The Key To Loompaland

Everybody loves to hate the little Mr/Miss Know-It-All, especially in movies.

Remember the scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) where Gene Wilder's Wonka plays the musical lock in order for everyone to enter the chocolate room?

Well, if you're an opera fan, you may have gasped when know-it-all Mrs. Teevee incorrectly identifies The Marriage of Figaro Overture as written by Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff and not W.A. Mozart.

Did you shout at the TV like I did?


Fast forward to 3:45 to see the travesty

Mozart-lovers everywhere agree: maybe her son Mike shouldn't have been the only one shrunken by the Wonkavision TV.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

I'm Ready For My Close-Up

Rejoice!

The Smart Pics photo booth has been confirmed for the remainder of The Marriage of Figaro run. This means you can pose and mug to your heart's content!

Take a picture of yourself. Take a photo with your date. Grab some random peeps in the lobby for one gigantic group shot. (just watch out for those photobombers!)

The best part? (besides the "love it" or "try again" option) You can email it to yourself as a keepsake of your night out, or you can send it to someone to let them know what they're missing out on!

The Smart Pics photo booth is located right by the east end lobby staircase. Or you can just look for the line-up.

UPDATE at 610pm: Due to unforeseen problems with the Windows programming, the Smart Pics photo booth will not be running tonight. Sorry for any disappointment caused. Darn technology! The Smart Pics photo booth will be back up and operational for the Saturday and Tuesday performances.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

Ottawa Honours West Vancouver Arts Dynamos, Yulanda And Mohammed Faris

Photo credit: Les Bazso, PNG

Picture a whopping great iceberg, one that looms large above the waterline -- that's the public side of what Yulanda and Moh have done, lending high-profile help to such organizations as the Scotiabank Dance Centre or Vancouver Opera. But the bulk of what's been accomplished lies hidden beneath the surface, in a discreet legacy of anonymous donations and endless hours spent in quiet negotiation to further a project.

Click here to read more from today's Vancouver Sun.

Do You #operaplot?

Think you can sum up an opera plot in 140 characters or less?

The very popular Twitter contest, #operaplot, is back. Last year there were over 500 entries competing for prizes from 32 opera houses. Click here for the 2009 winning tweets.

This year, the prizes are bigger and more drool-worthy. The grand prize is from Opera Theatre Company in Dublin: a pair of tickets to The Marriage of Figaro, 3 nights accommodation and up to 1000€ to cover flights.

To take a look at some of the imaginative and hilarious entries, click here.

If you have a Twitter account and would like to try your hand at #operaplot, (as well as having your tweets judged by none other than tenor Jonas Kaufmann), the contest runs until midnight Friday 30th April EST.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

Date Night At The Opera

The Marriage of Figaro is a great date opera. It's chock full of comedy, romance and of course, drama with a capital D.



Mezzo-soprano Megan Latham, who sings the role of Marcellina, agrees:

"I think The Marriage of Figaro is a great date opera because it's truly a soap opera story. You have good guys, bad guys, young love, old promises, emotional disappointments, and reconciliations. Who can't relate to a new bride trying to "train" her betrothed? Or to a young boy so full of sexual energy he can barely stand still? And, let's face it, there's always someone sniffing around other people's love lives trying to interfere.

The Marriage of Figaro is a great date opera because it's about love, in all its forms, and it has a delightfully happy ending!"

Don't miss out! Only 3 performances left! Call the VO box office at 604-683-0222 or buy online here.

Operamania 101: Fiiii-ga-rooooo?

My friend wanted to buy a ticket to The Marriage of Figaro because he wanted to hear that famous song with that famous line "Figaro, Figaro, Figaro, Figaro, Figaro....Fiiii-ga-roooooo!"

He, of course, remembered hearing that song in various cartoons growing up:

Bugs Bunny's The Long-Haired Hare

Merrie Melodies' One Froggy Evening

Tom & Jerry's The Cat Above And The Mouse Below

Droopy's Droopy Opera.

MGM Cartoons' Magical Maestro

I had to stop him in his tracks to tell him that the song he was referring to was Largo Al Factotum, which is actually from Gioachino Rossini's The Barber of Seville.

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais wrote a trilogy of stories that featured the character Figaro: Le Barbier de Séville (The Barber of Seville), Le Mariage de Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) and La Mère coupable (The Guilty Mother).

W.A. Mozart, along with librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte, made an opera out of Beaumarchais' comedy, The Marriage of Figaro. Rossini and librettist Cesare Sterbini, on the other hand, made an opera out of The Barber of Seville.

A common mistake.

Slightly confused, he wondered if he heard anything from The Marriage of Figaro before.

