A selection of concert favourites sung by tenor Dae Hyun Justin Cho, soprano Julie Duerichen, mezzo Taryn Plater, with accompaniment by Roger Parton. Seating is limited and you must register by emailing operaopulenza@gmail.com.
Free admission
Saturday, July 17th
3pm-4:30pm (weather permitting)
Please email to reserve a seat: operaopulenza@gmail.com
Oak Park – 7575 Fremlin St, Vancouver
Health guidelines will be in effect with physically distanced seating. This concert will take place outside in the park and unfortunately, food will not be provided.
Opera Opulenza presents “Seasons of Love” with soprano Katie McCullough and pianist Roger Parton, a concert celebrating love in all its joys and struggles for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s Day of Music. From Musetta’s coquettish waltz in “La Bohème” to Pamina’s heartrending lament in “The Magic Flute”, these jewels of the repertoire remind us that nothing lasts forever, and the heart changes like the seasons.
As a follow-up to the online concert, we are hosting our next Salon Social chat with Katie McCullough scheduled for May 30th via Zoom.
What is a Salon Social? It’s an intimate concert of opera arias and/or art songs with time for tea, snacks, and a chat with our guest artist. It’s a chance to hear and meet professional or upcoming opera singers and musicians up close, and to also meet other community members. Normally, we hold these concerts in the Oak Park Fieldhouse, but in observance of the COVID-19 guidelines, we’ll be posting the chat online.
In partnership with the Faculty of Culture + Community and supported by the Audain Faculty of Art at Emily Carr University.
Salon Social – chat with Katie
Free, online
Sunday, May 30th at 2:30pm via Zoom
To register and receive the Zoom link for the chat email: operaopulenza@gmail.com
Canadian soprano Katie McCullough, has always been passionate about connecting with others through music. Her love for music led her to complete a Master’s Degree in Opera Performance at the University of British Columbia. She is honoured to have been the Winner of the 2013 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions-Western Canada and People’s Choice Award. https://www.katiemcculloughsoprano.com/
Roger Parton is a composer, arranger, and pianist. A student of Theo Goldberg and Wolfgang Bottenberg, Roger has been Opera Opulenza’s music director since the company’s beginnings, in 2014, and is glad to appear with Katie McCullough for this year’s “Day of Music”.
Concert program:
“Je veux vivre” from Roméo et Juliette by Gounod
“Quando m’en vo” from La Bohème by Puccini
“Chi il bel sogno di Doretta” from La Rondine by Puccini
“Ach, ich fühl’s” from Die Zauberflöte by Mozart
“Ah, Love, but a day!” from 3 Browning Songs, op.44, no. 2 by Amy Beach
Opera Opulenza:
Katie McCullough, Soprano, Program Curator
Roger Parton, Pianist
Trudy Chalmers, Artistic Director, Producer
Armoury Studios:
Paul Silveira, Engineer
Spencer Bleasdale, 2nd Engineer
Ricardo Germain, Assistant Engineer
Film Crew (students and alumni of Emily Carr University):
Tamas McGillivray, Director of Photography, Editor
Saturdays 11:30am-12:30pm at the Oak Park Fieldhouse outside
We have resumed chorus rehearsals outside and in keeping with Worksafe guidelines. Chorus members are socially distanced by 2 metres, are not sharing music, do not touch equipment, and use masks. Hand sanitizer and extra masks are available. Currently, only 8 chorus members may attend at a time until restrictions lift.
Come join our Community Opera Chorus! There’s no experience necessary and no membership fee. We are building a chorus from the ground up! We will help you with group breathing and singing exercises, movement and score reading. It’s like choir, but eventually you’ll be in costume and acting as well as singing! If you love to sing and to be part of a group come join us! Saturdays 1:301am-12:30pm at the Oak Park Fieldhouse on Fremlin Street. To register email: operaopulenza@gmail.comwith “Community Opera Chorus” in the subject line. We will be working on repertoire from “The Tales of Hoffmann”, “Rigoletto”, “Don Carlo”, “Tosca”, and “Carmen”.
