MYOpera BLOG

Alumni Spotlight – Alessia Naccarato

Alessia Naccarato joined MYOpera for its fifth season production of Béatrice et Bénédict in April 2015.

Alessia Naccarato (right) with Lindsay McIntyre, 2015

1. Where are you from? Toronto

2. Where do you currently live? Toronto

3. What’s your favourite MYOpera memory? Every moment with MyOpera was a memorable one but I do remember one particular rehearsal for Beatrice and Benedict on a Saturday afternoon in the basement of Blessed Sacrament Church. I think we were all pretty tired at this point and I seem to remember there was a lot of uncontrollable giggling going on. How or why it started I have no idea but rehearsals were always a good time. But I think my favourite memory was opening night when we put Beatrice and Benedict up on its feet in front of an audience for the first time. It was a really special feeling to be able to share that with the performers I had been working so closely with over the last 8 weeks. Read more »

Alumni Spotlight – Lindsay McIntyre

Lindsay McIntyre joined MYOpera for the fifth season production of Béatrice & Bénédict and played the role of Héro, Béatrice’s cousin who is simultaneously anticipating her own upcoming nuptials while scheming to get Béatrice to admit her true feelings. Crafty!

Lindsay McIntyre as Héro in Béatrice & Bénédict (2015). Background: Simone McIntosh and Alessia Naccarato Photo: Ian G McIntosh Photography

1 . Where are you from? I’m from St. Albert, Alberta!

  1. Where do you currently live? I live in Toronto, Ontario.
  1. What’s your favourite MYOpera memory? I think my favorite memory is just hanging out with the cast backstage before the shows.  We all got along so well, and during the shows there was such amazing nervous and excited energy.  That energy combined with a group of people who genuinely cared about each other just made for such a great experience.
  1. What role did MYOpera play in your career/life?  MYOpera gave me the opportunity to perform my first paid lead in an opera.  It also provided all of us with great exposure in the city.  It’s still so soon after B&B, but I know I’ll see the impact on my career in the months to come.
  1. What have you been doing since MYOpera?  Since MYOpera, I’ve been on tour with the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, and am getting ready to head off to the Hawaii Performing Arts festival to sing Titania in Purcell’s Fairy Queen!  MYOpera has also set me up with two awesome gigs this summer.  Thanks guys!
  1. What’s your favourite opera (to watch/listen to)?  That’s a really hard question.  I have a top 5 (in no particular order,) but the first two that popped into my head are Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle and Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier.
  1. What’s your guilty pleasure song (any genre)? Hands down, Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream.  I don’t even feel guilty about it. It’s a legitimately good song.
  1. Traveling is always an adventure! What’s your favourite/most memorable travel experience?  In 2009 I went on tour to China with UBC Opera.  I loved being somewhere so different from Canada – from the time I woke up to the time I went to bed there was always some kind of mini culture-shock.  One memory that sticks out is being in Beijing (lost with no maps) and running after people who looked like tourists for help/crossing our fingers that they spoke English!  I also accidentally ate turtle that same day… 
  1. Do you have a signature dish/meal that you make? Tell us about it!  I’m dating a chef, so I usually let him do the cooking… but I make some pretty wicked popcorn!  Either baked with cinnamon sugar, or just popped with some turmeric and salt & pepper.  Always a hit with the roommates.
  1. Singers/Artists are busy people! What’s your favourite snack when you’re on the go?  Everyone who knows me knows that I love snacks.  If it’s a treat, I love croissants and macarons.  If it’s for food, I really like that over-priced Starbucks box with an egg and grapes and some PB & honey.  I’ll eat anything, though.

Alumni Spotlight – Gabrielle Baerg

Gabrielle Baerg joined MYOpera as Hansel for the December 2014 tour of Hansel & Gretel to Lindsay, ON for the Kawartha Concerts!

Gabrielle Baerg played Hansel in Hansel & Gretel for the 2014 MYOpera tour to Lindsay ON.

  1. Where are you from? Cambridge ON

  2. Where do you currently live? London ON

  3. What’s your favourite MYOpera memory? Getting to eat cotton candy on stage! 

  4. What role did MYOpera play in your career/life? An awesome opportunity to work with old friends, and a chance to do perform and awesome new role. 

  5. What have you been doing since MYOpera? Preparing for a summer in Germany. 

  6. What’s your favourite opera (to watch/listen to)? Werther with Sophie Koch and Jonas Kaufmann- to die for. 

  7. What’s your guilty pleasure song (any genre)? I love belting out Disney Princess tunes with my students. 😀

  8. Traveling is always an adventure! What’s your favourite/most memorable travel experience? Being stranded in Edmonton, three months pregnant and no luggage, it was an adventure getting to the campus. 

  9. Do you have a signature dish/meal that you make? Tell us about it! I love to make a shrimp pasta dish with a tomato and vermouth sauce. It’s super fast and easy with only a few ingredients and one pan. A perfect dish for a small hotel kitchen.

  10. Singers/Artists are busy people! What’s your favourite snack when you’re on the go? Veggies and hummus.