If he had seen Shawshank Redemption, the answer would be yes. Sull'aria Che soave zeffiretto from Act III of The Marriage of Figaro was used in the 1994 film, which starred Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman.



Tim Robbins' character, Andy, locks himself in the prison warden's office and inspires his cellmates by playing Mozart over the prison's PA system. A little humanity in an inhumane place. This lyrical act of defiance was the iconic moment of the movie.

My Figaro-curious friend would also have heard Mozart in Trading Places (1983), The Last Action Hero (1993), The Whole Ten Yards (2004) and Wedding Crashers (2005). All of these movies include snippets from the overture of The Marriage of Figaro. Sometimes it's quite obvious, like in the entire opening credits of Trading Places, whereas you can barely hear it in Wedding Crashers, during the church scene with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.


Clockwise from top left: The Whole Ten Yards, Wedding Crashers, The Last Action Hero, Trading Places

More recently, it was used in last year's hit movie, Zombieland. Forty-three minutes into Zombieland, The Marriage of Figaro, K.492 Overture can be heard as the four main characters decimate an Indian trading post. The quartet wreck havoc on headdresses, cowboy hats, tchotchkes, turquoise jewellery, shelving and windows; a result of pent-up frustrations from living so long in a zombified world.



And as Mozart's overture comes to a sweet end, you'll hear the main character, Columbus, telling us to "Enjoy the little things, even if that means destroying a whole lot of little things."



I think Mozart would approve.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

Pop Up Posters

And now for something completely unrelated to The Marriage of Figaro!

Kudos to our Special Events Diva, Caroline Hay, for her eagle eye! While channel surfing the other week, Caroline stopped on a show called, Life Unexpected, on the CW channel. (we're not judging, Caroline)

There before her eyes were our Vancouver Opera Golden Anniversary posters; namely Norma and Nixon in China! The locally filmed tv show had hung up our Edel Rodriguez designed posters on a character's wall.



You can see our posters in all its glory between the 1:17 - 2:40 mark.

It's slightly "blink and you'll miss it", so here are the screen captures below:


Nixon in China poster on the left, Norma poster on the right


Nixon in China poster

Nothing gets past Caroline! Thanks for the catch!

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

UPDDATE 5/12: Seems we may have the answer to the mystery of how the posters cropped up on Life Unexpected! A little birdie told me that Shannon Chan-Kent, an understudy for VOIS' Jack Pine and a singer with the UBC/VO Pre-Professional Internship Program, plays one of the characters on the show. Could it be?

Thanks to Kinza and Melissa for the tip!

Analyze This

So just how dizzyingly crazy and absurd is The Marriage of Figaro?

Take a gander at this flow-chart of Act I and II:


Act I


Act II

All clear now? Good.

Big up to publisher/editor Michael Cox for the creation of this flow-chart. Cox used The Visual Understanding Environment to create this little gem. To learn more about Michael, check out his website, Coastline Journal.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

M. Butterfly Screening

Film screening: M. Butterfly
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Doors: 6:30pm Guest Speaker: 7:10pm
Vancity Film Centre, 1181 Seymour Street, Vancouver
Regular admission: $10/$8 senior or student
(includes $2 Vancity Film Centre membership).

David Cronenberg is often thought of as a cold and cerebral filmmaker, but on the contrary, he has repeatedly plunged into tragic subject matter as emotionally devastating as it is visceral and unflinching. Reteaming here with Dead Ringers star Jeremy Irons to take on David Henry Hwang’s acclaimed Broadway play, Cronenberg delves into the self-deceptions of a French diplomat who makes the mistake of falling in love with a Chinese opera singer, Song Liling. As the title suggests, Hwang’s play is meant to interrogate the Orientalist stereotypes of Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly, and pulls a subtle switch on those racial and gender expectations. But this isn’t just a theoretical exercise, amazingly, it is based on a true story – something Irons’ daring performance won’t let us forget.

This special screening will feature an introduction and Q&A by Brian McIlroy, Professor in Film Studies & Chair of the Arts One Program at the University of British Columbia.

Brian McIlroy holds a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia. His main research interests are in Canadian and Irish Cinema and Media. He also has interests in cultural studies and theory. He is the author, editor or co-editor of six books, including A Vision of the Orient: The Texts, Intertexts and Contexts of Madame Butterfly with eds. Jonathan Wisenthal, Sherill Grace, Melinda Boyd and Vera Micznik (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2006). He is the author of some 45 book chapters, journal articles and book reviews and in 2007-08, he was President of the Film Studies Association of Canada. He is co-founder of the Department's Centre for Cinema Studies and is currently exploring the potential of researching early cinema-going and film exhibition in Vancouver.

