Photo credit: Brent Calis
Opéra de Montréal’s The Mixtape, webcast for a limited time
Following the tremendous success of La compilation – The Mixtape, a concert presented to a full house in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier on November 21, the Opéra de Montréal is pleased to be making it available as a free webcast for a limited time. From December 16 to January 2, 2022, people will have a chance to see this unique concert (or see it again!), featuring the artists-in-residence of the Atelier lyrique, along with two great local talents, mezzo-soprano Catherine Daniel (former Atelier resident, 2008-2010) and tenor Éric Laporte (former Atelier resident, 1998-2000), accompanied by the Orchestre Métropolitain, under the direction of Jacques Lacombe.
The Opéra de Montréal is especially proud of the public’s enthusiasm for this show, which was borne out by a full house in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, for the first time since February 2020. Over 45% of the audience was made up of young people under the age of 34. In addition, a third of the audience members were attending an opera concert for the very first time. “Our greatest privilege, as a cultural organization, is when someone starts their life-long journey in opera with us,” said Patrick Corrigan, General Director of the Opéra de Montréal. “We truly love the idea of being your ‘first’!” he exclaimed.
As an artists’ residency with a mission to motivate young singers to reach their full potential, the Atelier lyrique offers its artists an innovative, personalized training program, made possible through our community’s generosity. Donations made in support of the Opéra de Montréal’s mission allow artists-in-residence to take voice and language lessons, and to participate in orchestra clinics, further enriching their artistic experience. Master classes are also part of the program, offering opportunities to explore the many aspects of the operatic art form under the guidance of experts who, for the most part, were Atelier lyrique members themselves early in their careers. La compilation – The Mixtape is a concrete example of how the Atelier lyrique empowers these artists and furthers their reach; this was our current members’ first opportunity to tread the boards of the big stage, in concert, accompanied by an orchestra.
Our 2021-2022 cohort consists of Marc-Antoine Brûlé, tenor (1st year – QC); Vanessa Croome, soprano (3rd year – BC); Sarah Dufresne, soprano (2nd year – ON); Mishael Eusebio, tenor (1st year – ON); Sydney Frodsham, mezzo-soprano (2nd year – BC); Kirsten LeBlanc, soprano (3rd year – NB); Matthew Li, bass (1st year – ON); Martina Myskohlid, mezzo-soprano (1st year – ON); Geoffrey Schellenberg, baritone (2nd year – BC); and Lucie St-Martin, soprano (2nd year – QC).
