by Gaëtan L. Charlebois
Kate Applin is lauded for her passionate work in Toronto’s operatic community. In 2010, at age 23, Ms Applin founded Metro Youth Opera, offering emerging artists in Toronto their first opportunities to perform complete roles and be compensated. In addition to her role as Artistic Director of MYOpera she has performed with the company as Despina in Così fan tutte (2011), Adina in L’elisir d’amore (2012), and Serpina in La serva padrona (2013). In 2014, she will perform Gretel in Hänsel & Gretel. Ms Applin holds an Honours BMus in Voice Performance and an Opera Diploma from Wilfrid Laurier University, and has trained at programs such as Opera on the Avalon, Opera NUOVA, the Centre for Opera Studies in Italy, and the Halifax Summer Opera Workshop. Some favourite roles include Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Soeur Constance (Dialogues des Carmélites), Héro (Béatrice et Bénédict), and Anne Egerman (A Little Night Music).
CHARPO: I’m afraid going into this you are dealing with an H&G veteran! I sang Hänsel in a children’s adaptation of the Humperdinck score when I was a child in Germany. There, as you can imagine, the piece is as traditional as bratwurst. But in North America, apart from the annual romp at the Met and a recent production in Montreal, this little masterpiece seems largely overlooked. Why do you think that is?
APPLIN: Well, because of its roots as a fairytale story, I think Hansel & Gretel often gets sidelined as a children-only opera here in North America. However, the themes in the story are as applicable to adults as they are to children. I think that many of our opera houses here in North America aren't willing to push the boundaries of the opera to make it something that is more than just child's play. The opera can be quite safe when presented exclusively for children, so it gets a lot of exposure in school tours and such. It takes bravery to visit the opera's darker side and cater it to a wider audience at the risk of alienating the children too much.
