What might reside in the dark…?
The Canadian Opera Company’s (COC) former Composer-in-Residence Ian Cusson has found fertile ground in contemplating the possibilities. The result is Fantasma, a haunting, contemporary new opera for young audiences with libretto by acclaimed playwright Colleen Murphy. It debuts at the newly renovated Canadian Opera Company Theatre this week.
Fantasma explores the universal themes of death, violence, compassion, and having the courage to insist on being heard. The world-premiere opera follows best friends Léa and Ivy, who stumble onto a dark secret while visiting a boisterous, old-fashioned carnival. Their ghostly discovery makes them confront an age-old dilemma: when faced with another person’s suffering, do you turn away or do you try to help?
Former COC Director/Dramaturg-in-Residence Julie McIsaac is director and dramaturg, and several current and graduate Ensemble Studio artists perform in leading roles. These include sopranos Jamie Groote and Midori Marsh as Léa and Ivy; tenor Owen McCausland as the carnival worker Emile; and soprano Charlotte Siegel as Léa’s mother Manon. The company will hold four performances on March 9, 10, and 12, 2022. Three members of the Canadian Children’s Opera Company will alternate the role of Marcel: Austin Buckley (March 9), Olivia Pady (March 10), and Ari Shparber (March 12)..
And as if the return of live opera were not sufficient cause for jubilation, Fantasma presents an opportunity for young people to engage with the artform alongside their classmates. In a conversation with SesayArts Magazine, Sarah Forestieri, Manager of Community Partnerships and Programs, explains her department’s active role in the creative development of Fantasma. Even while the arts were shuttered due to COVID-19, the department organized and participated in workshops and held feedback sessions with educators and youth. And though live in-person performances are resuming with Fantasma, Forestieri and her colleagues knew that COVID restrictions and the moratorium on school excursions would prevent many educators and students from taking advantage.
For this reason, they expanded their digital offerings to include a streaming option for school teachers: “The streaming option includes an Interactive Resource Guide . . . that the Community Partnership and Programs designed in collaboration with the Fantasma creative team . . . to guide students through activities and discussions that explore opera creation, feature best practices on how to process socio-emotional themes, and also include digital opportunities to explore vocational points of access within the performing arts.”
Detailed information about options for educators and the interactive Resource Guide can be found here. And in the detailed Q&A below, the warm and forthcoming Forestieri offers a fascinating window into the creation of Fantasma and the development of the in-depth interactive Resource Guide, which “includes videos from a psychotherapist and music therapist Dr Sarah Rose Black – as well as the opera’s creative team”, and will be available to all in-person ticket holders, should they wish to explore these activities.
SesayArts: The biggest initial question that springs to mind is about the development of Fantasma since its sole in-person workshop in early March 2020. How were you able to workshop and get feedback to develop this piece while everything was shuttered?
SF: It certainly wasn’t easy, but thanks to modern technology and Zoom, as well as our very dedicated creative team and artists, we were able to have a second entirely digital workshop of the show in the summer of 2020. This consisted of cast members doing a read-through of the libretto (the text of an opera or other long vocal work) over Zoom, as well as artists recording their respective piano parts and vocal lines at home separately, before having a staff member line everything up in post-editing so that the creative team could hear aloud the changes that were made to the score from the first workshop in March.
At our first in-person workshop, we invited a number of youth and school educators to participate in focus groups after witnessing the workshop. The purpose of these sessions were for educators and community members to be able to share with the Community Partnerships & Programs team their thoughts around the work, and what educational resources they would find helpful in sharing this work with their students in an accessible way. Even though the second workshop was digital, we were still able to invite community stakeholders to participate in a second round of feedback sessions by having them listen to the recorded tracks and the recorded libretto read-through, followed by more discussions about the work. Thankfully this past November 2021, we were able to have one last in-person workshop before mounting the show this week, which was really special because we were all finally able to hear the finished version of the score in-person after so many years of creation. It was also the first time many of us had heard live music in a very long time.
SesayArts: Now that we can anticipate live performances again, what are you most excited for students to experience with this world-premiere opera?
SF: There are so many things about Fantasma that I think will really resonate with young people! But in particular, the characters in this production are so relatable — the struggles they go through, the questions they have, their desire to help and make the world a better place for friends they meet along the way — these are feelings and ideas we can all relate to (regardless of age), especially right now. The music is hauntingly beautiful, and it really has the power to transport you to this fanatical carnival where you will feel like you are there with the characters, going on an emotional journey right alongside them. Additionally, Fantasma has this special way of balancing the light with the dark. Audiences will experience comedic moments of laughter, as well as darker themes, all contributing to a really profound and moving musical journey.
I think there is also something really special about being able to come together in a space, with people you have never met before, to experience art in this way… To hear live music again, to laugh with strangers, to go on an emotional journey together. I know for me it is something that is something that I am really looking forward to. Being able to witness art, hear music, listen to storytellers and share in that experience with others after such a long period of isolation will be a meaningful experience on many levels.
SesayArts: Do you want to speak about the creation and development of the Interactive Resource Guide?
SF: The Interactive Experience for Fantasma is meant to not only prepare audiences of all ages for the opera they are about to watch, but also provide space for young people to process what they have just witnessed, and spark conversations about the socio-emotional themes embedded in the story, post-show. It was really important for our team to engage with mental health professionals in the creation of the resource. As arts educators, we know that music and theatre can be an incredible tool to help process emotion, as well as a vehicle to discuss mental health. But not being mental health professionals ourselves, we wanted to bring in consultants who could help us ensure that, through these materials, we were creating a space of psychological safety. Being able to work with Music Therapist and registered Psychotherapist Dr. SarahRose Black, as well as registered Social Service Worker Sarah Johnston has been an incredibly positive and educational experience for our team. We hope educators will enjoy exploring these activities and resources with their students, and that they will spark meaningful conversations about the power of storytelling through art.
Educators should also know that all of the additional video content, as well as the viewing link for the production itself will be available for a period of 6 months. This way educators can incorporate this show into their curriculum at a time that is convenient for them. We want this show to be seen by as many young folks as possible, which is why accessibility was so important to us.
SesayArts: How might it extend the experience of Fantasma, whether live or streamed?
SF: The Resource Guide also provides some introductory information about the origins of opera, a musical listening activity, and a whole section devoted to the creative team of Fantasma, giving youth a sense of how a new operatic work is created, who is involved, and what the creative process is like. I think a lot of people often assume that opera is a difficult art form to get into if one doesn’t have any prior experience with it, and I hope that the resources and activities in this guide will dismantle some of those stereotypes.
I think what people often do not realize is that opera at its core is an art form that brings together so many craftspeople from different artistic backgrounds (musicians, composers, librettists, set and costume designers, dancers and the list continues) to tell stories, and I think sharing stories is something we can all relate to.
SesayArts: Also intriguing is the inclusion of a pre-show video from Music Therapist and Psychotherapist, Dr. SarahRose Black. Do you want to speak about the themes and what led you to include Dr Black’s insights to help young people to process what they experience in the opera?
SF: I think I’ve touched on this, but I can share that although Fantasma was designed for young audiences, the plot does contain descriptions of violence, death, and loneliness. Our intention behind the pre-show speech is to let audiences know that whatever they are feeling is okay, and there’s no right or wrong way to feel when you’re listening. We wanted to invite audience members to notice, and acknowledge, and give space for that.
Fantasma is suitable for audiences 12 – 18 years of age and will run for four performances on March 9, 10 and 12. Reserve tickets here. There will be a two-step entry process upon arrival at the theatre. Click here for more information.
© Arpita Ghosal, SesayArts Magazine, 2022
