Fifteen Years to This Day

Dear Choir Girl readers,

My blog is 15 years old! I am as surprised as you. While I have contemplated with the idea of retiring this blog, a few readers convinced me it is not yet time. 

There is less arts journalism all the time. It is rare for a magazine or newspaper to even have funds to contract an arts and entertainment writer for local coverage these days. If you are lucky enough to get a writer in attendance at your event, you'd be lucky to have one that is knowledgeable enough to comment and critique the performance. It feels like the platforms with quality artistic discourse are ones run by the writer themselves, with some kind of Patreon subscription to make their work financially sustainable. Sure, established, popular artists will still have an opportunity to get media coverage, but what about all the emerging voices and groups that have something to say? While I do not have the stamina to keep up with my choir posts of the past, I do feel there needs to be a platform to host artistic content. Thus, this blog continues to live on. I will continue to save this online space for me to publish choral musings of myself and others as occasions arise.

It was only five years ago that I published this 10 year recap. It is heart-warming to see the array of beloved choral faces even today. It reminds me of singing opportunities I have been fortunate to experience. As well, it reminds me of how my blog has introduced me to so many artists that have significantly impacted my life. It is also sweet for me to see my very first blog post: The Beginning, where I share my hopes and wishes for this blog. 

In the past five years, I have kept on with my singing adventures, albeit, in a more intentional and focused way. I feel it is a mix of getting older, maybe wiser, and rebalancing my singing desires with diminished energy levels post-pandemic. The pandemic really overhauled how I continued to sing or not sing with all the restrictions. It is surprising to see how many masked photos I have of myself in the slideshow round-up below. 

I continue to feel an overwhelming gratitude towards this blog. Some of my closest friends began as blog readers first. If you meet me in person, you may notice that I speak more through actions than words. Reading what I am writing is the best of knowing me: my inner motivations, passions and thoughts. I sense a closeness with each reader. There is no way I can convey what I want in a quick, surface-level interaction if we were to meet in person. Thus, it means so much to me to know that you are taking your own personal time to read my content and connect with me. I have met so many fellow singers, composers, conductors, and members of my artistic community. I am moved by the flourishing and active choral scene we have here in Canada. 

While I am not sure about the future artistic endeavours coming my way, I will be sure to post some adventures here as I go. On my schedule thus far is the Canadian Chamber Choir tour in Calgary this February 2024 and Podium in Montreal this May 2024. 

Until then, please enjoy this 15 year anniversary post slideshow!

Thank-you, dear readers, for continuing to read my choral musings.

Ten Years to this Day

I am a singer.

There have been many moments in my life where I have wavered on accepting this title. But after 10 years of blogging, and over 20 years of choral singing, I know that who I am at my core is a singer. It is a huge component of my identity. Singing is an expressive means for me to communicate. While it is my pleasure to work with patients on discovering their communicative voice as a Speech-Language Pathologist, singing has always been and will continue to be my expressive mode of communication.

There is a overwhelming gratitude I feel towards the blog for holding me accountable to my passion: choral music. For the past 10 years, I have shared my thoughts while going through an artistic process and relayed these discoveries with my readers. In recent years, the blog has also developed into a platform where I am able to share the work of other singers, composers, conductors, organizations, and choirs as well. It is staggering to articulate the significance this blog has served for me, as well as others, over this past decade. I have enjoyed looking through my posts and photos to assemble some of my favorite moments. It's also exciting to look towards the future and contemplate what new projects, pieces of repertoire, singers, conductors, and composers I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting.

Please enjoy this anniversary post and my apologies in advance since I'm certain people have been missed from this sampling of content. Regardless, thank-you, dear readers, for continuing to read my choral musings.

10 Year anniversary by Sable C

Listed below are 20 significant posts on The Choir Girl Blog over the past 10 year. Many of them signal a change in my role as an artist, thinking, or direction at each chronological time point in the blog.


