Hello And Welcome To My Online Portfolio!

Within this blog, you will find all the posts that I had written during my time as Social Media Manager at Vancouver Opera. I communicated and promoted VO by setting up and then managing VO's blog, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Youtube accounts.

In writing content to increase brand awareness, site traffic and ultimately, to drive ticket sales, I came up with regular blog features such as:

* Operamania 101 - pop culture tie-ins to opera.

* Top 10 Fridays - a weekly poll engaging readers in a discussion on their preferences.

* Lunchtime Poll - a lunch hour poll to crowd source people's thoughts on a subject matter.

I was responsible for identifying new and innovative methods of engaging customers. Such initiatives included:

* Blogger Night at the Opera - a community outreach initiative inviting bloggers, who were opera newbies, to blog about the opera experience

* Opera Ninja - live-tweeting dress rehearsals in order to build excitement about upcoming productions

* Fan Night - fan appreciation nights with guest speakers, backstage tour and access to VIP lounge

* Smart Pics at the Opera - photobooth for patrons. Pictures would be emailed as a keepsake for attending the opera.

* Ask VO - online question form. Questions from readers would be then be directed to appropriate staff members for answering.

* QR Codes - exclusive access to photos, videos, interviews and ticket promotions for smartphone users.

I was also able to incorporate my love of photography into my job and came up with:

* Fashion at the Opera - capturing the young, hip and well dressed opera attendees. This reinforced the image of VO as a young, vibrant and innovative company, as well as, offer ideas on what to wear.

* Behind the Scenes - a backstage look at what is involved in bringing an opera to the stage.

I spent a wonderful 3.5 years at VO. I've worked alongside the most talented and creative people in the industry. I've gotten to know what it means to be passionate about working in the non-profit and performing arts sector. Unfortunately, due to a sudden and major company re-structure last month, my position, along with 12 others, were eliminated.

And so, here I am looking for my next great job!

If you're offering an exciting and dynamic opportunity and are looking for someone passionate, innovative and dedicated, please get in touch. We could be a great fit together!

For interviews or earned media that I had received through my work, check under the "Press" tab above or click here.

Happy reading and hope to hear from you soon!

~Ling Chan

Who Wears The Pants Around Here?

Girls who are boys, who like boys to be girls, who do boys like they’re girls, who do girls like they’re boys. – Blur

Sounds like a high-falutin’ comedy of errors, doesn’t it?

It’s not unusual to find trouser or breeches roles in many of today’s popular operas. This refers to the opera’s male character being sung by a female who sings in the mezzo soprano or contralto vocal range. Instead of hip-swaying crinoline skirts and bust-popping corsets, these female singers are binding their breasts and donning on trousers, men’s jackets, vests, wigs, facial hair and adapting male mannerisms.

Audience members who may or may not know this prior to curtain (surprise!), have to suspend their belief and accept the woman who’s playing the male part is a “man”, who may even be romancing a woman onstage.

So how did this all come about?

Back in mid-16th century Italy, these now “trouser roles” were written for and sung by a castrato, a young man who was castrated before puberty and as a result was able to maintain singing in such a high vocal range. At its peak in the 1720s-30s, it was estimated that 4,000 boys were castrated. All in the name of opera. Thank goodness that practice has died out. In 1861, castration for musical purposes was officially declared illegal.

Nowadays, women or men who have been trained to sing in the counter-tenor vocal range are employed in these roles.

Let’s not confuse cross-dressing roles such as Leonore in Fidelio or Gilda in Rigoletto as trouser roles. They’re just women disguised as men. True trouser roles include Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, Orpheus in Orpheus and Euridice, the title role of Xerxes, Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, and VO’s current production, Sesto and Annio in La Clemenza di Tito.


LA Opera's beautiful and provocative poster for their 2005 production of Der Rosenkavalier


Vienna Classic's Der Rosenkavalier, ENO's Xerxes and Opera Atelier's Opheus & Euridice


Julie Boulianne (right) as Cherubino in VO's The Marriage of Figaro


Another La Clemenza di Tito trouser role: Norine Burgess (left) as Annio

It may be confusing at first to suspend your belief and not think girl-on-girl action, but we’ve seen examples of trouser roles on tv and film:


Linda Hunt in The Year of Living Dangerously, Tilda Swinton in Orlando and Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan in I'm Not There

Not trouser roles:


Barbra Streisand in Yentl, Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry, Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love, Angelina Jolie in Salt and Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria

Definitely not trouser roles: (women portraying men portraying women)


Kathleen Turner in Friends, Rebecca Romijn in Ugly Betty and Famke Jensen in Nip/Tuck

On the flip side, there have been skirt roles, where a man portrays a female character in opera, theatre and film, for so long that the audience accepts what they’re seeing without even a bat of an eyelash. So why the hang-up with women portraying men?

