Opera Canada

We know we need to ask ourselves more questions, collaborate more, invite more perspectives into the discussion, and ultimately experiment more—not just with what is on stage, but with the inner administrative workings too. This magazine issue underscores this movement: • This issue’s cover features Ottawa-native Sharleen Joynt. She blazes her own path, knows her strengths on and off the stage, and shows us that professional life off the stage is imperative to her success on the stage. In other words, we are human and should celebrate and engage our individuality; it’s not a one-way road to success. • New York-based Canadian pedagogue Joan Patenaude-Yarnell’s vantage complements this idea, as she encourages singers to embrace their imagination and tilt their perspective around tackling the audition circuit. • Internationally renowned bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, soon…

JANUARY Against the Grain Theatre, Worldwide Identity: A Song Cycle is an intimate new film from the awardwinning creators of Messiah/Complex. It fuses genre-bending classical music and poetry to explore coming to terms with who you are. The film stars acclaimed baritone Elliot Madore with original music and poetry by Dinuk Wijeratne and Shauntay Grant, directed by AtG founder and Artistic Director Joel Ivany. It is available to stream on-demand until Apr 23. Ticket registration for this performance is available free of charge, or pay-whatyou-can. atgtheatre.com Canadian Opera Company, Toronto, ON British maestro Harry Bicket returns to the COC to conduct Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro starring Italian bassbaritone Luca Pisaroni in his signature title role Jan 27 to Feb 8; also cast are Andrea Carroll, Gordon Bintner, Lauren Fagan, and Emily Fons. Opening shortly…

His musicianship has earned him accolades from the London Music Scholarship Foundation, the Maritsa Brookes Concerto Competition and the Kiwanis Music Festival, to name a few. A sought-after collaborative pianist and vocal coach, Brian has recently joined the Canadian Opera Company’s highly specialized development program: the Ensemble Studio. In the world of opera, one of the singer’s greatest allies is the collaborative pianist. They play a central role in our lives, helping us learn, coach, rehearse and perform works to the best of our abilities. While most young pianists pursue their studies dreaming of a career as a solo artist, Brian Cho knew from an early age that he wanted to pursue a slightly different path. He caught the collaborative bug when he accompanied choir practice for the first time in…

Wallis Giunta gives us a glimpse into her new Viennese life, and an insider’s look into what’s happening at the Volksoper CHANGE IS IN THE WIND HERE IN THE CITY OF Music. I sense it in the brisk step and quick smile of my colleagues at the Vienna Volksoper, my new artistic home. I feel it when chatting with the many expat families I meet at the park, while bringing my one-year-old to burn off some of his abundant energy. I see it in the bold programming of each of the countless world-class institutions that make this city, in my opinion, the beating heart of the international classical music scene. To put it plainly, Vienna feels like an embarrassment of cultural riches, and although is has always historically been so, it…

As A FORMER PUBLICIST, I have always felt there should be a cohesive working relationship between an artist’s PR and management teams. Primo Artists made the shift in 2020/21 adding a PR wing to their management enterprise, so I wanted to talk to Charlotte Lee, President and Founder, about the move. There is definitely a relationship between how an artist is seen (PR) and how they are employed (management). EB: Why is it important for your agency to include PR for your artist management clients? CL: I’ve been managing artists for over 20 years. Over this time, I’ve seen the power of excellent PR and what it can do to expand the reach of an artist and their music. I’ve also seen many lost opportunities and it’s typically not because publicists aren’t working…

JOHN FANNING RUBY RECIPIENT In a profession known for its impermanence, Canadian baritone John Fanning is longevity personified. From his debut in 1980 in the small role of the Commissioner in La Traviata for Opera Hamilton, to his last public performance, his unofficial farewell, in a recital just this past May, a month before his 68th birthday, Fanning enjoyed an enviable career spanning an astounding 42 years. Throughout his career, Fanning was known for his beautiful, warm baritone, solid technique, fine musicianship, dependability—“I never ever canceled”—collegiality, and as an all-round nice guy. A graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music and University of Toronto, Fanning’s repertoire ran the gamut, from opera, symphony, oratorio, recitals to operetta, musical theatre, even commercial television and film. Movie fans may recall his cameo appearance as Rodolfo in…