1. Camp: A Rite of Passage

2. We'll Sing Anywhere

3. Choir Uniforms Do's and Don'ts

4. Arrival of the Virtual Choir 2.0

5. ESO Reviews

6. Making the Cut

7. Sh*t Choristers Say-An Interview with the Vancouver Cantata Singers

8. Tweet Me. Embracing Social Media at Podium 2012

9. Opera Girl

10. Painting the Nightingale

11. The Culture of Fear in Rehearsals 

12. Epilogue: Life after the Circus  

13. Dear, Opera Chorus

14. Backstage at Madama Butterfly 

15. I'm a bit of a hippie: An Interview with Cy Giacomin 

16. Interview with the Queen of the Night and Sarastro, Teiya Kasahara and Neil Craighead 

17. Podium 2016 Social Media Team  

18. National Youth Choir Class of 2016  

19. An Interview with Jane Berry 

20. The Formation of FEMME

Best of 2018

Greetings readers and Happy Holidays!

While posting frequency has diminished, the Choir Girl blog is not forgotten. You probably have noticed that I only post when I have something significant to post. Entries on this blog begin back on January 19, 2009 so I am coming up on my 10th year anniversary on January 19, 2019. Is there anything you'd like to see me do for a commemorative 10 year post? Please let me know.

My blog has served as a platform to hold me accountable for the projects that I take on and challenges me to reflect and share a performance perspective some individuals may not see. It has also allowed me to document my process from moving from a community choral singer into professional chorister. The focus has evolved these past years but the heart of the blog serves as a platform to create discourse about music and performance.

I have a few round ups for the year of 2018 which was a year of performance passion as well as challenge. But as most of you know, I love a challenge, so here are some of my picks for projects that topped my list for the year.

1. H.M.S. Pinafore with Edmonton Opera

Photo by Nanc Price Photography courtesy of Edmonton Opera

This show was most physical one I have had to tackle as a member of the Edmonton Opera Chorus. Between the dance intensive staging rehearsals every other evening and taming my body to listen to choreographer instructor, my mind and body were physically and mentally maxed out. My upbringing didn't include any exposure to dance instruction but I took on a learning attitude and embraced my enjoyment of movement in general. I got to learn moves like a charleston, chaine, and sugar. While I was in a perpetual state of muscle soreness for many weeks from January to February, I was pleased with what I was able to pull off when I saw video clips and photos. I didn't want to bring the the show down so I kept up an intensive cardio and stretch routine outside of rehearsals. I would practice my dance steps, video myself, watch the video, and then keep running it to make sure it matched what the choreographer showed in rehearsal. But once the show was running, my body had loaded the movements in. Once the curtain went up, I could just set sail, enjoy the expanse of that beautiful ship set, and soak in the energy of the on stage band and my fellow performers.

Photo by Nanc Price Photography courtesy of Edmonton Opera

2. Banff Centre Residency 

The Banff Centre residency was by far my most challenging music project that I took on this year. Learning five new compositions and getting them all performance ready in four days took all of my skills as a performer and created a pressure cooker situation to develop the skills I needed to meet the challenge. However, with naps, group sectionals, practice room time, perseverance, drink, I survived! It was not a relaxing residency but time is a luxury and we didn't have much of it. But the result of having a full schedule meant that we got to pack in more cool projects like completing some recordings for Equus with Darren Fung.

3. FEMME

One of my most powerful projects this year and one I am personally most proud of. I didn't expect to co-create my own singing sisterhood but somehow I managed it with Jane. I stayed true to my intuition and was gifted with finding artists who resonated with the project. It was also the first time I  had text of my own adapted and set to music. All the thanks goes to the people who supported us by being in the audience, sending me texts and e-mails of support, artists sharing their skills to amplify our work, or listening to me rant about the under-representation of contemporary female perspective in choral music. I send all my unconditional love to the fellow FEMMEs, Jane Berry, Amy Voyer, and Dawn Bailey. Many thanks to New Music Edmonton to create a reason for us to form and a space to perform. It is amazing to be in a musical community that creates space for experimental works and I am beyond excited to see what projects we get up to in the future. I was also so excited to style and direct this photoshoot with Nanc Price as my photographer. 

See you all in 2019!

The Sassy Sisters of Cinderella. An Interview with Caitlin Wood and Sylvia Szadovszki.

