Stage is set for Opera Niagara
JOHN LAW
The opera is about to begin. After months of planning and pinching herself, local singer and musician Mary-Lou Vetere will finally unveil Opera Niagara at the Seneca Queen Theatre May 5. The gala opening night will feature selections from Verdi’s
and and Puccini’s
“People won’t believe what they’re going to hear,” she says, before rallying the cast for a rehearsal at St. Andrews United Church.
And they might not believe what they see, either — New York opera legend Aprile Millo, who once sang with Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo, and has performed in prestigious opera houses in Barcelona, Torino and Moscow.
As artistic director, Millo says launching Opera Niagara is like a “mother giving birth … all the wonderful joys and fears associated with that.”
Outside of the large cities, Millo says, there are few options for people to see opera, much less study it.
But she feels the vast talent already secured for the company will open plenty of eyes and ears.
“It’s going to take a lot of good will and a lot of understanding,” she says. “It would be lovely if the ‘politicals’ would get involved, and not just see Niagara as a place to buy knick knacks, see a thundering cascade and then gamble. There’s more to Niagara.”
Singers such as Catherine Wethington came all the way from Washington, D.C., to study under Millo and Vetere.
“There is a lot of opera in Washington, but there’s no Mary-Lou and there’s no Aprile,” she says. “Studying the bel canto style and the old school of music … it’s revolutionary, because you don’t hear it any more on the stage.”
Toronto’s
Opera Niagara Gala opening night
Where: Seneca Queen Theatre, 4624 Queen St., Niagara Falls When: May 5, 8 p.m. Tickets: $35 www.senecaqueen.ca sang with the Canadian Opera Company before taking a hiatus to start a family. She started studying with Vetere two years ago.
“This has been a great opportunity to try out some new expanded techniques and repertoire in a safe but very supportive environment,” she says. “And having Aprile here has just been enormous … not everybody is given this opportunity.”
Award-winning singer Joel Ricci from Burlington feels opera is an “outstanding” addition to Niagara’s music scene.
“It’s so important to have these kind of things in the community,”