As an organization, the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra (MSO) falls somewhere between a professional and a community orchestra. It’s dubbed as a “hybrid” orchestra.
“It’s certainly unique,” allows MSO Music Director Denis Mastromonaco.
The MSO is presenting a fully staged version of Puccini’s beloved opera Tosca on February 8 and 10. It’s an ambitious project for such an organization, but it’s only the latest in a series.
Mastromonaco is a graduate of the University of Toronto, and pursued post-graduate studies in Orchestral Conducting at the State University of New York, where he graduated with a Master of Music Degree, summa cum laude. Denis continued studying in Europe, and holds diplomas in conducting from the Wiener Konservatorium, the Salzburg Mozarteum and the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy.
His career has taken him throughout North America and Europe, and recently, has focused on music in the community. He is also Music Director for the Mississauga Symphony Youth Orchestra, York Symphony Orchestra and Opera York, and Etro.
We spoke to him about the upcoming production.
The Interview
Tosca is the most recent in a series of operas presented by the MSO going back several years. Why bring it out of downtown and into the GTA? “Back in 2018,” Mastromonaco recalls. “I come from an opera background, [and] besides the COC, there weren’t many opera companies producing fully staged operas.”
He points out the demise of companies such as Opera Ontario, and Opera Hamilton. Outside of the COC and Opera Atelier, and especially outside the downtown area, audiences can expect operas in concert, or vocal recitals perhaps.
Along with what he saw as a gap in the area’s offerings, the MSO had a key ingredient. “We have a wonderful theatre in Mississauga,” he says of the Living Arts Centre. He notes its large stage.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. “We saved up our resources, and mounted our first opera, which was Carmen,” he recalls. The MSO has since also staged La Boheme and La Traviata. “We were just about to do our fourth opera when the pandemic came.”
Last season, the MSO picked up the thread again with a semi-staged version of Barber of Seville. Mastromonaco says Tosca was always on the list. “[It’s] one of my favourite operas,” he says.
Opera is also about the drama, and the details are important (and budgeted for). Custom made costumes have been created by Sara Baruffaldi, formerly of La Scala, with sets by Tri-Cities opera of New York.
The MSO’s success with opera is the proof in the pudding, so to speak. But, it’s a matter of careful planning. “It’s a tough one. It’s about budget, it’s about balancing [it all],” he says. “It begins with a couple of things.” A great tech team has to go along with a great venue. “If you don’t have that, right away you’re restricted with that.”
Maestro Mastromonaco’s varied background makes him a good point person. “I’ve had the pleasure and fortune of working with opera behind the scenes for [the length of my career],” he notes. He also comments on support from the city of Mississauga, which is looking to push its musical talent. The orchestra should be part of that, he notes.
The production is a note of cautious optimism about the future. “We were on a roll, sadly, just before the pandemic,” he says, recalling a highly successful season just prior to the lockdowns. “There’s a bit of fear these last couple of years.” He’s been encouraged, though, by a positive reaction to Verdi’s Requiem earlier this season, and sold-out holiday audiences. “I think we’ve opened up again,” he says.
“Orchestras are pushing to get back what we had.”
Tosca: The Cast
The story of Tosca is one of love and betrayal fuelled by jealousy. Passions are high in 19th-century Rome, home to lovers Cavaradossi (Ernesto Ramirez), a painter, and singer Tosca (Angela Maria Sanchez). A situation with tragic consequences develops when Cavardossi hides a political prisoner from the evil police chief Scarpia, with Tosca caught in the crossfire.
Maestro Mastromonaco enjoys the cast that’s been assembled for the project. “They’re all from different place in life,” he says.
Soprano Angela Maria Sanchez takes the title role. Based in Toronto, she is a graduate of The Glenn Gould School of Music, and she made her operatic debut in The Tales of Hoffmann with Summer Opera Lyric Theatre in 2017. She has also performed at the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, in La Boheme at The Brott Opera Festival, and in the lead role of Satuzza in Callaveria Rusticana with Toronto City Opera debut in 2022.
“She’s going to be great,” Mastromonaco says.
Mexican-Canadian tenor Ernesto Ramirez performs the role of Cavaradossi. Praised for his Italianate sound, he has performed with Mexico’s Opera de León, in La Bohème with Pacific Northwest Opera, and he sang Don José with Opera Kelowna’s Carmen. He has performed with Calgary Concert Opera Company, Southern Ontario Lyric Opera and with Alberta Vocal Arts, along with the
Hamilton Philharmonic, Symphony Nova Scotia, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Niagara Symphony, and Kingston Symphony, as well as in Europe and throughout the world.
“Ernesto actually stepped in,” Mastromonaco says, “our original Mario unfortunately had a health issue— a replacement, but a tremendous voice,” he adds.
Andrey Andreychik plays the villainous Scarpia. The baritone recently sang the role Alfio in Cavalleria rusticana with Toronto City Opera, and the Oracle Voice of Neptune in Idomeneo with Teatro Bellini in Catania, Italy. He earned a diploma in opera performance from the University of British Columbia, and had his professional debut with Theater Hof in Germany. He has performed across Europe, China, Russia, and North America. Andrey now makes his home base in Germany, where he’ll be performing with Theater Bad Elster, and make a company debut with F. X. Šalda Theater, Liberec, along with multiple engagements in Lithuania this season.
“He’s really a delight to work with,” notes Mastromonaco. “With Tosca, it’s basically three leads. Unlike many operas, except for Scarpia, who is dead in act three, they’re on stage basically the whole time. We had to find individuals who [had] great voices, and who could sustain 2 1/2 hours of singing.”
He also gives credit to a talented and supportive secondary cast.
What can audiences expect? Mastromonaco’s approach is rooted in tradition.
“I note to a lot of our patrons that, part of my background, my philosophy is, I tend to do traditional opera,” he says. That includes the details of set and costume design. “They look lovely,” he adds.
“It is a traditional opera. I try to stay close to what the composer intended.”
- Find tickets and more information about the MSO’s Tosca [HERE].
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