Leaving on a Jet Plane

Photo by Nanc Price Photography courtesy of Pro Coro Canada

Greetings readers,

This past Sunday Pro Coro Canada completed their final concert of the season with the youth singers from PCC #Connect. I especially love programs that are unified by concept and have very specific repertoire choices that support the theme. Some stand-out pieces for me included Eric Whitacre's Stolen Child, Raimundo Gonzalez's My Soul, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi's Die Stimme des Kindes. It was also lovely to finally sing with the #Connect choristers. I feel like I have been following them on social media since the Fall but it wasn't until the end of the season we were united. Four of the singers were chosen to complete an internship in some productions with Pro Coro next season so I will get to sing with some of them again.



Next up is the Canadian Chamber Choir Sacred Reflections of Canada CD Recording. From Thursday to Sunday we have a packed iternary of rehearsals, recording time, a photoshoot, and even some time to sing some Sunday services for the communities that are hosting us. Expect lots of fun updates when I'm back!

Until then, enjoy this vid of CCC singing Don MacDonald's Tabula Rasa from Perth, ON on the February tour.

An Interview with Sound Artist, Raimundo Gonzalez

“I call myself a sound artist,” says Raimundo Gonzalez with a calm confidence. There is no internal struggle as he declares this label for himself. At the same time, that simple noun phrase feels inadequate to encapsulate the complexity of his musical interests. While he does work with the choral palette in his compositions, he does not see himself as solely a choral composer.

For Gonzalez, his compositional process is guided by what he wishes to communicate. He explains that he has a concept of what he wants to say, but depending on what that message is, the medium changes. “If I wanted to work with text, then a great medium would be an art song or choral. If I'm working with a painting, and I want to make a sonic representation [of the canvas], I would try other mediums such as electroacoustic music or sound improvisation,” he states with passion. Gonzalez describes how sound improvisation explores the aesthetics of sound and how individual sounds can be presented in organized and unorganized combinations. Gonzalez is cognizant of how challenging it is to incorporate technology in a way that is still accessible for audiences. He wishes to demystify much of the electronic complexity that is hidden under the hood of computer. “I want to bring technology in a form that is still expressive and something that people can relate to and enjoy,” Gonzalez explains. One such tool is using visual feedback. Making the compositional process visible aids in audience understanding.

Born in Santiago, Chile, Gonzalez had musical exposure to many different types of music in his formative years such as piano, sacred church music, death metal, and folk music. Gonzalez’s musical start took the form of singing and playing piano. By the age of 16, he began composing music. Gonzalez takes a moment of silent contemplation while he muses on his desire to pursue composition: “Creativity is the highest form of knowledge.” This statement is paraphrased from his father. “Basically, I was always creating. I was never just performing. I was always performing, learning, and writing at the same time.” Gonzalez challenged familial expectations by pursuing music performance and composition within the academic sphere. “My Dad wanted me to be a Doctor. Even though he loves music, he never supported me being a composer… it took a while for him to open up and start listening,” he reveals. Gonzalez completed his Undergraduate in composition, classical piano, and jazz guitar performance at the Instituto Escuela Moderna de Musica in Santiago before moving to Edmonton to complete a Master's degree in Music Composition from the University of Alberta. His parents didn’t show up to hear his musical work until Gonzalez had moved to Canada. “I had to fight my own way through music. It wasn’t a decision that was supported but something I did for myself. It was challenging in a good way,” Gonzalez states with a tone of quiet determination.

Choral music plays an important role within Gonzalez’s diverse sound interests. While he identifies as a sound artist, he is drawn to using the choral sound. “I love the human voice. I think it's an instrument with endless possibilities. It is not only the instrument I perform with but one that provides me with a palette of sonic colors I can work with,” he states. Gonzalez did not begin choral singing until he was pursuing his Masters at the U of A. “The first choir that I joined was [The University of Alberta MadrigalSingers] and the first piece we sang was Haydn’s Creation. The shock of singing in harmony was mind-blowing. There’s that blend of voices becoming one as a [choral sound object],” he states with a palpable excitement.