Seating is limited. This special event continues a series of co-presentations between Vancouver Opera and the Vancity Theatre.

To buy tickets, click here.

PURSEuasion - Save The Date!

Ladies! It's time once again for PURSEuasian designer bag auction + luncheon.
The deets:

Monday, May 17, 2010
11:30am - 2:30pm

This year, the popular event will be at DB Bistro Moderne, located on 2551 West Broadway.

Bid on the live auction for new designer bags or the silent auction for previously loved designer bags and bags by local up and coming designers.

All proceeds to Vancouver Opera in Schools (VOIS) and community programs

To purchase tickets, call Special Events Coordinator Caroline Hay at at 604-682-2871 x 4850.

Vancouver Opera Pairs Tradition With Playfulness In The Marriage Of Figaro

Photo credit: Tim Matheson

...Daniel Okulitch steps out from the closed curtain and stares us straight down with a wide ironic grin—a mischievous smile that says, “Now that we’re all in on the joke, let the madness begin.” Then the drapes whisk aside to a tableau where all the characters are frozen; Figaro snaps his fingers and the opera begins.

To read more from the Georgia Straight, click here.

Strike A Pose At Figaro

The Smart Pics photo booth on opening night was a smash. Can we just say how beautiful everybody looked at Figaro? Like, "really, really, ridiculously good-looking" beautiful?



The good news is that the Smart Pics photo booth will be on-site for tomorrow and Thursday's performance of The Marriage of Figaro.

So don't be shy. Strike that pose!

Pssst. There IS a "love it" or "try again" button to save or veto your picture. (phew!)

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

It Was A Really Lovely Show

Lovely. Fantastic. Hilarious. Just perfect. It's unanimous. Everybody, but everybody, loved them some Mozart on Saturday.

Excellent peformance from the minute it started. It was a pleasure.

It was quite entertaining. I think alot of people found the humour quite good.

I love theatre and I love music. So the opera really does bring it all together. It was wonderful.

The costumes are lovely.

Great score. Great orchestra.

The whole drama in the garden - that's my favourite part. Very romantic.

Everybody was fantastic. It was a great performance. Great opening night.


Video by Bombshelter Productions & Mike McKinlay

Get your tickets now! Only 4 performances left! Call 604-683-0222 to speak to our box office.

See you down at the theatre!

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

VO Delights With Figaro

Photo credit: Monte Greenshields/The Banff Centre

While all of Marriage’s performers are talented, the real star of this production is soprano Rhoslyn Jones, who plays the Countess. Hailing from Aldergrove, B.C., Jones has an unforgettably powerful voice that captivates from the very first moment she opens her mouth. - 24 Hours Vancouver

To read more from 24 Hours Vancouver, click here.

Figaro Blogger Night: Final Thoughts

Left to right: Gus Fosarolli, Tris Hussey, Peter Andersen, Kelsey Dundon (with her friend Briony)

A big thank you to all our Figaro bloggers who joined us for Blogger Night at the Opera this past Saturday! It was indeed a magical night filled with much laughter and music. But don't take our word for it...

Yes, Figaro is a comedy, a farce really. And yes the singing is glorious. Oh so glorious. The whole opera is one of those that you just lose yourself in. A lot of that is thanks to the genius of Mozart. - Tris Hussey

The music has been wonderful to hear and all the principals are wonderful to hear. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’ve been laughing and, for lack of a better word, grooving to the music of Mozart. - Gus Fosarolli

But the Marriage of Figaro is to the opera world what the Nutcracker is to the ballet world: it is accessible, popular, and full of melodies anyone would recognize. Which is why Briony and I are having an absolute blast. - Kelsey Dundon

I was told The Marriage Of Figaro is a great “first opera” and I for one am glad I was initiated by it. It was very enjoyable from start to finish. The story was well written and well accompanied, but the best entertainment came from the performers themselves. All of the players were very skilled vocally, as expected, but they also seemed right at home doing physical comedy. It was a great combination overall, and the 3+ hour length went by surprisingly quickly. - Peter Andersen

For more Blogger Night pics on our Flickr, click here.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

Figaro! Figaro!

From the grandeur of the overture to the elegant architecture of the character portrayals wafting up from the orchestra pit, the Vancouver Opera continued their winning season on opening night (remaining performances of Figaro are on April 27 and 29, May 1 and 4). "Nixon in China" may well be the high water mark for this year, but this is a solid effort that will reward Mozart fans and anyone else whose tastes tend toward the traditional.

To read more from The Tyee, click here.

