Tonight Illia Ovcharenko played at the Jane Mallett Theatre in Toronto.
Pianist Illia Ovcharenko
I can give you the list of items in the program, but it can’t possibly convey the experience, between the pieces you might know and the ones we’ve never seen before.
Program: Scarlatti – Sonata in B Minor, K.87 Liszt – Sonata in B Minor Scarlatti – Sonata in B Minor, K.27 –intermission– Valentin Silvestrov – Bagatelle Op, 1, No. 1 Levko Revutsky – Prelude D-flat, Op. 4, No . 1 (Lento) Levko Revutsky – Prelude, Op. 4, No . 3 (Presto) Valentin Silvestrov – Bagatelle, Op, 1, No. 2 (Moderato) Levko Revutsky – Prelude , Op. 4, No. 2 (Andantino) Levko Revutsky – Prelude , Op. 7, No. 2 (Vivace) Levko Revutsky – Prelude , Op. 7, No. 1 (Andante) Valentin Silvestrov – Bagatelle, Op, 1, No. 3 (Moderato) Levko Revutsky – Sonata in B Minor, Op. 1 Chopin – Polonaise in A flat Major “Heroic”, Op. 53
Encore by unknown composer (name begins with a B?…I will ask Illia and/or Roman Borys of Music TORONTO to update me on the name, so I can plug the name in as soon as someone tells me. Roman replied next morning: “Hi Leslie, Thank you for attending the concert. I look forward to reading your review. We’re just running off to the west end where Illia will perform for many Ukrainian school children this morning. They’re in for a treat! The encore wasSergei Bortkiewicz – Etude Op. 29, No. 3, Appassionato “La Brune” Thanks Roman“).
Let me try to describe the experience.
Illia began with a Scarlatti sonata played in a manner unlike any I’ve ever encountered. In the lobby my friend John thought it was “romantic” but I think that’s an understatement. Scarlatti can sometimes end up sounding like Bach, meaning the departure point for a concert, the music you play precisely but drily, without emotion. Illia spoke later into the microphone, calling this a prayer. Yes, that’s very much what he did. I approve both as someone who loves the infusion of loving care into the treatment of the old text by Scarlatti, and the delicacy we heard. It was highly original, fluid, unlike anything I’d ever heard.
Right off the bat, I was thinking that the people who run the Honens piano competition knew what they were doing when they selected Illia as their 2022 Prize Laureate.
The music before intermission was a unit, meaning three pieces in B Minor. A pair of Scarlatti sonatas bookended Liszt’s B-minor sonata. Illia spoke of it again in romantic terms, a story or drama (can’t recall which word he used), involving good and evil. I like this approach, certainly when the pianist lives up to it in his interpretation.
I’ve been listening to and attempting to play this piece all my life. No I’m not saying I can play it, there are parts that are really easy and other parts that are very challenging. What I heard from concert pianists undertaking this piece was usually a series of challenges surmounted, the fast passages played correctly, the lyricism in the slower parts brought out. I think Illia takes it a step further, possibly because he’s working from a subtext or a scenario in his head, building up to the climaxes. All I know is that it was unlike any performance I’ve ever encountered, deeper, much more interesting.
And Illia is barely into his 20s, with so much depth.
Similarly, after intermission Illia assembled a series of pieces into a continuous unit, this time much more varied, comprised of pieces by Levko Revutsky (1899- 1977) and Valentin Silvestrov (b. 1937). Eight short pieces by the pair led up to another sonata in B minor, this one by Revutsky.
Levko Revutsky
I’m pausing for a moment to log into the UTL catalogue, to see whether either of these composers are listed in the music library at the University of Toronto. Yes! they’re both represented: which means I will have to have a closer look, to get a better sense of how challenging these scores are. I think I heard Illia refer to Silvestrov as a “minimalist” which makes sense listening to a couple of his Op 1 Bagatelles, thinking of the one that opened this set and the one just before the titanic B minor Sonata of Revutsky. There is a plaintive songlike quality to these Bagatelles, a sharp contrast to some of the more virtuosic pieces Illia offered to us tonight. The three preludes are dense modern pieces reminding me of a mix of Chopin or Rachmaninoff, powerful melodies sometimes in ambiguous tonalities, but always making brilliant use of the piano’s colour. It goes without saying perhaps, but Illia really knows how to play, and is making a fabulous case for further exploration of these composers. Nobody spoke of exile, but I can’t help noticing a common thread, between Liszt, Chopin (perhaps also Revutsky), and Silvestrov, artists who we think of as exiled from their native land. For a Ukrainian pianist playing on –coincidence– the night of the State of the Union address in Washington DC, it seems apt to wonder about the impact of war upon a sensitive artist.
Illia Ovcharenko
To close Illia offered a very idiomatic reading of the Heroic polonaise, one that had me leaning forward in my seat practically wanting to sing along. The technical challenges –as with the Liszt B minor– were surmounted easily in the process of making a very dynamic original interpretation. I expect great things from Illia, the most impressive pianist I have encountered in a long time. It’s not a matter of surmounting challenges. He is an artist with something to say.
Cover design of Illia’s recent CD release “Litany”
I arrived at the Jane Mallett Theatre in a bad mood.
I don’t think I’m the only one finding the news on television hard to take. Between the arguments between Zelensky and the White House, or the outcome of the Ontario election I was not in the mood for comedy when I arrived at the St Lawrence Centre to see The Gondoliers by Gilbert and Sullivan as presented by Toronto Operetta Theatre.
My first impression was that the show was getting off to a slow start, that is until it dawned on me that no: it’s not them.
It’s me. I was simply not in the mood, not giving the show a chance.
Before long I started to slip into the wonderful wacky world of Barataria and Venice, distracted by the topsy-turvy romances of Gianetta, Tessa, Marco & Giuseppe.
If you’re letting the news get you down, you can escape through the magic of musical theatre, the operetta of G & S.
Conductor Matheus Coelho do Nascimento is new to me, a talented young maestro who kept the orchestra and the ensemble tightly together, sounding delightful. The quartets and choruses were for me the highlights, both for the choreography from director Guillermo Silva-Marin, and the clear enunciation. Soloists didn’t bring the same precision to the English text, words sometimes getting lost in solos, but wonderfully clear in the ensembles.
Gregory Finney was as usual a standout, his presence energizing the comedy just by coming onstage.
Gregory Finney as The Duke of Plaza-Toro (photo: Gary Beechey, BDS Studios)
The four lovers were excellent musically & dramatically, played by Lissy Meyerowitz (Tessa), Brooke Mitchell (Gianetta), Sebastien Belcourt (Giuseppe) and Yanik Gosselin (Marco). They delivered the quartet “in a contemplative fashion” in wonderfully original fashion, softly & subtly performed as they wandered about the stage. Conductor Matheus, director Guillermo and the quartet of four executed this marvel, one of the best things I’ve ever seen from TOT. Bravi!