Gonzalez’s main choral work is entitled, My Soul, with the textual inspiration coming from the Matthew 26:38 phrase:

"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

“It represents a moment of a [Jesus Christ] experiencing loneliness. I think it’s a very powerful thought to think that a strong and inspirational individual can experience weakness and express it. It makes you realize they're still human... Ultimately, [loneliness] is a universal truth. It’s an emotion that is not always dealt with and it is good to externalize it,” he explains as a motive for the work before continuing. “There are two sides to the piece: there is the announcement of loneliness but there is the desire for company and there is an uplifting feeling to that - a sensation of embrace.” It is clear that Gonzalez wishes to negotiate an overlap between the two worlds of choral and avant-garde music. He has done this by employing compositional tools like aleatoricism in My Soul.

It is clear that Gonzalez does not intend to be confined by a specific medium when it comes to sound expression. “There is a lot of judgment in what an artist has to do to be a part of a certain collection of work. If you are an experimental composer, everything has to be experimental. If you’re a choral composer, then everything has to be tonal. There’s a certain expectation that if you try things are too different, you don't know what you're doing. I disagree because I feel humans have different means of expression and degrees of complexity depending on what they want to say. I'm trying to be an integral human being in my works and not represent one sole genre,” he states in a wise tone.

“How do you view your role as a composer when views of music are changing?” I ask.

Gonzalez expires his remaining reserves of air before tackling my question: “The size of what music is nowadays is so huge. It's impossible to keep up with everything. I'm just a composer, one individual, trying to make a comment on one community… I try to create an awareness of sound as being a physical phenomenon that we don't think about enough.” 

Gonzalez asks himself a guiding question when initiating the catalyst for any new project:

“What is it that I wish I could experience?”

It stems from a desire to expand the paradigm of a listener and introduce an experience the audience didn’t think was possible. “I’ve worked a lot with biometrics - sensors that use information that comes from natural systems like pulse sensors or an EEG machine. I had an installation where a whole room was connected to a set of lights. Once an individual entered the room and placed their hand on panel, the whole room would light up with their heartbeat. The listener would get to listen to their heart and experience it through different sounds and lights,” he explains with a concrete example.

There is an established sense of identity as Gonzalez prepares to move to Edinburgh in the Fall to pursue a Masters in Science and Acoustics. His aim is to continue developing as an Acoustician and Composer. “You want to have your voice so people can recognize you but, at the same time, be consistent with yourself. If you’re really interested in the message of what you want to say, you have to find a way for the audience to understand it without losing yourself,” he states as a constant struggle. It is hard to not to feel inspired upon hearing Gonzalez describe his greatest challenge, which is also his greatest motivator, as he contemplates his future with promise.

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.

30K in 30 Days with the Canadian Chamber Choir

Photo by David E. Cronkite

Greetings readers!

I wanted to draw your attention to a fundraising campaign by the Canadian Chamber Choir for their upcoming recording in May. In fact, I will be singing on it! This is the CCC's second recording project and it has been almost five years since their last one. I'm grateful to be included on the recording roster, especially since I just had my first tour with them this last February.

The recording is entitled, Sacred Reflections of Canada, a Canadian ‘composite mass’.  The recording is inspired by various settings of the mass by Canadian composers including the CCC’s own Composer in Residence, Jeff Enns. This recording will include the standard mass movements interspersed with pieces that reflect on the themes found within the mass. The works are an array of published and unpublished works that highlight established and emerging composers from across the country. This recording will highlight the diversity and strength of the Canadian choral community.

