She's singing to Figaro

Lively City column by Dan Hilborn
Published Jan. 29, 2005


A young Burnaby soprano will be getting a whole lot of stagetime next month when Burnaby Lyric Opera and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts present The Marriage of Figaro.

"This is one of my favourite operas," said Arriana Soverigno, the 26-year-old singer from Burnaby who takes on the lead role of Susanna in one of the best-known operas on earth. "There is a lot of intrigue and lying going on in this opera, and everyone is covering up for someone else.

"There's a lot to the plot," said the young woman who earned her BA from the Vancouver Academy of Music before travelling to Austria to study at Grats and Salzburg.

The Marriage of Figaro is directed by Matthew Bisset with musical director David Boothroyd, and features Jared Bertram as Count Almaviva, Carrie Wiebe as Countess Almaviva and Lindsey Sterk as Figaro. Other voices include Mia Harris, Nicole Blom, Richard Devillier, Russell Robson and Jessica Cheung.

This Burnaby Lyric Opera production runs at James Cowan Theatre with performances at 8 p.m. on Feb. 12, 17 and 19 with 2 p.m. matinees on Feb. 14 and 16. Admission is $25 adults, $22 seniors and students and $11 for youth aged 15 and under. Matinees are $15.

To reserve, call the Shadbolt box office at 604-205-3000.

NOW AT THE HAVANA

Fox and Hounds Theatre Co., a small arts collective with roots in Burnaby, is presenting the dark and strange world of playwright Morris Panych in Lawrence & Holloman at the Havana Theatre on Commercial Drive.

The black comedy follows the unusual friendship of the incurable optimist Lawrence, played by Mark Pawson, and how his life collapses after he meets the passive Holloman, played by Jeremy Radick.

"Are you sure you know who your friends are?" reads the press release announcing the show.

Fox and Hounds was founded three years ago by Radick and Burnaby native Michelle Lefler, who both hailed from Vancouver before crossing paths when they were in New York at the Circle in the Square Theatre School. The show is directed by Peter Abrams with set design by Sara Walker, sound design by Joel Etkin and stage management by Amandalynn Pynn.

Lawrence & Holloman runs at 8 p.m., Jan. 27 to 30 and Feb. 2 to 5 at the Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Dr., and tickets are $15 at the door or in advance through www.ticketstonight.ca or 604-523- 6574.

CAPITOL COMICS

A free comic book convention at the Capitol Hill community centre this weekend will feature some of the hottest new comic publishers and artists in the country.

Sean O'Reilly, founder of Arcana Studios, and Todd Demong, the creator of the comic 100 Girls, will be on hand to accept submissions of art, plus sell and sign their own works.

The convention takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Capitol Hill community centre, 361 S. Howard Ave., Burnaby.

DAD'S NIGHT OUT

Former denizens of the press table at Burnaby city council had an impromptu reunion recently when the CN Imax Theatre at Canada Place presented the premier of Fighter Pilot, Operation Red Flag.

The film is full of spectacular scenes of fighter jets dodging and weaving through the sky, engaging in simulated dogfights, skimming over mountaintops and, of course, making things go boom. And it's a perfect night out for any dad looking to share some 'guy time' with his son. That's exactly what brought the former Burnaby council press corps back together.

Spotted at the premier of the action flick were former Burnaby NOW assistant editor and current Province newspaper editor Gordon Clark and his son, former CKNW reporter and current Global on BCTV news anchor Reg Hampton and his son, plus myself and my 11-year-old son.