A successful 2009

Well, DragonDiva had a great 2009. And, we have a full 2010 planned for you. We have two fully staged shows coming up, Massenet's Cendrillon this summer and Humperdink's Hansel and Gretel next Christmas. Also, we have a couple of exciting collaborations coming up with other groups which we will announce as soon as we have more details.

On behalf of DragonDiva Operatic Theatre, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe 2010. See you on the flip side!

John Arsenault,
Music Director

DragonDiva Operatic Theatre presents Hansel and Gretel

Please join us for this wonderful christmas concert!

WHAT?
Hansel and Gretel
By Englebert Humperdinck
An opera in concert, performed in English with narration.

WHEN?
Friday, December 11th @ 7:30pm
Saturday, December 12th @ 2:30pm & 7:30pm

WHERE?
Salvation Army New Westminster Citadel
325 6th Street, New Westminster

HOW MUCH?
Tickets are $15
available at the door or in advance from the Salvation Army New West Office
Children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult.

Join us for this delightful traditional fairy tale; appropriate for the
whole family. Come dressed in your pyjamas and receive a free hot apple
cider!

The Cast:
Hansel – Megan Morrison & Dionne Selinger
Gretel – Karen Santos & Szu-Wen Wang
Mother – Christina Gilbert & Janet Vandertol-Zathureczky
Sandman – Dora Brooks & Thomas Lamont
Dew Fairy – Kayla Matzen & Tracy Wiens
Witch – Jeanine Fynn & Anna Whelan

See you there!

IT'S OFFICIAL! DRAGONDIVA 2009/2010 PROGRAMME

The board met last week and has officially decided to produce a second show this year! We will be presenting Hansel & Gretel December 11 and 12 at the Salvation Army New Westminster Citadel. Stay tuned for more details and the official poster launch!

We will also be presenting Massenet's Cinderella in August 2010.

On top of our full productions, plans are in the works for a Gala fundraising dinner and collaborations with another New West music group...details to come!

SOLD OUT!

That's right, ladies and gents...last night we performed to a sold out house. (HUZZAH!) We had 29 tickets left when we opened the doors, and were sold out in 8 minutes. We barely managed to pack in people on the waiting list (thanks to those of you who didn't show, BTW - everyone who did show up got to see it!).

It was pretty warm in that tiny theatre, but there was a great energy in the room, and the Diva cast pulled out their best performance yet. I was so incredibly proud of them all.

And so I reiterate...if you don't have your tickets already, get them now. We fully expect more sold out houses this weekend. Don't make me say I told you so. :)

See you at the show!

Jeanine
Artistic Director

Anxious

Today is day three of our hiatus from the theatre. We go back tomorrow night for the final four-day run, and I am SO ANXIOUS to be back at the theatre! I miss it so much already, which does not bode well for the post-show depression that hits most of us on the closing of a show.

But, in very exciting news, we sold over 100 tickets for this weekend over the last two days, so it's looking like we'll be ending with four very full houses. Good news indeed (for performers, producers, and audience alike!) as a fuller house often means more contagious laughter.

We have all but forgotten the struggles it took to get to this point - there is talk of putting on a reduced version of Hansel and Gretel this winter, and plans are in the works for our full production next summer to be Massenet's Cinderella! More details on both of those to come!

Cheers,
Jeanine
Artistic Director

Halfway through, and still alive!

Well folks, we're halfway through Iolanthe's run. Our cast is enjoying as few well-deserved days off, and catching up on some sleep. I wanted to share part of an email we received from a patron who came to see the show this weekend...

"We saw the show last evening and oh, my gosh, what an awesome production! Excellent singing, good costumes and sets...If this production was to take place at the Queen E, it would have cost five times more to attend. It certainly was worthy of being shown there because it was every bit as good as any production I've ever seen at the Queen E."

I've heard from quite a few people that they are planning to come this weekend, and I HOPE they have already bought their tickets, for I fear there won't be many at the door. We have had an excellent response and many people who saw it this weekend are returning for a second viewing!

I'm so glad that it is being well received, and that people are just plain having fun at our performances. I really hope that everyone who wants to see it is able to get in!

Jeanine

Reviews of Iolanthe are in!!!!!!!

This is very exciting for us, our fist review! Check out the review here.

