Andrew's Recommendations
This is a list of resources mentioned by Andrew Adridge during his interview with Rosemonde Desjardins. The resources are listed alphabetically.
Amplified Opera
Amplified Opera aims to create "a space for challenging and diverse voices to express themselves and share their experiences in a way that feels authentic and on their own terms." Through workshops, residencies, online sessions, and performances, Amplified Opera presents "diverse and challenging cultural experiences" to its audiences.
Learn more about Amplified Opera at their website.
Banff Centre
The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity was founded as a course in drama in 1933. Since then, it has become global leader in arts, culture, and creativity. The Banff Centre "aims to inspire everyone who attends our campus to unleash their creative potential".
Joel Ivany is the Artistic Director of Opera at Banff Centre.
Karen Slack is a faculty member at Banff Centre.
Ian Cusson is a faculty member at Banff Centre.
Black Women Composers
Sources abound for the Black women composers whom Andrew Adridge mentioned in his interview. As a starting point, UK-based organization Alternative Classical presented an article titled "10 Black Classical Composers" in August 2020. This article, and its accompanying Spotify playlist, feature 10 Black composers from the 17th through to the 21st centuries, and includes Florence Price, Undine Smith Moore, and Margaret Bonds.
In June 2020, Alternative Classical also published an article titled "10 Contemporary Black Classical Composers."
charles c. smith
charles c. smith is a poet, playwright, essaysit, author, and editor. He currently works as the Exectuive Director at CPAMO.
Charlotte Siegel
Charlotte Siegel is a soprano from Toronto, Ontario. She holds a graduate in Opera and Voice from McGIll University, and a Bachelor's of Classical Voice Performance from U of T. She is currently completing a Graduate Diploma in Opera and Voice at McGill University, and is a member of the Music Alive Quartet.
Read her full biography at pacificopera.ca
You can listen to several of Charlotte's U of T student performances as part of the Music Library Collection of Faculty Events.
Clair de Lune by Fauré
The score for Clair de Lune by Fauré is available at the Music Library.
CPAMO: Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario
"Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO) is a movement of Indigenous and racialized artists engaged in empowering the arts communities of Ontario. CPAMO seeks to open opportunities for Indigenous and racialized professionals and organizations to build capacity through access and working relationships with cultural institutions across Ontario that will result in constructive relationships with Indigenous and racialized professionals and organizations."
Learn more about CPAMO at their website.
George Shirley
George Shirley is currently the Joseph Edgar Maddy Distinguished University Emeritus Professor of Voice at the University of Michigan. Throughout his career, George has made history and opened doors by being
- the first Black high school music teacher in Detroit
- the first Black man to sing with the U.S. Army chorus
- the first Black man to receive a contract from the Metropolitan Opera
- the second Black man to perform at the Metropolitan Opera (the first was Robert McFerrin, in 1953)
To read more about George's 50+ career, and other Black operatic tenors, visit Three Mo' Tenors.
You can also find CDs featuring George Shirley in the Music Library.
Kenneth Overton
Kenneth Overton is a Philadelphia-born baritone opera singer. Kenneth has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Africa,
For more about Kenneth and the roles he has had, check out his website.
Khadija Mbowe
Gambian-Canadian-American performer Khadija Mbowe is a charismatic and dynamic singer, entertainer, educator, writer and all around creative. Khadija is also an advocate for equity and inclusion in all aspects of the performing arts and has collaborated with many artists to organize events and create more performance opportunities for singers and instrumentalists alike.
Khadija is a graduate of the Univeristy of Toronto Faculty of Music. You can listen to several of Khadija's student performances as part of the Music Library Collection of Faculty Events, including her participation in the inaugural Celebrating Our Diversity concert in 2019.
Korin Thomas-Smith
Korin Thomas-Smith is a current student at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, completing his Master's of Opera Performance. In February 2020, Korin curated the second annual Celebrating Our Diversity, a concert presented by U of T Music's Vocal Studies students. This concert's program and recording are available in the Music Library's collection of Faculty Events:
You can listen to performances from this and other concerts involving Thomas-Smith as part of Music Library Collection of Faculty Events.
Loose Tea Music Theatre - BIPOC Composer Librettist Development Program
"Loose Tea Music Theatre is a not-for-profit, charitable music theatre company that specializes in classical music productions, taking an innovative approach to develop and stretch perceptions of the theatre and concert going experience. Loose Tea presents works that challenge the audience and artists to break from tradition and become engaged together in an experience."
The BIPOC Composer Librettist Development Program launched in October 2020, and is designed as a mentorship-style program in which BIPOC-identifiying composers and librettists can work with established composers and librettists to create their own chamber opera.
Morgen by Strauss
The score for Morgen by Strauss is available at the Music Library.
Opera.ca
"The Association for Opera in Canada works with members across the country to advance the interests of Canada's opera community and create greater opportunity for opera audiences and professionals alike."
Learn more at www.opera.ca
Opera InReach
Co-founded by Andrew Adridge and Daevyd Pepper, Opera InReach aims "to tear down the barriers presented in traditional outreach by leaving it within reach beyond the first meeting by creating programming true to both the historic roots of opera and an authentically representative new-world view of opera for middle school and high school students."
Opera InReach runs several programs whose purpose is to create safe spaces for students to learn and explore the world of opera, including H.O.N.E.: Helping Opera's New Existence.
Learn more at their website.
Terence Blanchard
Terence Blanchard is a 4-time Grammy Award winning trumpeter and a composer in film, Broadway, and opera.
Learn more about his first opera Champion: An Opera in Jazz.
Terence Blanchard's newest opera, Fire Shut Up in my Bones will be featured in the Metropolitan Opera's 2021-2022 season.
Read more about Terence Blanchard in Contemporary Cat: Terence Blanchard with Special Guests by Anthony Magro, available at the Music Library.
U of T community members can access the documentary Icons Among Us and the concert "Caribbean Hot! - Live at the St. Lucia International Jazz Festival", both of which feature Terence Blanchard, by logging into Qwest TV.
U of T community members can listen to Terence Blanchard by logging into Naxos.
Utopia Arts
Utopia Arts is an organization dedicated to discovering "promising BIPOC classical artists and provide education that lays the foundation for transformation of the opera industry as we know it today." They run two main programs: "The Director's Cut," an online series promoting open discussion of injustices in the opera industry; and the UA Mentorship Program, in which emerging BIPOC artists are paired with leaders in the opera industry to share knowledge and develop lasting connections.