Cast Corner - John Conlon (Baritone)

As the holiday's draw nearer we're trying to make sure you get an introduction to at least half or our talented cast for January's upcoming concert production of Die Fledermaus!

For our 6th Edition, we'd like to introduce Baritone, John Conlon who will be joining the VanCOCO stage as Gabriel von Eisenstein, the character around which the entire story revolves!

John has already graced many of Canada's professional houses, and we are delighted to have him joining us for this production. Originally from Parry Sound, Ontario, John holds a Master of Opera degree from the University of British Columbia and made his professional debut, as Danilo with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in their performance of Lehar’s The Merry Widow.

We had a chance to catch up with John and find out a little more about him. We hope you will enjoy these little tidbits...

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your first experience with Opera?

A. My first experience was playing Ahmal in "Ahmal and the night Visitors" in 1990. It seemed easier then. I was lucky my next opera experience was in the same show as one of the kings 10 years later.

Q. Is there any 'dream role" you'd like to play?

A. MacBeth in Verdi's Macbeth. I have always liked the Shakespeare play and saw it in Stratford Ontario twice when I was in high school and loved it. As a chorus member at Vancouver Opera I was able to be in their production and it was a wonderful experience. Verdi took some liberties with the story but still a great opera.

Q. Could you imagine yourself doing something else besides singing?

A. I really like the building industry especially the home building industry. When I was in opera school I worked for a contractor based lumber yard and I have a lot of background in the industry as well. I could see my self running a lumber yard or even being a home inspector.

Q. Has there been a crossroads in your journey to date? What keeps you going when times get tough?

A: This question is easy. There have been times when it would of been easy to call it quits. What keeps me going is the support from my wife. She has always been the one to push me on to keep going.

We all know that as an artist times get tough, and it is important to have a strong support system. We're pleased that John has a cheerleader in his back pocket, and we're sure you will be one too! We hope you take this opportunity to hear why John keeps forging ahead!

For more information on John, you can visit his website or visit our Artist Page for his full bio! Don't forget... tickets are on sale now and can be purchased securely from our website.

IN BRIEF: Vancouver Concert Opera Society presents Strauss’ Die Fledermaus at Pyatt Hall in Vancouver (834 Seymour St.) on Jan 4 & 5, 2013 at 7:00pm and at First United Church in White Rock (15385 Semiahmoo Ave) on Jan 6 @ 7:00pm. “Concert Opera” sung in German with English dialogue. Tickets starting at $24 can be purchased online at vancoco.ca. CASH ONLY at the door.                                    

Cast Corner - Jessica Wright (Soprano)

Soprano Jessica Wright joins the cast of Die Fledermaus as Yvan (Orlofsky's Valet), the second of two pant rolls in this saucy little operetta. When we heard Jessica in our September auditions, she charmed the pants off us (pun intended!) and so much so, that we had to find place for her on our stage!

Jessica Wright (Far Left)
in The Mikado

Interestingly enough, Jessica is currently finishing a degree in psychology, so if anyone can understand the concept of dual personalities, it certainly would be her! In addition to her studies, Jessica has spent the last five years singing with various companies in the lower mainland including Dragon Diva Operatic Theatre, Opera Appassionata, and UBC's Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

Discovering that her music journey began as a jazz vocalist we were really interested on how she began her transition into classical music...

Q: How did you get started with opera?

A: I had been a jazz vocalist, making the rounds at cafes and restaurants in and around Vancouver. Then about five years ago, I took the plunge and auditioned for The Pirates of Penzance with DragonDiva Operatic Theatre. Pirates has always held a special place in my heart and I took it as a sign. I haven’t looked back since.

Q: What might you say to someone who has never been to an opera before to get them excited about this particular show?

A: When many people think of opera, they often think of grand Wagnerian productions in huge theatres. With VanCOCO, the audience has the opportunity to experience opera in a much more intimate setting. Add to that the gorgeous music of Strauss as well as an English script, and well, what’s not to get excited about?

Q: When you are not immersed in opera, what is your favorite past time?

An annoyed looking Jessica (Centre)
in DragonDiva's HMS Pinafore

A: I love reading, watching films and cycling, but most of all I adore spending time with my two wonderful children. They teach me so much!

