MarKo Hubert: Featured Festival Artist

MarKo Hubert, baritone

Originally from Québec, baritone, MarKo Hubert is now based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A frequent collaborator with HSOF, MarKo made his debut with us in 2017’s Carmen as Moralez and le Dancaïre, and returned in 2019 to sing all the villains in Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann. We’re thrilled to have him back with us, bringing both his beautiful and powerful voice and his extraordinary acting skills.

Interview with MarKo Hubert, baritone

What role are you singing with HSOF this year?

Ubalde, one of the crusaders who rescues Renaud.

Tell us where you’re from and how you first got interested in opera or musical theatre. Did anyone in your family listen to opera?

I was in my first year at college studying trumpet. That Christmas I went to visit my uncle who was a opera lover and that day Aida by Verdi was on the television. I didn’t like opera and he kind of forced me to see it with him. He was explaining all the action, singing the beginin.g of all arias. I became like an opera junky since then.

Introduce us to the character you’re playing in Armide. Who are they? What are their wants/desires? What are their obstacles/challenges? Do you have anything in common with them?

Ubalde is a soldier who is in charge to bring back with his colleagues one of their heroes who is under the magical art of Armide’s influence. For him the glory is paramount and way more important than love. While at Armide’s palace we came under a spell where we see our mistresses and we’re tempted to stay, enjoying a soft and disgraceful idleness until the charms we received to protect us broke the magic. I’m very close to Ubald. Like him I distrust love and it’s negative influence. Glory is more important for me than any human love which is irrelevant and not real.

What is the best part of starting a new operatic project for you?

Creating my version of the character I’m working on.

Who is your biggest inspiration in the opera world?

Maria Callas for her interpretation. She brought the emotions and the character as none before her were able to bring. Even sacrificing the beauty of the music for the reality of the emotions.

Who is your biggest inspiration in the non-opera world? Why?

Tina Turner because with all the difficulties she had in her life, she was able to believe in her and be the queen of her musical genre.

Opera in the modern world: How should we as interpretive artists deal with standard works that are racist and/or sexist?What can be done to make opera both contemporary and relevant to the next generation?

Write new operas without the offensive contents. We see this in pop culture after all. Those opera of the past show how things were at the time they were written and the time shows in the action. They should be as they are and be examples of what we wish to not replicate. The new fashion to change everything for the sake of anti racism, and slavery, anti murder, anti sexism is just hiding things we don’t want to see and believe we are so much better than that. But we aren’t. Black people are still mistreated in many countries, murdered, live in poverty. They fill prisons more than any other people only because they are black. Gays are still beaten to death. The number of gay teens who commit suicide is still more then any straight kids. Those actions to make opera more socially acceptable just hide the reality and stop the social reflection about who we really are. The same as our ancestors.



Laurel Coddington: 2019 Performer Highlight

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Born in California, Coddington is a mezzo-soprano who has had a very musical upbringing. Both her grandparents are professional musicians, and she went into her first opera in the fourth grade! This year, she joins HSOF as Bradamande in Alcina. Find out more about Alcina here:

Alcina (1735)

 

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This year, HSOF welcomes over 50 performers from around the world, including many from Nova Scotia and the Maritimes, all of whom underwent competitive auditions. We are excited to introduce Laurel Coddington as a performer this summer!

Buy your tickets here:

https://www.tickethalifax.com/54495769/operafestival 

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Q:  What has been your onstage experience or role that has been the most meaningful, exciting or successful for you? What do you long to do next?

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A:  Playing Cherubino in Marriage of Figaro this past February was extremely exciting for me! Lyric mezzo-sopranos (the highest of the voice type) generally play a lot of different pants roles, so dressing up as a teenage boy was nothing new for me; however, in the opera, Cherubino has to disguise himself as a woman to hide from the Count. How do I, a female, act as a cis boy who’s wearing Susanna’s dress and bonnet? It was a super fun acting challenge! 

My school, Biola University (La Mirada, California) is putting on The Music Man next fall, so I would LOVE to play Marian. In terms of opera, though, La Cenerentola, Carmen, Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Cosí fan tutte are on my “wish list!”

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Q:  What is the best part about starting a new opera?

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A:  I love opening a new, clean score. There’s something so exhilarating about flipping through it, looking for my character’s lines, and dreaming about having it all memorized. 

I enjoy a good challenge!

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Q:  What has been the most challenging thing about performing or preparing an operatic role for you so far? How are you dealing with it?

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A:  “First of all, I’ve never been in a Handel opera, so Alcina is entirely new to me. Secondly, melismas (the really long vocal runs) are intimidating! Bradamante has some of the most complex, unintuitive melismas in the opera, so learning and making them sound clean has definitely been a challenge.”

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Q:  Which non-operatic artwork or piece of culture or history would you like to see become an opera?

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A:  “Ooooh – such a good question! There are a lot of U.S. history events that would be really interesting to see as operas: the Great Depression, industrialization, the civil rights movement, 9/11… to name a few. 

I think opera is such a unique platform to 1) bring awareness to a historical or cultural event, 2) share someone’s story, and 3) convey the emotions connected with the event to the audience. As historical events begin to repeat themselves in our world, we need reminders of our past. We need to be emotionally moved by and connected to tragic events in order to move forward.”

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Sevan Kochkarian: 2019 Performer Highlight

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Kochkarian is an Armenian soprano who got her entrance into music when her mother and grandmother sang classics from the likes of Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables to her. This year, she is teaming up with HSOF as both Morgana and Alcina (Cover). Find out more about Alcina here:

Alcina (1735)

 

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This year, HSOF welcomes over 50 performers from around the world, including many from Nova Scotia and the Maritimes, all of whom underwent competitive auditions. We are excited to introduce Sevan Kochkarian as a performer this summer!