(from Left) Lissy Meyerowitz as Tessa, Sebastien Belcourt as Giuseppe Palmieri, Austin Larusson as Don Alhambra, Yanik Gosselin as Marco, Brooke Mitchell as Gianetta (photo: Gary Beechey, BDS Studios)
With every number I found myself surrendering to the upbeat mood. I was ready to open my heart to the possibility of hope and happy endings. It was a really nice feeling, much better than how I felt when I arrived.
TOT and the cast will give two more performances Saturday night March 1st and Sunday afternoon March 2nd.
The program for tonight’s Toronto Symphony concert conducted by Thomas Adès was a fascinating mix. In a concert bearing the title “Holst’s The Planets”, for the well-known work that would conclude our evening, we heard two of Adès’s big recent works, including “Paradiso”(the third part of Adès’ ballet Dante): itself full of planetary references.
I was blown away by what I saw and heard. The first comparison that comes to mind is Pierre Boulez, the composer who also made a career as a highly original conductor. I wonder whether we will ever hear Adès conducting Beethoven or Stravinsky or Mahler. Someday I hope. Adès is a very special conductor.
Let me first speak of the work that most of the audience came to hear, the Holst suite. We’ve heard lots of interpretations. What I saw was some of the most precise & exquisite control of an ensemble that I’ve ever experienced. Every note seemed thought out. Every phrase was clear in ways I did not expect. The phrases that can jolt you in Mars had maximum jolt. The dissonant passages in the coda of Venus, where an orchestra can sound harsh, where the crescendo can be unpleasant, were shaped with sensitivity & delicacy. Mercury was quick and nimble. Jupiter was especially quick and boisterous. Saturn was slower & more profound than usual. Uranus had me wishing I could hear what Adès would make of the Scherzo in Mahler’s 9th, a gift for bringing out inner voices especially when they’re grotesquely accented. Neptune with an invisible Soundstreams Choir 21 was particularly magical, the audience spellbound & silent while Adès held his hands up for that mystical fadeout to conclude.
Adès is a superb conductor, with a clear beat and a tendency to throw himself into the performance. And the TSO responded. I hope the TSO invites him back, so that we get to hear him again someday. I can think of a hundred things I’d like to hear him undertake.
The first half of the concert was actually the reason I was there, perhaps in contrast to the Holst Planets junkies in the crowd. As an admirer of the composer I showed up with a basic curiosity as to whether the creator of The Tempest or The Exterminating Angel could conduct (and holy cow yes he can), but was there eager to hear these compositions. The brilliant conducting is like an unexpected bonus.
Those who might be fearful of the dissonant music of modern classical composers need to hear Adès, whose compositional voice is beautifully original, and with a stunning variety.
Composer and conductor Thomas Adès
The stark difference between the two compositions from Adès is itself uncanny, because you wouldn’t expect the same composer to be responsible for two such contrasting works.
“Paradiso” is one relatively small portion of a larger work, Adès’ ballet Dante based on the Divine Comedy. I wish the National Ballet would listen to this music, because it deserves to be heard, deserves to be choreographed.
There are multiple connections to Holst’s Planets suite. Not only does Dante also write about planets, not only is Dante –like Holst– more concerned with a spiritual rather than an astronomical perspective, but both suites end with a wordless chorus of female voices. The parallel is a programmer’s dream, given that the voices get two chances to shine.
Adès writes music full of repetition, but although there may be patterns don’t think of it as minimalist or pattern music. The orchestration is glorious, a fabulous array of colours and timbres, building to a stunning conclusion. And as I suggested earlier, this is not music to be confused with the edgy sounds of modernism, music that is melodic and tonal rather than the dissonant box office poison some people expect when you say “new music”.
The work that followed couldn’t be more different, namely Adès’ piano concerto including the original soloist who premiered the 2018 commission, namely Kirill Gerstein. I have to wonder about the conversations between Adès and Gerstein, as I kept being reminded of Gershwin’s Concerto in F, a deliciously jazzy piece that begins with a decisive statement from the timpanist. We get something similar before too long. Adès offers a more thoughtful, more dissonant jazziness. The middle movement is profound, introspective and dark. The concluding movement is hyper-energetic. I wish I could get my hands on the score, to see how those sounds are created, and to get a sense of how difficult the piano part is. Gerstein made some great music at the piano, whether in the moody middle movement or the wild finale.
I’m doing something a bit different than usual to conclude, sharing a performance of the concerto that I found on YouTube. No it’s not the Toronto Symphony, but here’s the same soloist and conductor, to give some idea of what an amazing composition you might hear if you attend the concert, that repeats Thursday and Saturday at 8:00 pm.
When I heard that soprano Alexandra Delle Donne was producing a twin-bill of one act operas, I wanted to know more.
Soprano Alexandra Delle Donne
The night of Saturday March 8th and the afternoon of Sunday March 9th Alexandra will be singing in Menotti’s The Telephone and Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor. On the ticket webpage we are told “Menotti & Mozart invite you to come and experience a night of 50’s comedy! From the obsession with a Telephone to bickering Sopranos!“
I had to interview her.
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Barczablog: Are you more like your father or mother?
Alexandra Delle Donne:I think I am a 50/50 split between my parents. I am definitely overprotective and loyal, like my father. I am also ambitious and creative like my mother. We are all incredibly stubborn as Italians haha!
BB: What is the best or worst thing about what you do?
ADD:I love collaborating with others and learning something new.
From left: Tenor Joshua Clemenger, soprano Alexandra Delle Donne, baritone James Sandau and pianist Mekhriban Mamedova
ADD:I swear with each opera I learn, my mind expands and starts seeing music in a different light. One of the things I have enjoyed the most about producing my own operas is that I picked repertoire that I resonate with. I’m also quite “type A” personality, so it’s been fun directing my own operas too and seeing them come alive.
My least favourite thing about being a singer would be the waiting. I think a lot of people in the arts can agree that there is always so much waiting; whether or not that is waiting for an audition, your next gig, your turn to rehearse your scene, etc. The excitement builds up, but then you have to calm it right back down because it isn’t your turn yet.
BB: Who do you like to listen to or watch?
ADD:I listen to a little bit of everything, pop, country, classical, folk, etc. One of my favourite classical sopranos to listen to is Diana Damrau, I definitely aspire to be as musically and theatrically gifted as her one day! I love film and television, I am watching Severance right now, which is mysterious and confusing. In general I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Harry Potter. These are two items that I rewatch almost every year, something about the fantastical hero that speaks to me haha!
BB: What ability or skill do you wish you had, that you don’t have?
ADD:I wish that I could dance! I am the most uncoordinated person I know, so I would love to be an amazing dancer, jumping in the air and dancing in the nutcracker! Funnily enough, a main reason I went into opera was because I couldn’t dance. When I was younger, I sang in choirs and at church, but I told my mom that I wanted to do something more than just singing. We tried putting me in a dance class…that didn’t work out so well, so musical theatre wasn’t an option for me. However, my mom grew up listening to opera, which combines singing and acting, and a plus for me-rarely any dancing! So had I been a good dancer, I probably would’ve gone into musical theatre instead of opera.
