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STAGE DIRECTING
Soprano Erin Bardua is a co-founder of Essential Opera, frequent stage and concert performer, and director based in Atlantic Canada. She has sung with Vancouver Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, the Talisker Players, Nota Bene Baroque Players, Pax Christi Chorale, the Toronto Sinfonietta, the Oshawa-Durham Chorus, the Arcady Baroque Ensemble, Capella Intima, London Pro Musica, the Menno Singers, and the Halifax Summer Opera Festival, among others.
Erin's operatic roles have encompassed numerous Mozart including Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), the Countess (Le nozze di Figaro) and Donna Anna (Don Giovanni); and title roles in Alcina (Handel) and Paride ed Elena (Gluck). Erin has also premiered leading roles in several new compositions, including Frankenstein by Andrew Ager, Regina by Elisha Denburg, and Etiquette by Monica Pearce.
Erin has provided dramatic coaching and stage direction for Mount Allison University's Opera Workshop and the Halifax Summer Opera Festival (Bizet's Carmen in 2017, Monteverdi's La coronazione di Poppea in 2018, and Handel's Alcina in 2019).
Handel’s early 18th century, Baroque concoction is not easily transported into a contemporary context but in this ingenious production, Alcina “the sorceress queen” controls a huge industrial and commercial corporation where everyone involved is given a potion to render them completely at her mercy. Literally, they all sip from large drinking containers. The singers were very well matched to their roles; the costumes well-conceived—the entire performance was fabulous.
Sevan Kochkarian (Morgana), Jodie Alcorn-Miller (Alcina) & Sean Jordan (Ruggiero) in HSOF’s Alcina.
Photo: David Mosey
Sean Jordan (Nerone) & Thera Barclay (Poppea) in HSOF’s L'incoronazione di Poppea.
Photo: Stoo Metz
Abigail Sinclair (La Fortuna), Julia Natoli (La Virtue), & Rachel Ross (Amore ) in HSOF’s
L'incoronazione di Poppea.
Photo: Stoo Metz
L'incoronazione di Poppea opens with a quarrel between the gods of Fortune, Virtue, and Love about their respective powers over mortals. On August 5th 2018, the 17th century was propelled into the 1940s and the gods all seemd to have lost much of their omnipotence, but certainly not their voices... a pleasing introduction to this ignoble love story of infidelity and rejection. The seventeen performers all deserve appreciation. Sean Jordan, as Nerone... executed with decadent physicality. Soprano Thera Barclay (Poppea) was vibrant, seductive, ambitious, and hungry for power. Sarah Labine performed the tragic role of Ottavia with gorgeous, dramatic grief. Sage Pope sparkled as Drusilla - delightfully animated, witty... Sarah Kaye Klapman was exceedingly funny as Arnalta.
Nadyne Kuhn's play Whispering Voices performed at the Live Bait Theatre virtual short play festival.