Daniel Okulitch’s Triumphant Figaro Makes For Must-See Mozart

Photo credit: Tim Matheson

...if Einfeld is a joy to behold, Okulitch’s Figaro is the stuff of greatness. He is still young enough to be completely right for the role, and his loose-limbed geniality makes him the irresistible focus of attention every second he’s on stage. When all Figaro’s brash confidence finally sours late in the day, Okulitch musters the dramatic reserve to pull it off with real psychological insight.

For more from today's Vancouver Sun, click here.

Aldergrove Soprano Raises Her Voice In Marriage Of Figaro

Photo credit: Tim Matheson

After learning, about a year and a half ago, that she'd won the part, Jones quickly began preparing. "I started rehearsing immediately, because it's the first time I've played the Countess.

"I'd work on it, put it away for a few weeks and come back to it." A role is easier to memorize with a slow and steady approach, she explained.

"But I always wish I had more time."

Click here to read more from the Langley Times.

What A Farce!

Figaro and Susanna are in love and about to wed.

Count Almaviva has the hots for Susanna.

Marcelline has the hots for Figaro.

Cherubino has the hots for the Countess.

Barbarina has the hots for Cherubino.

The Count & Marcelline conspire to thrwat Figaro & Susanna's wedding.

The Countess, Figaro & Susanna conspire to have the Count's affection return back to the Countess.

Bartolo ends up marrying Marcelline.

Add into the mix: love notes, tools to break down doors, jumping out of a window, dancing the fandango, mistaken identities and secret rendez-vous' in the cover of night.

So much happens in La Folle Journée! (or The Marriage of Figaro)

Watching the Figaro dress rehearsal Thursday night, I was reminded of none other than watching Three's Company when I was growing up. The funny thing was that the 3 other people I spoke with that night said the same exact thing. (even the Opera Ninja!)



But how could this be?

With misunderstandings aplenty, plots being hatched (nudge-nudge-wink-wink), the underdog hoodwinking the topdog, slapstick hijinks and a parade of characters, The Marriage of Figaro was indeed a pre-cursor to comedies like Three's Company.

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, the author of The Marriage of Figaro which Mozart based his opera on, was a master at writing farce; in particular, taking jabs at the aristocracy. He liked the Figaro character so much, Beaumarchais weaved him into 3 stories: The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro and The Guilty Mother.

Beaumarchais' characters were vain, irrational and neurotic. They spoke witty repartee while being engaged in highly improbable situations. Such comedy of errors moved at a frantic pace, involving innuendos, misunderstandings and physical humour. However ridiculous the plot was, the story always finished with a happy ending. A present wrapped up in a bow.

Not unlike some of the half hour comedies you see today.

Pierre Beaumarchais and John Ritter: they may have been 200 years apart, but both men were considered kings of comedy gold in their days.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

All Canadian Cast In Figaro's Farce

Aldergrove's Rhoslyn Jones plays Countess Almaviva

Vancouver Opera's production of the masterpiece boasts an all-too-rare opportunity to see an all-Canadian cast of stars performing. Bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch plays the title role, alongside Winnipeg-born-and-bred soprano Nikki Einfeld as Susanna. Aldergrove's Rhoslyn Jones, most recently seen here in the role of Tatyana in the VO's Eugene Onegin, is the Countess Almaviva.

To read more from today's Province, click here.

The Marriage of Figaro: Cast Interviews

Video by Bombshelter Productions & Mike McKinlay

It's working on the harmonic level, the rhythmic level, colours in the orchestra. Everything possible that anybody ever thinks about, as a musician, is there. And in such perfection, that you could never get bored with this one. It's the most sensation things that's ever been written. - Maestro Jonathan Darlington

If you never been to the opera, it's a great one to come to because it's funny. You'll recognize alot of the music. It's melodic. It's beautiful. It has a really young vibrant cast. - Daniel Okulitch

Of all of Mozart's music, it's probably one of the these most popular. So if you're only going to pick a few operas in your lifetime to go to, make sure that Le nozze di Figaro is on that list. - Nikki Einfeld

Don't miss out! Call 604.683.0222 to get your tickets!

Banner In the Sky

Look up in the sky. It's a bird. It's a plane. It's the Vancouver Opera banners!

Now that the Olympics are over, our Golden Anniversary banners are back up on the streets.



Unmissable if you're walking along Robson Street or Hamilton Street, sitting on the steps of the Vancouver Public Library or heading to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, these banners inject some colour against a backdrop of glass, concrete buildings and sky.

Colour is good, now that spring is here.