BB: When you’re just relaxing and not working, what is your favourite thing to do?
ADD:My favourite thing to do would be spending time with my friends and family. This can be trying a new restaurant, going for a walk, or trying a new activity. I also enjoy posting funny/singing videos on my social media. I feel that it gives me a way to express myself in a fun way, and I enjoy that it seems to bring laughter or joy to others.
BB: What was your first experience of music ?
ADD:I remember this so vividly, I consider it a core memory. I went to a Catholic school from KG to grade 9, and they put a lot of emphasis on learning sacred music. Now, I was born with 20% hearing, so my parents were more focused on me learning how to speak and write rather than sing. It wasn’t until a parent teacher meeting that the music teacher had told my parents that I could sing, and I had told them that I wanted to sing. They were both very confused, “You want to sing? But you can’t even hear!” It’s pretty funny looking back at it now. They did sign me up for some private lessons with this teacher, and when I was in grade 3 I sang at my first public talent show. Most people at the school knew me as the little girl with hearing problems, but when I finished singing my song on that stage, my new identifier became “the singer”. To clarify, I did get my full hearing back at around age 10, but this moment is what locked in my hyperfixation to become a singer.
BB: Do you have any ideas about reforming / modernizing classical music culture to better align with modern audiences.
ADD:I always find it interesting when companies use modern technology to enhance a performance. This can be through projections, lighting, elaborate sets and costumes, moving stages, etc. This way you are still keeping the essence of the opera, but you are amplifying the overall experience.
BB: It’s funny you’re reminding me that so much of what we see (projected titles, singers’ websites, youtube, recordings, social media communication like this blog) is modern technology aiding in the enjoyment of something much older.
ADD:I will say, another reason I chose The Telephone and Der Schauspieldirektor is because they are not commonly performed, and if we want to keep up with modern culture, we should be introducing people to something that will provide them with a new experience.
BB: Tell me about your double bill of Menotti’s The Telephone and Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor.
ADD:This is a passion project of mine that I’ve been wanting to put on for the past few years. I combined these two operas together to create a fully staged double bill because they are both 30 minutes long, rarely performed opera buffa’s, and they feature a coloratura soprano role, which is my voice type.
I set both operas to take place in the 50’s, and have found a way to tie them in-together. The whole performance with intermission will be an hour and 20 minutes. Menotti’s The Telephone starts off the performance following the character Lucy and her boyfriend Ben. Ben has a very important question to ask Lucy, but is having a difficult time getting her off the phone. After the intermission, Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor begins, introducing a new theatre to society. However, this leads to two coloratura sopranos auditioning and not seeing eye to eye with one another. Mozart had included quite a bit of dialogue and additional characters in his original score; however, going off of the Schirmer edition, as well as some edits of my own, this has been favourably cut down.
Streetview of East End United –310 Danforth
ADD:I have been extremely fortunate to be working with East End United on the Danforth to present these beautiful operas, as well as partnering with Out of the Cold, where all concession proceeds will be donated.
BB: What is your favourite part of Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor?
ADD: The trio! I think this will be everyone’s favourite section because of how energetic, funny, and vivacious it is. It was so brilliantly written, having the two coloratura sopranos battling each other, while the impresario (der schauspieldirektor) is trying his hardest to keep the peace. There is this section in the middle of the trio that has both sopranos singing notes that reach the stratosphere; it’s quite electrifying to listen to.
BB: Who is in your cast?
ADD:I am so fortunate to be working with such a dedicated and talented group of musicians.
For Menotti’s The Telephone, we have James Sandau (Baritone), playing the role of Ben. James has his B.MUS from the University of Toronto in Voice Performance, with a specialization in opera. He has performed with groups such at Toronto City Opera, and the Mandle Philharmonic. James will also be playing the role of Buff/Buffo in Der Schauspieldirektor.
We have the gifted pianist, Mekhriban Mamedova who will be playing for both Menotti’s The Telephone, and Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor. Mekhriban graduated with honours from Gnessin State College of Music (Moscow, Russia), majoring in classical piano. Mekhriban has also sung with groups such at The Mendelssohn Choir, Trinity College Evensong Choir, and Toronto Festival Singers.
Katelyn Bird sings the role of Madame Herz in Der Schauspieldirektor, the legendary coloratura soprano who knows her worth! Katelyn holds a B.Mus. from the Glenn Gould School of Music at the Royal Conservatory of Music, and has performed with groups such as Pacific Opera Victoria, and Toronto City Opera. She is also Artistic Director of Crashcat Studios, a company dedicated to empowering young artists.
Monsieur Vogelsang is played by Joshua Clemenger (Tenor). Joshua has his M.Mus in Opera from the University of Toronto, and has performed with groups such as Toronto City Opera, Opera in Concert, and Toronto Operetta Theatre. Joshua now runs a thriving vocal studio while continuing to perform around Ontario.
I am playing the role of Lucy in The Telephone, and Mademoiselle Silberklang in Der Schauspieldirektor. For me, two very different characters, but I am so excited to play them! I am lucky to have worked with every cast member through Toronto City Opera.
BB: How can classical music & theatre be more inclusive?
ADD:I think inclusivity stems from the ability to listen, absorb, and action change. Music is collaborative, listening to one another on ideas and solutions is what creates a comfortable and warm environment.
BB: Do you have any upcoming projects / shows / workshops you might want to mention / promote?
ADD:On top of my operas happening March 8th and 9th, I am working with East End United on their very first Showcase! This showcase is designed to support and maintain our social impact on the community. We are highlighting different performers within the GTA by giving them an opportunity to perform, creating accessibility for people to experience a variety of music, and continuing to create more connections within our community. The performance will be held March 16th where myself and James Sandau will be singing.
BB: Do you believe Toronto companies could work harder to hire Canadian artists instead of importing singers from USA or Europe?
ADD:With my project, it was important for me to provide opportunities for local artists by working with people within Ontario, and collaborating with other Canadian artists. I appreciate it when larger companies support Canadian talent, but I also acknowledge that hiring non-Canadian artists can expand the talent pool for more inclusive and diverse casts. That diversity can be lost if companies stick to just one geographical location.
BB: Do you have any teachers or influences you would want to mention?
ADD:I have so much respect for the teacher who helped me sort out what I wanted from singing at such a young age, and that is Marion Samuel-Stevens.
Marion Samuel-Stevens
I studied with Marion for about 8 years, and I felt she knew me and my voice better than I did. She was always so supportive of me, she still continues to be, and I am proud of everything she has done for me, as well as her own accomplishments like teaching Voice with the Music Faculty at the University of Guelph. That is how a teacher is supposed to make you feel; proud of your abilities, while pushing you to be your very best and respecting that balance.
I had many different teachers and instructors while at University, and I felt supported by Order of Canada recipient, Daniel Taylor.