Q: Tell us about your first experience with Opera.

A: My father is a big fan of classical music and opera. One of my earliest childhood memories is making up dances to the operas of Bizet, Offenbach and Verdi.

Q: Could you imagine yourself doing something else besides singing?

A: Currently I am working on my degree in order to become a psychologist. But I will be a singing psychologist! Most singers will tell you that singing is a part of their soul. I’ll never give it up!

Will Jessica be too big for these "britches"? We think not, but we know that she will breath new life into Yvan the Valet!

For more information about Jessica please visit our Artist Page for her full bio! Don't forget... tickets are on sale now and can be purchased securely from our website.

IN BRIEF: Vancouver Concert Opera Society presents Strauss’ Die Fledermaus at Pyatt Hall in Vancouver (834 Seymour St.) on Jan 4 & 5, 2013 at 7:00pm and at First United Church in White Rock (15385 Semiahmoo Ave) on Jan 6 @ 7:00pm. “Concert Opera” sung in German with English dialogue. Tickets starting at $24 can be purchased online at vancoco.ca. CASH ONLY at the door.

Cast Corner - Linda Baird (Mezzo)

"Imagine that you were living in Europe 250 years ago? What did people do for entertainment? Go to a movie? Turn on the radio? Play a video game?  Not then. You might have read a book (if you could read), played an instrument (if you were lucky enough to have one), or listened to another perform (if you had a talented friend). Life was quite a silent existence.  To hear a group of instruments or voices together would truly have sounded like heaven. Going to plays were a favourite pastime, but live music could not be played at the same time as the actors spoke. There were no microphones. Their voices would be drowned in the musical drama, but it is the music that creates the real drama. Imagine Star Wars without the music. To bring acting and music together, voices were needed that were powerful enough to project above an entire orchestra of instruments. Ah yes, there is actually a reason why opera singers sing so loudly! Opera was the only medium of the day that brought together instruments, singing, dancing, drama, artistic sets, costumes, poetry, and so much more."

This is what Mezzo Soprano Linda Baird had to say when asked the question "What might you say to someone who has never been to an opera before to get them excited about this particular show?" 

Linda, originally from North Vancouver, but who has recently relocated to Seattle, WA with her husband, is also a music educator, which is not suprizing given her thought provoking answer above. She will be joining the cast of Fledermaus as the Russian Prince "Orlofsky". Here are a few more tidbits that will help you get to know Linda a little better!

Q: When you are not immersed in opera, what is your favorite past time?

A: I love to socialize, especially with family and good friends, but really,... I’ll talk to almost anybody.

Q: What is the most bizarre thing you've done or seen on stage?

A: In 2006, I sang in Vancouver Opera’s production of Faust. During the carnival scene, the staging director assigned me to kiss with Stephen Bell for me most of that scene. Everyone around us was singing and dancing, but Stephen and I were against a wall pretending to make out for about 15 minutes every night.

Vancouver Opera
Pirates of Penzance (2012)
Adam Kozak & Linda Baird

Q: What will a successful opera career look like for you?

A: In opera, it’s easy to measure success by naming roles we’ve sung, venues we’ve sung in, conductor’s we’ve worked with, but for me that has not been what drives me. My view of success in opera is in how I sound and express myself. If I can bring a stranger to tears or laughter or any other emotion, then I know that they are feeling what I feel and what the composer feels. I sing because it feels so good and I love it when I can share that. That is success to me.

We're really looking forward to seeing and hearing Linda bring Prince Orlofsky to life! After seeing her quirky portrayal of this character in her audition, we're certain you will walk away smiling and thinking "Chacun à son goût!". To read more about Linda and to get your tickets to this event, visit our website!

IN BRIEF: Vancouver Concert Opera Society presents Strauss’ Die Fledermaus at Pyatt Hall in Vancouver (834 Seymour St.) on Jan 4 & 5, 2013 at 7:00pm and at First United Church in White Rock (15385 Semiahmoo Ave) on Jan 6 @ 7:00pm. “Concert Opera” sung in German with English dialogue. Tickets starting at $24 can be purchased online at vancoco.ca. CASH ONLY at the door.