The CCC has set a goal to raise $30,000 in the next 30 days to complete this recording project by their deadline in May. The CCC has launched a crowd funding campaign and there are some pretty sweet donation rewards such as being included in the liner notes, dining with the choir before a concert, and conducting a piece with the CCC. You can check out the site for more information on each reward tier of contributions. However, even a donation of $20 gets you a digital download copy of the CD, which would be almost equivalent to what the CD would cost anyway.

I really believe in the CCC's mandate of building creative communities through choral singing. Their ongoing goals to perform works by contemporary Canadian composers creates an exciting and ongoing discourse of Canadian choral music. I will be counting down the days until I head off to Ontario to record this project with them. In the meantime, I just need to make sure I don't trip and fall down a flight of stairs in my hoop skirt while preparing for Edmonton Opera Lucia di Lammermoor.

Watch this video to learn more about the project and to get excerpts from the CCC tour this past February.

A Chorister's Faith in Music

Pro Coro has been busy rehearing with the University of Alberta Madrigal Singers in preparation for our Good Friday concert together featuring works by Composer, Paul Mealor. Mealor has traveled to Edmonton and is in Canada for the first time to hear his works sung by PCC and MAD's. It is always a treat to have a composer actually part of the rehearsal process to provide context and clarification for the work they have written.

In addition to sitting in on rehearsals, Mealor presented a lecture on Faith and Music earlier in the week. He outlined the meticulous construction, symbols, shape, imagery, and thought process behind his works, such as Salvator Mundi, O vos omnes, and Stabat Mater. Mealor began with a disclaimer to the audience to not fear because there would be no undertones of religious recruitment during his lecture. Mealor stated this with a smile and the audience chuckled.

Mealor highlighted some of the techniques he uses in his pieces such as using contrasting dissonances in chords to create a sense of suffering or how many sharps and flats there are in the key signature to symbolize the cross, trinity, or five wounds of Christ. In Mealor's Stabat Mater, the poetic text details the sorrow of the Mother Mary at the base of the cross weeping for her crucified son.



I have a great amount of respect for the history and role of sacred choral music in our society. I cannot ignore the electric tingle buzzing beneath my skin when I hear some moving sacred music. Regardless of religion, faith or spirituality, music has the power to deliver and amplify a message. Music connects to individuals who are listening. I have faith in music. 

Over the past few days since hearing Mealor's lecture and working on his pieces in rehearsal, I have been given time to just sit and meditate on a musical work. All my fellow choristers are on the same musical frequency and its signal is strengthened because the Mealor is physically present to connect us to the thoughts in his mind and music.

It is a moment to be grateful as a performer to have a reflective moment of connection.

If you are free this Friday at 7:30 PM, you know where I'll be singing.

Canadian Chamber Choir Tour Recap

Photo by: Michael van der Gagg courtesy of the Canadian Chamber Choir

The results following any period of intense and fleeting performance leaves one in a bit of a haze. I enjoy thinking of my fellow Canadian Chamber Choir choristers and what they are up to back in their local choral communities. It is staggering to reflect upon the amount of synchronicity that can be achieved in such a compressed time frame. In just a few days, I began to hear ensemble cohesion and get a glimpse of what the group sounded like from within the choir. The CCC sound is elegant, polished, and seamless; yet, there are such unique voices in the group creating that overall texture. Take a look at the social media and photo recap from the CCC tour adventures below.


A fun facts tally from the week:

