Read more . . .
Posted by Alexander Neef / in Office / comments (0) / permalink
Today, I had the pleasure to spend a good part of the afternoon with the young singers and the apprentice pianist of our Ensemble Studio. As for the start of every new season each of them sang one aria for interested colleagues of the COC. They have been back from their summer holiday for ten days already and worked with Tim Noble and Margaret Singer and also started classes with the the great teacher Marlena Malas today.
As you may know our Ensemble Studio is open to Canadians only and we are proud to be the most important training program for young opera singers in this country. I must say we have a very impressive group of promising artists this year. The six members of our program who now start their second or third year with us have all worked very hard since I have first heard them a year ago and further improved over the summer. They are on a good track to be accomplished artists very soon.
Posted by Alexander Neef / in Office / comments (1) / permalink
This is the end of an intense week. But it is good to be back with the company.
After a very productive retreat on government relations at the Four Seasons Centre yesterday afternoon my day started with a meeting about Operanation, one of our major annual fundraising events. Save the date: 26th February, 2010. It will be exciting and glamorous.
For lunch I had the pleasure to meet with my colleague Matthew Teitelbaum, the Director of the Art Gallery of Ontario, at my favourite restaurant Nota bene. To a certain extent all the major cultural institutions in Toronto share the same challenges and it is good to get together from time to time to discuss. We are also looking into connecting our institutions more closely. There were some interesting ideas born today.
From the restaurant it is only a short walk to the CBC where I did an interview with Bill Richardson for Saturday Afternoon at the Opera. Bill is a very kind, tactful and knowledgable host. I spent an inspiring hour with him (or better his voice in my headset as he was talking to me from his studio in Vancouver) and I am curious to hear our conversation on the radio either next Saturday or on 12th September. I will let you know as soon as I have the date.
Returning to the offices on Front Street East I meet with Wayne Gooding for yet another interview, this time for Opera Canada about my first year with the Canadian Opera Company.
A short meeting with the wonderful Margaret Singer who has been coaching the young artists of our Ensemble Studio all week concluded my day and now I am home typing this blog entry.
The weekend will be dedicated to the preparations for our move to a new apartment next week. Enjoy yours. I will be back on Monday.
Follow Alexander Neef on Twitter @alexanderncoc! Follow the COC on Twitter @CanadianOpera!