John Arsenault,
Music Director

Opening Night was a Success!

Last night was the night...the opening night of Iolanthe. Dragon cast. And they rocked the house. I was so incredibly proud of everyone - the cast was hilarious and poignent and sounded beautiful; John did an awesome job conducting; the costumes were breathtaking; the technical side went smoothly; and best of all, the audience ATE IT UP! They loved it! People weren't just giving the requisite "I'm really enjoying it" that I often hear. They were raving. Several people said they'd be returning to see it again. One woman told me she was a huge G&S fan, and had seen D'Oyly Carte do this show, and ours was more fun. Than D'OYLY CARTE! We weren't sold out, but had a really good sized house for a Thursday opening. I'm expecting to sell out a couple shows. Tonight is already pre-sold to 65% and we'll see more at the door.

John and I were talking afterward (as we do after every rehearsal and show) and realized that we still have seven shows and were SO EXCITED because we loved it so much last night that we don't want it to end!

Hope you all get a chance to see it! It will make your night.

Jeanine

Well, we've arrived!

Last night was our final dress rehearsal for Iolanthe. Despite a few glitches, I think we're in very good shape!

This is a talented group of people, for sure! We have everything in this show from a high school student right up to emerging professional opera singers. Everyone brings their own set of skills and experience to the stage, and it makes for a great product!

It's interesting as the conductor of a show, you do all sorts of work at the beginning, rehearsing the music, letting the singers know what you want, fixing the notes, the rhythms, the dynamics. Then you kinda of become secondary to the director for a while. It's not that you don't have the chance to continue to improve the music, but that you are doing it on someone else's time. So, you have to pick and choose the most important points to discuss and rehearse.

Then, you get to the dress rehearsal and the show is yours again. Conducting is a lot like being a manager. You facilitate the singers to sing the best that they can sing. You give them peace of mind about their entrances. You help them if they forget the words. You shape the music, you control the dynamic. And make no mistake... different gestures produce different results! We're not just waving our arms up there.... really...

Do you want to know what it's like to be driving a bus that large? It's a bit scary. But honestly, it is the most amazing feeling, when you really connect with the cast and they are really connected with you, and you make the most amazing music just with a small gesture. It's sublime. I LOVE it. I love it. I can't say that enough. I feel like I've found my home. I still have lots to learn, but I know this is the right place for me.

So, this is a time of great excitement for me. I get to lead these incredibly talented performers through 8 performances of Iolanthe.

Lucky me! I have the best job in the house!

John Arsenault
Music Director

Checking out the other guys...

On a side note, Jeanine and I went to check out another small company in Vancouver this weekend. They are called Fighting Chance Productions. They are currently running the musical RENT at the Presentation House Theatre in North Vancouver. I LOVED it. I loved everything about it. I left it with that wonderful feeling, that "high" you get when you have seen a great show.

I have renewed energy because I know that we can produce that high! Our cast is certainly capable of it. We have all the right ingredients. Our sets are great, our costumes are great, and our cast is GREAT. There's so much talent there.

Also, we are very lucky to have the AMAZING Angus Kellet at the piano. He is a staff pianist at Vancouver Opera and is one of the finest pianists in the city. And, I don't even need to comment on my co-founder Jeanine Fynn's directing abilities. She's a very gifted director.

Combine all of the above with a fantastic and enthusiastic board (all but one are filling key roles in the production, both on and off stage), and we have a winning combination. I'm so excited to see what happens on stage!!

John Arsenault
Music Director

Obsessed? Not at all...

So here is my first foray into the blogosphere as a producer/director. We are three days from opening night. I am literally vibrating, I am so excited for the opening! I can't concentrate on anything but the show and am dreaming of the moment where I sink into my seat and the house lights dim. John and I are so obsessed that we keep checking the email inbox. 10 minutes ago we responded simultaneously with the exact same answer to a cast member's question. Obsessed. Which, I guess, is good for a producer.

We had our first dress rehearsal on the weekend, and it was thrilling. There were certainly a couple of snags along the way, but that's what dress rehearsals are for, right? I actually teared up a little because I was so proud of the work our team has put in both on and offstage. They are a talented and funny group of people. The set looks amazing. (I kind of want to plunk a bed, couch and hotplate in the middle of it all and call it home. Is that bad?) The costumes are breathtaking. We've had a lot of good press, and sales are good. Now all I need is to make it through the next 72 hours!