Photo by Nanc Price Photography, courtesy of Edmonton Opera

The sisters of Cinderella sparkle with a searing sassiness. Soprano, Caitlin Wood, and Mezzo-Soprano, Sylvia Szadovszki play the sisters, Clorinda and Tisbe, in Edmonton Opera’s upcoming production of Cinderella. There is an instantaneous connection and infectious charm that is amplified when they are within proximity of one another. They have a tendency to finish each other sentences, release a unison giggle at comedic moments, and offer each other knowing looks of support as they help each other formulate answers that reflect their personal experience.

Caitlin Wood as Clorinda. Photo by Nanc Price Photography, courtesy of Edmonton Opera

There is a sense of homecoming in many ways since Caitlin grew up in St. Albert and Sylvia in Calgary. This is Caitlin’s debut performance with Edmonton Opera and she shares, “it’s nice to be home and to be able to perform at home. A lot of family, friends, and one of my mentors who got me into music growing up will be coming. They haven’t seen me perform since highschool.” In her last highschool production, she was playing Maria in West Side Story. It will be definite treat for her supporters to hear her in this professional role.

Sylvia Szadovszki as Tisbe. Photo by Nanc Price Photography, courtesy of Edmonton Opera

Sylvia is ecstatic to be back at Edmonton Opera after her previous work in the Barber of Seville. “When you first get hired, you don’t know the people there, but everybody here is so nice, sweet, supportive, and fun. It makes coming back to the company just really awesome,” she reveals.

Caitlin notes, “To me, Clorinda and Tisbe, they’re are always together. Once I met Sylvia, I found it so easy to see who these characters are going to be.” Even though they both entered the rehearsal process with ideas of who their characters might be, these traits were not fully formed until they met one another. “We come with our own ideas of the character but we are flexible and amend things in rehearsal. When you are in this rehearsal situation, it becomes so much easier to see a character and play off of each other. When practicing recit alone, it’s basically impossible,” says Sylvia. 

Photo by Nanc Price Photography, courtesy of Edmonton Opera

When asked about who they thought their characters were before they entered the rehearsal process, both Sylvia and Caitlin reveal they knew the sisters were mean but they didn’t realize how Director, Rob Herriot, would play it up with comedic effect. “I probably thought that the sisters were more under control, but I feel like now, they’re absolute brats. I probably thought they’re late teenagers, early 20s, they’re probably not going to throw an entire fit. But they do. I think they’re those people never taught or corrected by their parents to be kind,” says Caitlin. “We’re very uncivilized,” says Sylvia with a warm laugh.

In commenting on how they are finding the quick-paced costume changes, the relentless Rossini bel canto runs, and the cast of quirky characters, Sylvia reveals that “the whole cast has a really good sense of humor. Everyone is quick-witted, one of the most fun processes I’ve ever been a part of.” She cites Stephen Hegedus, playing Alidoro in the production, as having some choice comedic moments in the rehearsal process. 

Photo by Nanc Price Photography, courtesy of Edmonton Opera

Fashion inspiration from the 1950s plays a huge role in this performance. Edmonton Opera costume designer, Deanna Finnman, plays with a wide palette of color, texture, and structure in the sisters’ dresses. Caitlin recalls the first time she went in for a fitting: "I immediately thought “these are what these girls are going to look like.” It helped me figure out who the characters after seeing the costumes and going into the fitting. It takes a really specific person to pull off these dresses. I think the sisters are exactly that, very loud, garish, go big or go home." Sylvia further elaborates in the fashions for each sister: "Caitlin’s costumes are more poofy, huge dresses and mine are more angled. We have taken that information into how we move and how our characters do certain gestures.  There’s never been a time when I’ve gotten in a costume and it hasn’t amplified the character. You get so many more ideas. I could play with this bow, I could walk tighter way because I’m in a tighter skirt.”

The constant contact over the past few weeks has increased the sisterly bond between Caitlin and Sylvia. “People have actually made observations that we answer questions the exact same way, we’ll say the exact same thing on the exact same pitch. We have melded,” says Sylvia. “We are now related,” states Caitlin with a laugh. Sylvia begins, “I felt like we had this instant little…sisterly bond,” says Caitlin finishing the sentence.

