Tuesday, December 22, 2009

So This Is What's Called A Lunchtime Poll...



You win five million dollars from the Publisher's Sweepstakes and the same day that that big Ed guy gives you the cheque....

Oops, wrong poll.

Today's lunchtime Twitter poll topic asked: What is your favourite opera?

@LarryDHylton - The Marriage of Figaro...I love the comedic simplicity

@DrGeoduck - Falstaff

@zackhayhurst - Favourite opera has got to be Eugene Onegin

@operafiles - My favourite is Rigoletto by Verdi. Best performance by Pavarotti, E. Gruberova, S.M. Ines

@tenorbrianlee - Puccini's La Boheme

@tonysolitro - Salome, hands down!

@primopromo2 - Walkure no doubt

@colllleen - My vote goes to Turandot!

Check out our friends on Twitter and follow Vancouver Opera on Twitter at @vancouveropera for the inside track.

Our Facebook friends has also chimed in. Everybody wants to play lunchtime poll!

Katie King - The all-purpose answer is "the one I'm seeing next."

Mike Nyby - Falstaff!

Helen Pinsky - Carmen, every time. But I adored Norma - in fact I love most opera that have strong female lead characters.

Jana Miller - Turandot

Caryn Cameron - Tosca! Although not this latest incarnation at the Met. Red dress on a red couch=invisible Tosca.

Damon Chitsaz - Fidelio!

Marlene Johnson - La traviata with Placido Domingo

Carolyn Rapanos - Die Zauberflote

Michael Colbruno - I could listen to La traviata and La boheme every single day. Of the lesser known operas, Iphigenie en Tauride, hands down.

Wendy von Stadt - Le nozze di Figaro, BELLA!

Alessia Todde - Travita

Carmen Hung - Tosca

Russell Wodell - Jenufa

Thanks everyone for playing! In the words of Veronica Sawyer, "How very."

~ Ling Chan

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

We're A Naughtie Milestone



Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!

We are doing our happy dance at the office.

Dilettante Music has named Vancouver Opera's manga as one of their picks for landmark achievements in the digital decade (since the turn of the millennium)

"2008, Vancouver Opera: Opera Manga
We could write a whole (and very long) essay about how revolutionary opera companies have been over the past 10 years in an effort to draw in new audiences - the Royal Opera House’s Twitter Opera and the Metropolitan Opera’s Met Player to name just two. But Vancouver Opera’s Opera Manga project was the one that caught our eye for its playful and innovative mash-up of genres. Using the ‘manga’ style, a sophisticated Japanese graphic novel art form, Vancouver Opera created a series of ‘comic strips’ based on streamlined opera plots to make the genre teenage-friendly. The result is some very beautiful artwork that you can see at the operaLive! website"


We had first caught Dilettante's eye earlier this year. See it here.

Kudos such as these just warms the cockles of our hearts. Especially nice as an end of year holiday surprise!

Thank you Dilettante!

~ Ling Chan

Monday, December 14, 2009

X-mas Bowl-O-Rama

So who ARE the people behind Vancouver Opera?

You've most likely seen us down at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre during our productions, either zipping around the lobby helping theatre-goers, entertaining donors in the ORT lounge or keeping things running smoothly backstage.

You may have even come across some of us plugging away at the office.

That's all fine and good but have you seen us completely casual?

Dressed in our street clothes?

Bowling?

On Thursday, the staff hung up our evening wear (and office wear) and hit up the infamous Commodore Lanes for a little 5 pin bowling madness. We pretty much commandeered the place, taking up 8 out of the 12 bowling lanes and ordering enough pizzas to stack a mile high.

From bowling novice to darn good bowler (the highest score bowled was 180), everyone enjoyed chucking the balls down the lanes. In rented shoes and everything.

There was lots of laughing (at ourselves and at each others),loads of chowing down on pizza and I'm sure some stiff bowling arms and sore backs the next day. (hey, bowling those balls for 3 hours is no light feat)

All in all, a rollickin' staff Christmas party.