• learning 30 new pieces, many by contemporary canadian choral composers: Jeff Enns, Matthew Emery, Cy Giacomin, Kathleen Allan, Lavinia Kell Parker, Stephanie Martin, Allan Bevan, Rupert Lang, Leonard Enns, A. Balfour, Nancy Telfer, Larry Nickel, Tobin Stokes, Robert Ingari, Bruce Sled, Barrie Cabena, Don MacDonald, Sid Robinovitch, et al. Some of the titles are available at Cypress Music in the CCC series.
• sang in four concerts in four stunning churches: Kingston-St. George's Cathedral, Perth-St. John the Baptist, Ottawa-St. Joseph's, and Montreal-Église Saint-Pierre-Apôtre
• participated in three workshops: Kingston Choral Music Society, U of Ottawa and Ottawa highschool choirs, Montreal Choral Institute
• meeting numerous blog readers (Cathy, Johanna, Beth, David et al.) and bloggers Mark Wilkinson at Sound + Noise and Amy Desrosiers from Blonde in the Choir.
• three welcome caffeinated beverages at Crossroads Tea Room; Coutts Coffee Company who opened early for the choir at 6:30 AM in Perth; Ministry of Coffee in Ottawa
• four great billets: Mary in Kingston, Suzanne in Perth, Mary in Ottawa, and Martin in Dorval
• i lost track of the numerous delicious sandwich, veggie, fruit platters and choir-hosted potlucks

More photos and a compilation of #TheChoirGirl blog readers I met while on tour:

Choristers from the Women and Men of the Tay were our billet hosts in Perth, Ontario. I got this awesome bagged lunch from Suzanne.

Photo by Mike van der Gaag courtesy of Canadian Chamber Choir. I'm checking in online during a break in rehearsal.

Frozen Rideau canal - ready for skating!

A fancy lunch at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

The Ewashko Singers warm-up in St. Joes Church before our Friday night concert.

A rare chance to meet fellow #TheChoirGirl blog readers and bloggers themselves: Mark Wilkinson who I met writing at Sound + Noise, and Amy Desrosiers from Blonde in the Choir.

Another #TheChoirGirl blog reader, Margo Keenan, who spotted me at the Montreal Choral Institute CCC Workshop

#TheChoirGirl Blog reader, Cathy, recognized me at the Ottawa Chamber Music concert while in Ottawa. I sang with her last year when Pro Coro Canada sang with the Ottawa Cantata Singers.

Johanna Crooymans, a loyal #TheChoirGirl blog reader from Montreal. Also, my new adopted Montreal mom.

CCC tour finale concert in Montreal and CCC founder, Iwan Edwards, was even in the audience. Photo by David E. Cronkite courtesy of the Montreal Choral Institute

 

Some gorgeous sunrise scenery flying into Toronto from Montreal. CCC was singing Kathleen Allan's In Paradisum and that tune came into my mind when I saw this outside my window.

A Toronto layover means a ramen adventure with opera singer and fellow ramen lover, Teiya Kasahara

A layover excursion into downtown Toronto before finishing off this unexpected last leg of the CCC tour

On tour with the Canadian Chamber Choir

Highschool and U of Ottawa Choirs assemble for a workshop at St. Joseph's in Ottawa

More than half of the tour with the Canadian Chamber Choir is complete and it is by far one of the most taxing and rewarding touring experiences I have been on thus far. I attribute it to the fact that in previous choirs that I've been in, by the time you go on tour, the music that you are planning to sing on tour is usually well-rehearsed and ready for the audiences you are about to meet. In this case, I am learning almost 30 new pieces. While I had prepared as much as I could on my own, there's always more work to be done when you are putting parts together with other voices. Creating ensemble takes so much listening work to the voices surrounding you and watching a conductor to interpret a new gestural style. 

The first day was a commute day. I set off from an Edmonton flight at 7 AM and arrived in Toronto at 12:30 PM.  Most of the singers either flew into Toronto or Ottawa and from there we all drove to Kingston. Select choristers were in charge of obtaining rental vans to pick up other groups of choristers from the airport.  There's nothing a like a road trip to start of the tour to introduce to me to the choristers I had just met at the arrivals gate. I was greeted with warm hugs from the Altos when they saw me arrive, dissolving apprehensions I had about approaching the group as an outsider.  The amazing thing is that I have met many of the choristers before at choral conferences, performances, tours, or just through visibility on social media networks. 

Sandy gave Kim and I lipsmackers as a welcome to the choir gift!

