The first event of the year for the Vancouver Island Opera (VIO) recital series is this weekend.
Soprano Margo Le Vae will delight with opera arias as well as musical theatre songs when she performs at the McMillan Arts Centre Gallery (MAC) on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. VIO Artistic Director Tatiana Vasilieva said it will be a real treat for music lovers especially for those who enjoyed her performance in the opera L’Eliser d’Amore last November.
“It is the first recital of this year and I am looking forward to it. Margo is wonderful and she will sing some operatic arias. She performed in the last opera as Giannetta and she was very good.”
Le Vae will be accompanied by pianist Nicolai Maloff. He is the talented son of Vasilieva and she said she is lucky to have him come over from Vancouver and perform.
On Sun., March 18, Maloff will be at the piano once more to accompany violoncellist Lee Duckles and they will perform a repertoire of Baroque classical and romantic music.
On April 15, flautist Paolo Bortolussi and Maloff will perform together. In the final performance in the recital series on May 27, the entertainment will be an eclectic program that includes of the music of Beethoven. The Friends of Nikolai Chamber Quartet, who will present Beethoven, will also be joined by two singers who will perform Irish songs. Vasilieva said the the final recital is the big one and will be everything Beethoven. She said two local singers, soprano Aaike Biglow and tenor Hugh Sinnott, will sing the Irish songs of Beethoven. She said a lot of people are not aware that he wrote some Irish songs.
“I found out he wrote all kinds of songs and I thought it would be interesting to present a Beethoven Fest,” she said.
There will be six performers in all in the final recital and Vasilieva said she is pleased to provide the community with world class music and hopes people will come out and support the upcoming recital series.
All recitals are held at the McMillan Arts Centre Gallery (formerly the Oceanside Arts Council Gallery) located at 133 McMillan Street, Parksville. Performances start at 3 p.m. and tickets are available at the door.