Photo by Nanc Price Photography, courtesy of Edmonton Opera

As the Edmonton Opera cast of Cinderella is working their way through tech week before opening night this Saturday. Both Sylvia and Caitlin muse about their favorite upcoming moments. Caitlin is eager to start running through the eight costume quick changes she does throughout the show. “It’s always exciting to have things come together finally,” says Sylvia, “having all the pieces of the puzzle come together.”

Photo by Nanc Price Photography, courtesy of Edmonton Opera

The sister duo of Caitlin and Sylvia have the power to steal the show with killer comedic timing and how they embrace the ridiculousness and excess at the core of the sisters. Both Caitlin and Sylvia overflow with gratitude towards Edmonton Opera, and I would not be surprised if their performances leave the audience asking themselves: when can I see them again?

Cinderella performances:

February 4 at 8 PM

February 7 at 7:30 PM

February 9 at 7:30 PM

Tickets are available online at Edmonton Opera. 

Photo by Nanc Price Photography, courtesy of Edmonton Opera

Best of 2016

Greetings readers,

I wish to reflect on the awesome happenings that occurred on The Choir Girl Blog as well as my own personal development as a singer. In no particular order, here are some of the highlights:

#ChoralAvengers

It's not everyday I get to have some of the most innovative social media choristers in my hometown. I was ecstatic when Missy Clarkson, Amy Desrosiers, and Jean-Pierre Dubois-Godin accepted my invite to join a social media team for Podium Conference and Festival. My local photog friends, Nanc Price and Twila Bakker were also equipped with their cameras throughout the Festival and Conference. We had the opportunity to create content prior to the conference and festival and we could share multiple perspectives at once. These aforementioned individuals showcased how we can use these tools to highlight the work of our choral community. I was humbled to work in close conjunction with them leading up to Podium. Podium 2018 will be hosted in Newfoundland, perhaps you may see some familiar faces once again.

The Interview Machine

National Youth Choir 2016

I managed to conduct 11 interviews in preparation for Podium. It was an ambitious feat to extend an invitation to interview all choirs coming to Edmonton for the Podium Choral Conference but I knew it would be an excellent opportunity to learn more about the choirs arriving. I also wanted to show how online tools could extend the educational reach of the conference and highlight the work of conductors and their ensembles. To hear from the leadership behind ensembles like The National Youth Choir, Pro Coro Canada, Grande Prairie Boys Choir, Shumayela, i Coristi Chamber Choir, Elektra, Opus 8, Chorale Saint-Jean, Coastal Sound Youth Choir, Calgary Girls Choir, and the Prairie Chamber Choir provides for an invaluable glimpse behind these ensembles. Some of my favorite quotes were hearing Morna Edmundson from Elektra and Elaine Quilichini speaking about the mentorship of female conductors and providing nurturing spaces for women to sing, how Jeannie Pernal mentors a group 120 boys to sing within the Grande Prairie community, and Melissa Morgan's passion to create an accessible archive of Prairie choral music and an ensemble to share their works.

Love Fail

Love Fail Photos by Michael Zaugg, courtesy of Pro Coro Canada

This was by far one of the most challenging choral projects I tackled this past year.  I was in a solo quartet performing a work for a solid 50 minutes which was unconducted plus staging. However, as with most challenging projects, it proved to be the most satisfying because I had to stretch the skills I had a singer to meet the demands of the project. In the end, I had a positive result! I learned much about how I receive feedback, how I adapt that knowledge or how I require extra processing time to take notes into consideration. It was also a test in how I manage my nerves while getting through the performance when adrenaline causes my heart to race for the first 20 minutes in the piece. I also learned that my nerves decrease as I increase my preparedness level over time. It was also nurturing to be connected to a positive female creation process while working with the Good Women Dance Collective as well as with my fellow Pro Coro singers. Another fond memory was my fellow quartet of singers providing music at the bedside of a choral mother who was not able to make it to the performance. Since that time, her mother has passed away, and I will forever treasure the reminder that it is a true gift to share music with others, especially with the intent of healing and support.



Personal Voice Work

As any singer knows, we are in a process of training a biological instrument that is constantly changing throughout our entire lifetime. It is susceptible to changes in age, stress, hydration, hormones, general body fitness, and many more factors. I always like to switch up voice teachers and have occasional check-ins to to consider a variety of different perspectives. I find I gain the most from a intense period of voice lessons and then having time to decode and attempt to transfer those teachings into my functional voice practice.

