolci del suolo natal!"

2. "A quel grido il ciel risponde
Quasi voglia impietosito propagar
Per l'infinito,
Patria oppressa, il tuo dolor!"

3. "Viktoria! Viktoria! der Meister soll leben,
Der wacker dem Sternlein den Rest hat gegeben!"

4. "O welche Lust, in freier Luft
Den Atem leicht zu heben!"

5. "It's a lovely day for drinking
And for watching people fry!
Hurry, hurry, hurry,
Watch 'em die!
Hurry, hurry, hurry,
Hang 'em high!"

6. "And cruelty becomes
his enterprise.
Him who despises us
we'll destroy!"

7. "Mille grazie, mio signore,
Del favore, dell, onore.
Ah! di tanta cortesia
Obbligata in verita!"

8. "Vin ou biere,
biere ou vin,
que mon verre
soit plein!
Sans vergogne,
coup sur coup,
un ivrogne
boit tout!"

9. "O, Isis und Osiris, welche Wonne!"

10. "Noi siamo zingarelle
Venute da lontano;
D'ognuno sulla mano
Leggiamo l'avvenir."

Post your guesses as comments - answers and a new quiz on Tuesday next.

Carmen - Putting the Piece(s) Together

One of the great perks of my job is attending orchestra rehearsals, or “readings.”

These are with conductor and orchestra only; singers are added later. Depending on the opera, we dedicate three or four three-hour rehearsals to each production. Of course, players have already received their music and have practiced their parts before we assemble for the read. The conductor explains his or her vision for the piece, talks about particular idiosyncrasies of the score and perhaps of the edition of the musical parts we are using, explains “cuts” or changes to the score, etc. I learn a lot in these sessions by sitting quietly in the back of the room, a piano/vocal score in front of me, listening to the conductor and to the rehearsal.

In the weeks preceding rehearsals for a very popular work such as Carmen (or La Boheme or Madama Butterfly or La Traviata), I am sometimes a bit ambivalent about the piece. After all, I have produced five Carmens and seen countless other productions over the years; it seems that I can’t possibly be moved or surprised or stimulated by yet another Carmen (or La Boheme or Madama Butterfly or La Traviata).

Then I go to the first orchestra rehearsal!

Yesterday, when Anthony Walker raised his baton and the orchestra began - with a bang – the Prelude to Carmen, I sat up a bit straighter, with a smile on my face, my body moving a bit to the music, and was struck yet again, as I always am, with just how wonderful these popular operas really are! These great works have survived over the decades, and are loved by generation after generation, because they are superb music theatre, both dramatically and musically. These composers were great artists but also terrific craftsmen; they knew not only how to write a melody, but also how to orchestrate it. Oboe or bassoon here? Violins or violas there? How do I convey the fire and passion of Carmen? How do I communicate the swagger and sureness of Escamillo? The pathos of Don Jose? How do I sustain the tension through the final act?

In most orchestra reads the conductor allows the orchestra to play long sections without interruption: the entire overture, the first twenty minutes of Act I. Then he goes back over that section and works with the players on the nuances of the composition, developing “color,” working on dynamics, looking at crescendos and decrescendos…. shaping the music as intended by Bizet and interpreted by the conductor. Witnessing this process is fascinating and illuminating and always gives to me new appreciation for the piece that I thought I knew so well!

~ Jim Wright

Carmen Manga Sneak Preview

For our loyal blog readers, a sneak preview of the new Carmen Manga by Roy Husada & Finoa Meng! Not yet posted to our www.operalive.ca website, this is an exclusive "first panel" of six that'll soon go on the website! Thanks for reading and supporting Vancouver Opera!

Click on the image to increase to readable size.

Everybody's A Critic: My Simian Adventure

I have been following the rise and success of Monkey: Journey to the West opera since last spring because I was intrigued at the idea of an opera that incorporated a kaleidoscope of multimedia effects, martial arts and cirque du soleil-like costumes and acrobatics, all set against the backdrop of a Chinese childhood fable. Monkey is not aimed at the average opera-goer.

The opera was created as a collaboration between Chinese director Chen Shi-zheng, UK’s Blur frontman Damon Albarn who composed the score and Tank Girl artist Jamie Hewlett who envisioned the set, animation and costumes. Albarn and Hewlett’s most recent collaboration together was the highly successful virtual band Gorillaz.

Monkey: Journey to the West tells the story of Monkey and his companion's pilgrimage to bring back the Buddhist scrolls from India. In their quest for redemption and their hopes for immortality, the group must confront the White Skeleton Demon, the Spider Woman and Princess Iron Fan.


After missing the sold out shows at both the Spoleto Festival and a limited engagement at Royal Opera House, I finally got to watch this “circus opera” in a specially constructed tent at the Meridian Gardens, right next to London’s O2 Arena last month. It was worth the wait.

My friend Chris and I watched as the 2 hour extravaganza unfold before us with the Mandarin speaking, operatic singers as well as the corde lisse aerialists, plate spinners, uni-cyclists, contortionists and hand balancing, pole climbing, gravity-defying acrobats.

The first couple of scenes of Monkey: Journey to the West had me a touch annoyed watching the brattish and arrogant Monkey causing havoc all around. It also started wearing thin as Monkey continually snorts out his annoying laugh, hisses at his enemies and scratches at his nether regions. It's only when Monkey gets his come-uppance, that the opera starts to get better.

I found the animation projected on the scrim before each scene wonderfully imaginative, the costumes and make up striking and eye-catching and the colourful set, especially the last scene with the 30 foot Buddha mountain fantastical.

The 20 piece orchestra playing both western and eastern instruments sat stage right in full view of the audience, which I thought lent itself to creating an intimate feeling. The classical/pop music were catchy and accessible.

What was weak about the production was that the surtitles were off to both stage left and right, rather than projected above the stage, which meant that as you read what was being sung, you’d miss the visuals and routines on stage. As well, in keeping with the big-top circus feel, the long rows of metallic bleacher-style seats were uncomfortable to sit in for such a long period of time. But these small inconveniences did not detract from the opera.

The story even got a bit saucy, getting a modern and adult spin on the childhood fable. This is apparent in the scene where the scantily-clad Spider Women tries to seduce the pilgrims Tripitaka and Pigsy on their silk banners hanging down from the rafters. The song they sing gives rise to a new euphemism for doing the sexy times with the phrase, “Let's rock the dragon and flip the phoenix."

The event space for Monkey: Journey to the West also includes a pre-show dinner and intermission lounge, red paper lanterns festooning the ceiling of the lobby, a foot massage parlour, a painted wall mural where you can take pictures standing beside Monkey on their journey and a booth selling merchandise ranging from £10-80.

After Monkey ended, Chris and I got to hang out for a backstage tour, walk amongst the very diminutive acrobats and performers with their wash board six pack stomachs as well as meet and have a drink with the show producer so that I could express my appreciation on a wonderfully stylish production.

I waited so long and never thought I would be able to catch Monkey but I'll be a monkey's uncle that the opportunity as well as the timing did finally present itself.

~ Ling Chan, Asst. to Managing Director