Profile: Baritone Phillip Addis, Barber of Seville (Edmonton)

Catching up with Phillip Addis
Figaro in Edmonton Opera's Barber of Seville
by Sable Chan
@MissSable
(reprinted from The Choir Girl)

Metallic shelving units line the perimeter of the Jubilee Auditorium rehearsal hall. They are laden with props. A quick glance around the room reveals a barber’s chair in one corner. There is a side cart decorated with razors, combs, and a tall glass jar ready to disinfect any used combs. The stage manager helps me to clear a spot on the wooden prop vanity to interview Edmonton Opera’s leading man, Phillip Addis, playing Figaro in the Barber of Seville. Addis relaxes back in his seat with a sense of calm. He is no stranger to Principal roles having sung the title role in Pelléas et Mélisande with the Opéra Comique in Paris and Il Conte Almaviva in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro with Pacific Opera Victoria earlier this year; however, this is Addis’ Figaro debut.

Essay: Sable Chan on What Indie Opera is Doing Right - a case study

Survival of the Fittest

What Indie Opera is Doing Right

by Sable Chan (photos by Sable Chan)

@MissSable

Sable Chan is a Speech Therapist-Chorister-Choir Girl Blogger. Sable blogs about her Edmonton Opera Chorus adventures on The Choir Girl Blog. She's often found pondering about vowel formants on acoustic software, reading scientific journals on voice therapy, and monitoring her Twitter feed. [This article first appeared on Ms Chan's website - she has graciously allowed The Charlebois Post to reprint it.]

This past summer was the opening of #UncleJohn and it was exactly the kind of production I have hoped would come to Alberta. It was musically immersive and culturally relevant - all wrapped up in a sleek, modern, indie opera company. I will reiterate what I was hearing throughout the week: "This is the future of opera."

In a Word...Sable Chan, chorister in Tales of Hoffmann at Edmonton Opera

Chorus Lines

Sable Chan sings, acts, blogs...everywhere

(behind-the-scenes photos provided by Ms Chan)

CHARPO:  Tell our readers a bit about your life. We know you're singing in Tales of Hoffmann but we also know there is more...

CHAN: I'm an avid choral singer within the Edmonton choral community. I've sung with Schola Cantorum, Cantilon Choirs, and The University of Alberta Madrigal Singers. Currently, I'm a member of Pro Coro Canada. I have also done other ensemble work including the Ordo Collective and the Scona Chamber Singers. My choralcentric activities provide creative inspiration for my choral musings on The Choir Girl Blog. This Tales of Hoffmann production is my first experience singing within the Edmonton Opera Chorus. In the daytime, I'm a Speech Therapist with an interest in voice therapy and voice science. When I'm not being a speechie, chorister, or choir girl blogger, I'm often found writing for Sound + Noise, indulging in the Edmonton arts scene, and monitoring my Twitter feed. (@misssable)