In my training as a Speech-Language Pathologist, I received great advice from a Voice Therapy mentor. I sat in a group of eager voice trainers and clinicians appealing to her for the gold-standard approach to treat a voice disorder. Instead, she explained that the process is like tackling a knotted ball of yarn. There is no one right way or method to tackle a problem since everybody is different and all techniques must be adapted for a client. Instead, you go from different angles, you may work on one thread and then you may return to a previous thread; however, with enough persistence, it will eventually untangle.

At the end of this previous year, I had some excellent voice sessions. My voice coach showed me different techniques to access the upper and lower limits of my voice range. All of a sudden, I was able to attempt singing aria repertoire I deemed too challenging for myself five years ago. It blew my mind! There's something empowering about being able to sing works that you have previously shelved due to having an instrument that wasn't ready.

Ship Shape for Opera

A photo posted by misssable (@misssable) on Oct 25, 2016 at 12:46pm PDT

This last Edmonton Opera run of Turandot was the most physically and musically challenging I have had to tackle in my time as a chorus member. There was much text to memorize, quick tempos, and physical staging to execute at the same time. Challenges included making sure I could see the Maestro in the pit or projected in the video monitors in the wings while lying crouched on my side and, if there were no sight lines available, I had to memorize the preceding orchestral lines prior to my vocal entry point and still come in with confidence. It was the first show I started doing cardio before the performance so my muscles were warmed up from activity earlier in the day. It felt helpful to have muscles that were stretched and warmed up for the hours of evening activity in order to minimize injury. I also incorporated full-body stretches during during vocal warm-ups in order to coordinate singing with movement. It was a good reminder that voice work incorporates many body systems. Last time I was rehearsing for Merry Widow, we rehearsed a lot of curtsies and I did zero stretches. In the following weeks, I had to roll myself to the edge of my bed and use my arms to push my torso upright in order to wiggle out of bed because my legs and lower back were too sore to move. Never again!

A photo posted by misssable (@misssable) on Oct 22, 2016 at 11:07am PDT

As 2017 unveils itself, keep me posted on your choral happenings readers, and I will promise to do the same. Until we meet again in the new year!

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.

We've completed the #22pushupchallenge after being nominated by @capitalchamberchoir. We nominate @vanchamberchoir next! See http://woundedwarriors.ca/ways-to-give/22-push-ups/ for more details.

A video posted by procorocanada (@procorocanada) on Sep 17, 2016 at 12:26pm PDT

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!

Lucia di Lammermoor: The Recovery Process

Photo by Patsy Tomkins courtesy of Edmonton Opera

The month of April has almost come and gone and with it was Edmonton Opera's production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Other than my occasional updates, which you can see in the slideshow social media compilation below, my blogging presence was non-existent.

A reason I didn't provide any additional blog content was because I was fighting through a series of sicknesses these past three weeks. What began as seasonal allergies resulted in uncontrollable post-nasal drip, initiating viral laryngitis and an upper respiratory tract infection. No amount of nasal saline rinses and steroid nasal sprays were equipped to combat my body's response to the allergens present during this Spring thaw.

It's interesting how I begin viewing myself as a patient to cope as I try to expedite the recovery process. I really like this article that outlines six common vocal myths by S-LP, Kristie Knickerbocker, especially this section on using throat coat teas:

"Like any pain, though, if your throat is hurting, don’t mask the problem by using numbing spray or another band-aid.  Your body is trying to tell you something and if you silence it, you could injure yourself further. Know your body.  I’m all for throat coat tea, ginger tea, lemon water, whatever–If you say it helps you feel better. I am against using any of that to hide pain so you can perform. If you are not giving your body time to heal, you’ll end up with a bigger problem."

Everybody has their favorite go-to's when it comes to sickness recovery. My motto is to do what works for you. However, I think there's a balance between doing what you need to do for your body as well as being aware of the side effects that medicinal ingredients can have on your voice. The National Centre for Voice and Speech has an excellent online resource to search that specific information.

