I’m sharing some lovely photos by Bruce Zinger of last night’s North American premiere of  The Angel Speaks at the ROM, featuring Opera Atelier and select artists of Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.

Baritone Jesse Blumberg sings alongside dancer Tyler Gledhill. To the left you can see violinist & composer Edwin Huizinga towards the back with the orchestra. Felix Deak, viola da gamba, is visible just behind Gledhill. (photo: Bruce Zinger)

Is Opera Atelier perhaps pushing the envelope of what artists do? while they’re thought of as historically informed purveyors of music from centuries gone by, The Angel Speaks required a lot of Jesse Blumberg & Mireille Asselin, the two singers employed in the midst of and as part of a great deal of choreography.  I was thinking about the way music-theatre now looks for the “triple threat” of actor-singer-dancer.  Whether or not other opera companies look for a new mix of talents, Opera Atelier have different expectations.

Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg, (dancer, choreographer and co-artistic director of Opera Atelier) Juri Hiraoka, Mireille Asselin and Tyler Gledhill (photo: Bruce Zinger)

I don’t think it matters what we call it –between such names as “opera” or “ballet”– so long as it works.

Violinist & composer Edwin Huizinga beside dancer and choreographer Tyler Gledhill (photo: Bruce Zinger)

The space’s post-modern design that’s a mix of new & old felt ideal for a performance that itself was just such a synthesis of old & new.

Artists of Atelier Ballet, Mireille Asselin, Jesse Blumberg (Photo: Bruce Zinger)

The space worked rather well for the musical performance. I was surprised at the excellent acoustics, without undue reverb but still quite live, likely due to the beautiful wood floor.

Perhaps we’ll be seeing more concerts, operas, ballets and theatre in this space: the Currelly Galllery at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Edward Tracz, Juri Hiraoka and Dominic Who (photo: Bruce Zinger)