canadian opera company
Death in Venice: a masterpiece of beauty and destruction
The Canadian Opera Company’s production of Death in Venice tiptoes so near perfection, it’s like a prayer of gratitude to the muses. In this case, inspiration came from life. Both the novella’s author, Thomas Mann, and the opera’s composer, Benjamin Britten, had life experiences that fed into the story of an artist’s demise.
The PLANK Panel take on Aida
JH: The difficult thing about writing reviews of operatic productions mounted by a world-class company like the Canadian Opera Company is that when it comes to the 'technical' aspects such as vocal and musical performances, there is often much to praise and little to complain about.
The Plank Panel consider Maria Stuarda
The venerable PLANK Panel return with their take on the Canadian Opera Company's recent production of Gaetano Donizetti's Maria Stuarda
Justin: It may be strange to start a opera review with a note about a work’s libretto - one of the unmodifiable elements of any Canadian Opera Company production - but it is still a key part of the artistic experience and as such a legitimate topic of discussion. The thing that strikes me most about Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda is the drastically unfamiliar treatment Queen Elizabeth I receives in this work. Compared to the moderate and headstrong depictions we are familiar with thanks to films like Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love, the jealous and often petty Elizabeth of Maria Stuarda is a virtual stranger.
Otello: sublime
Brevity is the order of the day; go and see Otello at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
Carmen: missing a Carmen to love
One of the most beloved operas in the world, produced with the calibre of the Canadian Opera Company, must be worth attending.
