{"id":56726,"date":"2018-11-03T19:14:36","date_gmt":"2018-11-03T23:14:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=56726"},"modified":"2018-11-03T22:09:46","modified_gmt":"2018-11-04T02:09:46","slug":"major-chords-centre-stage-2018-four-canadians-in-the-winners-circle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2018\/11\/03\/major-chords-centre-stage-2018-four-canadians-in-the-winners-circle\/","title":{"rendered":"MAJOR CHORDS | Centre Stage 2018: Four Canadians In The Winners\u2019 Circle"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Amongst eight Canadian aspiring operatic talents, the Canadian Opera Company Centre Stage 2018 crowns four new winners. (l to r) Vartan Gabrielian, Jamie Groote, Andrea Lett, Matthew Cairns (Photo: Michael Cooper)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To give a singing career a head start, there\u2019s nothing quite like a good old competition. Since its inception in 2011, the Annual COC Ensemble Competition is a great opportunity for young Canadians to get valuable training and much-needed exposure in a tough profession, at a crucial moment in a young artist\u2019s development.<\/p>\n

Centre Stage started out as a more modest affair in its first two years, taking place in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre of the Four Seasons Centre. Starting in 2013, it was rebranded as \u201cCentre Stage\u201d with all the bells and whistles.\u00a0 It now takes place in the main auditorium, with full orchestra, though no sets or scenery, not even with the current production on stage. This is because the stage is needed for the post-performance dinner, at $1,500 a plate no less.<\/p>\n

Auditions are held across the country each year, and the lucky ones are invited to come to Toronto for the finals. There were eight finalists last evening, chosen from 123 applicants. They are sopranos Vanessa Croome, Andrea Lett and Noelle Slaney; mezzo Jamie Groote; tenors Matthew Cairns and Rocco Rupolo; and bass-baritones Vartan Gabrielian and Aaron Dimoff.\u00a0 Tenor Ben Heppner returned as MC, with the COC Orchestra conducted by its Music Director Johannes Debus.<\/p>\n

Members of the jury panel this year included Alexander Neef, General Director; Roberto Mauro, Artistic Administrator; Nina Draganic, Director of Access and Training; Liz Upchurch, Head of Ensemble Studio; and Wendy Nielsen, Head Vocal Consultant.\u00a0 In addition, there were two \u201cguest panellists\u201d \u2014 J. Patrick Raftery, tenor and voice teacher at UBC, and Evamaria Wieser, Director of Artistic Administration at the Salzburg Festival.<\/p>\n

There were two parts to the Competition:\u00a0 a \u201cclosed\u201d session at 5 p.m., where each singer sang one aria, and a public part of the competition, where each singer sang a second aria. The jurors retired to deliberate. A guest artist entertained the audience with a couple of arias. This year it was mezzo Emily D\u2019Angelo, a former winner of Centre Stage.\u00a0 Emily possesses a sparkling mezzo and great dramatic instincts. In addition to Centre Stage<\/em>, D\u2019Angelo was a Metropolitan Opera Auditions<\/em> winner, and just this past summer, she virtually cleaned up all the top prizes at the 2018 Operalia<\/em> in Lisbon. Last evening, she sang \u201cUna voce poco fa\u201d from Barbiere<\/em>, and the Komponist Aria from Ariadne auf Naxos, <\/em>scintillatingly, as expected. Watch out for her Dorabella in the COC Cosi <\/em>this coming winter.<\/p>\n

As competitions go, Centre Stage is short and sweet \u2014 no multiple genre requirements such as opera, oratorio, or lieder. Also, there are no language stipulations that I know of. And there is no imposed piece like some competitions. I sat in on the closed session as well as the public session. Light soprano Vanessa Croome sang Blonchen\u2019s aria from Entfuhrung<\/em> with bright tone and pert stage presence, a lovely start to the proceedings. Later, she sang Morgana\u2019s \u201cTornami a vagheggiar\u201d from Alcina<\/em>, with the requisite flexibility, albeit with a slightly pushed top.<\/p>\n

