Opera is a key part of Italian culture, and one Barrie singer has an incredible opportunity to make her mark on the international stage. To get there, however, she's relying on the local community to gather for a night of music and social fare to raise funds.
Barrie's Megan O'Donnell just finished her third year at the University of Toronto in the Classical Vocal Performance program. With one year remaining in her studies, she thinks now is the perfect time to start advancing her career beyond school.
"I talked to my vocal professor, and I was like, 'this is about the stage in my career where I really want to be doing some summer programs,'" O'Donnell said in an interview. "He said 'I know these people in Italy, and they're doing The Magic Flute this year. I really think this could be your year to go for this role.'"
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The Magic Flute is a two-act opera written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart that premiered in Vienna in 1791. just two months before Mozart's death. The production features both singing and spoken dialogue.
"I sent [the director] a self-tape with three arias, and I was up against a bunch of people internationally. It was one of those things where I'd be happy if I got pretty much anything in this because it's going to be an incredible experience."
"But then I actually got the role I wanted, which was pretty incredible and pretty fulfilling."
O'Donnell secured the role of The Queen of the Night, one of the most prestigious roles in the opera. With such an integral part in the production, she plans on learning everything she can from the experience in Italy, which also includes a three-week stint at the International Lyric Academy that begins in July.
"Learning this role is going to be an integral part of what I'm doing there," O'Donnell says. "Learning how to prepare a role in opera because it's a big process and it's not something I've done before at this stage in my career."
Along with learning from world-class professionals, she also says she plans on singing in other productions in Italy during her time at the Academy, including a marathon of George Frederic Handel's works, as well as a few other operas and some ensemble work.
It's an expensive ambition, but O'Donnell is getting a lot of help, with more coming from an event she's hosting Friday in Barrie: Meg's Melody and Mingle.
The concert features a dynamic mix of classical opera, music theatre, jazz, and contemporary music, much of it performed by O'Donnell herself.
"I'm bringing three songs from the recital I recently did at school that I'm really looking forward to," she says. I'm also doing In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning actually, which we did in high school."
There will also be a selection of other local musicians joining O'Donnell for duets and solo performances. Other performers include pianist Elina Kelebeev, Anna Goldsmith, Ed the Sock, and more.
While the music for this event is special to O'Donnell, the venue is as well.
"I've been singing at Burton Avenue United Church since I was about 10 years old," she says. "It was the first place I ever did a vocal recital. The acoustics are incredible and it actually kind of looks like a mini opera hall inside. It's a really special place and a lot of my fondest performance memories are there."
The event also features a social aspect after the performances for guests to 'mingle,' celebrate, enjoy food and a silent auction, which features a wide range of donations from local Canadian businesses.
"We've got a silent auction with almost 50 different items in it, O'Donnell says. "There's just such a huge community presence in it and I'm astounded always at how this community is capable of coming together."
Her mom, Nancy has been a huge part of her journey in music, supporting her through church performances, Innisdale Secondary School bands, and now through post-secondary productions.
"My mom is just such an incredible woman, she explains. "She is one of the most kind souls and the warmest souls that you will ever meet and not only has she been a mentor for me in encouraging me to pursue my dreams even if she doesn't necessarily always understand everything that I'm doing for my career. She's always just been my number one supporter."
Nancy O'Donnell is notably active on social media, sharing and promoting her daughter's journey, while thanking sponsors along the way.
All of the proceeds from the event and fundraising will go toward expensing O'Donnell's trip including travel, tuition, lodging and more. She also has a GoFundMe page that is collecting donations, organized by her mom.
"I have about $18,000 of expenses that I'm expecting for this trip, she explains. "I'm actually blessed through the support of the school and through the support of this community that I'm about $10,000 into that goal. So I've got about 8,000 more to go."