Photo by Patsy Tomkins courtesy of Edmonton Opera

I tried to focus on these three factors: rest, hydration, and patience. Before Opera rehearsals, I tried to squeeze in time for a nap in order to recharge before a full evening at the the venue. Staging and technical rehearsals require a sustained amount of energy to stay alert for three hours while spacing, props, and music are sorted out as scenes are worked through. It takes a lot of energy to be on call.

Photo by Dilys Kulchitsky

In order to keep my hydration level up, I kept a water bottle with me everywhere (e.g., bedside, work desk, car, and backstage mirror). I attempted to limit caffeine but sometimes stimulants are needed so, when I did have caffeine, I would keep in mind a 1:2 ratio. For every caffeinated beverage I would have two cups of water - one to cancel that cup and another to hydrate. I aimed to have a net of 6-8 glasses but, since I was on antihistimines, I knew I needed more water because those types of medications can be drying. I would also brew multiple thermoses of non-caffeinated tea so I would have a constant supply of warm beverages and I wouldn't have to waste time by brewing cup to cup.

Photo by Patsy Tomkins

I tried to channel more patience by focusing more on text in rehearsal and refrained from singing, especially for the two days I had no voice. It takes restraint to not sing when there is so much on-stage action and energy. All of this was in attempt to conserve voice for opening night. Although I wasn't totally cured by opening night, my voice was back and I was ready to sing. Since I was extremely deconditioned after spending the previous weeks in a fragile vocal state, I had to make sure I had a solid vocal warm-up before the show. The worst was having to stifle dry tickles in my throat during quiet and tense moments in the story.

Aside from the battle with recovery, the show itself was stunning. I have heard so many comments raving about the ornate costumes and the stunning staircase set. I had goosebumps every night as I listened to Soprano, Simone Osborne, sing her debut Lucia and mimic the eerie melodic runs of the flute only Lucia could hear in madness.

Lucia di Lammermoor was a stunning closer to Edmonton's Opera's season. If you haven't looked already, take a peek at the upcoming 2015-16 Epic Scandals season showcasing Merry Widow, Carmen, and Maria Stuarda. Whether I am singing in these productions or in the audience, I can't wait to see these shows come alive on stage at the Jube.

Photo by Patsy Tomkins courtesy of Edmonton Opera

Photo by Patsy Tomkins courtesy of Edmonton Opera

Photo by Patsy Tomkins courtesy of Edmonton Opera

Also, visit Patsy Tomkins' blog that has more information behind-the-scenes of Lucia from light-walking the set to finding the right concoction of fake blood for the wedding dress.

The Power Duo: An Interview with the Queen of the Night, Teiya Kasahara, and Sarastro, Neil Craighead in Edmonton Opera's Magic Flute

It has been almost ten years since soprano, Teiya Kasahara, and bass-baritone, Neil Craighead, performed in their first production of the Magic Flute at the University of British Columbia. Edmonton Opera's current production unites the two UBC and COC Ensemble Studio grads. 

They play the contrasting principal roles with Kasahara as the vengeful Queen of the Night and Craighead as the prophetic Sarastro. Given their familiarity with the production having performed it in multiple forms, they both bring a thorough understanding of the text and story. "He is this enlightened personality but he is human and he is flawed," Craighead describes before continuing, "He tries to set the example for the rest of his enclave. He is representative of the light sun and good in the world, as opposed to Teiya." Kasahara picks up Craighead's thought process, "Basically, I have see myself as completely wronged, by my husband, by men in general, by this enlightened group. I’m trying to get what I rightfully believe is mine. I go to the extent of disowning my daughter and using her as my pawn and going too far. And reaching that point of no return of how corrupt and desire for power has made me completely evil." However, the Queen of the Night is not a completely unsympathetic character when viewed with a modern perspective. Kasahara describes her the Queen's inner motivations, "My late husband, on his death bed, gave all his power and this sevenfold circle of the sun to [Sarastro]. Because he believed [Sarastro] and [his] group, and that men in general, are the better sex. There is a huge dialogue in the original German that is generally cut down in English version, which I get, because it’s really long and breaks the flow of the whole opera. It’s really outdated and misogynistic. My husband is saying to me, I’m quoting him to my daughter,' You need to seek men’s leadership and be away with your wildly irrational womanly thinking and your duty is to men.' I don’t think she really likes it. That’s why she sings Der Hölle Rach." This seems like an understatement when this fiery coloratura aria is one of the most iconic pieces in operatic repertoire.