Thanks to the Social Commmittee for setting up Bowl-O-Rama 2009.



Because nobody parties like opera people party.

~ Ling Chan

Friday, December 11, 2009

What's On Your Wall?



No, you are not looking at a picture of our VO Golden Anniversary posters on one of our office walls.

Rather, this photo came in from JP Holecka, Creative Director of Powershift Media and friend of the VO. He even went so far as to mount our posters onto foamcore! You know, for that extra little something something in his office.

Thanks JP for rocking our wall art! Looks great!

~ Ling Chan

Monday, December 7, 2009

Norma Behind The Scenes

A big thanks to everyone for making Norma such a grand success! The reviews were a smash all around, from both critics to opera-fans. The renovated Queen Elizabeth Theatre was a hit and provided just the right atmosphere for our season's opener. We surpassed our goal even before the curtain lifted on our last show December 5. What a way to start our Golden Anniversary season!

You saw what went on the stage and in the house, but what about behind the scenes? Wanna relive Norma from another perspective? Well, just hit play for the slideshow.



Thank you again for coming out to Norma! See you at Nixon in China!

~ Ling Chan

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Fashion At The Opera: Norma


photos by Ling Chan

To our stylish fashionistas,

Thanks for bringing some style and flava to Norma! Even the winter weather could not deter you in coming out in your fineries!

I wish that I could get every last one of you PYTs pics, but it's a large theatre, three floors, a full house nearly every night and only one teensy intermission.

Hope to snap your pic at Nixon in China!

Sincerely yours,

The Operazza

~ Ling Chan

Friday, December 4, 2009

Second round of Norma reviews


photo by tim matheson

reviews are still keeping us blushing.

"In fact, the singing in this opera is simply mind-blowing; it is constant, it is varied, and it is deeply stirring." - Epoch Times

"...Hasmik Papian's electrifying voice had me in goosebumps all evening long. The duets between Norma and Adalgisa are almost unbearably beautiful - so exquisitely precise and powerful, I didn't know whether to weep or jump out of my seat." - Vancouver Sun

"Richard Margison, B.C.'s own world-class tenor, filled the shoes of Norma’s illicit partner Pollione with effortless grace. He had the well-rounded tones to test the Queen Elizabeth’s new sound upgrade, and both could be given high marks." The Tyee

props to the tyee for debunking opera myths with their awesome 10 (bad) reasons to hate opera list!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Blogger Love For Norma

Here are some pics of our wonderful bloggers from the opening night of Norma:


from left to right: Gus Fosarolli, Emme Rogers, Crew Mantle, John Biehler and Kelsey Dundan.





Despite some technical difficulties, we were pleased as punch to have them join us in blogging and tweeting our big nite. I think they liked us too.

To read all about their experiences, go here:

Gus Fosarolli

Emme Rogers

John Biehler

The Anthology

And our special guest blogger, Crew Mantle, who flew all the way in from Ottawa (yes, the one in the carnivale mask)

CommandOpera

Many thanks and mad props to all our bloggers!

~ Ling Chan

So What Did YOU Think Of Norma?

Wonderful. Fabulous. Amazing. Absolutely incredible. Very powerful.

These were some of the adjectives to describe what theatre-goers thought of Norma, the opening opera of our Golden Anniversary season.

Some more words would be:

That was totally outstanding. In every way.

This was the best production of Norma that I've seen in a long time.

The set was fantastic. The lighting, the way that it changed to suit the mood was brilliant.

I love the duet between the 2 women. The soprano and the mezzo. I thought they were fabulous together.

The singing was flawless. The music was flawless. A great cast. A great production. Great scenary. It was a beautiful show.

Press play for all the blush-inducing audience feedback from Norma.


Video by Bombshelter Productions & Mike McKinley

Get your tickets now! Only 3 performances left! Call 604-683-0222 to speak to our box office.

And see you down at the theatre!

~ Ling Chan