Countertenor, conductor and educator Daniel Taylor
Daniel is the head of Historical Performance at the University of Toronto, where I studied with him and earned my M.Mus. I had a lot of ideas as a student (I still do now!), and Daniel would help me finesse and expand these musical thoughts into something more.
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For tickets to Menotti’s The Telephone and Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor, coming up March 8th and 9th click here.
Young pianist Illia Ovcharenko, winner of the 2022 Honens International Piano Competition, made a great impression at the Toronto Summer Music Festival in 2023. I remember expressing my hope that he would return.
Pianist Illia Ovcharenko
And he’s coming back Tuesday March 4th in a program mixing virtuoso touchstones such as the Liszt B-minor sonata & Chopin’s Heroic polonaise, with unfamiliar pieces by Ukrainian composers that Illia is championing.
I was glad to have a chance to ask him a few questions.
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BarczaBlog: What is the best or worst thing about what you do?
Illia Ovcharenko: I would say with certainty that the best thing is being able to express myself while performing and being able to communicate through music with the audience.
It is really really hard to find something I would call worst about what I am doing, but travelling sometimes gets too complicated when the luggage is lost or if travel plans go not as planned (which actually happens more often than I wish).
BB: Who do you like to listen to or watch?
Illia Ovcharenko: I do love listening to Vladimir Horowitz, Sviatoslav Richter and Emil Gillels when I seek inspiration as well as just for a pure enjoyment.
BB: What ability or skill do you wish you had, that you don’t have?
Illia Ovcharenko: Speaking about supernatural skills, I would say being able to teleport would be nice! As for natural, I wish I cooked better!
BB: When you’re just relaxing and not working, what is your favourite thing to do?
Illia Ovcharenko: I do enjoy watching TV series, reading and expanding my range of knowledge of symphonic and opera repertoire.
BB: What was your first experience of music?
Illia Ovcharenko: My first experience of music was when my mom took me to a symphonic concert in my homecity in Ukraine – Chernihiv, yet when I was 6 years old.
BB:Do you have any ideas about reforming / modernizing classical music culture to better align with modern audiences.
Illia Ovcharenko: In my opinion, one of the most important things nowadays is to be able to tell the story with the program you choose to perform during the concert. At the same time, most recently I had an open rehearsal just for children of a very young age, and I must say that speaking from my personal experience when I first heard music, hearing it live for the first time made me want to play the piano.
Illia Ovcharenko, photo obtained from Toronto Summer Music Festival in July 2023
BB: You were impressive in your Toronto Summer Music appearance in July 2023, playing four hands piano with Jon Kimura Parker. In my review I said this: I had to wonder, how much time have they had to play together, how well do they know one another? Piano duos work together for years, seemingly anticipating one another as though reading minds. How when they met relatively recently, could they get the kind of cohesion we heard in the Milhaud and especially in the powerful Rachmaninoff suite? It was a joy watching them, seeing the eye contact and the body language. You sounded very tight and perfectly co-ordinated together, yet I wonder how much time you had to prepare?
Illia Ovcharenko: I was very touched by your kind review of that performance! To be honest, we haven’t performed these works together before Toronto Summer Music opening night at Koerner Hall. However, we had a few great rehearsals right before the concert took place. It is indeed a privilege for me as a young artist to be able to perform with such a. master as Jackie.
Jon Kimura Parker
Rehearsals went smooth and I could feel how easy it was to coordinate with him, the energy was there from the very first moment and we communicated between ourselves swiftly and listened to each other carefully. It was our first performance of Rachmaninoff but we went on and performed it couple of more times later on. Each time was very special for me and I deeply cherish this experience!
BB: You’re 23 years old yet I keep hearing about the maturity of your interpretations. Your March program opens and closes with two of the touchstones of piano literature: the Liszt B minor and Chopin’s Op. 53 Polonaise. How long have you been playing these pieces, and is your youth an asset?
Illia Ovcharenko: I’ve been performing the Liszt Sonata for a while now, as well as the Heroic Polonaise. These are works that continue to evolve with time, and I find something new in them with each performance.
As for youth, there’s always room for growth, and I really hope experience will only deepen my interpretations. That said, I try to approach each piece with sincerity to the music itself at all times.
BB: Do you have any heroes among pianists living or dead?
Illia Ovcharenko: I do have so many that it is quite hard to name all of them! I will mention Vladimir Horowitz since he is my hero since childhood. His charisma is something impossible to recreate and his interpretations are absolutely unique.
One of the most important people in my musical career and being where I am today is my Professor Arie Vardi. He is truly one of a kind. I owe so much to him and I am just feeling lucky our paths crossed!
Levko Revutsky (1889- 1977)
BB: Your program includes unfamiliar works by two Ukrainian composers. Levko Revutsky lived from 1889 to 1977. Some call him a Soviet composer but I see he is from Ukraine. And I see that among his students was Valentin Silvestrov. Silvestrov is from Kyiv, is still alive at 86 years of age, living in exile. Please talk about them & their style of composition.
Illia Ovcharenko: Levko Revutsky is from my home region of Chernihiv, that is why I feel so much connected to his music. It has a very distinct voice—impressionistic, harmonically complex, and deeply lyrical. His works have rich folk influences as well. As for Silvestrov, his style evolved significantly over time. He moved from modernist experimentation music with focus on simplicity and profound expression. Both composers, in their own way, reflect resilience, in my opinion. On top of that, my aim is being able to share and promote this music, as it truly deserves to be heard.
BB: Some pianists are known (perhaps stereotyped by critics), as interpreters of a particular composer, for instance Schnabel with Beethoven or Artur Rubenstein playing Chopin. Your concert features the two Ukrainian composers. Would you mind if we associate you with them, and think of you as the evangelist spreading the gospel of your two countrymen?
Illia Ovcharenko: I’ve recently recorded works by Sergey Bortkiewicz and Borys Lyatoshinsky as well on my recent CD release “Litany”, and exploring their music has been an incredible experience. Ukrainian music is so rich in talent, with many voices that deserve much more recognition.
I do believe it’s important to remember and celebrate one’s heritage. At the same time, I love exploring new works and composers, and I look forward to sharing a wide range of music that I deeply love.
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Illia Ovcharenko appears Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. at the Jane Mallett Theatre in the St. Lawrence Centre, part of Music TORONTO. Click here for tickets. Click here for program notes.
This blog is often a vicarious exercise, a way for a wannabe composer singer pianist to get closer to my heroes, a bit of wish-fulfillment.
In the process the reader gets my starstruck expressions of awe, while maybe we learn something about the artists and help promote their work.
Soprano Holly Chaplin
Case in point, Holly Chaplin.
I’m a longtime admirer of her work as an opera singer. In 2016 I said this about her appearance in James Bond: A Convenient Lie (Opera in Pasticcio): I’ve never seen the Queen of the Night not only hit her high notes but do martial arts at the same time.
But this was not the Queen of the Night, it was the aptly named Ample Bliss, wonderfully portrayed by Holly Chaplin.
The angry tune (“Der Hölle Rache”) is a natural for gun-play, so we had that too.
