Parlando: The COC Blog

For Episode 11, the very special “It ain’t just trills, bel canto” edition, our panel chats with conductor extraordinaire, Stephen Lord. Joining him are Opera Canada editor, Wayne Gooding, together with Gianna Wichelow, the COC’s Senior Communications Manager, Creative (A.K.A. the Opera Whistler!). Gianmarco Segato, the COC’s Adult Programs Manager, is your host. 

Here are just a few highlights from our chat:

• What exactly does bel canto mean; more importantly, what is it not?
• The Callas myth – was she the best exponent for bel canto?
• Bel canto operas are “undramatic” – well…no, they’re not!
• “Paper and ink weren’t cheap!”; in other words – why assume bel canto operas should to be cut?
• Want to see a really good updating of a bel canto opera…?
• Lucia di Lammermoor’s ending: a Tristan reversal?
• Want to hear a really good tenor…?

Are you out there listening? Do you like our new introduction? What would you like us to talk about next? Let us know by sending us your ideas/comments by commenting here, on Facebook, Twitter or by e-mail (community@coc.ca).

By Suzanne Vanstone, Senior Communications Manager, Editorial

The story of Salome has always been a shocking one. Be it the biblical account, Oscar Wilde’s play, or Richard Strauss’s opera, the subject matter is erotic and brutal. The young girl Salome, to the horror of her stepfather Herod, demands the head of John the Baptist in return for performing the Dance of the Seven Veils. Acclaimed film director Atom Egoyan first mounted Salome for the COC in 1996, and subsequently in 2002, and brings his searing production back this spring. Joining him for this remount is shadow designer and performer Clea Minaker, whose work with shadow and light will further unveil the abuse and violence at the opera’s core.

An artist’s work is influenced by so many factors and Egoyan discusses his thoughts about when he first directed this work. “I see this production as originally part of a trio of projects I had where I was dealing with the notion of abuse. In Exotica (1994), Salome (1996), and The Sweet Hereafter (1997), young women had been traumatized by a history of abuse. Each of the characters – Christina in Exotica, Salome and Nicole in The Sweet Hereafter – react differently, but it is clearly an abusive situation. I don’t understand how you can’t address that in the production – it’s there.

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The Canadian Opera Company's 14th Annual Fine Wine Auction is tomorrow, and whether you're a wine aficionado or just interested in a wine-filled party, you should definitely raise a glass and join us. Whet your appetite with some delicious hors d'oeuvres, enjoy a selection of wines by Trius, and get your paddles ready for our auction lots! (To see what the Fine Wine Auction looked like last year, revisit event write-ups by Fabulously Average and Baby & Life.)

Thinking of attending but need some convincing? You can also look forward to:

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