Pacific Opera Victoria: The Italian Lesson & Bon Appétit!

As we are all too aware, the pandemic has kept us from gathering together with friends and family for dinners, celebrations and other various gatherings. It has been a time of heaviness and solitude, but as we begin to see the end of this long experience, we look toward laughter, comedy and entertainment to pull us back into hope. 

While concerts and live performances will be back soon, we should take the time to enjoy being able to experience incredible performances from the comfort of our home—in our pajamas, munching on our favourite snacks, cozy with our loved ones. The pandemic has brought incredible artistry right to our living rooms, allowing us to have intimate experiences with incredible entertainers and shows that we otherwise would never have had the opportunity to see. 

This is certainly the case with the Pacific Opera in Victoria. When else could you experience an incredible and entertaining opera created especially for you to enjoy from your couch? 

Until June 21, the Pacific Opera in Victoria has a double feature delight available for you to watch from home—turn up your speakers and surround yourself with the incredible voice and performances of Megan Latham as she portrays iconic female characters in two operas filmed specifically for your at-home viewing pleasure.

In The Italian Lesson, Mrs. Clancy, a “distracted Park Avenue Society lady,” attempts to translate and read through Dante’s Inferno during the chaos of a busy 1920s morning. The prosperously married New York woman tries desperately to undertake the task but is continuously disrupted—by phones ringing, children running about, servants and personal assistants coming and going, a new puppy interfering and a multitude of appointments to keep. 

In Bon Appétit!, watch as the famous Julia Child teaches you how to make a decadent chocolate cake amidst antics and comedy. Based on two episodes of The French Chef (Julia Child’s PBS cooking show), this opera perfectly captures the witty, comedic, quick personality of Julia Child as she turns cooking into a performance art and keeps her audience wondering what amusing act or statement will come next. 

Both of these incredible chamber operas were created by composer Lee Hoiby and brought to life for your screens by director Glynis Leyshon. Leyshon found herself delighted by the whimsical portrayal of these female characters in pieces that masterfully combine musical monologue with “playful theatricality.” The strong female character roles were a perfect match for Canadian mezzo soprano Megan Latham, whose incredible performances and musicality immediately sweep you into the delightful stories.

After the serious nature of the past year and half, it is a welcome relief to engage with artistic pieces created solely to entertain and provide lighthearted joy. Take advantage of viewing these iconic performances from home until June 21!