I’ve reviewed Holly several times, always impressed & delighted by her work, her wit and her personality.
Because she has so many gigs coming up in the next few weeks it seemed like the ideal opportunity to ask her a few questions.
And she answered.
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Barczablog: Are you more like your father or mother?
Holly Chaplin;Hmm That’s a question I’ve actually never been asked. I ‘look’ more like my mom, but my personality is definitely from my dad. My parents are both musical people, yet in stark contrast. My dad never took lessons but has an amazing ear for harmonies. Many of my childhood memories are of him ‘figuring something out at the piano’. If anything he was the source material for one of those High School Musical kids. He was in track and field, played guitar/sang in a band, and was also involved in his highschool music theatre program where he sang the role of Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar.
My mom had a more traditional slavic musical upbringing; Conservatory piano lessons, baptisms by fire in regard to stage fright, siblings being forced into cruel competition with each other..those who know, know. Luckily things were actually fun in the public school orchestra where she played the trumpet. I admire that she still has a thirst to learn. Before she retired she started taking flute lessons and still plays to this day. Before the war, my grandfather worked in the theatre painting sets for operas and plays. My grandparents loved the opera, especially La Traviata and Rigoletto. I suppose my connection with opera makes my mom feel connected to them when she misses them most.
BB: What is the best or worst thing about what you do?
Holly Chaplin;The best part of singing is the singing..duh, right? I love learning a score, and meeting new people(or working with my dear usual suspects) to create a show together. I feel the most alive when I perform. There’s great ease in living in a predictable, and temporary universe. It’s literally the holodeck (Star Trek reference..the OG VR)
The worst things…I have been incredibly lucky and I am grateful, but when you’re doing well it can be a serious grind for your mental health; ‘Being perfect’ or just the anxiety of getting sick. I’ve had to cancel, and I’ve had to learn how to say no. It’s a growing pain for sure.
BB: Who do you like to listen to or watch?
Holly Chaplin;I love to listen to Lisette Oropesa. She is so talented, and from her vlogs, she seems to be the salt of the earth. When I need inspiration I listen to her, Joan Sutherland or Maria Callas.
Recently I find it relaxing to watch those videos on Tiktok of that hydraulic crushing machine crush stuff, or that guy who smashes glass bottles filled with paint off of his garage roof. I also have my comfort shows like all millennials; Superstore, the Office, Fleabag, and House.
BB: What ability or skill do you wish you had, that you don’t have?
Holly Chaplin;Being multilingual. I can fake it pretty good because of diction studies, but I would love to actually be able to converse. A real win would be to have a Parisian not answer me in English.
BB: I know what you mean, OMG the sense of triumphordering a meal in Montreal (I’ve never been to Paris) entirely in French without the waiter switching over to English. Success!
When you’re just relaxing and not working, what is your favourite thing to do?
Holly Chaplin;I love to play volleyball, go camping or taking the dogs for a hike.
BB: Dogs! are you more of a dog person or a cat person?
Holly Chaplin:I love both. I am more of a dog person ’cause I’m allergic to cats but love them! I had a cat for 17 years.
That’s Minkie.
BB:So could you tell me about your dogs, names – breeds – age..?
Holly Chaplin: This is Richie.
He’s 11 now.
Holly Chaplin;This is Trudy, a Mexican rescue. She’s 8.
And Cocoa is 8.5. They are both rescue dogs from Mexico. They are mutts.
Holly Chaplin;I also love to see movies with my partner, whether it’s at home or in the theatre. My brother is a literature person so I love to discuss plays and where they show up in tv/movies. We saw Who’s Afraid of Viriginia Woolf and had to watch the Dinner Party episode of the Office, which was inspired by Albee’s hit. I love when you find those gems.
BB: What was your first experience of music?
Holly Chaplin;It would have to be Disney movies like Fantasia, Little Mermaid, the Lion King etc. I am the youngest of 4, with one TV everyone could agree on a Disney movie. My siblings joined a community choir and of course I wanted to join in too, and the rest is history.
BB: March 8th you sing the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor in Burlington for Southern Ontario Lyric Opera. That probably fits your voice well. How does it feel?
Holly Chaplin;I am very excited to sing Lucia. She is a dream role for me..since I was a teen! I am excited to portray her because of how Donizetti’s score really highlights the amygdalic nature of the teen brain. Many productions make Enrico a tyrant, Edgardo some romantic hero, and Lucia some teary eyed pig to slaughter. To me, Enrico has the burden of having to be a parent/brother to a teen, better yet a child, who has started a love affair with a grown man who he has generational beef with. Sure, he is a gambler and needs Lucia to marry Arturo to get out of debt. Perhaps he’s also trying to avoid teen pregnancy since Lucia, a ghost chasing thrill-seeker is discovering love. For her that’s so exciting, but a big part of the excitement is that the love is forbidden. Then Edgardo, her jacobite lover, offers to put aside his differences with the Ashtons to honorably ask for Lucia’s hand…but Lucia finds his rage too exciting to pass up…and he’s like ‘Okay’…in a nutshell.
Lucia can be passive aggressive, and at times manipulative which is no surprise since that’s the parenting style Enrico has. Ultimately they are similar people. The main difference between the two siblings; Enrico’s brute strength, and Lucia uses her emotions for manipulation. He’s just more familiar with her tricks than she is with his.
Ah the mad scene. I love mad scenes; especially Lucia’s. It’s a real marathon of a sing but it is an absolute joy. The dramatic pacing, the levels of ‘madness’…and perhaps Lucia’s prefrontal cortex maturing(a bit) when she realizes the gravity of killing Arturo. I love Donizetti’s writing. His characterization is really special and I can understand those Come Scritto productions; It’s perfect writing.
BB: March 22nd when you sing Beethoven’s 9th & Bruckner te deum with Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, what’s that like so far?
Holly Chaplin;I am excited to sing my first Beethoven’s 9 and Bruckner’s Te Deum with the Scaraborough Philharmonic Orchestra. I get to sing with Veronika Anissimova, Corey Arnold and Luc Lalonde. We were supposed to mount this program in 2020..and now we’re getting the band back together! I love working with Veronika, Corey and I look forward to working with Luc Lalonde. They are fabulous musicians and lovely people too. Toronto Choral Society will be doing the heavy lifting, led by Geoffrey Butler. Geoff is a singer’s dream when it comes to conducting. He has been a precious resource for me, especially for nuanced phrasing.
On April 25th Voicebox- Opera in Concert present Robert le Diable, when you sing the role of Isabelle. I don’t know the opera at all. Please tell us about your role and the work.
Holly Chaplin;I came across Lisette Oropesa’s performance of Isabelle around 2021 on youtube. She was stellar. I started learning the role for funsies..mostly cause there wasn’t much else to do during the pandemic. Then I got the role offer in 2024! If I can pass on some knowledge to anyone, it is; learning something is never a waste of time.