See you there!
Jeanine Fynn
Artistic Director

It's all coming together now

Tonight was a tech rehearsal. I spent 8 hours at the theatre. It was worth it.

The lights are up. The curtains are hung. The theatre has been cleaned and is ready to use. We've seen the costumes. Well, part of the costumes, but man are they amazing. We have agreed upon and set the lighting for most of Act I. We will finish lighting the show tomorrow. We will have most of the costumes complete and ready to use.

I think this show is going to look fantastic. I can't say anymore about it than that. I really feel that in some ways this is going to be our best show yet. I certainly think it is going to be our best looking show yet.

I'm excited to see what happens over the next few days!!

John Arsenault
Music Director

The final stretch

Well, we're here. All we have left is tech rehearsals, cue to cue, and dress rehearsals. The first tech is tomorrow night and I have to admit, I'm pretty excited. The show is getting better and better all the time. I had no idea how FUNNY some of our cast members are. I've only seen some of them do more serious roles, but comedy suits them very well!

Tomorrow we will see the costumes for the first time. I'm stoked. They make all the difference in a show. Until you see them, it's just a bunch of people running around in their street clothes being funny.

The workthrough for Act II last night went pretty smooth. There were some bumps along the way, but a very valiant effort for the first time through from beginning to end. I am so proud of our casts for how far they have come in the last two weeks. This city is so full of great talent.

I'll let you know how the rest of the rehearsals go ;-)

John Arsenault
Music Director

Another milestone reached

Well, this is it. We have reached the point where we have done what we can. I've given all the musical notes, and Jeanine has staged the entire show. We now launch into workthroughs, tech rehearsals, and dress rehearsals.

I think we're in good shape. There's nothing for us to do now but leave it in the hands of our performers and encourage them to set their personal bar as high as they can.

The show is definitely starting to "gel". It has a little way to go, but now that we are rehearsing big chunks of the show at once instead of little pieces that will come soon enough.

We got to see our new set pieces at work yesterday as we rehearsed the Act I finale, and I have to say the stage looks awesome. I can't wait until we are closer to the finished product, with all the costumes, lighting, painted stage, etc.

John Arsenault
Music Director

Sets, sets ,sets!

I have been remiss in my blogging! I've been a very busy boy. There is so much to do when preparing for a show. Last Friday, our Director, Jeanine Fynn and our stage manager, Christine Dibble went shopping. They picked up all the little things that we needed, paint, supplies, primer, tape, sponges, staplers, and a host of other things we needed.

Saturday, we had an all day painting party. Several members of our cast came out, and we accomplished a lot! We painted our Act II backdrop on the wall at the back of the stage, and we primed the giant 10 X 20 piece of canvas we are using for our Act I backdrop.

The party continued on Monday... a whole different set of cast members came out, and we hung the canvas and painted an amazing forest scene for Act I. I suck at painting, and I kind of feel like the kid in grade school who sucks at art class.

Today, we went to pick up the set pieces that the Fraser Valley Gilbert and Sullivan Society is kindly lending us. There are fairy trees, stumps, and giant rocks you can stand on. There is also a sentry box and giant fence for Act II. All in all, this is going to be a great looking show, complimented by the amazing costumes that our costumer Alex Hansen is making for us, which we got a sneak peek at last week.

We still have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but I'm starting to get really excited for opening night!

John Arsenault
Music Director

Turning the corner

There comes a time in the rehearsal period for every show where you can see it "turn the corner". The point where you go from worrying how on earth you are going to pull it together to knowing it is going to be ok. We turned the corner this week.

I don't know what causes this phenomenon, but I am certain that it happens. Even though our cast is small, I am amazed at some of the sounds they make. We're about 70% there. When everyone is on, they're on. When everyone concentrates, we make great music. I am including myself in this equation. It's so easy to let my concentration lapse just for a second, and I can't afford to. Not. Ever.

So, now that we've turned the corner, I'm sure we are going to have a great show on our hands. Now, my energy and attention needs to go into all the stuff that needs doing. Set building, painting, props, wigs, costumes, and all the other stuff that goes with producing an opera.

I'm ready!