Buy your tickets here:

https://www.tickethalifax.com/54495769/operafestival 

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Q:  When did you start studying voice? Where are you studying now?

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A:  I started the Vancouver children’s choir when I was 8, then at the age of 11 I started my private vocal lessons in classical music. I’m studying now at McGill University getting my Masters!

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Q:  What is the best part about starting a new opera?

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A:  The best part is of course highlighting the score! Okay no in all seriousness: for me it’s figuring out my character, my objects, what I want, what my story arch is. I also think it’s just listening to the opera and falling in love with the music!

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Q:  Who is your biggest inspiration in the opera world?

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A:  “That is an impossible question. I think I have multiple inspirations for different things. I mean Anna Netrebko, Nadine Sierra, Danielle de Niese, Joyce DiDonato…. they all have taught me something different and I think that’s the beauty of this art form! Different people can inspire you in different ways.”

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Q:  Who is your biggest inspiration in the non-opera world?

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A:  “My parents are my biggest inspiration. They came from poverty, and they turned their lives around by working hard. They immigrated, they learned English, busted their tails off and now they are business owners and live happy lives. I mean they showed me if you want something with work hard you can accomplish anything. Even when things get hard you cannot give up. I hope to become like them because they made so many sacrifices just to help me achieve my goals and dreams. I hope to be just like them when I am a parent someday!”

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Rhian Merritt: 2019 Performer Highlight

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Originally from England, Merritt has been involved in choral community right here in Nova Scotia, and has loved every minute of it! This year, she joins HSOF as a soprano playing two roles: Second Spirit in The Magic Flute and Chorus in The Tales of Hoffmann. Find out more about Rhian’s operas here:

The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflote) (1791)

Les contes d’Hoffmann (Tales of Hoffmann) (1881)

 

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This year, HSOF welcomes over 50 performers from around the world, including many from Nova Scotia and the Maritimes, all of whom underwent competitive auditions. We are excited to introduce Rhian Merritt as a performer this summer!

Buy your tickets here:

https://www.tickethalifax.com/54495769/operafestival 

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Q:  When did you start studying voice? Where are you studying now?

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A:  I first started studying in grade 7, but then stopped to pursue different things. I came back to lessons the year before I auditioned at university and am about to enter my final year of my Bachelor of Music degree at Acadia University. I am currently focusing in Vocal Performance under the direction of Dr. Christianne Rushton.

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Q:  What is the best part about starting a new opera?

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A:  Everything! I love being able to dive into the story and the characters and trying to find what makes the most sense for me. I enjoy trying to find how to show a bit of me through my character instead of totally mimicking what I think the character should be like. I also love to learn the music and meet all the fantastic people who are in the cast with me!

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Q:  Who is your biggest inspiration in the opera world?

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A:  “I am a BIG fan of Lucas Meachem. I love the emotion that he puts into every note and every piece of text. However, I most appreciate how he is so open about his singing and how he works. He often gives tips and voice lessons online and cares a lot about responding to questions and communicating with younger singers.”

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Q:  Are there any unusual skills you’ve acquired that have proved helpful for you while performing opera?

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A:  “I used to practice karate through junior high and high school and so that helps me a lot with movement and being aware of my body! It definitely helps me pick up choreography quickly! Maybe it will help me with stage combat too?!”

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Olivia LaPointe: 2019 Performer Highlight

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LaPointe loved singing and performing for as long as she could remember. In fact, she started studying classical voice when she was in middle school! This year, she is joining HSOF as a soprano, and is playing the role of Antonia in The Tales of Hoffmann. Find out more about The Tales of Hoffmann here:

Les contes d’Hoffmann (Tales of Hoffmann) (1881)

 

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This year, HSOF welcomes over 50 performers from around the world, including many from Nova Scotia and the Maritimes, all of whom underwent competitive auditions. We are excited to introduce Olivia LaPointe as a performer this summer!

Buy your tickets here:

https://www.tickethalifax.com/54495769/operafestival 

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Q:  When did you start studying voice? Where are you studying now?

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A:  I first began studying voice when I was 13 years old. I have always loved to sing and perform, and pursuing a degree in voice has exceeded my expectations in so many ways. I am going into my fourth year at the University of Toronto for a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance with my wonderful teacher Frédérique Vézina. I have had incredible experiences and opportunities and have met countless wonderful mentors and colleagues.

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Q:  What has been your onstage experience or role that has been the most meaningful, exciting or successful for you? What do you long to do next?

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A:  It seems impossible to choose a favourite role because I enjoy the challenge of embodying a variety of complex characters. However, one that stands out is when I played the title role in Theatre New Brunswick’s musical production of Mary Poppins. Having the opportunity to portray an iconic character like Mary Poppins was an unforgettable experience. I so loved being a part of bringing to life this beloved story that encapsulates a sense of child-like wonder in people of all ages.

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Q:  You are about to arrive in Halifax for the festival. Can you set the stage for us? What are some projects you have been working on recently? What are your emotions going into production? How have you been preparing for your work? What are your fears/expectations?

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A:  “Earlier this summer, I was in Edmonton, Alberta participating in Opera NUOVA. I performed in their mainstage production of The Secret Garden as Lily, and had the opportunity to sing in masterclasses and concerts. I am so looking forward to being in the beautiful city of Halifax and to have the opportunity to work and collaborate with multi-talented artists. This will be my first time at the Halifax Summer Opera Festival, so I am a bit nervous but mostly full of anticipation for a new performing experience!”

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