A four-month-old mystery wrapped in newspaper. A fairy tale that has toured hundreds of times. A classroom full of kids who cheer without restraint. We sit down with Canadian composer Dean Burry to explore how opera becomes irresistible when it balances big myths with small, human truths.

Dean shares the thread that runs through his work from The Brothers Grimm and The Hobbit to the headline-gripping Baby Kintyre: find the poetry inside a story, then let music and text reveal the people beneath the plot. He traces his start in Newfoundland’s drama clubs, his early interest in musical theatre, and why he writes so many of his own libretti. We dig into years of education work at the Canadian Opera Company, where he wrote operas with seven-to-twelve-year-olds and built all the masks and props for them himself, turning limited budgets into creative fuel. His take on accessibility is refreshing – keep the craft sharp, the ideas bold, and the path clear enough that first-time listeners feel invited rather than tested.

All episodes of The Opera Glasses podcast are hosted by the editor of Opera Canada, currently Michael Jones after Elizabeth Bowman hosted seasons 1 and 2. Follow Opera Canada on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Visit OperaCanada.ca for all of your Canadian Opera news and reviews.

A mountain hotel, a piano in the lounge, and two lovers who return in disguise with beards worthy of an NFB classic – Mozart has never felt more Canadian. We invited coloratura icon Tracy Dahl to share how a beloved trickster like Despina changes when the artist brings more life to the stage, and why comedy lands best when the ensemble breathes as one.

The stories are wild, but the craft is precise. Tracy takes us inside her infamous Lucia di Lammermoor night in San Francisco – an emergency call, costume chaos, a first step from her son, and a knock on the dressing room door from Joan Sutherland. She breaks down the mad scene’s E-flat, explaining why she chooses to ride the phrase in one breath rather than stop, and what that decision reveals about breath, line, and respecting your own instrument. We also revisit her unscheduled Met debut as Adele, where readiness, language clarity, and a sense of direction – literally – made all the difference.

Between performances, Tracy has helped turn Winnipeg into a vibrant hub for emerging singers. We talk about teaching that stays close to the industry, and then we head back to Così fan tutte in Vancouver: a witty staging set at a grand Canadian hotel, an onstage piano as continuo, local flavor woven through surtitles, and disguises that wink at national folklore. With a cast that feels like family, the rehearsal room becomes a masterclass in timing, listening and trust – the real fuel behind great Mozart ensembles.

All episodes of The Opera Glasses podcast are hosted by the editor of Opera Canada, currently Michael Jones after Elizabeth Bowman hosted seasons 1 and 2. Follow Opera Canada on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Visit OperaCanada.ca for all of your Canadian Opera news and reviews.

A rising soprano, two audience prizes, and a leap into contemporary opera —this conversation brings you inside a young career. Opera Glasses down with Nikan Ingabire Kanate to map her path from Ottawa choir rehearsals to the Curtis Institute, then through a fall packed with finals, flights and a first-prize finish at the Center Stage competition hosted by the Canadian Opera Company.

We also open the score of Kaija Saariaho’s La Passion de Simone, where Nikon serves as the soprano voice tracing Simone Weil’s fierce, searching life. Nikon shares how she prepares for that challenge, why performing music by a woman composer feels important, and how the role expands her range as an artist.

Of course, the classics are never far. We talk about Kanate's competition repertoire – "Depuis le jour," "Porgi amor" – and her dream roles. There’s practical wisdom here for singers and fans alike: building rest into audition season, protecting the voice while traveling, finding community among finalists, and trusting technique when the moment arrives.

All episodes of The Opera Glasses podcast are hosted by the editor of Opera Canada, currently Michael Jones after Elizabeth Bowman hosted seasons 1 and 2. Follow Opera Canada on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Visit OperaCanada.ca for all of your Canadian Opera news and reviews.

A revered classic can hide a hard truth. We sit down with director Mo Zhou to unpack how Madama Butterfly shifts when you move it out of fantasy and into the charged reality of post–World War II Japan.

Mo charts her own journey from closed doors in commercial theater to a thriving opera career, and then into the heart of a work she once refused to stage. By resetting the opera in 1946 and 1953, during and after the American occupation, she finds inspiration for why characters perform identity to survive, how power dynamics distort intimacy, and where Puccini’s score can be heard as evidence rather than ornament.

What stands out is the research and the reckoning. Mo traveled to Nagasaki, traced documented sources behind the Butterfly myth, and examined how original Asian women’s stories were reshaped by European adapters into familiar tropes – the self-effacing innocent (Cio Cio San) or the menacing “dragon lady" (Turandot). Her production asks us to see Cio-Cio-San as a person of faith and agency, not an exotic symbol: faith in reinvention, agency in the face of limited options, and a dream that collides with structural imbalance. The result is not a softened Butterfly but a sharper one, where history clarifies character and empathy doesn’t absolve harm.

All episodes of The Opera Glasses podcast are hosted by the editor of Opera Canada, currently Michael Jones after Elizabeth Bowman hosted seasons 1 and 2. Follow Opera Canada on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Visit OperaCanada.ca for all of your Canadian Opera news and reviews.

