The Megaphone – Liz Parker's Blog

I’ll be honest.

Opera is not one of my favourite art forms.  I’m a major piano fan, a concerto fan, a symphony fan …. when I was little, I thought opera was all about overweight people caterwauling in absurd outfits.  I would hear arias blasting from my mother’s studio downstairs – she would have been teaching History IV from the Royal Conservatory curriculum …. and I still wasn’t convinced.  Over time, I became more open-minded – I have memories of folding laundry with my mom on Saturday evenings as a kid, while watching “Live from the Met” on PBS, and if my dad wasn’t listening to the entire Beethoven Piano Sonata cycles on his earphones in the living room, we’d hear the whole opera simulcast on stereo – and it had to be cranked, because the TV was way over in my parents’ bedroom.

I began to understand, by the intense audience response, and my mother’s rapt attention that made the folding fly by, that opera means a lot to many people. I never heard such hysteria at classical concerts from the blue-rinse crowd, that’s for sure.

And then along came Moonstruck.  I don’t remember if I saw it in the theatre – all I remember is Cher’s crazy Bob Mackie dress when she accepted her Oscar, and that she was going for pizza afterwards at Spago’s.  I remember thinking it was a nice romantic comedy featuring Puccini’s music.

But something happened around eight years ago – I was living up at Yonge and Eglinton, not loving it, and feeling lonely and bored on a rare Saturday night at home.  Bravo! television was broadcasting Moonstruck and I caught the opening credits.  ”What the hell,” I thought.  ”I seem to recall liking this movie.”

Well, little did I know that this film would become my most favourite film of all time, and little did I know it would ignite my interest in opera.  Of all the opera masters, I’d always liked the “heart on my sleeve, I’m gonna sing it ‘cuz I’m about to dramatically die” stylings of Puccini.  And I loved the story of La Boheme – the whole starving artist in the garret thing seemed so romantic.

I was so caught up in the storyline this time around, that I had a VERY STRONG REACTION when Ronny said the following to Loretta – truly, a beautiful “aria” in spoken form:

“Loretta, I love you. Not like they told you love is, and I didn’t know this either, but love don’t make things nice – it ruins everything.  It breaks your heart.  It makes things a mess.  We aren’t here to make things perfect.  The snowflakes are perfect.  The stars are perfect.  Not us.  Not us!  We are here to ruin ourselves and to break our hearts and love the wrong people and *die*. The storybooks are bullshit.  Now I want you to come upstairs with me and GET(!!!!!) in my bed!”

Tears were streaming down my face as I jumped up and down and screamed, clapping my hands.  I realise I shouldn’t be admitting this openly, but I don’t care.

And this isn’t even counting my obsession with makeovers, and the glee I took in watching Loretta transform from a fuddy-duddy widow to a smokin’ hot babe as she prepares for her date with Ronny.

Something in me clicked that night – that opera has the ability to magically transform people, and induce the same hysteria I felt listening to Ronny profess his undying love for Loretta.  Opera is a personal art form – straight from the heart – as the person IS the instrument.  There is nothing in between the singer and the music.  The singer and music are one.  That is something not possible as a pianist.

My good friend Ali Kashani, who knows more about opera than anybody in the world, boldly declares on his Facebook profile  that he is “using the power of opera to change the world!”  I understand his mantra now.

I will attend Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Sondra Radvanovsky’s concert coming up because it is billed as “An Italian Opera Spectacular”, and Iwant to re-capture that Moonstruck feeling.  Sondra Radvanosky’s star has just risen – and there’s buzz about this amazing soprano who is making her Toronto debut.  And Dima of course, is a rock star in the opera world; he’s as known for his sex appeal as he is his incredible voice and artistry.  I first met him 15 years ago for interview rounds when I was the Vancouver Symphony publicist.  I was kinda shy around him, and refused when he asked me, upon hearing I was studying flamenco,  to dance for him.

While I’m still a die-hard concerto gal, I’m very grateful for Loretta and Ronny for re-introducing me to opera.  And I look forward to being “moonstruck” on March 20th.

Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Sondra Radvanovsky will appear in an “Italian Opera Spectacular” with the Orchestre de la Francophonie conducted by Constantine Orbelian and Jean-Philippe Tremblay on Saturday, March 20 at 8 PM at Roy Thomson Hall.  Liz is fretting about what to wear. For more info, please visit www.roythomson.com or www.showoneproductions.com.

….from astonishing-precocious child star to a fully seasoned, mature performer.  And this is not always easy to do: I’ve seen and heard plenty of stories (growing up in the music word) about child prodigies who can’t cope with the pressure of becoming adult musicians.  Sarah Chang seems to have made the transition seamlessly.

When I first heard of her, she looked something like this:

Totally adorable.  Then I was doing PR for the Vancouver Symphony, and was sent a press kit of her looking like this:

Like, whoa!  As a teen, she seemed to babify overnight.  And her sound deepened, matured, and she played with an assuredness that had nothing to do with fearless youth, but of someone who had the chops.

Now, her PR stills are looking positively editorial:

It’s a wonderful thing when someone as gifted as Sarah succeeds with the transition to adulthood, both as a performer and someone who understands the importance of image.  They say image isn’t everything – but someone devoid of what works in that realm will hinder her own ability to forge ahead, even with a large talent.  And of course, an artist who is image-conscious without talent won’t progress either – at least, not for long.