To check out all our banners, click here.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

The Musical Mix That Makes Mozart Great

Mozart has become one of the culture heroes of our age, in part due to the Amadeus effect. No one disputes that his music is elegant and delightful and any Mozart opera is filled from beginning to end with great tunes. But does this alone make him one of musics heavyweights? As a composer who had recognition but not necessarily reward in his own time, his posthumous reputation has held up for two centuries. Most experts would say that the evergreen appeal comes from quality and depth, a killer combination that puts would-be Mozart performers under the gun.

If you were not able to attend last week's Opera Speaks, click here to read about it in the Vancouver Sun.

Marriage Of Figaro Features Enticing Blend Of Sex, Power, Intrigue And Class

Photo by Monte Greenshields courtesy of The Banff Centre

Vancouver Opera has designed this five-evening run as a production in the grand traditional manner. But strip away the powdered wigs and the elegant 18th-century costumes, and what you get is a singularly nasty core plot: guy in love with girl has a rich, powerful bosswho intends to sleep with the girl.

This indecent proposal plays out as farce when the guy in question, the manservant Figaro, responds Not if I can help it! and determines to thwart philandering aristocrat Count Almaviva, keep the girl for himself, and maintain his lucrative position.

To read more from the Vancouver Sun, click here.

Virtual Class Is Now In Session

The Nixon in China online learning course was so popular and helpful for our opera peeps, we're bringing it back again!

Get your Mozart on with The Marriage of Figaro online learning course. Then you can spread all that your knowledge when you're at the opera!

If you're an e-News subscriber, you would've received an email invitation from Opera America - our North American service organization - to explore The Marriage of Figaro.

With the free online learning course, you can:

* Learn about the characters
* Read a synopsis of the opera: act by act
* Listen to audio clips

If you're an e-News subscriber, you would've received an email invitation from Opera America - our North American service organization - to explore The Marriage of Figaro. If you're not yet an e-News subscriber but would like to take part, send an email to onlinelearning@vancouveropera.ca to get hooked up.

I'll race you to the head of the class!

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

Opera Ninja Time!

Photo credit: I Am The Game

What's that I see? I could've sworn I saw something moving in the shadows. Do you hear a rustling sound? Hmmm. Gone now.

Maybe I was just imagining things.

Or maybe you weren't.

The Opera Ninja is back. She's going to bring you all the juicy details from our Figaro stage. All the love, passion, jealousy and tomfoolery.

Join us tomorrow night for the Marriage of Figaro dress rehearsal with Ninja Girl Kimli. You can follow along on our Twitter: @Operaninja or along the right side-bar of this blog.

Don't miss out. The action begins at 7pm.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

Putting Your Best Face Forward

When you're at The Marriage of Figaro this Saturday, you may notice a tall rectangular column situated in the lobby. The tall black device with the lightbox and touch screen may have you scratching your head, wondering what on earth it could possibly be? More importantly, why would you want to stand in front of it?

Why, to take a picture of course!

Vancouver Opera has partnered with Smart Pics to bring some photo booth fun to our opera-goers.



This photo booth will also email your picture to you, and you can then post it to your own Facebook, Flickr or blog. It's a great memento of being at the opera with your significant other, friend or a first time date. What a perfect way to also let family & friends know where you are and what they're missing out on!

Opening night pictures will also be posted to VO's Facebook and Twitter in real-time, so follow along to check out all the beautiful peeps.

So don't be shy, step up to the booth, show them pearly whites and smile pretty (or mug) for the camera.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

Subscribe To The 2010-2011 Season At Figaro And Beat The HST!

You can save 7% when you subscribe to the 2010-2011 season by May 1st. Then we must start charging HST on all tickets for next season.

Visit the Subscriber Services table or the VIP desk in the theatre lobby on April 24, 27, 29 or May 1st.

Or call the VO Ticket Centre today! 604-683-0222.

Parking Advisory!

Photo credit: Urban Mixer

PARKING METER CHANGES

City of Vancouver parking meters are now in effect until 10:00 pm. Our performances rarely end by 10:00 pm. Therefore you risk getting a ticket and being towed!

But there are other options. We suggest that you park in the BC Hydro lot at Homer & Dunsmuir (enter from Homer St.). It's open at 6:00 pm and it’s only $6!!

Hockey games and other events make downtown Vancouver an exciting and busy place! Please allow plenty of time to get parked and into the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for the 7:30 pm start. Latecomers will not be seated until an appropriate break. Doors open at 6:15pm. Free preview talks in the theatre begin at 6:30pm!

Vancouver Opera Pre-Theatre Prix-Fixe

On Tuesdays and Thursday performance evenings during the 2009-2010 season, Lumière Executive Chef Dale Mackay opens his kitchen early to VO patrons, and Lumière donates 10% back to VO!

