Mezzo-soprano, speaking on behalf of myself.
Gone, or up in the air, since COVID-19 hit: the final week of shows for I Call myself Princess at the Globe Theatre in Regina; Kingston Symphony Beethoven 9; and Turn of the Screw with Opera 5 in Toronto. My sailboat can’t launch this month. News still pending on my debut with the Welsh National Opera, touring Britain and Dubai.
Sailing will definitely happen again someday. But I do not have any control on how companies proceed with their programming once it is safe to do so again, so I cannot say whether I’ll be able to follow through on any of the postponed or cancelled engagements. Still very much crossing my fingers for Wales …
So in the meanwhile, I have been playing Beethoven and Debussy on the piano daily. Attending weekly meetings via video-conference as a board member of Opera.ca. Witnessing how opera companies across Canada are dealing with the crisis and planning for the future. Advocating for inclusion of more artist voices so that our new reality on the other side of this works for administrators, as well as for creators and performers. Gathering inspiration by listening to recordings of wonderful singers, watching interviews with some of them on YouTube and remembering the most influential teachers I’ve been fortunate to have learned from. Like a bit of a self-prescribed masterclass in my own home.
For people reading this who want to find me, Instagram and Twitter are where I check in daily. I am @missprill on both. I do post on Facebook as Marion Newman, but that is mostly upcoming gigs so I’m not sure when I might appear there next!
