The Magic Flute seems to have a life of its own and galvanizes every performer and every rehearsal in a way that is absolutely unique.
by Marshall Pynkoski
Opera Atelier Founding Co-Artistic Director and Director of The Magic Flute Marshall Pynkoski's fascination with music, theatre and dance of the 17th and 18th centuries began in classes with the late Leonard Crainford and John Marshall, respectively Chairman and Major Examiner, Royal Academy of Dancing in London. His further studies with Florentina Lojekova (Master Artist of Czechoslovakia) and David Moroni (the Royal Winnipeg Ballet) were pivotal in his decision to pursue a career in ballet. Early in Mr. Pynkoski's professional career, he had the opportunity to undertake in-depth studies of baroque opera and ballet in Paris. His studies continued with renowned baroque dramaturge professor Dene Barnett at Flinders University in South Australia. In 1985 he founded Opera Atelier with his partner Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg and he has since directed a wide range of period productions of baroque and early classical opera and ballet in close collaboration with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. He has acted as guest instructor at the Centre for Baroque Studies under conductor Marc Minkowski with whom he premiered North America's first period production of The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni. Mr. Pynkoski has collaborated with many of the finest artists in the world of early music and his productions of opera and ballet have toured throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He is recipient of numerous awards including the Toronto Arts Award, the Ruby award for Outstanding contribution to Opera in Canada and the TIME Magazine award for classical music. He was named Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres following his international tour of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas with Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre.
Who would ever imagine that a character who represents an enormous enchanted bird would be the most human character on stage
There is so much room for outrageous humour that we find ourselves at times so convulsed with laughter that we cannot even continue to rehearse. But the same rehearsal can suddenly veer into moments that are so poignant, so innocent and touching that we’re left holding our breath and marvelling at Mozart’s ability to take us emotionally in any direction he chooses. No character encapsulates this more completely than Papageno. Who would ever imagine that a character who represents an enormous enchanted bird would be the most human character on stage and the one who speaks most directly to the audience?! We are particularly fortunate to have Canadian bass-baritone Olivier LaQuerre singing this role. Olivier is quite simply the finest singing comedian I have ever encountered, with a charm and an innocence that disarms the audience at once, coupled with the physical grace of a dancer. Considering Olivier is 6’8”, it is difficult to imagine that he reads as something of a hummingbird onstage. He really does have to be seen in this role to believed!
These men have their work cut out for them keeping up with the women of the cast. Soprano Laura Albino makes her OA debut in the role of princess Pamina and sings this fiendishly difficult role with such ease and grace that you truly forget whether she is speaking or singing. Dramatic coloratura Ambur Braid tears into the Queen of the Night’s stratospheric coloratura as though she eats men for breakfast. And our three ladies are, by any standards, a force to be reckoned with. By the time we add the sonorous Sarastro of João Fernandes, the charismatic speaker of Curtis Sullivan, and our adorable Papagena Carla Huhtanen, the cast is established as second to none. And I should not forget to mention our three boys (sung by three delightful young girls!) who spend most of their time defying gravity while floating twenty feet above their colleagues’ heads in a magical flying gondola!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are moderated. Please read our guidelines for posting comments.