Dinner service starts promptly at 5:00 p.m. on weekday performance evenings. Enjoy a leisurely paced three-course dinner, and at 6:30 pm depart for the opera.

$65 per person
An optional wine pairing will be offered for $35 per person.
Taxes and gratuity not included.
This special offer is available only to VO patrons and their guests and families.

For more information on this special offer, visit www.dbbistro.ca, click on Special Offers and type code VO0910.

*This special offer may not be used in combination with any other offer and is not transferable. Offer subject to change without notice.

Here Comes Figaro

The Marriage of Figaro begins this Saturday!

The Marriage of Figaro is an unmatchable opera that combines comedy, social commentary and heart-breaking tenderness. The plot is deliriously twisty and the characters are deeply sympathetic. Mozart’s genius work connects to our lives with humanity and compassion.

To whet your appetite, click here to listen to Non piu andrai from The Marriage of Figaro.

What's On Your iPod?

Photo credit: Christoph Müller-Girod

Ever wonder what an internationally renowned maestro likes to listen to? Well, for Vancouver Opera's Music Director, Maestro Jonathan Darlington, his three favourite composers above all others are: Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Joseph Haydn.


Left to right: Bach, Mozart & Haydn

So come check out the Maestro, as he conducts his magic on The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart's amusing and beautiful opera about infatuation and forgiveness.

To purchase tickets, call 604.682.0333 or buy online here.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

The Marriage of Figaro: The Manga

Love and lust. Coveting and philandering. Ah, such is the world of The Marriage of Figaro.

Here's some Figaro eye-candy from the talented duo of Fiona Meng and Roy Husada.













To feast your peepers on the supersize version, click here.

Twenty Questions with Nikki Einfeld

A former Adler Fellow with San Francisco Opera, lyric coloratura soprano Nikki Einfeld performed in several roles with the opera company. She sang the title role of Donizetti's Rita, Papagena in The Magic Flute and Barbarina in The Marriage of Figaro.

For VO's production of The Marriage of Figaro, Nikki will be singing the role of another character, Susanna; having recently performed the role with New Orleans Opera.

VO catches up with Nikki for our round of 20 questions:

Guilty musical pleasure?
Sting

Where do you love to sing?
Very acoustically friendly church or cathedral


What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Holding my sleeping child in my arms.

To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Shoe shopping.

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines of fiction?
“Carrie” – from Sex and the city. I agree that one could never have too many shoes!

Who are your favourite characters in history?
Queens! I love them: Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scott’s, Anne Boleyn for example.

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines in real life?
All those that lead good and honest lives. We all contribute to this wonderful life.

Who is your favourite author?
So many, hard to answer. In general I am a big fan of historical fiction authors.

Your favourite musician?
Beverly Sills

Your favourite composer?
For singing, can’t decide between the bel canto trio: Donizetti, Bellini, Rossini.
For listening, Strauss and Rachmaninov :dark and complex.

What quality do you most admire in a person?
Honesty.

Your favourite virtue?
Humility.

Your favourite occupation?
Opera singer!

What did you want to be as a child?
Veterinarian, Teacher, singer.

Your most marked characteristic?
My Hair, I’ve been told.

What do you most value in your friends?
Unconditional love.

For what would you like to be remembered?
Collegiality.

What natural gift would you most like to possess?
Concert Pianist.

What is your motto?
“Practice what you preach.”

What non-opera song do you rock?
“Wheels on the Bus!” According to my 2 year old daughter.

Poster of the Week

Wowzers! Our Marriage of Figaro artwork has landed in the Vancouver Courier newspaper as Poster of the Week!

Big props to illustrator Edel Rodriguez and VO's graphic designer Annie Mack for such a stunning image!

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

James Valenti: Break-through Star

Photo credit: Dario Acosta

A big congratulations to tenor James Valenti today!

James, who will be gracing our stage as Pinkerton in next month's production of Madama Butterfly, is the winner of this year's very prestigious Richard Tucker award. How prestigious is it? It is undoubtedly considered to be the "Heisman Trophy of Opera."

Not only did James receive the $30,000 prize but he now has the distinction of being THE singer on the verge of a major international opera career.

James shares the honour with past winners Renée Fleming, Deborah Voight, Stephanie Blythe, David Daniels, Joyce DiDonato, Matthew Polenzani and Lawrence Brownlee.

Not bad for the 32 year old who just made his Metropolitan Opera debut a couple of weeks ago, singing the role of Alfredo in La Traviata. James will be making his Royal Opera House debut in July and Paris Opera debut in September, singing the role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly.

