Against the Grain Theatre / Κριτικές

I really have to hand it to Artistic Director Joel Ivany, who has taken to the heights of opera with a humble budget. Creativity will beat spectacle every time, and he knows it. The casting was also a winning combination. Alain Coulombe was perfect in his role as the grandfather Arkel, and Megan Latham carried the role of the grandmother Geneviève, with impressive charisma. The love triangle played between Étienne Dupuis, Gregory Dahl, and Miriam Khalil was also a slam dunk. In particular Dupuis, who absolutely lived in the role of Pelléas, and Miriam Khalil, who seemed as if she had stepped right out of Monet’s Garden at Sainte-Adresse as Mélisande incarnate. Her signature warm lyrical voice countered the lower male voices to great effect. Gregory Dahl was also astonishing in his portrayal of the antagonist Prince Golaud, a complex role requiring a deep understanding of the philological trauma of someone who has lost their way. Andrea Núñez’s performance of Golaud’s son Yniold was also very strong. Her interaction with her father was engaging and provided a narrative depth to the tragedy about to unfold before them. AtG’s Pelléas et Mélisande was perhaps the highlight of the opera season for me, which compared to a very strong season at the COC and elsewhere, says something very important.

The accompaniment is beautifully played on an upright Steinway piano, slightly amplified so that the sound fills the courtyard. The soloists sing often within three or four feet of the audience seating in shallow rows in an L-configuration on the north and east sides of the courtyard. Seeing the soloists sing and act in such close proximity completely draws you into the action. In an opera house the proscenium seems to cut the audience off from the wan, mysterious world on the other side. In fact, when the play was first acted, a layer of gauze was hung over the stage opening to deliberately emphasize the otherworldliness of Allemonde.

This is the show that started it all. I am referring to Canadian stage director Joel Ivany’s brilliant re-imagining of that perennial Puccini favourite, La bohème, premiered in the spring of 2011. Its fresh take on youth, life, and love wowed Toronto audiences and propelled the Against the Grain Theatre on an upward trajectory to what it is today, widely regarded as Canada’s premiere small, “Indie” opera company, innovative and risk-taking, bringing the revered art form into the 21st century.

Its hard to believe Against the Grain has only been around for six years. One of the most imaginative performing arts companies in the city, it has reinvigorated opera, oratorio and even lieder with entertaining, accessible productions, pleasing aficionados and embracing newcomers.

The production by Joel Ivany was conducted by Johannes Debus with soloists Midori Marsh, Marion Newman, Andrew Haji, and Vartan Gabrielian. In a statement, Ivany said, “As a small opera company, we wanted to find an appropriate way to mark this challenging era, and we’re thankful that the Canadian Opera Company partnered for this special project. We hope that this performance honors those impacted by COVID, and pays tribute to the courage and strength that we’ve seen on display in our communities.” General Director of the Canadian Opera Company Perryn Leech added, “Reimagining Mozart’s Requiem for this exact moment in time has been a transformative experience for everyone involved. The production is a powerful testament to opera’s ability to speak to the human experience, and we’re proud to collaborate with Against the Grain Theatre.”

The last 20 months have been a time of enormous loss. More than 5 million people have died from COVID-19, millions more are still suffering, and the economic and psychological effects of the pandemic will linger for years to come. So the Canadian Opera Company and Against the Grain Theatre’s new multimedia version of Mozart’s Requiem acts not just as a memorial but as a message of healing and hope. Directed by AtG’s Joel Ivany, the show integrates a live performance by the COC orchestra, chorus and soloists – all performing at the Four Seasons Centre under the baton of music director Johannes Debus – with intriguing video footage and a series of interviews about how the soloists have been affected by the pandemic. Like Ivany and AtG’s version of Handel’s The Messiah, which went viral last year, this is something special.soprano Midori Marsh, mezzo Marion Newman, tenor Andrew Haji and bass Vartan Gabrielian – blend their voices beautifully. And Ivany stages their performances as if they’re in deep conversation – with each other or, occasionally, with themselves or a higher being. The only drawback from the live performance is it’s missing the rich, full sound of a full orchestra and choir that would echo around the great hall. At home, you’re limited to what your screen or device’s sound system can produce.Occasionally the interviews deal with themes from one of the Requiem’s movements; Newman’s reflection on the cleansing and renewing quality of water and Marsh’s discussion about kindness lead beautifully into the Benedictus. But often the interviews interrupt the piece’s momentum.More successful are the video sequences, whether featuring the quartet of soloists on a beach in the Bluffs or providing a soothing dramatic backdrop for the stage (Taylor Long is credited as director of photography).The simple but profound way Ivany stages the finale is too moving to be spoiled in a review. It will make you think about your own sense of loss. And it will also make you long for the day – not too soon in the future, let’s hope – that we can all return to the theatre.