Cast Corner - Robin Eder-Warren (Soprano)

For our 4th edition of this season's Cast Corner we are pleased to introduce Soprano, Robin Eder-Warren. Quite possibly our youngest cast member to date, we've had the pleasure of watching Robin develop over the years and were pleased to be able to offer her the role of Ida for this production of Die Fledermaus.

Similar to Soprano, Stephanie Domingues (Adele), Robin began her training at a very young age and her motives for getting started can only be described as "adorable"!

Q: How did you get started with opera? 

A: I fell onto the operatic stage almost by accident, it seems. I started taking voice lessons at age 10 to follow a boy I had a crush on from school into a musical theatre summer camp, and when it was over, made the fateful decision to keep up the lessons. I never stopped. Four years later, it felt like I looked around and discovered that I had begun singing in operas. I never looked back!

Q: What excites you most about this show? 

A: I finally get to spend time with some of my favourite music! My whole family is Austrian; these are tunes I’ve been humming and dancing to in one form or another since I was very small. There’s something like coming home to music like this, for me.

Q: What is the most bizarre thing you've done or seen on stage? 

A: I had to do trapeze work onstage once in the Bahamas after having had only one crash-course in the apparatus. Good thing I was only about nine or ten, and the audience expected my failure to be adorable and applauded loudly anyway.

While our show won't have any trapeze work in this production, we may try to convince our nimble and ambitious little Ida, who is now a Certified Yoga Instructor and has started her own opera company (Opera Mariposa), to see if she can incorporate downward facing dog into her performance!

Don't forget... tickets are limited and ON SALE NOW on our website where you can also read more about Robin!

IN BRIEF: Vancouver Concert Opera Society presents Strauss’ Die Fledermaus at Pyatt Hall in Vancouver (834 Seymour St.) on Jan 4 & 5, 2013 at 7:00pm and at First United Church in White Rock (15385 Semiahmoo Ave) on Jan 6 @ 7:00pm. “Concert Opera” sung in German with English dialogue. Tickets starting at $24 can be purchased online at vancoco.ca. CASH ONLY at the door.

Cast Corner - Mark Pepe (Tenor)

Our third installment of Cast Corner features, Tenor Mark Pepe. While Mark bears no direct relationship to the famous French Skunk "Pepé Le Pew", his self-proclaimed mastery of Italian cuisine and "delicious" Bolognese Sauce reminded us of this legendary cartoon character!

Joking aside, Mark will be joining the cast of Die Fledermaus this January as Dr. Blind (The Lawyer). Apparently drawn to "sleazy roles", this should be as fun for Mark as it will be for us to see him bring Dr. Blind to life!

Here's a few little fun Q & A's from Mark...

Q. Is there any 'dream role" you'd like to play?

A. Fellow singers always look at me funny when I say this, but Don Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro. He’s such a sleazebag, and his music is fun to sing. But I do hope one day I can get to a level to sing Cavaradossi in Tosca or Otello.

Q. What might you say to someone who has never been to an opera before to get them excited about this particular show?

A. You’ll know the music! Remember when Tom and Jerry fought to conduct it once?

Q. What is your most embarrassing moment on stage?

A. Back in high school, I was Merryman the Butler in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Ernest. As the curtain rose to begin the second act, I was on stage alone pruning a bush. I bent over, with my back facing the audience, and split my pants. It was a long…slow…rip. I then slowly turned and began to prune the bush from the other side.

We're pretty sure you won't see any "pant-splitting" in this show, but you may split a side or two! Mark will be appearing in all 3 of our performances this coming January, so no matter which date you choose, you'll be privy to his antics and beautiful tenor!

Don't forget tickets are limited and ON SALE NOW on our website where you can also read more about Mark!

IN BRIEF: Vancouver Concert Opera Society presents Strauss’ Die Fledermaus at Pyatt Hall in Vancouver (834 Seymour St.) on Jan 4 & 5, 2013 at 7:00pm and at First United Church in White Rock (15385 Semiahmoo Ave) on Jan 6 @ 7:00pm. “Concert Opera” sung in German with English dialogue. Tickets starting at $24 can be purchased online at vancoco.ca. CASH ONLY at the door.