An opera patron told me last night that, at first, he was distracted by how physically attractive Krisztina Szabo was, singing the role of Sesto, Vitellia’s would-be male suitor. But after a while, any hesitation subsided and he found himself sucked into the story of La Clemenza di Tito. (even as he was hoping for an on-stage kiss between the women)

It might take an aria or two, but the audience should keep in mind that writers and composers have always played with gender and in the case of opera, it should always come down to the singing. Be it a man or a woman’s voice.

~ Ling Chan

La Clemenza di Tito: Bloggers Final Thoughts

A big thank you to Stacey Robinsmith, Frances Sprout and Nik Belanio who joined us for Blogger Night at the Opera on opening night. (Miranda, we'll see you at Traviata!) It looks like our bloggers had a fabulous time.

Here are their thoughts on La Clemenza di Tito and of all the excitement of opening night:

A friend of mine said they do not like opera because of all the screechy women’s voices. The reality of it is that the voices are like birds swirling and swooping around one another on stage. Some soar higher than others before descending to join the other voices.

La Clemenza di Tito is a classic opera. There are no video backdrops, no extensive lighting tricks. There is a simple white stage with the simplest set. This opera is about the voices and the music from the orchestra interacting. - Stacey Robinsmith

To read more from Stacey, click here and here.


Let me say first that this opera engaged me intellectually from the outset, even as it pulled me in musically and visually. I’m intrigued by the libretto itself, its politics – commissioned for the coronation as King of Bohemia of the Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold. It makes some pretty strong statements about what is required of a truly noble leader – the opposite approach, in a way, to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro which instead condemns a ruler’s lack of nobility.

Favourite musical moments so far: Annio and Servilia’s gorgeous and touching duet which emphasizes the conflicting demands of love and duty. And Sesto’s aria beseeching Vitellia not to turn away from him, promising he will do her bidding and destroy Tito – her voice is beautifully shadowed by the woodwinds looping along the broken-chord runs. - Frances Sprout

To read more from Frances, click here and here.


My fellow bloggers and I went backstage to see the set and props. I felt like I was walking into a 18th century ballroom from Cinderella. Everything is white and bright. (luv the sofa.)

Not as many props as the last opera, Lucia di Lammermoor. Lucia had tables of props. This time there's one table with flowers and of course, the bloody knife.(you gotta have a bloody knife in an opera.) - Nik Belanio

To read more from Nik, click here, here and here.

Thank you Bloggers for being a part of such an amazing night! We look forward to seeing you opening night of La Traviata!

~ Ling Chan

The Divine Mozart

There's no disputing that Mozart was a masterful and influential composer. He remains one of the most beloved composers to this day. VO was excited to premiere Mozart's magnificent last opera, La Clemenza di Tito this past weekend. We were doubly excited to find out our opera patrons fell in love with it too.

Absolutely delightful. One of the best performances I have seen in the past couple of years.

I really enjoyed it. I thought it was excellent. The voices were incredible.

It all came together quite well. It was moving.

Love the music. The divine Mozart.

It was beautiful and the costumes were spectacular.

I thought the sets were great. That was one of my favourite parts.

The music direction was excellent. The chorus was fabulous.

Press play to hear what everyone had to say. Or double-click the video to see it directly on VO's Youtube channel.



Get your tickets now! Only 3 performances left! Call 604.683.0222 to speak to our box office or order online!

See you down at the theatre!

~ Ling Chan

La Clemenza di Tito: The Trailer

Here's your first look at Mozart's magnificent last opera, La Clemenza di Tito starring Wendy Nielsen, Krisztina Szabo and John Tessier.

Press play or click here to see it on VO's Youtube channel.


Video by Bombshelter Productions

Get your tickets now! Call our ticketing centre at 604.683.0222 or purchase online here.

~ Ling Chan

La Clemenza di Tito: Rehearsal

Wondering what the not often performed La Clemenza di Tito sounds like? Here a sampling of the cast rehearsing Deh, Conservate, Oh Dei, the last number in Act I:


Maestro Jonathan Darlington and cellist Ari Barnes


Maestro Jonathan Darlington


Wendy Nielsen (Vitellia), Krisztina Szabo (Sesto) & Norine Burgess (Annio)


Thomas Goerz (Publio), Norine Burgess (Annio) & Kathleen Brett (Sevillia)

To view more rehearsal clips, click here for our Youtube channel.

~ Ling Chan

Blogging La Clemenza di Tito

Bloggers Stacey Robinsmith, Nik Belonio, Miranda Lievers and Frances Sprout will return for opening night this Saturday to take on the opera seria, La Clemenza di Tito.

The quartet will also be sharing their thoughts on the entire experience: from hobnobbing with other opera patrons, reporting from the backstage tour and listening to the exquisite bel canto singing.

Follow along the sidebar to the right for their weblinks as they blog pre-show and during the intermission.


Clockwise from top left: Stacey Robinsmith, Nik Belonio, Miranda Lievers and Frances Sprout

Don't be shy! Stop by and say hello to our friendly bloggers on opening night in the main lobby of the QET. They can't wait to meet you!

Sponsored by:


~ Ling Chan