Isabelle, and almost every role in Robert Le Diable, is coloratura dominant…well, coloratura fun if you ask me! Lots of runs and highnotes 🙂 My main concern for the role is sounding French. My teacher Frederique Vezina, is helping me achieve the task of sounding so French that I’ll be the envy of croissants everywhere! My words..She is a good sport and always laughs at my terrible jokes.
My basic breakdown; Princess Isabelle is hosting a tournament. Her father is forcing her to marry the winner. She hopes that the apple of her eye and ringer, Robert, won’t let her down..again. He is a handsome Knight with impulse control issues…who loves to get into trouble. Isabelle has to decide if Robert is worth the trouble that he is. It’s a classy version of Jersey Shore. Of course there are more details including witchcraft, ‘fathers’ and fights galore…but I’m just hanging a carrot here.
BB: Do you have any upcoming projects / shows / workshops you might want to mention / promote?
Holly Chaplin;The problem is I have a lot of ideas, but producing is expensive. I am trying to cook up a protest recital for May or June…stay tuned!
BB: Sounds exciting!
Holly Chaplin;I am most inspired by Alex Cappellazzo’s violent positivity and entrepreneurial spirit. He’s putting on a great concert called Brews, Beauties and Brawlers on March 1st with an amazing cast of under represented singers. If you can go, go!
Alexander Cappellazzo founder of Apocryphonia and the Diapente Renaissance Vocal Quintet
BB: Thanks for the tip!
Do you believe Toronto companies could work harder to hire Canadian artists instead of importing singers from USA or Europe?
Holly Chaplin;Honestly, I don’t really want to comment on today’s COC since it’s in transition. The Neef years did a real number on them…I stopped going to the COC altogether for a multitude of reasons. Besides throwing money at imported stars, I believe Neef never understood our culture, nor cared to.
One thing I will say is that the COC needs to give up on trying to compete with the Met, and they need to embrace what makes our sports so successful in regard to attendance; HOME GROWN TALENT! People are willing to partake in expensive hockey culture because most people have a ‘6 degrees of separation’ relationship with big hockey players. A lot of people grew up playing them because of its grassroots movement! There are leagues available from ages 5-99! We have a grassroot movement for musicians and it falls by the wayside because we rarely see our people on the Canadian Opera Company’s stage, and if we do it’s either in a tiny role or to fill-in at the last minute. So many great musicians teach private lessons, run community choirs, orchestras, theatre groups etc, and I believe hiring these musicians would be a better strategy in the long run to cultivate audiences. A local scene is essential to any economy, especially with the arts. Outside of Hockey, our institutions at the highest levels really have a confidence problem when it comes to trusting the abilities of our own people. We have great training, amazing facilities and an abundance of talent..yet it never seems good enough. Canadian artists have to leave Canada for success in CANADA! Frankly, Canada’s lack of faith in itself is shameful.
BB:Agreed! Canadian talent is very good even if you’d never know it the way imported artists continue to take jobs from Canadians. How is it that Stratford or Shaw can employ Canadians, that the National Ballet can employ Canadians, that almost every other opera company in Canada employs Canadians… I get that it’s a tricky thing when you’re seeking quality. My benchmark for imports has always been to ask “can a Canadian sing it?” They imported Christine Goerke because they didn’t know of any available Canadian dramatic sopranos who could sing Brunnhilde. But it makes me nuts when I see an import singing a role that a Canadian could sing. Yes this is an obsession of mine.
And by the way I said the following about your Queen of the Night for Opera York in 2023: Holly Chaplin’s Queen of the Night was sung as well as I’ve ever heard the role sung, and with the aid of Richmond Hill Centre’s superb acoustics, her pinging coloratura was especially dazzling….No it’s not a competition, but I take exception when the Canadian Opera Company bring in singers from abroad when there are so many excellent Canadians available and needing employment. I came to the show knowing I’ve get to enjoy Holly Chaplin and tenor Ryan Downey as Tamino…I found Holly and Ryan better than the people singing their roles with the COC downtown in their 2022 revival of Magic Flute in Toronto. And I think it’s particularly troubling right now when the phrase “buy Canadian” has taken on a particular urgency….
BB: Next question..! Are opera programs doing enough to prepare students for the business?
Holly Chaplin;So much of ‘the business’ is finding your own path. Sure some programs offer opportunities with musicians who had a career, but what worked for them then is probably obsolete in today’s industry. I think it would be wise to offer courses in how to do your taxes as a musician, or how to write a grant! Better yet, they should just teach musicians how to just start a new life in another country since that was ‘the’ suggestion from almost every professor, especially for singers. There is a lot to figure out since YOU are a business.
BB: Do you have any teachers or influences you would want to mention?
Holly Chaplin;YES X 1000!!
Frederique Vezina, Narmina Afendyeva, Julie Nesrallah, Dom De Kauwe, Stephanie Bogle, Sabatino Vacca, Guillermo Silva Marin, Geoffrey Butler, Zimfira Poloz, Maria Riedstra and Ann Cooper-Gay for believing in my talent.
I also want to shout out to some of my amazing colleagues future and past who continue to inspire me; Amy Moodie, Matt Chittick, Catharyn Carew, Natalya Gennadi Matyusheva, Kristine Dandavino, Jonelle Sills, John Holland, and Andrew Tees! I’m pretty sure this entire list would be a fantastic Wagnerian cast! I want to mention more but the list would be endless!
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Holly Chaplin has a few appearances coming up in 2025:
March 8th: Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor with Southern Ontario Lyric Opera (tickets/info)
March 22nd: Beethoven’s 9th & Bruckner’s Te Deum with Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra (tickets/info)
April 25th: IsabelleinRobert le Diable with Voicebox- Opera in Concert (tickets/info)
The day after Valentine’s Day, February 15th 1965, the new Canadian flag replaced the old one.
On both February 14th and 15th we see red, both days to show our love.
Twenty-nine years ago, in 1996 Jean Chretien proclaimed “Flag Day” on what was the 31st anniversary of the flag’s proclamation. 29 + 31 makes this the 60th anniversary of the flag. I recall the controversy at the time in 1965, and the proposed designs. Some people didn’t want to give up the old red ensign.
We watched the ceremony on television in class. I remember a classmate saying “I’m going to miss that old flag.” I kept silent, a bit confused. “Old flag”? I was 9 years old.
It still feels brand new: but then again, so too our culture. At one time the big topic was “Canadian Identity” because nobody really knew what “Canadian culture” even meant. The current response to tariffs with the mantra “shop Canadian” will also be part of that culture.
I just wanted to toss a few of my favourites out there, as we remember our Canadian artists and writers. One can shop Canadian with books, music and the arts. This is my little celebration, please feel free to enjoy this: and maybe keep Canadians in mind when you’re shopping, let alone helping the arts through your dollars.
What follows is a gallery in alphabetical order.
Chris Abraham
Emily D’Angelo
Nina Lee Aquino
Jane Archibald (photo: Michael Cooper)
Margaret Atwood
Measha Brueggergosman-Lee
Andrew Burashko
Composer, musician, innovator, teacher John Mills-Cockell
Jonathan Crow
Violinist James Ehnes (photo: Ben Ealovega)
David Fallis (Photo credit: Paul Orenstein, digital work by Ross Duffin, background by Gerrit Dou 17th century, Dutch).
