It’s with Jules Massenet’s gorgeous setting of the classic story of an “errant knight” that The Canadian Opera Company closes out a truly exemplary season. This was the season when I finally learned to love The COC, when I finally felt like I had a favourite opera composer (Donizetti) and a favourite soprano (Adrianne Pieczonka), […]
Here’s the thing: I had never seen Something’s Afoot. I had never even heard of it and I don’t think that many people have. Written by James McDonald, David Vos, and Robert Gerlach, with additional music by Ed Linderman, the original production opened on Broadway in 1976 and ran for just 61 performances. With very […]
Racial tension and bigotry. No, this is not yet another commentary piece on Clippers basketball. I am referring to a central theme in Christie Perfetti Williams’ play An Appeal to the Woman of the House. As an unabashed history nerd, there is something about a well-written historical play that I love. In addition to writing […]
Out from the looming shadow of Peter Sellars’ agonizing Hercules, The Canadian Opera Company is crawling back to the light as they close in on the end of their generally strong 2013/14 season. Said light is shone by thoughtful director Stephen Lawless onto Donizetti’s emotionally mature and structurally sound opera about the great and confounding […]
From the moment that the audience was welcomed to The South Oxford Space by the director Kara-Lynn Vaeni, I knew that this play was not going to go well. My initial impression of The Brink of Us, in stream of consciousness, went something like this: Vaeni: “Welcome to the show everyone!” Theresa thought: This director […]
On a Saturday night, I had the pleasure to see MetroWest Opera’s production of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. Why do I say that I had the pleasure? Because it was good. Like sickeningly sweet with gumdrops good. MetroWest Opera was founded in 2007, and it has produced at least one opera every year since then; […]
Of Human Bondage For the first ever stage adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham’s titanic novel Of Human Bondage, Vern Thiessen has made the bold choice to excerpt the story he was most interested in telling from the 800 page life-spanning tale of Philip Carey. He smartly has streamlined and simplified his chosen plot- the tragedy […]
During our hiatus, Broadway shows were opening nearly every other day to get their openings in before the Tony Award nomination qualification deadline. Needless to say, it has been a busy few weeks and, thankfully, producers have saved some of the best shows this season for last. To kick things off, I am bringing you […]