But you can catch James singing Pinkerton on our stage first and see for yourself a star on the verge.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

Twenty Questions with Aaron St Clair Nicholson

Baritone Aaron St. Clair Nicholson has graced the stages of Metropolitan Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Glimmerglass Opera and L’Opéra de Montréal, to name but a few.

No stranger to the Vancouver Opera stage, this Abbotsford born and bred singer appeared as Valentin in Faust and as Marcello in La boheme.



This month Aaron will be seen as Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro.

VO catches up with Aaron for 20 questions:

Guilty musical pleasure?
Music is the only sinless vice and therefore I have no guilt about indulging in all kinds... as long as it's good.

Where do you love to sing?
In my Daughters beds at tuck in time, on the water, under the shower head, behind my guitar and in front of large energetic audiences..

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Espanola Way, Miami, a cigar, sangria and my love.

To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Procrastination

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines of fiction?
"The Dude" from The Big Lebowski, Han Solo from Star Wars, John Winger (Bill Murray) Stripes

Who are your favourite characters in history?
Charlamagne/Charles the Great, William Shakespeare, Einstein

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines in real life?
Barack Obama, David Letterman

Who is your favourite author?
Aldous Huxley, Tolkein, Bryce Courtney

Your favourite musician?
Stevie Wonder

Your favourite composer?
Randy Newmann

What quality do you most admire in a person?
Work Ethic

Your favourite virtue?
Loyalty

Your favourite occupation?
Singing Chef

What did you want to be as a child?
Baseball Player

Your most marked characteristic?
Patience

What do you most value in your friends?
Support/ Strength

For what would you like to be remembered?
Being a good Son, Brother, Uncle, Friend, Father and Partner.

What natural gift would you most like to possess?
Photographic memory

What is your motto?
"Inappropriate but Highly Amusing!"

What non-opera song do you rock?
"At This Moment" Billy Vera and the Beaters

Ecstatic Waters

In the mood for a concert featuring cartoon music, lighting, choreography, electronica this weekend?

Check out "Ecstatic Waters" (A Multimedia Event) with works by Björk, Leonard Bernstein, Eric Whitacre, Lyn Murray, Steven Bryant and Lillian Alling composer John Estacio. Look out for Estacio's piece which is called Frenergy.

The concert will be performed by the UBC School of Music's Symphonic Wind Ensemble as part of their year-end program at the Chan Centre.

Dates: Saturday, April 17 at 8pm.
Admission is free

For more info, click here.

Easter Break in San Miguel

A friend and I recently traveled to San Miguel de Allende Mexico for Semana Santa – Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. We stayed with a friend and colleague, Joe McClain, who has lived there for the past six years or so. Joe has staged three productions for Vancouver Opera: La fancuilla del West, Cavalleria Rusticana/I Pagliacci, and, most recently, last spring’s Salome.

San Miguel is a small provincial town of about 80,000. Founded in the late 1500s, it was an important stopover on the Antiguo Camino Real, part of the silver route from Zacatecas. It is known for its beautiful colonial architecture and as the hometown of Mexico’s 1910 revolution leader Ignacio Allende.

The Semana Santa activities date from the mid 1700 and have a rich history carried forward by generation after generation of local residents. The most stunning day is Good Friday, which features two major processions: the Procesión del Encuentro y Paso del Sacerdote (Procession of the Holy Meeting and the Passing of the Priest) in the morning and the Santo Entierro (Christ in the Tomb) that evening. Both are solemn, sacred, moving and very colorful, involving hundreds of women and men and girls and boys, and incredibly beautiful statues of Jesus and Mary and saints and angels, along with choirs and bands and magical lanterns.



The churches – and there are many – are decorated both outside and in: predominately red and white from Palm Sunday ‘til Good Friday, then the red is replaced with purple. We bought beautifully woven palm fronds from vendors to have with us at the Palm Sunday procession; there are now in my house drying from a light green to a dusty-brown, their chamomile twigs and dried blooms still emitting a wonderful fragrance.

Joe told me that he had a difficult time getting satisfactory pictures of 19th century Easter sacred decoration in Sicily for his research for our Cavalleria rusticana, and eventually realized he would do well to use his own observances and photographs of San Miguel’s Semana Santa. It was obvious he had attended many times, as he knew the best places to watch the processions and also stay out of the midday sun.



