Week of November 19, 2009, Issue #735
ARTS
AN EVENING OF OPERA SCENES: Sampling the opera
There's a taste of modern English operas to be had at An Evening of Opera Scenes
Ashley Kascak / ashley@vueweekly.com
The thought of a rather large woman, bosom boosted and bore, wearing Viking horns and belting out some sort of ear-piercing stream of an unrecognizable, foreign language may be a slightly intimidating image to wrap your head around, or perhaps to even take seriously.
The University of Alberta's Department of Music is presenting An Evening of Opera Scenes, a series of modern opera excerpts—all sung in English, at that—demonstrating that the genre has more going for it than just tired old stereotypes.
"An opera-goer may be surprised to see what a variety of things we actually do," director Brian McIntosh says. "Maybe some of them might think it's even a little boring or too unreachable for them—something they don't understand, therefore, they are uninterested."
The theme for the second annual event is 20th century compositions, all originally composed in English, featuring operas from popular Canadian, American and British composers. McIntosh explains it's an opportune time for newcomers to ease themselves into the style, and for opera enthusiasts to fuel their operatic need in a very affordable, yet quality performance.
"Here's something that's first of all in English, so they don't have to have a subtitle or have a translation made for them," the music instructor says. "They can just sit and listen to it, but they are going to see something that is more like real life—it's something that's today, within our lifetime; something they can relate to."
The most recent piece was composed in the '60s McIntosh says. As with most things, opera has taken on an evolution of its own. With a catalogue dating back 400 years, this program, in retrospect, is very new music.
Selection's include Benjamin Britten's MidSummer Night's Dream, Carlisle Floyd's Susannah, Vaughan William's Riders to the Sea, Eris Copland's Tenderland, H. Sommer's The Fool and Gjan Carlo Minotti's The Consul. The latter two are composers McIntosh had the opportunity to work with during his 30-year career as a professional opera singer.
"For me it has a personal connection as well, but for the students, it's really about tapping into a different way of thinking about opera," McIntosh says.
He thinks of the evening as a little opera sampler for the audience, choreographed to match the specific voices—such as tenor, or soprano—of the performers, who are mostly second-year undergraduates working towards a BA in music.
"I tried to set it up in a sense that there's a balance, maybe more than an actual flow," McIntosh says. "When you go out of here you should feel like you have witnessed something—like it has reached you, touched you as an audience member." V
Fri, Nov 20 – Sat, Nov 21 (8 pm)
An Evening of Opera Scenes
Arts and Convocation Hall, University of Alberta campus, $10 – $15
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