MYOpera BLOG

Volunteer Spotlight – Greer Schatz

This summer MYOpera has had an awesome summer volunteer, Greer Schatz! Greer is heading back to university soon and to say thank you for all her work, we are giving her this week’s MYOpera spotlight!

Greer Schatz, MYOpera’s fantastic summer volunteer!

  1. Where are you from? I’m from Etobicoke.

  2. Where do you currently live? I’m currently living in Waterloo studying Voice Music and Music Education at Wilfrid Laurier University.

  3. How did you find out about MYOpera? I work as a Residence Life Don at Laurier, and was invited to a leadership summit at which Kate Applin was speaking.  I learned about MYOpera from her session, and after listening to what she did and what the opera company stood for I was hooked!  I asked her if she had any volunteer positions available as soon as the last presentation slide was down.

  4. What’s your favourite opera (to watch/listen to)? Carmen.  The Habenera gets me every time!

  5. What’s your guilty pleasure song (any genre)? There will always be a special place in my heart for Ed Sheeran.  I can’t get his song “Sing” out of my head!

  6. Traveling is always an adventure! What’s your favourite/most memorable travel experience? When I was seventeen I did a student exchange to France for three months, which has been my most adventurous traveling to date. 

  7. Do you have a signature dish/meal that you make? Tell us about it! I love baking, and right now I’m on this really big cannoli kick.  The ricotta and mascarpone filling is my favourite part – I love how I can add whatever flavour I fancy (although merichino cherries and dark chocolate are proving to be the best!).

  8. Singers/Artists are busy people! What’s your favourite snack when you’re on the go? Greek yogurt with honey is my go-to snack for the hustle and bustle of the school year!

Thank you, Greer, for all your work this summer!

~xo

MYOpera

Alumni Spotlight – Jessica Lane

Jessica Lane played The Mother/Witch in MYOpera’s production of Hansel & Gretel that toured to Lindsay, ON in the fall of 2014.

Jessica Lane

 

Where are you from? I grew up in Burlington, ON

Where do you currently live? I am currently living in Toronto.

What is your favourite MYOpera memory? Scaring a little girl in the audience of Hansel and Gretel.

What role did MYOpera play in your career/life? MYOpera was my first paid role(s)! Very exciting.

What have you been doing since MYOpera? I have been auditioning and teaching privately.

What is your favourite opera (to watch/listen to)? My current favourite opera is Benjamin Britten’s “A Midsummer Nights Dream” the play within a play slays me.

What is your guilty pleasure song (any genre)? I love Lady Gaga’s “Speechless”.

Traveling is always an adventure! What is your favourite/most memorable travel experience? On my way to a program in Italy, I was on a red eye flight from Toronto and the old man beside me stroked my arm every time I tried to sleep. It was very memorable and creepy!

Do you have a signature dish/meal that you make? Tell us about it! I make a great roast chicken with a butter, spice and walnut mixture that goes under the chicken skin!

Singers/Artists are busy people! What is your favourite snack when you are on the go? I always have a bag of raw nuts in my coat pocket! I am insulin resistant so I need to eat every few hours. My fave combo is almonds, pecans and walnuts.

 

 

Alumni Spotlight – Kristina Alexander

Kristina Alexander was in MYOpera’s third season production of Mavra in Triple Bill as Neighbour.

Sarah Hicks (left) and Kristina Alexander (right) as Neighbour in Mavra in Triple Bill (2013)

Where are you from? I’m from Ottawa Ont. I grew up on a dairy farm south of the city, singing to the cows (literally).

Where do you currently live? Toronto, Ont!

What’s your favourite MYOpera memory? My favourite memory was working alongside such talented artists and colleagues, but more then that I enjoyed doing age-lines for our stage makeup for “Mavra”, and cram-french braiding everyones hair!

What role did MYOpera play in your career/life? It was one of my first real “roles”, and I learned a lot from that experience. Although it was a small role, it made me feel like making performance a part of my “job” was a real possibility, and it is.

What have you been doing since MYOpera? I am currently finishing up my DMA at U of Toronto, singing professionally with choirs, have done some chorus work with the Canadian Opera Company, and continuing to take auditions here in Toronto.

What’s your favourite opera (to watch/listen to)? I am a big Mozart fan, so I would have to say almost anything of his!

What’s your guilty pleasure song (any genre)? I’m really into this band called For King and Country, their song “This love” is great. Very creative and honest music.

Traveling is always an adventure! What’s your favourite/most memorable travel experience? Hmmmm I have travelled only within North America for music endeavours, but my favourite memory is probably crazy bus memories form past tours.

Do you have a signature dish/meal that you make? Tell us about it! I am a pretty great baker, so I would confidently say that bake the best brownies that I have ever had! Seriously….they’re THAT good.

Singers/Artists are busy people! What’s your favourite snack when you’re on the go? I like a great many snacks, but I love having trail mix on hand, and veggies, and of course a good cup of coffee!