(So as of look) Chevalier de la Power: Yanik Gosselin; Marquis de la Power: Colin Mackey; Blanche de la Power: Elena Howard-Scott; Thierry & 1st Commissioner: Nicholas Kluftinger; Outdated Prioress: Jennifer Routhier; Sister Constance: Emma MacNeil; Mom Marie: Emma Pennell; Javelinot, 2nd Commissioner & 1st Officer: Simon Gidora; Madame Lidoine: Alexa Frankian; Carmelite Nuns: Olivia Morton, Julia Kennific, Daniela Carreón Herrera, Stella Christine, Marie Conceição; Adriana Da & Lauren Smith; Chaplain: Jeffrey Liu; Sister Mathilde: Charlotte Anderson; Mom Jeanne: Jessica Lyublinsky; Jailer: Jamal Al Titi. Stephen Carr, director; Shannon Lea Doyle, set/costume designer; Jason Hand, lighting designer; Royal Conservatory Orchestra, Nicolas Ellis, conductor. Koerner Corridor, March 20, 2024. Repeats March 22, 2024; tickets right here. 

The Glenn Gould College is the skilled arm of the Royal Conservatory of Music, the internationally acknowledged centre for skilled coaching in music efficiency on the undergraduate and graduate ranges. Based in 1987 because the Royal Conservatory of Music Skilled College, it was renamed in 1997 to the Glenn Gould College to honour the nice Canadian pianist.

The GGS Opera serves as an vital coaching floor for artists of tomorrow, with lots of its graduates happening to vital careers. I’ve great reminiscences of attending lots of their productions through the years. Smaller-scale works happen within the intimate Mazzoleni Corridor whereas the larger exhibits are at Koerner Corridor. Simply final season, I loved enormously Jonathan Dove’s Flight at Koerner, and a group of 4 brief operas on the Mazzoleni Corridor.

The presentation this spring is the mid-Twentieth century masterpiece, Dialogues des Carmélites (1957) by Francis Poulenc. I noticed it for the primary time on the Met, method again in 1977, sung in English, and it has since develop into a “desert island opera” for me. A spiritually profound work, the ultimate scene invariably provides me a lump in my throat. It’s primarily based on the true story of the Martyrs of Compiègne, a group of Carmelite nuns who had been guillotined throughout the French Revolution.

The French Revolution serves because the backdrop for the haunting story of Blanche de la Power, a timid younger aristocrat who fears the violence surrounding her. She seeks refuge by becoming a member of the Carmelite order, solely to seek out that she can’t escape her inevitable destiny. The GGS has put collectively an outstanding artistic crew and a really robust ensemble forged, made up largely of present college students and the superior college students, the Rebanks Fellows.

For the position of Madame de Croissy, the Outdated Prioress, it requires a strong, mature low mezzo, even a contralto, a voice sort very uncommon amongst younger conservatory college students. A GGS Alumna, mezzo Jennifer Routhier stepped in to fill the void admirably — her loss of life scene was completely gripping. As Blanche, Rebanks Fellow soprano Elena Howard-Scott sang very effectively, with a very highly effective high register. Her scenes with the Marquis (Colin Mackey) and later with the Chevalier (Yanik Gosselin) had been fantastically executed.

One other pivotal personage on this opera is Madame Lidoine, the New Prioress, right here taken by budding spinto soprano Alexa Frankian. Lidoine arguably has essentially the most stunning music to sing, her final act aria, “Mes filles, voilà que s’achève” an absolute spotlight. Frankian has the vocal chops to do it justice. As Sister Constance, soprano Emma MacNeil has the requisite purity of tone and innocence to make this character come alive.

Mom Marie is usually thought of a little bit of a thankless position in Dialogues, a villainess, somebody who incite the nuns to martyrdom whereas she herself escapes the guillotine. I used to be struck by the highly effective vocal and dramatic efficiency of Mom Marie by soprano Emma Pennell, in a task normally assigned to a mezzo. I observed that apparently, on the closing curtain, Madame Lidoine and Mom Marie’s bow orders had been reversed, one thing I had by no means seen earlier than.

Whereas the boys folks in Dialogues take a again seat, on this manufacturing, the male voices had been simply as strongly forged, from the aristocrats (Mackey and Gosselin) to the Chaplain (Jeffrey Liu) to Javelinot (Simon Gidora) to the Jailer (Jamal Al Titi). Additionally completely deserving of reward is the very good choral singing, so vital on this opera, be they the nuns or the peasants.

Though Koerner Corridor isn’t actually an opera stage, the artistic crew has executed an incredible job to make it work on this house. Set designer Shannon Lea Doyle saved it easy, primary, but efficient. Kudos to Stephen Carr, the stage director, for his ingenious directorial touches, from the wonderful blocking to the smallest particulars, all enhanced by the very efficient lighting design of Jason Hand.

Lastly, a shoutout to the Royal Conservatory Orchestra for his or her good taking part in beneath the understanding baton of Nicolas Ellis. He led the forces in a briskly paced, extremely dramatic, very thrilling, but by no means over-the-top efficiency. I used to be extraordinarily impressed by the marvellous sounds coming from the pit.

All in all, a really memorable night on the opera. There’s another efficiency on March 22. To not be missed.

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Joseph So is Professor Emeritus at Trent College and Affiliate Editor of Opera Canada.He’s additionally a long-time contributor to La Scena Musicale and Opera (London, UK). His curiosity in music journalism focuses on voice, opera in addition to symphonic and piano repertoires. He seems often as a panel member of the Huge COC Podcast.He has co-edited a e-book, Opera in a Multicultural World: Coloniality, Tradition, Efficiency, revealed by Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group).

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