Opera for pizza?
When German multinational food giant Dr. Oetker thought about how to introduce what they’re calling their first major innovation to their frozen pizza lineup in two decades, they turned to the arts.
The result is Suprema: The Opera for Aficionadoughs, which launched on July 4 as created by Toronto’s Opera Revue team. It will be available to experience free of charge — with a slice of the new-style pizza to sample as a bonus — at the TD Music Centre until July 19.
The new pizza, which comes in four flavour combinations so far, was inspired by a trip to Naples by a Dr. O team. With more and more people choosing to stay home for their entertainment, the company wanted to elevate the frozen pizza experience to bridge the gap between grocery store and pizzeria, using better ingredients and processes.
Likewise, the promotion strategy looked for an elevated experience.
It’s not the first food product related performance that Toronto audiences have seen in recent times, either. The Last Timbit, a musical theatre production based on the true story of a group of people stranded at a Tim Hortons during a snowstorm, took the stage at the Elgin Theatre in June. It, too, featured a creative team of bona fides that included producer Michael Rubinoff, with music and lyrics by Anika and Britta Johnson.
Suprema Opera: Interview with Soprano Danie Friesen & Baritone Alexander Hajek
We spoke to Opera Revue’s Danie Friesen and Alexander Hajek about the opera they created.
“It’s pretty fun, actually. We got approached to do the project,” says Opera Revue’s Danie Friesen. She says the art form was linked to the pizza’s inspiration. “What is the most quintessential Italian thing?”
The answer was: opera. The 14-minute timing of the opera coincides with the cooking instructions for the pizza, which call for 11 minutes in the oven, with an additional 3 minutes for a crisper finish.
“Because that’s how long it takes to cook a pizza,” Friesen says.
Friesen and her Opera Revue partners appreciated the artistic freedom they were given by the Dr. Oetker reps. “They were clear: ‘We don’t want the opera to be about pizza’,” she explains. “They wanted passion.”
Hence, a story about an ancient god and his struggle to find a place in the strange modern world.
“It was really fun for us to come up with the libretto and the opera,” she says. “We really found that some of the themes that they wanted to hit, in terms of convenience, quality, tradition and more modern [ideas] — were big themes that could resonate in an operatic performance. It ends up being a really fun vehicle.”
The Italian-inspired style of the opera offered other creative opportunities.
“We’ve littered it with little Easter eggs,” says Alexander Hajek. Every once in a while, the audience will think they’re hearing something very familiar. “You’ll think, hey I hear some Puccini,” he says. But, those bits quickly evolve into something different.
“It’s been very fun for us,” Danie says. She notes that, as Opera Revue, the trio is largely focused on performances in alternate venues like pubs, along with opera satires.
“It’s the first time actually writing something,” she says.
“We were thinking, the client has certain needs, and we have to hit them all,” Hajek says. “We accidentally wrote a really good piece,” he adds. “It has touching moments.”
As a small company on a budget, the idea of producing new works was out of reach. “Never in a million years would we think of, let’s write an opera,” Alexander says.
Opera for Everyone
“One of our mandates is making opera more accessible,” Danie says.
Free pizza may be a draw, but it’s the music that will keep you in your seat. “I think you’re going to hear some Puccini-esque, Rossini and [other] moments,” Hajek says, “fun carnival moments. I think after five or six minutes, you’ll forget why you’re there, and just get into the opera.”
“We’ve got a set designer who’s created this wonderful set,” Friesen explains. There are several shows and times to choose from over the course of the run. “It’s going to be really fun.”
“It’s a lot less intimidating than going to see a five hour Wagner,” Hajek adds.
“It’s the perfect thing if you’ve got a family,” Friesen mentions. “Maybe they discover they like opera.”
And, pizza.
“Win, win win,” Hajek says.
Courtesy of Toronto Mike:
The Performance
I was frozen for centuries, and now I am free…
TD Music Hall is a nice little venue for the opera about a sculptor whose large sculpture of an ancient god comes to life, and tries to make sense of the modern world. The set is part sculptor’s studio with drapery, part kitchenette, with the pianist off to one side, playing along with a recorded orchestral track.
The three performers are the members of Opera Revue: soprano Danie Friesen as the sculptor and baritone Alexander Hajek as the sculpture come to life. Pianist Claire Elise Harris added an organic note to the accompaniment, while the recorded orchestra also added a greater sense of grandeur appropriate to the Italianate style of the opera.
Harris prefaced the performance by explaining the opera looks at, “How we connect with food, art and culture.”
Dr. Oetker Executive Vice President Dino Koundoutsikos, added, “The opera celebrates culture. Opera is very much bold, expressive, and it’s timeless.”
Vocalists Friesen and Hajek have an engaging stage presence individually, and a nice chemistry together that makes a cute story out of a premise that could wear very thin — even at a very brief 11 minutes plus 3 minute aria. While it does show the pizza, of course, the opera also deals with themes of old vs. new, and tradition vs. modern innovation, along with the union of opposites.
Opera Revue’s mandate is to bring opera to the people directly, including and most importantly, people who’ve never experienced it before. If the young and stylish crowd at the launch event was any indication, pizza just may be the right gateway to opera for many.
And the pizza? With a light crust and fresh tasting ingredients, it’s pretty good too.
- RSVP for your free Suprema Opera performance (but it’s not required for entrance) [HERE].
- Remaining time slots include: July 11: 5:15 p.m., 6:15 p.m., 7:15 p.m., 8:15 p.m.; July 12: 12:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. (hourly); July 13: 12:15 p.m., 1:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m.; July 18: 5:15 p.m., 6:15 p.m., 7:15 p.m., 8:15 p.m.; July 19: 12:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. (hourly)
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