To break the solemnity of the week a bit we took in a five-bull bullfight on Saturday afternoon. I realize there is some controversy about bullfighting; I am one who accepts it and tries to understand its deep cultural importance, and enjoys the spectacle very much. In the 1980s I attended a bullfight with another opera director/friend a year or so before producing Carmen in Anchorage; then I worked diligently to absorb details that would be helpful in producing Carmen in the months ahead. This time – with a Carmen in our recent past and no plans for another one – I relaxed, enjoyed the Mexican beer and grilled sausages, the bright blue sky, the scratchy little brass um-pa band, and had a glorious time.

~ James W. Wright, General Director

Get Your Mozart On

Sure, everyone knows of the child-wonder who was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. At age 6, Mozart found himself playing for the Imperial Court in Vienna, blowing them all away with his talent. He was at that time already a budding composer who was about to embark on a 3 year performance tour of Europe.

Mozart would go on to write over 600 compositions throughout his life, including the world famous operas The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute, La Clemenza di Tito and Così fan tutte.

But did you also know...

* His baptismal name was Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart

* He sometimes composed his symphonies while playing billiards

* The city of Salzburg, Austria still honours Mozart today with a museum and an annual music festival dedicated to him.

* He had a photographic memory

* He could play back an entire piece of music after just one listen

* He had a potty mouth, as seen in his surviving letters. He even wrote a musical canon, a party piece just for friends, called Leck mich im Arsch (Kiss My Arse)

* He measured 5'4"

* In love but rebuffed by soprano Aloysia Weber, Mozart went on to marry her sister, Constanze Weber

* Mozart and Constanze had 6 children, but only 2 survived through infancy

* His final commission came in the form of a requiem Mass, for which he would be paid 100 ducats. The funeral song turned out to be his swansong.

* The cause of Mozart's death is unknown, although there have been speculations that it was trichinosis, mercury poisoning or rheumatic fever.

* Although he was a well-known and well-loved composer, he died practically penniless.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

Blogging The Hijinks and Hilarity

Meet our Marriage of Figaro Bloggers !

Come say hi on opening night (Saturday, April 24) as our bloggers take on Mozart's subversive tale of love, lust, philandering, mistaken identities and servants sticking it to their masters.



Clockwise from top left: Gus Fosarolli, Kelsey Dundon, Tris Hussey, and John Biehler

Shenanigans are bound to happen! Follow along on the right sidebar as our bloggers navigate all the twists and turns of the night, onstage and off.

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

A Lifetime Achievement Winner Amongst Us

Vancouver Opera board member Julia Levy has been honoured as Lifetime Achievement Award winner at Business in Vancouver's annual Influential Women in Business Awards!

Congratulations from Vancouver Opera!

Twenty Questions with Julie Boulianne

French Canadian Julie Boulianne is a graduate of both McGill University Faculty of Music and Julliard School of Music. This mezzo soprano will be making her New York City Opera debut in L’Étoile, sing Cendrillon at l’Opéra de Marseille and l’Opéra de Montréal, perform in a variety of concerts and sing Cherubino in VO's The Marriage of Figaro.



Lucky for us that the music of Mozart (and Rossini) are counted as a speciality of Boulianne's. We can't wait to see her perform!

VO caught up with Julie for a round of 20 Questions:

Guilty musical pleasure?
Hits from the 80”s AND singing out of tune on purpose.

Where do you love to sing?
Anywhere nobody is hearing… strange, isn’t it? I also love staircase, churches, showers : places where I can’t hear too much what I’m doing wrong!

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Food, wine and friends, trekking, a campfire with marshmallow, toasts and sausage.

To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
None! Haha!

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines of fiction?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Spock and Q. It’s hard, because I feel that the mean people in fiction are always more complexe and interesting than the others… don’t you agree?

Who are your favourite characters in history?
Einstein, for the hair of course

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines in real life?
Happy people

Who is your favourite author?
The person who sometimes writes me “ I love you”.

Your favourite musician?
A 12 year old German kid who’s doing beatbox, I don’t know his name but he’s easy to find on Youtube!!! Ha!

Your favourite composer?
Bach

What quality do you most admire in a person?
Truthfulness and patience

Your favourite virtue?
Same

Your favourite occupation?
The non-occupation, the far niente.

What did you want to be as a child?
Composer/physician/astronaute/rich person

Your most marked characteristic?
I look bored all the time, but it’s not the case. I have to work very hard against that so I can make friends!

What do you most value in your friends?
I love that my friends don’t jugde me too much. I can do that myself!

For what would you like to be remembered?
Anything, as long as somebody remembers me!!!

What natural gift would you most like to possess?
Sens of rhythm…. and I would also like to be a good speaker, especially in public.

What is your motto?
Do your best, leave your ego as far as possible.

What non-opera song do you rock?
Oum Ll Dauphin by Michel Legrand