Meet the Cast of NABUCCO

The cast of Nabucco spill the tea on villains they love to hate, favourite Toronto hangouts, and opera myths they’d like to see debunked in our Meet the Cast Q&A!

Read on to discover all this and more—and see these talented singers in action at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts until October 25!

Roland Wood, baritone
Nabucco

COC: Nabucco presents an operatic baddie on an epic scale. Which other villains—operatic or otherwise—do you most love to hate?

Wood: For me, the biggest villain in the repertoire is [La Traviata’s] Germont. He’s not a violent sociopath like Iago or Scarpia; instead he is a manipulative bully who hides his naked self-interest behind a veil of moral and religious hypocrisy. He’s a much more subtle villain than the usual bloodthirsty baritone psycho. 
  
COC: What most attracts you to your character?

Wood: He’s a father trying to provide for his children. His methods may be questionable, but everything he does is to secure their futures.

COC: What’s your favourite moment in this opera?

Wood: When Nabucco declares himself a god—a brief insight into the mindset of most tenors…

COC: Do you have a favourite Toronto hangout?

Wood: I’m a big fan of The Keg (particularly its proximity to the Four Seasons Centre), but you can’t beat a night at Opera Bob’s.

COC: What do you enjoy most about singing at the Canadian Opera Company?

Wood: COC is one of the friendliest companies in the industry. I’ve made some great friends here over the years and always look forward to singing on the Four Seasons stage. 

Mary Elizabeth Williams, soprano
Abigaille

COC: Nabucco presents an operatic baddie on an epic scale. Which other villains—operatic or otherwise—do you most love to hate?

Williams: My favourite villains are the ones who are so complex and dynamic that we find ourselves justifying their behaviour or rooting for their success even when we know we shouldn’t. Some good examples are Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, Gollom in The Lord of the Rings, and Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II.

COC: What most attracts you to your character?

Williams: Although much is made of Abigaille’s mean and angry side, she also has a few important moments of fragility and vulnerability in this opera. I am grateful to Verdi for the opportunity to play a strong but wounded woman who is complicated and impulsive. Every time I slip into this character, it is a welcome challenge to fairly represent all the facets of her being.

COC: What’s your favourite moment in this opera?

Williams: My two favourite moments are both moments when I am not onstage: Va, pensiero (the unofficial national anthem of my home, Italy) and Immenso Jehova (a moving a cappella ensemble in the last act). I love ensemble singing—even if I am not invited to the party!

COC: What is one opera myth that you’d like to see debunked?

Williams: Opera, in my opinion, is not about how high or loud we can sing. It is not a competition; it is a collaboration. This art form is about using our voices to express emotion and to carry the audience with us on an emotional journey fueled by music and steered by a story.

COC: What’s one thing that people might be surprised to learn about you?

Williams: My degree is in English Literature, and I teach English online to speakers of other languages. I like to remind myself that I can contribute to society in ways other than singing. 

Rihab Chaieb, mezzo-soprano
Fenena

COC: What most attracts you to your character?

Chaieb: Her principles and her conviction that family comes first, always.

COC: What’s your favourite moment in this opera?

Chaieb: [That] death scene. The music is to—literally—die for, and Mary Elizabeth is such a passionate and transcending artist, it’s hard not to cry. I am.

COC: What is one opera myth that you’d like to see debunked?

Chaieb: That opera singers can’t act. Some of us can ????

COC: Do you have a favourite Toronto hangout?

Chaieb: I have no life. But when I do, I like to do sauna and cold plunges at Othership, go for the Saturday market and hike with Nahla (my sausage dog) at Evergreen Brickworks. And I also do love the fairytale cocktails at Bar Chef.

COC: What do you enjoy most about singing at the Canadian Opera Company?

Chaieb: It feels like coming back home to a big family! I love the energy of everyone here, whether they’ve been at the COC for years, or the young artists’ energy! The COC has also hands down one of the best acoustics in the world.

COC: What’s one thing that people might be surprised to learn about you?

Chaieb: I am terrified of singing at karaoke!

Matthew Cairns, tenor
Ismaele

COC: What most attracts you to your character?

Cairns: Ismaele at his core is a passionate lover, and I think it’s a wonderful quality…even if it creates a bit of drama in this opera.

COC: What is one opera myth that you’d like to see debunked?

Cairns: That people can’t relate to opera in today’s day and age. Opera deals with themes and topics that are very present today. Love, loss, joy, violence, abuse, overcoming obstacles, are all themes present in Nabucco alone.

COC: Do you have a favourite way to wind down after a rehearsal or performance?

Cairns: A nice meal and a nice drink(s). If you follow me online you probably have seen my food content… (Instagram: matty_cairns)

COC: Do you have a favourite Toronto hangout?

Cairns: Close to the theatre you can find me at Soho House or most likely a dive bar with some local friends.

COC: What do you enjoy most about singing at the Canadian Opera Company?

Cairns: It feels like I’m home. I get to work with familiar faces and I feel supported by the community every time I return.

COC: What’s one thing that people might be surprised to learn about you?

Cairns: I love going to Broadway shows, and try to see as many as I can in my free time.