Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Toronto, 15 January 2013 … Final casting for VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert’s ORLANDO has been announced by General Director Guillermo Silva-Marin. “Supporting our mandate to present rarely heard operas with emerging and established artists, I am happy to welcome the renowned Meredith Hall to our cast as Dorinda. Young countertenor Scott Belluz will be heard as Medoro and Norcop Prize Winner Geoffrey Sirett takes the role of Zoroastro.” The single performance of Handel’s ORLANDO will be presented at 2:30 PM on Sunday, February 3, 2013 at the St. Lawrence Centre.
ORLANDO is one of Handel’s most innovative operas and–as previously announced--stars the new Canadian countertenor sensation David Trudgen in the title role with soprano Virginia Hatfiled as Angelica. Kevin Mallon conducts the award-winning Aradia Ensemble.
Premiered in 1733, the work is grand in scope and reaches its climax with a mad scene for Orlando. This grand scena features the first known use of 5/8 meter (five beats in a bar), which even today is a compositional novelty. Other breaks from tradition include several duets, a ‘romantic triangle’ trio and Handel continually blurs the lines between recitative and set numbers. This psycho-drama – taken from an episode in Ariosto’s ‘Orlando Furioso’–is centered on a warrior in Charlemagne’s army who is led astray by an unrequited passion. The hero falls victim to jealousy and madness before a final reconciliation between love and devotion to duty.
A highlight of the Thirty-ninth Season is the ALUMNI BASH on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at the Champagne Ballroom at Novotel on The Esplanade. International stars including Isabel Bayrakdarian, Jean Stilwell, Ben Heppner and Richard Margison will be on hand to pay tribute to Opera in Concert’s Founder Stuart Hamilton. Mingle with these and other esteemed OIC Alumni in recognition of the heritage and the future of Toronto’s unique opera company.
Don’t miss the pre-concert chat–THE BACKGROUNDER –with host Iain Scott 45 minutes before each show, a chance to learn about the opera, the composer and the musical culture of the times.
Opera in Concert is supported by the Jackman Foundation, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council. Single tickets are available from the St. Lawrence Centre’s Jane Mallett Theatre Box Office, 27 Front St. East, by phone – 416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754 –or online at www.stlc.com. The theatre is wheelchair accessible and close to public transit and municipal parking. All performances are on Sunday afternoons at the St. Lawrence Centre at 2:30pm.
Photo: Blur Untitled. ©2010 Ed Pien.
2013-01-15
Toronto: Voicebox presents Handel’s opera “Orlando” in concert with the Aradia Ensemble on February 3