Tuesday, September 20, 2016

The Season Opener

Greetings readers,


Hopefully, you've all had an excellent summer and have enjoyed the start of rehearsals once again. I've been adapting to my new choral season routine these past few weeks. I have back-to-back rehearsals between Pro Coro and Edmonton Opera; it's nice to hit my productivity stride once again. It's my seventh season with Pro Coro and my fourth season with Edmonton Opera already!

Photo by Nanc Price Photography

First up is Pro Coro Canada's opening STARS concert, which showcases local singer-songwriters in Edmonton. Many of the a cappella choral arrangements were done by PCC singers. The spirit of collaboration is alive and well. It is pretty educational to learn about the music being created in the community and to give it an injection of choral voice. Lindsey Walker, Darren Frank, Erin Kay, Amber Suchy, and Ken Stead will be performing with PCC on October 2. Here are some songs which the audience will hear:



Although Podium is now over, our friends from the Capital Chamber Choir did not forget us. We were challenged to 22 pushups to raise mental health awareness and money for Wounded Warriors.
Perhaps this is the beginning of a choral group trend of support? I definitely was sore in my arms and abdominal muscles the next day.


It has been a few years since I've been a part of an opera production that has a huge role for the chorus to play. The season opener of Turandot has a lot of opportunity for the chorus to sing. Puccini does not allow for complacent choristers in this one. In addition to starting and ending the show, we get to sing as a mob of people out for blood. I like to think of Turandot as The "Riddles in the Dark" chapter of the Hobbit meets Rumpelstiltskin. Also, who can forget the hit Tenor aria of Nessum Dorma? This is one show I can't wait to listen to in rehearsal when the Principal singers arrive in Edmonton.



I hope you are all well. Feel free to leave me comments on what you're looking forward to most this upcoming season!