Singers from the Class of 2024 of the Canadian Vocal Arts Institute (CVAI) kicked off the first concert of the twentieth edition of its Vocal Arts Festival last Sunday. Gathered in the Salon Richmond, a former church converted into a sumptuous reception hall, the cohort of young artists from the new generation presented a gala concert under the banner of love and exuberance, performing several well-known pages from the operatic repertoire, whether duets, trios, quartets or large choruses. The venue’s neat, pastoral setting was matched by a good-natured energy embodied by both the performers and Étienne Dupuis, co-artistic director, and Nathalie Deschamps, the concert’s stage director and ICAV artistic coordinator, in their introductory remarks. The complicity between them – she taught Étienne Dupuis when he was a student at Cégep de Saint-Laurent – set the tone for the afternoon with humor and light-heartedness. Above all, their speech reminded us that the festival, beyond being an artistic event, this festival and the institute’s related events remain an opportunity for training and work, as well as a platform for experimentation for these young vocal performers who come to perfect their skills. They were accompanied by a small string ensemble led alternately by two young conductors-in-training, Daniel Black and Madeleine Krick, as well as experienced conductor Simon Charette and accompanying pianists also in training at the institute.
The overall vocal quality of the performers was given an introductory number as they processioned towards the stage, singing Richard Rodgers’ “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” from the musical The Sound of Music. Symbolically illustrating the road travelled and the road still to be travelled to reach one’s dreams, it was rendered with force, power and energy. This was followed by a series of varied pieces, ranging from Mozart opera to bel canto, verismo, French opera and operetta. The “Bella Figlia Dell’Amore” quartet from Rigoletto is one of the most striking numbers. The voices of Abigail Sinclair (soprano; Canada), Maddie Studt (mezzo-soprano; USA), Sébastien Comtois (tenor; Canada) and Keunwon Park (bass; South Korea) each offered fine vocal harmony.
One of the most experienced participants in the cohort, Canadian baritone Geoffrey Shellenberg hit the bull’s-eye with every performance, as much for his vocal mastery as for his interpretive skills and stage presence. His duet with mezzo-soprano Natalia Pérez Rodriguez, “Pronta io son” from Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, extremely lively, sparkling and casual, contrasted with the vindictive character of his Belcore in the aria “Venti Scudi” from L’Elisir d’Amor sung with Mexican Jair Padilla, a tenor with a clear, brassy voice. Other memorable performances included two excerpts from Menotti’s Consul, performed with roundness of tone and musicality; excerpts from Bizet’s Carmen, whose “Mêlons, mêlons!” trio introduced us to Isabella Cuminato’s deep timbre; and numbers from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Cosi fan tutte, which showcased an ensemble of singers who are seasoned both vocally and in terms of stage presence. As a surprise on the program, Étienne Dupuis performed Rigoletto’s aria “Cortigiani, vil razza dannata” with intensity and exhilarating mastery. The evening ended with a performance of the chorus “Brüderlein und Schwesterlein” from Die Fledermaus, sung in French, to extend the invitation to the opera’s performance on August 10 and 11.
We came away from this concert by the ICAV’s 2024 cohort with a fine impression, despite a few minor weaknesses in projection and diction on the part of some of the performers, as well as some uneven direction from the podium. But there was nothing to throw the concert off balance. It takes a lot of determination, investment and, above all, a good dose of pleasure to bare one’s vocals. For a show that took three days to put together, each and every one of them displayed fine vocal qualities that we look forward to helping you discover in the festival program.
photo: Tam Photography
For the program of the Festival d’art vocal de Montréal, click here