Magic Flute has a special place in the history with both of these singers. Craighead states that he never went into school thinking he would be an Opera singer. Nancy Hermiston cast him as the Speaker in Magic Flute before he even arrived at UBC. “I never sang a company recit. I was hooked. It’s just a classic story.  This is my eighth Magic Flute now. I’ve sang most of the mens parts now. I’ve been Speaker, Priest, Armed Guard, Sarastro. I haven’t done Papageno, but it’s within the realm of possibility. I know every single word of this Opera,” he states with a depth of maturity. Magic Flute played a formative role in Kasahara’s life as well: “It was the first Opera I ever saw, but it was on film, Igmar Bergman’s1971 Swedish production. It was done in a baroque theatre and it was filmed that way. I was at the UBC’s summer music institute. I was 15. Just watching everything come together and unfold with the music. Seeing the Queen of the Night and seeing that crazy high aria. 'What if I could sing that one day?' and having those kind of dreams at an early age it kept me focused on Opera. I was first spirit at UBC. I started learning Pamina and covered it at UBC. For me, it’s always been a part of my repertoire. I just love this Opera musically. The overture, I hear it in the dressing room… those beautiful chords and just start rocking out!" she says with a laugh and a soft headbang, "It’s always going to have a special place with me because it’s what introduced me to Opera.”

 
 
Kasahara and Craighead both acknowledge the challenges of being an Opera singer and laud their networks for providing them with the foundation to continue in this business. At the core of it, it’s the music that draws them both back. Craighead notes that he loves those moments when he is in “the presence of greatness” having a front-row seat as he gets to hear singers at the top of their craft. For Kasahara, she describes the allure of what keeps drawing her back: “Those magic moments on stage where you can hear that music live coming out of the pit, emanating your voice, and everything is just synergistic. It just comes together. You feel the lights on your face. You can see your colleagues through the legs of the backstage and they’re about to come on. All those perfect moments when you just realize, ‘wow, this is all happening right now and hundreds of people came together to put this one moment together on stage.’ Time slows down but speeds up. When you can stop on stage and have that realization.” 

 

 

Take a listen to the whole interview to get their thoughts on their understanding of the Opera, what they would do if they were ever able to direct the production, how they see their careers progressing, and their thoughts on who would win if the Queen of the Night and Sarastro had to have a musical face-off. 

The Magic Flute opens January 31, 2015 with performances on February 3 and 5. Tickets are available online. 

All photography by Nanc Price courtesy of Edmonton Opera

Catching up with Phillip Addis, Figaro in Edmonton Opera's Barber of Seville

Metallic shelving units line the perimeter of the Jubilee Auditorium rehearsal hall. They are laden with props. A quick glance around the room reveals a barber’s chair in one corner. There is a side cart decorated with razors, combs, and a tall glass jar ready to disinfect any used combs. The stage manager helps me to clear a spot on the wooden prop vanity to interview Edmonton Opera’s leading man, Phillip Addis, playing Figaro in the Barber of Seville. Addis relaxes back in his seat with a sense of calm. He is no stranger to Principal roles having sung the title role in Pelléas et Mélisande with the Opéra Comique in Paris and Il Conte Almaviva in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro with Pacific Opera Victoria earlier this year; however, this is Addis’ Figaro debut.

 

“It’s been a good rehearsal process because the first time through a role, you prepare as much as you can. But when you start staging, often you start to have realizations as to why the show flows the way it does,” Addis says with a mature sense of insight. “Once you start listening to what your colleagues are saying in the dialogue, it just changes. Instead of imagining what they’re singing, you become a listener engaged in a conversation. There’s something more immediate about the relationships as opposed to when you’re just reading it from the score, trying to picture how they’re going to deliver their lines in between your lines,” he states highlighting the collaborative importance of his fellow cast members.  

