{"id":118046,"date":"2025-10-03T12:05:35","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T16:05:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=118046"},"modified":"2025-10-01T16:05:59","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T20:05:59","slug":"interview-opera-revue-members-danie-friesen-claire-elise-harris-alexander-hajek-talk-performing-canadian-opera-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/10\/03\/interview-opera-revue-members-danie-friesen-claire-elise-harris-alexander-hajek-talk-performing-canadian-opera-company\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Opera Revue Members Danie Friesen, Claire Elise Harris &#038; Alexander Hajek Talk About Performing At The Canadian Opera Company"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_118049\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-118049\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-118049\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-33.jpg\" alt=\"Opera Revue: Alexander Hajek, Claire Elise Harris, Danie Friesen (Photo: Noel Araquel)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-33.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-33-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-33-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-33-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-118049\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Opera Revue: Alexander Hajek, Claire Elise Harris, Danie Friesen (Photo: Noel Araquel)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Canadian Opera Company has invited Opera Revue to perform at their Free Concert Series. The concert takes place on October 14, 2025 at noon hour at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre of the Four Seasons Centre.<\/p>\n<p>The conventional opera venue is a step out of the ordinary for the indie opera company.<\/p>\n<p>Opera Revue was founded in 2017 by soprano Danie Friesen, who added pianist Claire Elise Harris in 2018, and baritone Alexander Hajek in 2021. They typically perform monthly in a mix of non-conventional venues (for opera) that have included bars, breweries, and more, building a following and community over the last few years.<\/p>\n<p>During the pandemic, Opera Revue created weekly opera parody videos that became an online hit, and attracted new audiences.<\/p>\n<p>LV talked to Opera Revue members soprano Danie Friesen, pianist Claire Elise Harris and baritone Alexander Hajek about the occasion.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yS-41i68GgQ?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h2>Opera Revue: The Interview<\/h2>\n<p>The notes for the concert, part of the COC\u2019s Vocal Series, talks about \u201ca thoughtfully curated hour of opera arias, duets, and irreverent genre-adjacent selections, all presented with Opera Revue\u2019s typical blend of accessibility, humour, and heart.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe&#8217;re going to be doing a whole mix of things. Which is sort of what our brand is,\u201d says Friesen. \u201cWe don&#8217;t do full operas, so it&#8217;s a good gateway for people who don&#8217;t know opera.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It begins with classical opera, and includes the music of Kurt Weill and others. \u201cWe&#8217;re also going to add in some of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2023\/05\/23\/coffee-break-torontos-transit-complaints-become-art-opera-revue-presents-ttc-toronto-transit-comedy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">operatic parodies<\/a> that we&#8217;re quite well known for now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While not a parody per se, Opera Revue performed for hundreds of the opera curious as part of a promotion for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/07\/07\/feature-suprema-surprisingly-good-opera-surprisingly-good-pizza\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dr. Oetker Suprema pizza launch<\/a>. The imaginative trio managed to make a melodious Italian-style opera short from a marketing premise.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a different energy,\u201d Danie says.<\/p>\n<p>Alex notes that the full program hasn\u2019t yet been submitted. \u201cIt will be listed traditionally,\u201d he says. \u201cPeople will think, I know that piece, but there will be some new&#8230; context,\u201d he laughs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe&#8217;re quite thrilled to be doing this concert,\u201d Danie adds. \u201cMost of what we&#8217;re doing has been in casual settings. We are really thrilled to be in a more classical formal setting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She notes that the superior acoustics in the COC\u2019s Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. \u201cIt\u2019s acoustically wonderful,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the formal setting, though, she promises they\u2019ll be performing with \u201cour usual twinkle in the eye\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think at this point, we can&#8217;t not,\u201d laughs pianist Claire Elise Harris. \u201cIt&#8217;s what we do and what we&#8217;ve become.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She believes the success of their performances are due to the fact that opera aficionados and newcomers to the art form alike can enjoy them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou have people who always go in and are knowledgeable about opera,\u201d Harris says, \u201cand others who can be introduced.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She points out that the lunchtime concert series is free for audience members.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt think it&#8217;s still accessible,\u201d Claire adds. Making the art form accessible been one of the company\u2019s mandates.