A meet and greet with our billets at the church led into our first rehearsal. My rehearsal performance felt pretty rough.  As much as you try to do to take care of yourself, the fatigue and dehydration of travel took a toll on my body and voice. It is difficult to expedite the recovery process without time for rest. Instead, I used a combination of caffeine stimulants and high sugar foods, with varying levels of success, to survive the evening with sufficient mental acuity. 

Sunday Service at St. George Cathedral in Kingston

My first time singing with Justin after our time in the U of A Madrigal Singers

The next day was by far the most challenging.  We were up and ready to sing Sunday church service at St. George Cathedral. It was a stunning service but there was something going with the heat in the church and I was shivering throughout the entire performance. The rest of the day was filled with rehearsal, as well as eating and layering enough clothing to conserve body heat. My anxiety decreased as rehearsals went on. I don't think I have ever been quite as fatigued on tour as I have been on this one. When I would get back to my billet's home, I would debrief over tea then crash on my bed. I was too tired to even text my family updates. Tuesday followed a similar rehearsal pace except we had our sound check that afternoon for our concert that evening.  As I approached the stage, it was quite moving for me to see so many similar faces in the audience. Jean, who had welcomed us as soon as we arrived at the church was looking after the choir during their stay. She had been constantly cooking and making beverages for us over the past two days. Jean was beaming in the back pew of the church with rosy cheeks and damp eyes during our entire concert. My own billet, Mary, was sitting in the front row, supporting me like a family member. She gave me gentle smiles and I would look over for an encouraging glance as I worked my way through the repertoire. 

St. George's Cathedral in Kingston, ON

It was my first concert with the Canadian Chamber Choir. I had these flashback moments during entire concert where I reversed my perspective and could remember my first moment seeing the CCC in concert while they toured Alberta in 2011. It blows my mind that four years later I would be on the other side. First and foremost, I am a fan of the CCC and the work that they do going into choral communities and sharing their song and choral presence with audiences. There is no concept of 'us' and 'them.' Instead, there is the concept of 'we' and how all music lovers can make music together.  There is a real sense of accessibility in regards to the music they have published in their CCC series with Cypress music. The sense of community building is further emphasized by the fact that singers are billeted with lovers of choral music. I have had such an amazing experience looking through the repertoire my billets are working on, showing them my music and how I use an iPad to read music, tales of bad auditions, and I have even had billets ask me about my love life. It makes me realize that even though we are all separated by distance, our connected love of singing brings an instant sense of familiarity.

The adorable Crossroads Tea Room in Perth, ON

One of the most challenging things I have had to deal with so far is how to manage and recharge my energy stores. I know I need dedicated focus during the entire rehearsal time; however, I also want to give my fellow choristers, workshop choristers, billet hosts, audience members my undivided attention. There is minimal to no time built into the schedule for free time, thus, it's about finding small pockets of time to recharge and capitalize on quiet time. One day it was taking a pain killer and taking a 45 min nap on a bed in the old nunnery behind the church; on another day it was riding down an ice slide set up for a winter festival. It has been an uphill battle getting music performance ready in three days let alone ensuring that I have sufficient energy for socialization. I only feel like I am now back in control at this halfway point in the tour. I was dragging myself along for the first few days. Much of the process is helped with my supportive network of CCC choristers checking in with me. They make sure I'm up to date on all music notes and confirm schedule times.  Arriving in Kingston feels like a lifetime ago, but it has only been five days since I first met everyone.  As I prepare to wrap up this last leg of the tour, I am making sure to do lots of mental check-in's to be thankful that I am singing with the CCC. The CCC workshop today with high school choirs at the University of Ottawa solidified that for me as they asked questions about how they get into the choir, how we prepare music etc. I had the exact same questions four years ago. It's a moment to be grateful, but to pick up and keep going since tour isn't finished quite yet! 

Ministry of Coffee break in Ottawa, ON to write this blog post

The men of CCC joins a mens youth choir during the workshop

Skating in the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, ON

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