Founded in 2015, Southern Ontario Lyric Opera (SOLO) is a non-profit, regional opera company, which aims to feature emerging Canadian artists in their productions. Last night, SOLO presented Carmen to a full house at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
For a small, lesser-known opera company, the success of a production hinges on choosing the right repertoire, and voices to match. Carmen is a natural choice—with recognizable tunes, and a titillating storyline of seduction, love and jealousy, it is a favourite for all ages. It is also a daunting operation, however, in that the opera requires a large ensemble of male, female and children voices. Luckily for SOLO, there is no shortage of Canadian talent.
Leading the cast in the titular role was Simona Genga, who is no stranger to the Canadian opera scene. She is a graduate of the prestigious Canadian Opera Company (COC) Ensemble Studio, having won both the First Prize and Audience Choice Award at COC’s Centre Stage Competition in 2017. In 2023, she won her district and regional rounds at the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition. Her Carmen was surprisingly reserved— though “Habanero” and “Seguidilla” were technically brilliant, they lacked sensuality, making it hard to imagine their effect on her admirers. Nonetheless, one cannot get enough of her warm, rich and powerful mezzo voice.
Mezzo Soprano Simona Genga (Carmen) and Tenor Andrew Derynck (Don José)
Andrew Derynck was a fine Don José, with a creamy and luscious tenor voice. His beautiful phrasing and moving acting stole the show. He had definite chemistry with Micaëla, and their duets ached with tenderness. The romantic scenes between him and Genga were not too convincing, however their portrayal of anger, jealousy and defiance was very effective. Their heated exchanges lit up the stage in Act IV. The final scene (in which Don José demands Carmen pledge her love to him, and is met with her defiant rejection) was intensely gripping.
Micaëla was played by the sweet-toned soprano Emily Rocha, who wowed audiences at the 2023 COC Centre Stage Competition, where she won Second Prize. She will be joining the COC’s Ensemble Studio next year. Her “Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante” was sung with a good mix of assertiveness and vulnerability.
Parker Clements, who sang the role of Escamillo (the dashing bullfighter, and Carmen’s other love interest), lacked volume and bravado. His rendition of the “Toreador” song left audiences yearing for more gusto.
The rest of the supporting cast gave solid performances. Ben Wallace, who played the roles of Morales and Le Dancaïre, was especially impressive: an engaging actor with a pleasant baritone voice and good diction. Luke Noftall (Zuniga), Adam Sperry (Le Remandado) and Alessia Vitali (Mercédès) had smaller but well-sung roles.
The 45-person ensemble consisted of angelic female voices against the more hesitant performances from the men and children. The orchestra did a good job for the most part, with some beautiful passages from the wind section. SOLO founder and conductor Sabatino Vacca held it all together, in moments seemed to struggle to maintain tempo. The brass section also seemed to occasionally struggle with tempo and pitch.
A minimalist set was balanced out with colourful costumes, keeping audiences focused on Bizet’s mesmerizing score and the singers. Unfortunately, the dialogue (presented in English) was difficult to make out, as the acoustics of the hall did not allow speaking voices to project adequately.
The pleasure of seeing productions from smaller companies lies in the discovery of singers who are otherwise relatively unknown. SOLO’s Carmen was definitely a success in this regard, spotlighting exciting emerging talents. The rousing standing ovations were proof that the audience appreciated the production, and look forward to similar performances in the future.
For more information: southernontariolyricopera.com/event/carmen/