Ken Gass
Peter Hinton-Davis
Linda (left) and Michael Hutcheon signing their book for an eager audience.
Joel Ivany
Lauren Margison, Richard Margison and Valerie Kuinka
Michael Hidetoshi Mori
Playwright & director Wajdi Mouawad
Richard Ouzounian
Sarah Polley
Arkady Spivak
Kiefer and Donald Sutherland
Mezzo-soprano Krisztina Szabo (photo: Bo Huang)Herr Handel (Ivars Taurins) stares off into space, disconcerted to receive a special message telling him that no it’s not Tom Thomson Hall.Jean Stilwell, Rebecca Caine, David Warrack and Ben Heppner
Tonight Music TORONTO presented Rachel Fenlon’s solo performance of Schubert’s Winterreise.
This isn’t the usual winter journey. One normally expects a singer and a pianist to undertake this romantic cycle of 24 songs. It’s less usual to have a female singer, unprecedented to have a self-accompanied Winterreise.
Rachel Fenlon (photo: Jeremy Knowles)
To be honest, my first thoughts as she came onto the stage for the concert was the simple fact of Rachel’s feat. I would compare it to watching Stewart Goodyear play all the Beethoven piano sonatas in a series of concerts in a single day. Perhaps artistry should have been my first consideration, but first I was simply struck by the magic of seeing something I’d never seen before, a singer accompanying herself in this cycle, playing almost note perfect. It felt a bit like a happening, an event. For anyone who sings or plays (and I saw a few artists in attendance) it’s a bit of a jaw-dropping experience to see and hear the cycle done this way.
I say that as a kind of preamble, before I admit that I did not expect Rachel’s reading of the cycle to be such a stunning achievement, not just an athletic feat but a genuine revelation showing me new ways of understanding the cycle.
Rachel Fenlon (photo: Insonia Production)
In the very first song I was amazed by what I was hearing, a remarkable approach to dynamics. I suppose a singer collaborating with a pianist could theoretically do the same thing, but it felt so tight. It’s so unique, that I was about to write the word “they”, thinking of the singer and the pianist working together: but wait this was just from one person. The range of intensity varied quite sharply, gradually a little louder, or a little softer, with a piano part precisely attuned to the voice.
The pianism took me by surprise. Yes I knew already that Rachel is truly a double threat, as impressive at the keys as she is with her singing: but the interpretation is highly original, as I watched her playing a unique version of Schubert. Letzte Hoffnung (last hope) for example, a song where the piano part stabs at you with its pointilistic agonies, doesn’t have to be a smooth pairing if the piano sound seems to erupt from inside of the poet, the irrationality of it wonderfully disturbing. As we watch Rachel the sounds bursting out of the piano almost seemed to surprise her. It was chilling.
At times it’s a huge task, that for some of these songs the artist playing and singing is up to their eye-balls coping with complexities. It’s an amazing feat, and yet I never felt that Rachel missed anything. She knew every note, every nuance, a one-woman show that she has rehearsed perfectly. It’s a stunning achievement.
My favourite songs didn’t disappoint.
I have always loved Die Post (the post-horn), a beautiful little drama with the hint of riding rhythms, about a possible letter, shifting back and forth between major and minor with the hope and despair of the protagonist. Perfect (but so were all of the songs).
The last two were like a unit, first Die Nebensonnen (the mock suns) and then Der Leiermann (the Hurdy-gurdy man) , Rachel almost vanishing into the keyboard as she seemed overwhelmed by what she was feeling, what she was revealing to us. For that final song it’s self-referential, a reminder that she is like the Hurdy-gurdy man, also making music.
Jane Mallett Theatre was ideal for this sort of presentation, an intimate venue allowing Rachel to sing and play a great deal of mezzo-piano and pianissimo, employing a stunning legato. More than once I found myself thinking about the range of voice advertised as “soprano” that ventured so easily to the lowest notes one might expect. But this wasn’t a soprano piece. It’s usually a tenor or a baritone.
I need to check out the recorded version that Rachel released in the fall. We experienced something very vivid in the live performance, a 24-part journey, that felt fresh and instantaneous. I wonder how she approached it on the recording.
Rachel Fenlon (photo: Insonia Production)
This is a morning-after addition. I meant to offer my appreciation for the titles, which were big and bold.
I asked Rachel if she participated in making them, or if they were created by Music TORONTO. Rachel replied “Yes! I made the files and wonderful Maíri [Demings] from music Toronto operated them.”
I felt they were very good, calling them the gold standard.
Rachel said “I’m so glad we did them – it makes such a difference and I prefer it to paper… all that rustling drives me crazy!”
Agreed. I wish other organizations such as the TSO would take this to heart. It’s also worth noting that while the Canadian Opera Company pioneered surtitles, they could do better. For their co-production (co-produced with Opéra de Montréal) of La Reine-Garçon every word in French is given a title plus the translation into English. I compared that to Madama Butterfly last weekend, when there are times when we get a title, and then people sing verses and the surtitle space is blank. Perhaps somebody assumes that we remember what it all means, as in Pinkerton’s “Addio, fiorito asil”. Yes he’s repeating lines he has already sung. So is it assumed that because we saw the translation, that we will know what each line means and we don’t need titles? I would prefer to have the option to have the title there even if I know what the words mean. What was so exceptional with Rachel’s titles was not only their thoroughness, but their bold size. Some of us have trouble reading the small text. Why not use a bigger font?
I’m going to stop calling Jan Lisiecki a young pianist. I just looked up his birthday, saw that on March 23rd he turns 30. But it’s not about the numbers.
Tonight I heard the first of two concerts from Jan playing all five Beethoven piano concertos while leading the Toronto Symphony from the keyboard. Tonight we heard concerti #1, 2 and 4. Tomorrow night he plays #3 and 5.
He has grown tremendously over the past decade, no wonder a full house showed up mid-week eager to hear him.
Nine years ago I saw Jan play with the TSO on their tour of Florida, Peter Oundjian leading the TSO as it accompanied Jan playing concerto #4. Peter was the leader, the protective elder. Jan was still someone we would call “young”.
A lighter moment from rehearsal with Jan Lisiecki and Peter Oundjian back in 2016 (photo: Michael Morreale)
And yet the interpretations were mature. I recall one of the performances in particular, when Jan and Peter did not seem to be in agreement. Jan played the opening passage very slowly and thoughtfully. Peter then brought in the orchestra at the same tempo: which was somewhat awkward for a few bars, until he managed to bring them up to speed. It wasn’t the first time I wondered about the future, as the famous interpreter of Chopin explored other music.
