Cosi Fast and Furious; Mozart Drift
Cosi Fast and Furious; Mozart Drift
Life in a Quick Jog
Life is back to its normal pace—a steady quick jog. I’m back to teaching and singing, with a side order of early wedding planning. Right now, I teach private voice and piano lessons four days a week between Toronto and Markham. (I’m also looking to fill Fridays if anyone’s interested—see the link above!)
On Wednesdays, I join my favourite local choir, Village Voices, as a section lead. It’s been such a joy to find this community, both for the camaraderie and the delicious music. We have a concert coming up in November—reach out if you’d like details!
This week my car also decided to give me an early Halloween scare with my breaks not working on the highway. Luckily the phrase 'pump the breaks' came to mind and I managed to build up just enough breaking pressure to not become strawberry jam. She's all fixed now, and the only injury was to my wallet, thankfully. She was due for new breaks so better now then in the thick of gig season.
Back to Fiordiligi
I also received a new role offer this week, which is always exciting. The opera is Così fan tutte by Mozart, and I’ll be singing the role of Fiordiligi—again! This will be my third time performing her, and I’m thrilled to revisit the part. While the opera is famously long, this production will include some cuts for the audience’s sake.
Because I’ve already learned the role, this round is more of a brush-up than a full-scale learning marathon. Still, the sheer amount of text and music is a lot to review—and rehearsals start next week! Luckily, most of the cast has sung this show before, which makes the process smoother.
People often ask, “Isn’t that stressful for the artist?” The truth is: yes. It’s stressful even when you know the role, and even worse when it’s brand new. Some singers are praised as “quick studies”—a vital skill for covering or jumping into a production last-minute—but the burnout is real. Speed learning might save a show, but it rarely allows the art to reach its fullest depth. When you get an offer months in advance, it feels like a gift.
My Journey with Così
I first met Fiordiligi in 2018 while juggling the role of Semele with Summer Opera Lyric Theatre—five massive coloratura arias that remain one of my greatest achievements. Immediately after that run, I flew to Germany to perform Fiordiligi with the Henfenfeld Schloss Oper Akademie. It was a whirlwind month of learning, rehearsing (in German!), and making friendships that I still treasure today.
That summer was unforgettable, though not without quirks—like my “ghost roommate” in a nearby AirBnb, who thankfully worked night shifts and left me alone during the day. He made it known that he looked me up on facebook and proceeded to ask me about my life. His online lurkage would have been best left a secret. A strange situation, but it worked out just fine!
My next encounter with Così came in June 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. When the trio “Soave sia il vento” played on the radio, I broke down in tears, convinced my happiest days as a singer were behind me. But a day later, I reached out to colleagues, and together we staged a socially distanced Così fan tutte in a local park, later performing the whole opera (without recitatives) on the lawn of Baby Point United Church. That project reminded us all why we do this work—it gave us hope.
Looking Ahead
Now, in 2025, I get to revisit Fiordiligi with Opera York, and I couldn’t be more excited. Rehearsals start this week, and we’re lucky enough to have a full three-week rehearsal period. I can’t wait to dive back into this world of Mozart’s music, reconnect with my colleagues, and share this opera with audiences once again.
Stay tuned for rehearsal photos and clips—it’s going to be an adventure!
The cake from our engagement party Part 2!
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