Feb 15 – Family Day Children’s Sing-along at Marpole-Oakridge Community Centre
With soprano Trudy Chalmers, mezzo-soprano Nadine Cornelius and pianist Roger Parton. We even wore costumes!
May 24 – Our first online Salon Social Concert and Chat with guest singer, baritone, Samuel Chan.
Due to COVID-19, we had to move our Salon Social online, so we booked a recording studio and filmed the concert portion then set up a Zoom meeting for the live chat. All those that registered for the event received a link to the recorded concert then met us online to chat with our guest singer Samuel Chan, pianist Roger Parton, and artistic director Trudy Chalmers.
July – The Community Opera Chorus reunites for rehearsals outside of the fieldhouse!
COVID-19 forced us to cancel our indoor rehearsals. We stopped rehearsing for months until it was okay to rehearsal outside with social distancing, hand sanitizer, and masks. We brought the keyboard outside and sang to the birds and squirrels. We also gained new chorus members from curious passers-by.
Opera in the Parks!
Throughout the summer months, we performed mini concerts in parks across Vancouver. The concerts were no longer than 15 minutes in length so as not to draw a large crowd during the pandemic. People were so thankful to hear live music again after months of being shut-in.
July 30th – Queen Elizabeth Park and Riley Park with soprano Tamar Simon, baritone Geoff Schellenberg, and pianist Roger Parton.
August 13th – Harbour Green Park and Lost Lagoon with soprano Katie McCullough and pianist Roger Parton. We were even captured in a travel video being filmed by YOUZANG at Harbour Green park.
August 19th – Oak Park outside the fieldhouse with tenor Justin Cho and pianist Roger Parton.
August 28th – We returned to Lost Lagoon with soprano Katie McCullough and pianist Roger Parton.
September 2nd – Memorial South Park with baritone Matthew Kim and pianist Roger Parton. The geese joined the audience.
September 10th – Memorial South Park with soprano Madison Craig and pianist Roger Parton.
August 30th – Our first Salon Social concert and chat outside with mezzo-soprano Taryn Plater and pianist Roger Parton.
Everyone was socially distanced and wearing masks.
September 27th – Salon Social with soprano Julie Duerichen and pianist Roger Parton.
October 4th – Opera Gala Concert
We closed our concert season with an outdoor gala concert at Oak Park behind the fieldhouse with sopronos Katie McCullough and Elaina Moreau, mezzo-soprano Nadine Cornelius, bass-baritone Andy Greenwood, and pianist Roger Parton.
December 22nd – Community Opera Chorus online rehearsal and Christmas party.
We moved the chorus rehearsals online in November and ended the year with an online party and mini recital. We also had a guest singer, soprano Katie McCullough, pop into our Zoom party to sing us a couple of Christmas carols.
Catch us where you can! Mini pop-up opera concerts in parks across Vancouver featuring local singers.
Thursday, August 13th at 12p in Harbour Green Park and 1pm at Lost Lagoon with soprano Katie McCullough and pianist Roger Parton
Wednesday, August 19th at 3pm in Oak Park with tenor Justin Cho and pianist Roger Parton
Please practice physical distancing, be kind, and be cautious. Thank you!
Salon Social with mezzo-soprano Taryn Plater – Sunday, August 30th, outdoors at Oak Park
Mezzo-soprano Taryn Plater will be the next guest singer at the Fieldhouse for our 10th Salon Social with accompaniment by pianist Roger Parton.
Free admission
Please email to reserve a seat: operaopulenza@gmail.com.
Sunday, August 30th (this date may change depending on the weather forecast)
2pm – 3:30pm
Oak Park – outside
Health guidelines will be in effect with physically distanced seating. This concert and talk will take place outside in the park and unfortunately, food will not be provided.
Mezzo-soprano Taryn Plater’s involvement in opera is multifaceted as she possesses an affinity for both performance and management. Taryn is currently studying opera performance with Marisa Gaetanne while simultaneously completing degrees in business management and linguistics. In her time at UBC, she has performed the roles of Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Second Lady (Die Zauberflöte), and most recently, Marta in the Canadian premiere of Weinberg’s Pasażerka. She is an alumna of the Opera NUOVA summer program and this past summer travelled to Hawaii to sing Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) with the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. Taryn’s varied musical foundations range from musical theatre to choral singing and she continues to perform as a jazz pianist/vocalist. In addition to her performance endeavours, Taryn has worked as Marketing & Communications Assistant at the Chan Centre and enjoys applying her arts management experience to the production of her own opera concerts and performances.
