Sondra castle Sondra castle

By the end of the first act, it was clear to me that I was experiencing an artist performing at her absolute peak.

The Riel thing The Riel thing

By virtue of its subject matter and the auspicious occasion of its commissioning, Louis Riel was destined to be iconic.

To each word a warbling note To each word a warbling note

“What fools these mortals be!” 

Saxon violence Saxon violence

His shaved head in striking contrast to his dark beard and glinting eyes, the implacable Tartar conqueror glowers at us from the CD cover, while the uncropped photo of countertenor Xavier Sabata (above) is even more disturbing, featuring his raised fist and forearm tightly wrapped in a leather belt.