MARCH 2016 ISSUE NO. 71

Beethoven’s only opera is to be offered in live experience to the Nova Scotia audience Sunday, April 3rd, 2:00 p.m. in the Lilian Piercey Concert Hall, Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, Chebucto Road, Halifax. This Season’s ‘Informoperal’ will present concert excerpts from this dramatic work sung in German, the spoken dialogue in English, with pianist Lynette Wahlstrom. “Fidelio is a perfect example of an opera whose music is familiar through radio, sound recording and video, the opera fan fortunate enough to travel being able to attend it in performance venues great and small, yet whose particular performance personnel and site requirements put it outside the access of the local public as a complete theatrical event,” remarks ONS Artistic Director Dr. Walter H. Kemp. He continues: “Through our informal Sunday afternoon presentation Beethoven’s passionate score will come alive to everybody in attendance, and thereby demonstrate not only the master’s strong belief in the dignity of the human spirit and the universal right to freedom but also the talents of our own singers to deliver his message.” Opera for Community Access. Opera Nova Scotia is dedicated to giving the community as active an opera experience as possible, and so continues to open its ‘Informoperal’ on a “Pay-as-You-Can” basis at the door of the event, fulfilling our mandate of ‘Opera for All’ The Singers. We have assembled one of our most brilliant ensembles of Nova Scotia-related vocalists to perform Beethoven’s music as it demands. Beth Hagerman takes on the challenge of the heroine Leonore, who must disguise herself as a young man to insinuate herself into the State Prison and rescue her

‘Informoperal’ Offers Beethoven’s Music Drama Fidelio husband from death. Leonore stands at the beginning of the long line of heroic women in German opera through Wagner to Richard Strauss and Berg, interpreted through equally heroic vocal demands. Now completed her scholarship studies at Toronto’s Glenn Gould School, Beth here signals a significant development of her vocal and interpretive talents, which Nova Scotia audiences have enjoyed when she has appeared for ONS as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Puccini’s Women and several Informoperals, as well as in several leading roles for the Halifax Summer Opera Festival.

Jason Davis sings Florestan, Leonore’s husband, languishing as a political prisoner, another opportunity for HRM to enjoy this outstanding tenor voice which it acclaimed for his performance in the ONS Luisa Miller and more recently as Canio in Pagliacci for Maritime Concert Opera. In addition to his Halifax Studio Jason has for two Seasons been a member of the Acadia University vocal teaching staff. Jon-Paul Décosse is the

villainous Don Pizarro, who must silence Florestan before he can expose the Prison Governor’s crimes. Jon-Paul has distinguished himself in ONS productions of Luisa Miller, Don Giovanni and La Serva Padrona, as well as contributing generously to advancing the support of our activities through his appearances in Opera Valentine and scholarship fundraising. Gregory Servant adds the gaoler Rocco to the several dozen operatic roles in his repertoire. He has been a mainstay of Opera NS since its inception, with his staged characterizations of King Melchior, Nick Shadow, Count Walter, Mozart’s Allazim, Osmin, and Don Giovanni plus his several Informoperal roles such as Aleko, Don Quichotte, Golaud, and the Fathers of Louise, Mignon

Fidelio (continued) and Lakmé. His effective influence in vocal pedagogy and performance has been invaluable as a Dalhousie Professor of Voice, as has his wider presence in Atlantic Canada as concert soloist and adjudicator. Jennifer Farrell sings the gaoler’s daughter Marzelline, who for a while turns her eye from her dedicated suitor Jaquino towards the newly arrived young Fidelio, not realizing “his” true identity as Leonore. Jennifer has been associated with ONS since her return to Halifax after completing her Doctoral studies at UBC, beginning with her role of Ilia in Idomeneo. She too has shown unselfish generosity with her time and talent in support of our activities: vocalist in our Informoperals as The Cunning Little Vixen and Yniold, Scholarship fundraiser and public lecturer. Last Season she rescued Opera Valentine at 24 hours’ notice by taking over both hostess and soprano soloist responsibilities when illness struck the scheduled artist. We offer Jennifer our congratulations on her appointment as Dean of Music at the Maritime Conservatory. Leander Mendoza is Jaquino, the prison worker whose love for Marzelline is temporarily jilted until Fidelio’s mission is triumphantly completed and “all is revealed”. Leander came to Canada from the Philippines, moving from Toronto to Halifax where he has established his own voice studio and gives unstintingly of his enthusiasm for musical pleasure both to his students and to our senior citizens. He has sung in the Informoperal scenes from Mignon as Wilhelm Meister, entertained both in a Musicale and in our last two Opera Valentines. Matthew McGreer completes the cast as the Minister of State Don Fernando. As winner of last year’s Kiwanis Festival Opera Class, Matthew’s ONS Prize allowed him to sing his debut at Opera Valentine 2016. Completing his undergraduate degree in Business at Dalhousie, he is a private voice student of Jason Davis.

Nova Voce, the Province’s celebrated male choir, will give their distinctive artistry to the program when they sing the moving Prisoners’ Chorus, Beethoven’s hymn to every human’s quest for freedom and light, and later join with members of The Walter Kemp Singers in the jubilant finale. Founded in 2014, this internationally acclaimed choir is now directed by Bryan Crocker. Their guest appearance further advances Opera Nova Scotia’s cooperative linkage with the community’s artistic community. Lynette Wahlstrom, pianist for the performance, has become an invaluable life force in the pulsating musical scene of HRM. Her service to university, church, civic choirs, and recitals is enhanced by her effective organizational administrative skills associated with the Royal Canadian College of Organists and ONS, with whom she is Director of Volunteers.