Salon Social with soprano Julie Duerichen – Saturday, September 12th, outdoors at Oak Park
Soprano Julie Duerichen will be the next guest singer at the Fieldhouse for our 9th Salon Social with accompaniment by pianist Roger Parton.
Please email to reserve a seat: operaopulenza@gmail.com.
Saturday, September 12th (this date may change depending on the weather forecast)
2:30pm-4pm
Oak Park – outside
Health guidelines will be in effect with physically distanced seating. This concert and talk will take place outside in the park and unfortunately, food will not be provided.
Soprano Julie Duerichen is a scholarship recipient of Calgary Opera and a 2008 laureate of the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques programme in Montreal. She was also a finalist in the Marie E. Crump Vocal Competition in Washington D.C. in 2002.
Julie holds a Master of Music Degree in Opera Performance from the University of Maryland, and a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Calgary, both graduating with honours. In 2005, she studied in Hannover and Cologne, Germany, and attended the International Bach Academy in Stuttgart.
Julie recently appeared in East Van Opera’s premiere of Alma, singing the role of Kelsh. She performs regularly with Burnaby Lyric Opera at the Pan Pacific Hotel in the Live Opera Buffet Concert. She was also featured with Burnaby Opera as Euristene in the world premiere of La Spartana Generous and Musetta in highlights from La Boheme. Performances with Opera Pro Cantanti include the roles: Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Gilda in Rigoletto, and Violetta in La Traviata. She has also sung with Calgary Opera, Annapolis Opera, and Washington Opera in Washington, D.C.
Solo oratorio work includes Fauré’s Requiem with Vivaldi Chamber Choir, Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor with the Capilano Unveristy Singers , and Messiah with the Abbotsford Symphony and Handel Music Society.
Julie has trained with such international artists as: Carol Richardson, Leon Major, Donald Bell, and Delores Ziegler.
On-going
Community Opera Chorus – rehearsals resume Saturdays outside
Saturdays 11am-12pm outside the Oak Park Fieldhouse
Health guidelines will be in effect with physically distanced seating. Singers are not to share music, touch any of the equipment, or move the chairs. Hand sanitizer and masks are available. We encourage singing with a mask.
Come join our Community Opera Chorus! There’s no experience necessary and no membership fee. We are building a chorus from the ground up! We will help you with group breathing and singing exercises, movement and score reading. It’s like choir, but eventually you’ll be in costume and acting as well as singing! If you love to sing and to be part of a group come join us! Saturdays 11am-12pm at the Oak Park Fieldhouse on Fremlin Street. To register email: operaopulenza@gmail.com with “Community Opera Chorus” in the subject line. We will be working on repertoire from “The Tales of Hoffmann”, “Rigoletto”, “Don Carlo”, “Tosca”, and “Carmen”.
Saturdays 11am-12pm at the Oak Park Fieldhouse outside
We have resumed chorus rehearsals outside and in keeping with Worksafe guidelines. Chorus members are socially distanced 3-5 metres, are not sharing music, do not touch equipment, and use masks. Hand sanitizer and extra masks are available.
Come join our Community Opera Chorus! There’s no experience necessary and no membership fee. We are building a chorus from the ground up! We will help you with group breathing and singing exercises, movement and score reading. It’s like choir, but eventually you’ll be in costume and acting as well as singing! If you love to sing and to be part of a group come join us! Saturdays 11am-12pm at the Oak Park Fieldhouse on Fremlin Street. To register email: operaopulenza@gmail.com with “Community Opera Chorus” in the subject line. We will be working on repertoire from “The Tales of Hoffmann”, “Rigoletto”, “Don Carlo”, “Tosca”, and “Carmen”.