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Back row: Vartan Gabrielian, Rocco Rupolo, Matthew Cairns, Aaron Dimoff. Front row: Johannes Debus, Vanessa Croome, Noelle Slaney, Jamie Groote, Andrea Lett, Christine Elliott, Alexander Neef. (Photo: Michael Cooper)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next up was bass-baritone Vartan Gabrielian. His Catalogue Aria has an imposing tone to go with his equally imposing stage presence, perhaps just a touch too serious in demeanour for this piece. In the public session, he sang an impressive Count Rodolfo\u2019s \u201cVi ravviso\u201d from La sonnambula<\/em>, with plenty of gravitas, although I would have liked a greater variety of tone colours.<\/p>\n

Soprano Noelle Slaney sang \u201cCaro nome\u201d with lovely, rich tone. I would have liked more crispness in her coloratura, also more staccati,<\/em> a trademark of this aria. She followed it up with Manon\u2019s \u201cJe suis encore tout etourdie.\u201d She captured the capricious nature of Manon well, albeit with a touch of vocal wildness, not inappropriate with this character!<\/p>\n

Tenor Matthew Cairns sang Macduff\u2019s aria \u201cAh la paterna mano\u201d with robust tone. His is clearly a voice destined to grow more heroic\/dramatic with maturity. My first impression was reinforced by his second aria, \u201cO souverain\u201d from Le Cid<\/em>. He sang it with fine composure and dignity, not to mention beautiful tone. A singer to watch.<\/p>\n

Mezzo Jamie Groote, whom I had previously heard singing the Komponist Aria from Ariadne<\/em> at a University of Toronto event, sang \u201cVoi che sapete\u201d \u2014 charmingly sung even if she did not look in the least like a Cherubino, given her glamorous concert gown. Her second contribution was Stefano\u2019s aria from Romeo et Juliette<\/em>, very nicely done.<\/p>\n

Bass-baritone Aaron Dimoff sang Dapertutto\u2019s \u201cScintille, diamant\u201d from Les contes d\u2019Hoffmann. This is a difficult bass aria, with a treacherous high option at the end. He sang it impressively, complete with a ringing top note. For the second aria, he sang Wolfram\u2019s \u201dO du mein holder Abendstern\u201d from Tannhauser<\/em> with warm tone and smooth legato. Well done!<\/p>\n

Light soprano Andrea Lett was a vivid Zerlina in \u201cBatti, batti,\u201d singing with bright tone. It was followed by Gilda\u2019s \u201cCaro nome,\u201d equally fine in her delivery. I would have liked a bit more chiaroscuro<\/em> throughout, and a greater variety of tone colours. To her credit, she supplied all the staccati one would want in this piece.<\/p>\n

Rounding out the session was tenor Rocco Rupolo with an excellent \u201cDe miei bollenti spiriti\u201d from La Traviata.<\/em> He deserved full marks for including the cabaletta with its exposed high C, which he sang beautifully, although holding it perhaps a bit too long. I suppose if you\u2019ve got the high notes, why not!\u00a0 His \u201cChe gelida manina\u201d in the public session was equally well done.\u00a0 He is obviously a singer of great promise.<\/p>\n

Given that there was a delicious dinner onstage waiting for some in the audience, the jury deliberations were relatively short and sweet. Alexander Neef came on to announce the winners.<\/p>\n

The first-ever CBC Music Young Artist Development Prize<\/strong> was shared between two singers, tenor Matthew Cairns<\/strong> and soprano Andrea Lett<\/strong>. These two will be given a professional studio recording session for a future broadcast.<\/p>\n

First Prize<\/strong> of $5,000 was awarded to Toronto-based tenor Matthew Cairns<\/strong>, and to go with the cash is an opportunity to perform at the Elora Festival next season. Second Prize <\/strong>of $3,000 went to Toronto bass-baritone Vartan Gabrielian<\/strong>. Third Prize<\/strong> ($1,500) went to mezzo Jamie Groote<\/strong>, also from Toronto. The Audience Choice Award<\/strong> of $1,500 went to soprano Andrea Lett <\/strong>from Prince Albert, SK.<\/p>\n

There you have it \u2014 four very deserving singers in the winners\u2019 circle. In fact, congratulations are due to all eight finalists, for being chosen to sing in Centre Stage. They all have formidable talent, solid training, and a surfeit of musicality.<\/p>\n

I look forward to hearing them all in the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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