Fidelio was a hit of the cultural calendar produced during the Congress of Vienna, because it expressed the ideals of a newly ordered post-Napoleonic Europe. On April 3rd ONS invites you to revisit Beethoven’s Freedom Testament, and emerge rededicated as a citizen of our evolving New World Order.

Opera Valentine has been the principal fund raiser Gala for ONS since the first Season of the Association, and “Viva l’Amor”, the 16th edition on February 12 celebrated convivially in the great tradition of this event. In the presence of our Honourary Patron, His Honour the Lt. Governor, 120 guests enjoyed the superb meal, lovely singing, generous Silent Auction, and infectious good humour that continues to make this a signature occasion in the Arts Calendar of HRM. Once again the Serenades were a hit, in particular when soprano Maureen Batt came up with an appropriately histrionic response when she discovered the receiver of her

Nova Voce in performance in Lunenburg. Photo by Judy Porter.

Serenade, Michael Parker, knew the Gianni Schicchi libretto. An era came to an end, when Elvira Gonnella, who had founded and shaped Opera Valentine since its inception delivered her final challenge of ‘The Game’. ONS Board Chairman Ifan Williams presented her with a floral bouquet in thanks for her contribution over the years. This Season’s Producer, Board Director of Education Pamela Sweet Smith, guided her team of volunteers to a fine success in every aspect, and Music Director/Hostess Paula Rockwell put together a fine quintet of soloists with pianist Tara Scott in a varied repertoire of love songs from Monteverdi to Monty Python. Sheila Andrecyk’s kind donation of the raffle basket drew its highest lucrative response in five years, and the whole evening raised a profit of $5000.00. Circle your 2017 Calendar for next Season’s festivities, Friday, February 10.

Opera Valentine Scores Again with “Viva l’Amor”

“Woman’s Faith and Honour:

A Gallery of Heroines from Romantic

Opera”

Introductory talks to the Metropolitan Opera

HD transmissions, Season 2015-2016

Lecturer: Dr. Walter H. Kemp,

Artistic Director Opera Nova Scotia

Tuesdays 1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

The Keshen Goodman Library,

Lacewood Drive, Halifax

March 29 Puccini, Madama Butterfly

April 12 Donizetti, Roberto Devereux

26 R. Strauss, Elektra Experience and appreciate opera on a whole new level.

A reading knowledge of music is not required

to enjoy these talks.

Free admission, all welcome.

Presented in cooperation with

Opera Nova Scotia

Celebrating "Viva l'Amor" at the ICCA Club. Photo by Stan Salsman.

Opera For All! Layout by David Keenan

Newsletter of Opera Nova Scotia 6199 Chebucto Road, Halifax NS B3L 1K7

Tel. (902) 425-8586 www.nsopera.org e-mail: info@nsopera.org

Opera Nova Scotia

Members at Large

Artistic Director – Dr. Walter H. Kemp

Administrative Officer – Vanessa Buhr-Rountree

Chair – Ifan Williams

Vice Chair – Dr. Eve Roberts

Treasurer – Carol Grimmitt

Secretary – Ann Conrad

Archivist – Jeanette Ireland

Education Director – Pamela Sweet Smith

Fundraising and Marketing Director – Erica Butler

Hospitality Director & Ticket Convener –

Sheila Andrecyk

Membership Director – Elinor Benjamin

Properties & Space – Stan Salsman

Director of Volunteers – Lynette Wahlstrom

Ruth A. Boorman Dr. Neil Robertson

Paul Coolen Franco Tarulli

Dr. Peter Fillmore June Trenbirth

Opera Nova Scotia appreciates the support of

Municipal Government

B y Dappertutto

One of the highlights of our current Season is the opportunity to experience live a dramatic work by a genius of music, Beethoven’s Fidelio. Here are some relevant knowledge-testing teasers. 1. It is well known that Beethoven composed four Overtures to this opera: the most familiar today being The Fidelio Overture, and The Leonore Overture No. 3. Which of these two does not contain the trumpet call signalling the arrival of the Royal Minister, quoting the dramatic highpoint in Act Two? 2. The 1805 premiere in Vienna coincided with Napoleon’s occupation of the city, most of Beethoven’s regular public consequently having left town. The return of the work, revised, nine years later was an outstanding success, being a principal musical feature during which important international event? 3. A frequent, if obvious, memory prodder. Identify the opera in which one of the following Leonoras is in the cast:

a) Leonora di Guzman b) Leonora, daughter of the Marquis of Calatrava c) a Spanish lady wooed by two brothers.

4. Leonora was a Spanish name, derived from the Classical name Helen. Both mean “[shining] light”. Name four operas in which Helen of Troy appears. 5. In Fidelio the gaoler’s daughter is named Marzelline. In which opera is there a Marcellina? 6. Fidelio uses spoken dialogue, a German 18th century music theatre form. Was this called Sprechgesang, Singspiel, or Wortspiel ?

Answers

l. Fidelio Overture.

2. The Congress of Vienna.

3. a) La Favorita (Donizetti) b) La Forza del Destino (Verdi) c) Il Trovatore (Verdi).

4. La Belle Helene (Offenbach), Mefistofile (Boito); Die Aegyptische Helen (R. Strauss); King Priam (Tippett).

5. The Marriage of Figaro

6. Singspiel. Sprechgesang was the style of sung-speech

used by Expressionist composers, notably

Schoenberg and Berg; Wortspiel is German for a pun.