 

In preparing for his debut role, Addis reveals that he did not want to watch any videos prior to coming to the rehearsal process. He elaborates on his rationale: “I didn’t want to end up being a copycat. I know there’s a lot to be learned and there’s a lot of great resources out there but I wanted to make sure I was fresh and a clean slate for the direction both dramatically and musically. It gave me more freedom to figure it out myself, who Figaro is for me.” By unraveling the layers of his character, Addis found that Figaro’s primary motivation is money. The prospect of success and reward is irresistible.

 

Figaro is the grease that makes the town run. He maximizes on his influence as a barber and is able to exploit the knowledge of his diverse networks. As a result, he anticipates outcomes as problems are approaching. Addis also sees Figaro as being very observant character that soaks up facts and emotions behind what people are saying. However, at the core, Addis views Figaro as a sympathetic character. “Figaro just wants people to be happy and he wants people who love each other to be happy because that translates into success for him and money as well,” he states. 

 

There is an overall sense of urgency because Figaro is constantly juggling multiple storylines. In order to convey this to the audience, Addis must exude an energized physicality on stage. “I don’t want him to come across is just having had too much coffee, although there is a bit of that. I am trying to be fairly wide-eyed and physically exuberant… he knows there is no time to lose. Overnight, this opportunity could pass him… otherwise [Rosina] will be forced to marry Bartelo. He is keenly aware of the pressures of timing and that excites him instead freezing him into a panic.” 

 

Figaro’s opening aria is in no way relaxing. Addis laughs as he reflects on this fact. “The singing is challenging and we’re doing a lot of active things. He’s not just singing about his life, he’s reenacting it all,” he says. However, once everything is cleared from the stage, there is one brief moment of quiet before the Count arrives in his barbershop. From that point onwards, it’s non-stop for Figaro until the closing curtain.

In order to generate the energy required for the role of Figaro, Addis shares that he is still searching for that balance. “Occasionally, we’ll run through a scene and I’m a bit out of breath by the end of it. But that’s good. It means it’s a proper challenge. Hopefully, it means that what I’m doing is not boring,” he states before elaborating on the importance of breathing. “If you’re holding your breath the whole thing is off... I think that ties in with the idea that if [Figaro] is truly anticipating the problems that are going to arise then I need to anticipate where I need to take a deep breath before a burst of activity. The idea of that deep breath, wherever it may lie, it is supportive musically but it can also work dramatically too. If you want [Figaro] to be clear-headed, then he can’t be tense and frantic,” explains Addis. He notes that the goal of the whole ensemble has been working on exuding energy but being in control of the situation as well.

There is an allure of the Operatic form for Addis: “The thing about Opera is that so much that goes into the storytelling. It can be really engaging. But there’s a certain comfort in it. I find it less exposed than concert and oratorio work. In those other forms, it’s just you and your voice. You’re doing all the storytelling. And it’s between you and the accompanist and the conductor telling the story musically as well. There is no visual crutch so you have to be so precise. It’s just more exposed… In Opera it’s quite different. First of all you rehearse in the same setting for a few weeks. You get to pass the responsibility of the storytelling between more people… It’s a more complicated collective relationship.” 

As Addis prepares for future projects, he finds himself drawn back to the fundamentals of his craft. “I’m more aware not of things I want to improve and explore technically, which I think will serve me well for the larger roles that come along, and truly essential to get through the larger roles in the repertoire. [The idea of being a lead character] that, in itself, I don’t find scary. But it’s everything that goes behind making a performance that much more engaging… I’m trying to make sure that I’m always trying to put the best performance forward,” he states with a sense of humility.

In the days leading up to opening night, Addis is looking forward to the sitzprobe. The singers will get to rehearse with the Orchestra for the first time. “I’ll be grinning. I sometimes get excited to the point where I get teary-eyed. I love it. It’s a gut reaction. There’s nothing artificial about how profoundly orchestral music moves me” says Addis. He summates his thoughts on Opera: “The blend of great orchestral music with great vocal writing. That’s why I’m in this. It’s what I love the most about Opera and other classical vocal repertoire. It’s got two things I absolutely adore fused into one.”

All photography by Nanc Price courtesy of Edmonton Opera

Tickets are available from the Edmonton Opera Box Office (780-429-1000) and online.

Barber of Seville Shows:


Saturday, Oct. 25, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m.