Of course the implications of that performance didn’t hit me until today, when I realized what we needed was exactly what we got tonight. Instead of having Jan accompanied by someone else with their own ideas, we had the thrill of hearing Jan as the piano soloist while he also led the orchestra as well. That way we had unity, a coherent interpretation, and really heard what Jan wanted to say. While I know Jan would never say a word against Peter, who was always a kind & supportive friend and mentor, part of maturity is emerging from the shadow of teachers, boldly taking the stage. That’s what we heard.
Jan Lisiecki playing Beethoven (photo: Jae Yang)
The concerti are all somewhat different, reflecting the evolution of the composer. Beethoven’s first two concerti sound more like Mozart or Haydn, pieces whose symmetry and balance reflect a witty approach that never oversteps proper decorum, even if the scope and scale begin to hint at what’s to come, the baby beethoven soon to become louder and stronger.
Before intermission we heard those first two. Jan’s readings are clean as ever, his cadenzas especially exciting because for the moment his attention is not divided but fully available for the piano in those magic moments. The orchestral playing is soft and gentle for the most part, restrained except for a few big climaxes.
Jan Lisiecki conducting from the piano (photo: Jae Yang)
And sometimes Jan even conducted with one hand while the other was playing.
Jan Lisiecki
And after intermission came that remarkable 4th concerto, the ideal piece to show an artist’s growth considering that the work is itself a stunning specimen of creativity. This was an interpretation unafraid of being playful, emotional, soulful, lyrical, bold or introspective. The romantic was unafraid to explore the contrasting possibilities of the piece, varying his tempo and leaning into the faster passages, pushing the orchestra to stay with him. While the fast passages were quicksilver, they were delicate and always clean.
Jan had a busy night, considering that he played and conducted over 90 minutes on the three pieces. He still has the same extraordinary posture, the same stunning technique, now in combination with his conducting. His energy was if anything better when we came to the last movement of the 4th concerto.
Jan Lisiecki conducting the TSO before an enthusiastic full house at Roy Thomson Hall (photo: Jae Yang)
Thursday night Jan will play and lead the TSO in the 3rd and 5th piano concerti of Beethoven at Roy Thomson Hall. I’d go if I could, from what I saw and heard tonight. I’m sure it will be brilliant.
I attended the Canadian Opera Company’s presentation of La Reine-Garçon, their co-production of a new opera with a libretto by Michel Marc Bouchard and music composed by Julien Bilodeau.
Today, February 2nd, is Bouchard’s birthday. In addition to this libretto for an opera co-commissioned and co-produced with Opéra de Montréal, Bouchard wrote the screenplay for The Girl King, a 2015 film that tells a similar story to the opera.
Instead of Girl King we get Queen Boy (Reine-Garçon).
Opera is a very different medium, especially once composer Julien Bilodeau has his turn, a piece that I think is much much better than the film. Speaking as someone who tries to go to every new opera I can attend, I’m very glad to hear what Bilodeau has created, adding something wonderful to the story. I will go see another performance later in the run. My priority is to talk about the composition, although I shall also write about the production and its cast.
There are several things I could talk about but I want to call attention to something rare in this opera. Bilodeau’s setting displays a sense of humour. Sometimes he’s ironic, sometimes he’s blatantly funny. But I can’t recall the last time I heard that in an opera although it would be from the 20th century in something like Rake’s Progress (Stravinsky) or L’Heure espagnole (Ravel). Opera seems to have lost its sense of humour when we look at the operas of Philip Glass or John Adams or Thomas Adès.
Not so with Bilodeau! There were three different scenes displaying irony and humour, so much so that I heard big laughs from the audience.
In the scene where we meet Christine’s mother, a soprano who might remind you of the excessive outbursts of the Queen of the Night, especially as we saw her in the film Amadeus (where Milos Forman shows her coloratura as if the composer is sending up his nagging mother-in-law), there are more notes sung as laughter than words, laughter picked up by the audience. The role is memorable, full of startling sounds from soprano Aline Kutan who was once the Queen of the Night in a COC production of Magic Flute awhile back.
Count Johan and his friends think they’re impressing Christine (Kirsten MacKinnon, photo: Michael Cooper)
In the scene where Johan attempts seduction in the attire of a stag, prancing about the stage before being rejected by Christine, the music is very playful. We heard something similar in the piano paraphrase played at the RBA concert a couple of weeks ago, suggestions of dance rhythms. It’s absurdly excessive. Isaiah Bell played this part opening night but because he was indisposed today, we heard Wesley Harrison, currently a member of the Ensemble Studio, earning some of the biggest applause of the day.
A scene from Canadian Opera Company’s presentation of La Reine-Garçon (photo: Michael Cooper)
And the scene where Rene Descartes probes human anatomy seeking to understand how the brain works is bizarre in the best way, his ambitions clearly shown. As in the piano paraphrase, we heard music that’s as complex as a brain that’s overthinking. It was great to hear Owen McCausland again for the first time in a few years.
A scene from Canadian Opera Company’s presentation of La Reine-Garçon (photo: Michael Cooper)
Bilodeau used a recurring sound from the first scene until the last regularly throughout the opera, identified as kulning, a strident animal call sung without vibrato by soprano Anne-Marie Beaudette. Sometimes we would be looking at a landscape, snow falling or northern lights, achieved via wonderful projections by Alexandre Desjardins, the sound like an atmospheric effect, jarring even as the opera went on.
Christine (Kirsten MacKinnon) on stage with CGI northern lights (photo: Michael Cooper)
I am looking forward to hearing the opera again, hesitant about trying to characterize Bilodeau’s compositional voice when I’ve just discovered him first at the piano concert last month and now at the opera. But there’s a dramatic logic to Bilodeau’s choices, sometimes encouraging quick exchanges between singers, sometimes letting them sing something more like an aria with more lyricism.
That’s especially true of the Christine and Count Karl Gustav. Each of them expresses romantic wishes. Bilodeau is tonal, melodic, but sometimes full of surprises as far as the harmonies he employs. Philippe Sly’s presence is subtle at first, emerging gradually in the second act as he has greater moments of passion. Kirsten MacKinnon as Christine is at the centre of the opera but often softly observing, not always given the opportunity to comment on the drama her life has inspired: which ends up being a good choice by Bilodeau and Bouchard, a story swirling around her until finally she begins to emerge in response to the pressures placed on her. Countess Ebba Sparre (sung by Queen Hezumuryango) also is given her clearest opportunities to show us who she is towards the end.
Christine (Kirsten MacKinnon) and Countess Ebba Sparre (Queen Hezumuryango, photo: Michael Cooper)
The co-pro with Opéra de Montréal looks and sounds magnificent. Johannes Debus gets a stunning sound from the COC Orchestra and chorus, who are for the second show this season often singing sweetly in support as a wordless chorus (recalling their lovely sound in the humming chorus in Butterfly).
New opera doesn’t have to be atonal or dissonant. Bilodeau’s lovely sound world captures the passions and depths of Bouchard’s clever writing for La Reine-Garçon, more performances upcoming February 5, 7, 9, 13 and 15. I’m seeing it again, and recommend you do so too.
barczablog 