Sarah Chang performs at Markham Theatre in recital with pianist Andrew von Oeyen.  This is their only Canadian visit this season. They will perform Brahms’ Sonatensatz and Sonata No.  3; Fantasy by Christopher Theofanidis; and Franck’s Sonata in A+.  Tickets are $49 – $69.  905 305 SHOW (7469)  or visit www.markhamtheatre.ca.

See you there!

I met Yuval Fichman a long time ago.  Like, twenty-five years ago.  My brother was doing a tour of Japan with the Vancouver Symphony, and Yuval was the other pianist featured.  I recall a whoop-dee-doo event where Bill Lewarne, the mayor of Burnaby was present, as was the premiere of BC, Bill Bennett.   Back then I was struck by Yuval’s sense of humour, his unique voice (there is no way I can describe it without sounding vaguely insulting, so I won’t; but I find it terribly endearing) … but trust me, it’s distincitve.   Yuval also has a way with words.  When I called him up and left him a message saying, “Yuval … it’s Liz Parker.  I’m promoting your Sinfonia Toronto concert.  You may not remember me, but we met twenty-five years ago in Tokyo.”  Well, not only did he remember, he totally outdid me in a voicemail back: “Hiiii Liiiiiz.  It’s Yuuuuvaaal.  I rememberrrr youuu.  At the reception, you were wearing a gossamer white dresss, DAAAzzling red beads, and red shoooooes.”  I was gobsmacked.

To check him out in action playing Lizst, please click: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTSKNYqTBgE

To check him out playing Chopin’s 2nd Piano Concerto to mark the 200th birthday of the composer, please click www.sinfoniatoronto.com to purchasetickets!

See you there!

Liz

Yay for social media! It’s thanks to Facebook that Ani Batikian agreed to fill in, and learn the Hohvaness Violin Concerto when local Armenian violinist Catherine Manoukian was unable to perform the December 11 concert with Sinfonia Toronto.  I’ll get to that story in a sec.

I am fascinated by Alan Hohvaness, and can’t wait to hear his music.  I am also of two cultures – a Canadian of Japanese-English descent and while I definitely dealt with some cultural self-identity crises, came through it with a strong sense of being a “combo person”, and enjoying the best of all worlds.  That’s the beauty of multi-culturalism.  Alan Hohvaness, 1911-2000, created music that blended East and West.  He grew up near Boston to an Amenian father and a Scottish mother.  His upbringing was American.  A composer with a curious mind, Hohvaness experimented with not only western musical forms, but musical influences of many eastern cultures, such as Indian, Korean, and Japanese.  Then Sinfonia Toronto music director, Nurhan Arman, pointed out to me the following:

-The cancellation by a local Armenian soloist to play an Armenian composer’s music

- replacement within a few hours with another Armenian violinist from the other side of the ocean

-Ani Batikian introduced herself to Nurhan on Facebook and he engaged her via FB email

- Ani Batikian is from Armenian now living in Glasgow,  Scotland

- Hovhaness is Armenian by father but his mother was from Scotland

Rather an interesting turn of events!  She makes her Sinfonia Toronto debut on Friday, December 11 at Glenn Gould Studio. The balance of the programme features PUCCINI’s Three Minuets; KHACHATURIAN’s Masquerade Suite; STRAUSS’ Die Fledermaus Overture; and BARTOK’s Rumanian Dances.

Tix: $40 – $12 and available at www.sinfoniatoronto.com or by calling Roy Thomson Hall’s box office at 416 872 4255.  The box office is located at King and Simcoe.  Glenn Gould Studio is at 250 Front Street.

Look forward to seeing you there!

So tonight I went to see the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela in its Canadian debut with star conductor, Gustavo Dudamel (who’s sinfully adorable).  And yes, I expected to be blown away.  But what I *didn’t* expect was WHAT would blow me away – the sheer force, the power, the exuberance, and wait for it, my favourite word – the EBULLIENCE – of the orchestra players. 

THANK YOU, LARA ST. JOHN, for asking me to be her date.  Thankyouthankyouthank you.

It was the best of both worlds: young orchestra players who still perform with stars in their eyes.  Yet these players are incredibly gifted and disciplined; a well-oiled machine with a precision that blew my mind; energy that only comes from a youth orchestra, and a sense of assuredness that, again, may only come from a group of young players who don’t quite realise the difficulty of the repertoire.

And then the audience.  I’ve never heard Toronto freak its ass off *quite* like that.  Even without the audiby proud Venezuelans in the audience, I’m quite sure the gala crowd would have flipped out anyhow. 

And the encores!  OMG.  The first was Bernstein’s Mambo.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtnjixhvOTU 

Again the best of both worlds: the symphonic world and the WORLD MUSIC world.  Imagine seeing an orchestra sway from side to side, twirl their stringed instruments, twirl their trumpets, stand up, shout, and shake their bootie.  Why the bloody hell won’t more orchestras loosen up like this?  I felt like I was at an outdoor orchestra concert in Rio or something.  Then they finished with Ginstera’s Estancia Danza final (Molambo). 

I was beside myself.

This concert fulfilled the very deep need in me to experience something both classical and explosively cathartic.  This is not to say hearing the TSO and a shit-hot pianist do the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor isn’t cathartic.  But to see 250 young musicians with its youthful conductor, Gustavo Dudamel, let ‘er rip and get up and move around on stage…..WHY CAN’T WE HAVE THIS MUCH FUN AT THE SYMPHONY?  I’ve never seen anything like this.

Must I emigrate to South America to experience more of this?  I’ve always wondered if I was Latina in a past life, which would be a far cry from the Canadian-born Japanese-English person I actually am.

Hearing tonight’s concert confirms it.