John Arsenault
Music Director

Dancing

So, our opening number is a dance extravaganza. At least, we're getting there! We were having so many problems with the dancing not being together, and with the singers not being able to sing when it came time to sing because they were all out of breath.

Well, last night we re-worked the opening number. Jeanine (our director) walked through the scene with the ladies and suggested places they might simplify things. Then, the ladies went downstairs to work it out. They stayed down there for an hour and a half! When they came back upstairs to show us what they had done, it was SO much better. This is the kind of opening number we were hoping for. With four more weeks until the show opens, that will give them enough time to make it absolutely spectacular.

Thank goodness we have such a capable cast!

John Arsenault
Music Director

Another week of staging begins

As we begin another week of staging, I'm starting to think about how much there is to do. These things creep up on us... there is a backdrop to put up, two backdrops to be painted, set pieces to build, props to purchase, wigs to purchase, instrumentalists to recruit, and the list goes on and on.

I once heard a quote that struck home with me. The essence of it was if you ever have the notion to create your own opera company, find a brick wall, and beat your head against it until the urge goes away!

Some days I feel I should have taken that advice. But then I have these moments where I feel like I am exactly where I am meant to be. Is it hard work to produce an opera? Yes. Does the financial uncertainty make you want to scream and wake up in cold sweats in the middle of the night? Yes. Is it all worth it when the curtain goes up and you watch and hear your very capable cast make some good theatre? Yes, it is.

So, I will keep building, painting, accounting, meeting, pleading, writing grant applications, studying scores and holding auditions. It really is all worth while. And when you plant a little seed, who knows how big the plant will grow. We shall see.

John Arsenault
Music Director/Producer/Secretary Treasurer/well you get it!

First staging rehearsal with the men!

First staging rehearsals are always interesting... you don't know what to expect from your cast. Well, I was right when I said this was one of our strongest yet. They are all very well prepared and the staging went really smoothly.

It's also always interesting when you announce to the men that they will be doing choreography :-) But, after a couple of initial titters they were all in there acting just as ridiculous as we hoped they would.

One thing that impresses me with this group is how quickly they are able to make changes to the way they are singing based on the notes I'm giving as the conductor. It's really exciting to conduct a responsive group.

On that note, there was a moment in rehearsal tonight when I really was reminded that a very small change to the kind of gesture I make really influences the sound that the singers create. The more I conduct, the more I love it, and the more I realize that there is still such a vast amount of learning for me to do. But, that's what keeps it exciting, and the desire to learn is what makes a good musician. We can never sit on our laurels and assume that we have it all figured out. Back to the mirror for me so I can see what these gestures look like!

John Arsenault
Music Director

Our first staging rehearsal

Well, tonight was our first staging rehearsal for Iolanthe. We staged the opening scene with the fairies, Iolanthe and the Fairy Queen. It was excellent! Jeanine has pulled out her comic genius again!

Johanna did a fantastic job teaching the choreography. She's very good at breaking things down into basic elements so people can understand quickly. I think the scene is going to look great once people are comfortable with it and with their characters.

There were a few musical things that went off the rails, but that is to be expected when everyone is running around like fairies and dancing their little fairy feet off.

All in all, a great first rehearsal. I can't wait to see the rest!

John Arsenault
Music Director

Welcome to our new blog!

Welcome to DragonDiva Operatic Theatre's new blog. You can keep yourself updated on our company and follow our preparation for our shows!

We've been very busy! We are now three weeks into rehearsal for our upcoming production of Iolanthe. Please follow the link to our website one the left for performance details. I have been having a great time conducting this very talented group of singers. I feel this may be one of our strongest overall casts yet! I am already very happy with the sound and I still have weeks of rehearsal before we have to open the show.

It's always an exciting point for me when I turn the rehearsals over to the talented and wonderful Ms. Fynn. She is a very gifted director and I can only imagine what hilarity she has in store for us.

We recently participated in the Canada Day celebrations in Queen's Park (see picture above!). It was a great success. We handed out a number of flyers for our show and we had lots of costumes for the children to dress up in and have their pictures taken. All in all, a fun day. Special thanks to Kayla, Tracy and Grant for their help!

Keep on the lookout for more posts about our progress on Ioalanthe. It certainly looks like it is going to be a memorable show!

John Arsenault
Music Director