What happens when you bring together a 30-year veteran opera journalist and the complete archives of Canada's longest-running arts magazine? Magic, memories, and an unforgettable journey through operatic history.

Joseph So, who has been writing for Opera Canada since 1995, takes listeners on a captivating tour through his remarkable career interviewing the greatest singers of our time. From his first transformative opera experience seeing Renata Tabaldi in La Gioconda at the Met in 1967 to his recent interview with Gerald Finley, So's encyclopedic memory and genuine passion for the art form shine throughout this conversation.

The podcast coincides with Opera Canada's monumental launch of its complete digital archives spanning over 65 years of continuous publication. As So recounts his friendship with magazine founder Ruby Mercer, we glimpse the personal connections that have shaped Canadian opera history. His poignant stories about interviewing Maureen Forrester as she battled dementia and his tribute to soprano Erin Wall following her tragic death showcase the human dimension of this magnificent art form.

Perhaps most delightfully, So shares candid insights about the temperaments of different voice types, confessing that while tenors might be "great to the ear," they often prove the most challenging interview subjects. This blend of reverence for the art and honest behind-the-scenes perspective makes this episode essential listening for anyone who loves opera or appreciates the dedication of those who document our cultural heritage.

All episodes of The Opera Glasses podcast are hosted by the editor of Opera Canada, currently Michael Jones after Elizabeth Bowman hosted seasons 1 and 2. Follow Opera Canada on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Visit OperaCanada.ca for all of your Canadian Opera news and reviews.

Why isn't anyone asking the hard questions about opera's future? In this riveting conversation, soprano Lucia Cesaroni and Tapestry Opera's Executive Director Jamie Martino challenge the status quo of an art form at a crossroads.

"Wagner ruined opera," declares Cesaroni provocatively, questioning why we still expect modern audiences to sit through four-hour performances in darkened theaters when their lives demand more flexible, social experiences. The pair dive deep into why opera companies across Canada are struggling financially despite passionate dedication from artists and administrators alike.

The conversation ventures beyond simple diagnosis into bold territory: What if opera was more like a comedy club? Why do taxpayer-funded performance spaces sit empty most nights? How might unions and companies collaborate to create sustainable models? And perhaps most importantly, why does the industry remain so resistant to change?

Martino offers a radical reframing that could transform how we approach these challenges: "I am profoundly uninterested in the question 'how do we save opera?' I am interested in what we can do about the ways that we work and the kind of art that we make that will make people's lives better." This shift from institutional preservation to human impact opens new possibilities for reinvention.

Listen to this thought-provoking episode, sponsored by the Lavazza IncluCity Festival.

All episodes of The Opera Glasses podcast are hosted by the editor of Opera Canada, currently Michael Jones after Elizabeth Bowman hosted seasons 1 and 2. Follow Opera Canada on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Visit OperaCanada.ca for all of your Canadian Opera news and reviews.

Ever wondered what it takes to succeed in the high-stakes world of international opera competitions? This candid conversation with two rising stars - Sophie Nobert and Ihor Mostovoi - offers a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain of the prestigious Concours Musical International de Montréal.

The two singers provide invaluable insights into competition strategy, from repertoire selection to mental preparation. Sophie emphasizes choosing pieces that showcase her theatrical strengths while avoiding older repertoire that might reveal outdated vocal habits. Ihor describes crafting thematic art song programs built around concepts like "water and fire" or "horror and splendor," balancing technical agility with emotional depth.

Both artists speak candidly about competition's true purpose: beyond winning prizes, these events create crucial industry exposure and performance experience under pressure.

Whether you're an aspiring singer, a devoted opera fan, or simply curious about the artistic journey, listen to understand the strategic thinking, personal sacrifices and pure passion driving these remarkable young artists.

All episodes of The Opera Glasses podcast are hosted by the editor of Opera Canada, currently Michael Jones after Elizabeth Bowman hosted seasons 1 and 2. Follow Opera Canada on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Visit OperaCanada.ca for all of your Canadian Opera news and reviews.

Growing up in Toronto with a musical theater obsession sparked by seeing Phantom of the Opera at age five, Charlotte Siegel never imagined herself an opera singer. "I was definitely not that 10-year-old thinking I wanted to be an opera singer," she confesses, "but I always knew I wanted to sing."

Now performing Musetta in Manitoba Opera's La bohème, Siegel finds portraying this extroverted character particularly enlightening as someone naturally introverted. "She's so unlike me... I don't like to be the center of attention, which is funny coming from an opera singer," she laughs. Yet she relishes the challenge, noting how Puccini provides everything needed in the score to bring Musetta's complexities to life.

Siegel's commitment extends beyond performance. Recognizing how subsidized music lessons through Regent Park School of Music shaped her path in life, she co-founded the Marigold Music Program during the pandemic. This initiative provides underrepresented youth with music education access, mentorship and concert opportunities — addressing barriers before university applications. "I know in my bones that I would not be sitting here talking to you if I didn't have access to these kinds of programming when I was younger," she admits.

All episodes of The Opera Glasses podcast are hosted by the editor of Opera Canada, currently Michael Jones after Elizabeth Bowman hosted seasons 1 and 2. Follow Opera Canada on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Visit OperaCanada.ca for all of your Canadian Opera news and reviews.