17-18-02-MC-D-0543 – Andrew Haji as Nemorino in the Canadian Opera Company’s new production of The Elixir of Love, 2017. Conductor Yves Abel, director James Robinson, original costume designer Martin Pakledinaz, revival costume designer Amanda Seymour, set designer Allen Moyer, lighting designer Paul Palazzo,. Photo: Michael Cooper

For the Love of Opera: The Elixir of Love

The Elixir of Love. The strength of this particular elixir is that it’s a character-based, romantic comedy, filled with a very fun and happy score. There’s heartache and longing and it’s all brought to life by Gaetano Donizetti’s thoughtful capacity to create beautiful melodic hooks.
Artists from Armide pose with members of Opera Atelier's creative and administration team in Versailles' famous Hall of Mirrors, Nov. 2015. Photo by Bruce Zinger.

Opera Atelier in Versailles

The team from Opera Atelier are back from once again being asked to perform in the Palace of Versailles. Post-performances, they had the opportunity to take some beautiful photos of co-artistic director Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg (lady and dancer extraordinaire) in the ultra-private apartments of Marie Antoinette.
Adrianne Pieczonka as Tosca and Markus Marquardt as Scarpia in the Canadian Opera Company's production of Tosca, 2017, photo: Michael Cooper

For the Love of Opera: Tosca Review

Paul Curran’s Tosca, the finale for the COC 2016/17 season, is filled with electric and memorable performances and is anything but shabby. Let me clue you in, in case you’re unfamiliar with Puccini’s Tosca, ev...
Christine Goerke as Brünnhilde and Andreas Schager as Siegfried in the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Götterdämmerung, 2017, photo: Chris Hutcheson

For the Love of Opera: Götterdämmerung

(l-r) Martin Gantner as Gunther, Ain Anger as Hagen, Christine Goerke as Brünnhilde, Andreas Schager as Siegfried and Ileana Montalbetti as Gutrune the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Götterdämmerung, 2...
Andrew Haji as Tamino and Elena Tsallagova as Pamina in the Canadian Opera Company's production of The Magic Flute, 2017, photo: Michael Cooper

For the Love of Opera: The Magic Flute Review

The Magic Flute is both sublime and ridiculous. The piece has ties to the Freemason movement of which Mozart and Schikaneder were members. The production presents the ideals of enlightenment versus the vaudeville antics of the playful Papageno and Papagena.