The Canadian Opera Company's popular Inside Opera video series is back, and this time our videos will go behind the scenes of all three of the company's spring operas: Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, R. Strauss's Salome and Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites. The first video for the spring highlights the popular American soprano Anna Christy, who is making her COC debut in a challenging performance that is quickly becoming her signature role.
Our spring performance run of Lucia di Lammermoor marks the third time that Christy and director David Alden have worked together on this production of Donizetti's bel canto classic. In Creating Lucia: Part One, Christy and Alden discuss the evolution of Lucia, Christy's process of "becoming" Lucia again, and how she interprets this famous role.
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By Gianmarco Segato Adult Programs Manager at the Canadian Opera Company
American coloratura soprano Anna Christy makes her COC debut this spring in the title role of Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. The 2008 English National Opera production by director David Alden was largely developed around her considerable vocal and acting talents. It was such a success that ENO quickly revived it in 2010 and now we’ll have the thrill of seeing it here in Toronto. Gianmarco Segato, the COC’s adult programs manager, recently sat down with Ms Christy before she arrived in Toronto and here’s a portion of their conversation. For more, check out the "Losing Herself in Lucia" interview which can be found at coc.ca/COCRadio.
Had you sung Lucia before the 2008 premiere of the ENO production we’ll be seeing in Toronto? The first time was in 2004 at Opera Omaha, in Italian. Then I had to learn it all again in English, and in the higher key for London. At the time the higher key fit me a little bit better. Now that I’m singing it again in Italian for the COC, we’re lowering it back to the key that most people sing it in, so it does feel a little bit different.
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Opera Under 30 tickets for Lucia di Lammermoor, Salome and Dialogues des Carmélites go on sale Saturday, April 6 at 10 a.m. Read on to learn more about one of our Opera Under 30 ambassadors and improve your opera knowledge. Never miss a sale by signing up for our special Opera Under 30 email list.
Who?
Lyndsay Promane, 20 Student at University of Toronto, Faculty of Music
1. What was your first introduction to opera? When I began classical vocal training, I found a recording of Beverly Sills as Rosina singing “Una voce poco fa” from The Barber of Seville and was blown away. My next discovery was Kathleen Battle and Wynton Marsalis’ album “Baroque duets”. Those artists acted as a springboard for me to discover opera and art song.
2. How did you find out about the Opera Under 30 program? My brother took me to my first COC opera (Stravinsky’s The Nightingale and Other Short Fables) and he purchased our tickets through the Opera Under 30 program. I’ve continued to buy tickets this way ever since.
3. How many COC performances have you seen? I’ve seen all the performances from the 2012-2013 season so far.
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Sara Fulgoni in the COC production of Bluebeard's Castle. Photo: Michael Cooper © 2001