On May 24, 2020, we did our first online Salon Social for fieldhouse guests via Zoom. They got to hear baritone, Samuel Chan, sing then later joined him in a live online chat.
Baritone Samuel Chan will be the guest singer for our 8th Salon Social, as part of our Fieldhouse programming, with accompaniment by pianist Roger Parton. In observance of COVID-19 guidelines, we’ll be posting the performance online: on the day of the Salon, audience members will be sent two links, one to the prerecorded concert, and the other to the live online chat with Samuel and artistic director Trudy Chalmers. It’s important to provide our at-home audiences with the best possible audio/visual quality, and so we’ve hired a production team to ensure the best sound and video quality – without any lag!
Be sure to join us online, after seeing the concert, for our live Q&A! We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
The concert itself is roughly 30 minutes long, but extra time will be given to view the concert before the online chat begins.
Please email to reserve your space online: operaopulenza@gmail.com Sunday, May 24th 12pm – link for the concert will be emailed out (the concert is roughly 30 minutes long; watch anytime between 12pm and 2:30pm) 2:30pm – live chat and Q&A Online Admission is free
Named one of CBC Musics’ Top 30 Canadian Classical Musicians under 30, Calgary born Samuel Chan has been praised by critics for his “naturally produced, forwardly placed, attractive baritone” (Ludwig van Toronto). Most recently, Samuel made a surprise role debut at the Canadian Opera Company as the title character in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, replacing an indisposed Vito Priante.Other recent season engagements include Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus for Saskatoon Opera,Messiah for Kitchener Waterloo’s Grand Philharmonic Choir, and Faure’s Requiem for the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Past engagements include multiple roles with the COC, Elora Festival, The Festival of the Sound, Gala Cantos para Hermanar al Munro, Windsor Classic Chorale, Cincinnati Chamber Opera, Cincinnati Camerata, and City Opera Vancouver. Future engagements include company debuts with Pacific Opera Victoria, Tapestry Opera, Opera on the Avalon, and the Victoria Symphony Orchestra. He is a graduate of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, received his Bachelor of Music from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and has had further training with the National Arts Centre’s Young Artist Programme, Highlands Opera Studio, the Vancouver International Song Institute, Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, and the Toronto Summer Music Festival. Competition highlights include 2nd place Lieder/ 3rd Place Oratorio with the 2019 Stella Maris International Vocal Competition, 2nd Place at the COC Centre Stage Competition, and district wins/encouragement awards with the Met National Council Auditions Western Canada/Ohio Districts.
Soprano Julie Duerichen will be our next guest singer at the Fieldhouse for our 9th Salon Social with accompaniment by pianist Roger Parton.
Free admission, snacks, and tea. Please email to reserve a seat: operaopulenza@gmail.com.
Sunday, April 26th
3pm – 4:30pm
Oak Park Fieldhouse
Soprano Julie Duerichen is a scholarship recipient of Calgary Opera and a 2008 laureate of the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques programme in Montreal. She was also a finalist in the Marie E. Crump Vocal Competition in Washington D.C. in 2002.
Julie holds a Master of Music Degree in Opera Performance from the University of Maryland, and a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Calgary, both graduating with honours. In 2005, she studied in Hannover and Cologne, Germany, and attended the International Bach Academy in Stuttgart.
Julie recently appeared in East Van Opera’s premiere of Alma, singing the role of Kelsh. She performs regularly with Burnaby Lyric Opera at the Pan Pacific Hotel in the Live Opera Buffet Concert. She was also featured with Burnaby Opera as Euristene in the world premiere of La Spartana Generous and Musetta in highlights from La Boheme. Performances with Opera Pro Cantanti include the roles: Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Gilda in Rigoletto, and Violetta in La Traviata. She has also sung with Calgary Opera, Annapolis Opera, and Washington Opera in Washington, D.C.
Solo oratorio work includes Fauré’s Requiem with Vivaldi Chamber Choir, Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor with the Capilano Unveristy Singers , and Messiah with the Abbotsford Symphony and Handel Music Society.
Julie has trained with such international artists as: Carol Richardson, Leon Major, Donald Bell, and Delores Ziegler.