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re hoping to see some of their bar and brewery fans show up to the tonier COC venue.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome of our fans have only heard opera in breweries and pubs,\u201d Alex says.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/AkJzYK7T8nk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>Spreading The Word About Opera<\/h3>\n<p>Making opera available to everyone has always been important to Opera Revue. They report that many people have told them they\u2019ve gone on to buy tickets to a full length production after experiencing one of their shows.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cQuite a few people have approached us and wandered in to [one of our shows],\u201d Friesen says. They later end up at the Four Seasons.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe more people we can share what we love with the better,\u201d adds Claire.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think people can come in and expect not the usual show,\u201d Danie adds.<\/p>\n<p>Adding a touch of the irreverent helps to break the ice, so to speak.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;ve been to these preview concerts, and the genteel atmosphere&#8230;\u201d Hajek says, \u201cI think, oh Lord, somebody throw a pie or something.\u201d An overly formal atmosphere is not something you\u2019ll experience at any Opera Revue show. \u201cHalf the repertoire is opera comedy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a contrast with the usual expectations for opera, with its preponderance of death and tragedy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere&#8217;s plenty of that going on outside,\u201d Hajek notes. \u201cOpera doesn&#8217;t have to be so dour.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe honour the art form, but we also don&#8217;t mind challenging it,\u201d Danie says. \u201cIn general, opera has been shifting a bit in how they&#8217;re approaching audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Opera Revue\u2019s shows include crossover material, and adding burlesque dancers to opera performance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can reach different audiences that don\u2019t think they like opera,\u201d Friesen says.<\/p>\n<p>She compares it to wine. Sure, there are wine snobs. \u201cBut you don\u2019t need to spend a lot of money and know all about it. Bringing opera back to that is really important.\u201d Once they\u2019ve been introduced to it, the beauty of the art form will do the rest of the persuading. \u201cThere&#8217;s a reason this style of singing, this music, has survived.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As she points out, even for singers, it\u2019s a unique experience. \u201cIt hits your body in a different way than any other form of singing,\u201d she says. \u201cIt needs to be introduced in a way that it&#8217;s for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alex notes that their audiences are multi-generational. Opera Revue takes that into account.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor the younger crowd, especially with our parodies, we try to reach out with things that are on people&#8217;s tongues.\u201d That includes current events, politics and issues like complaining about the transit system, or the price of houses in Toronto.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe don&#8217;t need to sell opera to the older generations,\u201d Hajek says. \u201c[It\u2019s about] teaching the younger crowd that opera is not only gorgeous but it\u2019s politically relevant these days.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find details on the free performance October 14 [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.coc.ca\/tickets\/2526-season\/an-opera-revue-revue\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a;\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? Have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? Need to know the best\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>events<\/u><\/a>\u00a0happening this weekend? Send us a\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"mailto:anya@ludwig-van.com?subject=Let's%20chat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em><u>note<\/u>.<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em><b>#LUDWIGVAN<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"western\"><em>Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em>Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! \u2014 local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid=S3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid%3DS3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1695737525351000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0QTqKRwRJQFGK3KoJYigxX\">HERE<\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Canadian Opera Company has invited indie upstarts Opera Revue (Danie Friesen, Claire Elise Harris &#038; Alexander Hajek) to perform at their Free Concert Series.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":118049,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[41660,19,29,43,63],"tags":[40642,40644,40643,35125,36803,2829],"yst_prominent_words":[16260,12835,32097,6884,11097,7164],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-33.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-uHY","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118046"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118046"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118046\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":118050,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118046\/revisions\/118050"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118049"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118046"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=118046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}