Pappas is dying to keep singing

By Dan Hilborn
Published Apr. 1, 2006


"Who knew that dying so many times would be so much fun?"

With an attitude like that, it's no surprise that Burnaby's own coloratura soprano Lambroula Pappas is fast becoming a rising star on the North American opera circuit.

Pappas, the star of last year's surprisingly successful Pacific Opera production of The Cunning Little Vixen, will play the role of Gilda in this month's presentation of Giuseppe Verdi's musical tour de force Rigoletto.

The show, which runs at Victoria's Royal Theatre later this month, is the same production that played to a sold-out house in Spokane, Washington last month and will be touring to London, Ont. later this spring.

Pappas has been pleasantly surprised by the amount of positive press coverage she's received since returning home after working for five years in Quebec, starting with the Montreal Opera young artist program.

"People thought it was career suicide to move back to the West Coast, but honestly, it's gotten really good," said one of the busiest opera performers in the country. "I'm performing non-stop here on the coast and down in the States. It's never been better and I'm glad I moved back."

Rigoletto, starring John Avey, Luc Robert, Alain Columbe, Jean Stilwell and the singing fireman, Andrew Greenwood, is based on the Victor Hugo novel of a hunchback court jester who falls prey to his master's wicked prank.

Pappas plays the role of Gilda, the hunchback's daughter who is caught up in her father's web of deceit and conniving.

But the newly engaged singer is not planning to stay still for too long. Later this year she hopes to perform in Holland, and she has performances lined up well into next summer.

"I've been very fortunate," Pappas admitted. "The more I perform, the more gigs I get. I would also say that I'm a go-getter. There are so many singers out there, you can't sit and wait for people to knock on your door. When I moved back, I let everyone know I am a soprano and I'd love to work with your company."

Rigoletto runs April 20 to 29 in Victoria. Tickets are available from www.pov.bc.ca or by phone at 250-385-0222.