St. Albert opera singer stars in Cinderella – the haute couture version

Caitlyn Wood’s voice dances across the phone lines as she discusses her latest role in Edmonton Opera’s updated version of Gioachino Rossini’s Cinderella or more properly La Cenerentola.

The St. Albert-raised coloratura soprano makes her debut with the opera company as Clorinda, Cinderella’s oldest nasty stepsister.

One of the first things Wood tells you is how much she enjoys playing a comic character.

“In the last year, I’ve played serious ones and it’s been nice to return to comic characters. I love to make people laugh, and she’s (Clorinda) so outlandish. There’s nowhere else I could get away with throwing temper tantrums, stamping my feet and screaming at my sister or pushing people out of the way,” laughs Wood.

Beginning Saturday night at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium and continuing Feb. 7 and 9, Wood will sing three performances in Italian with English surtitles.

Nationally renowned Hungarian-Canadian mezzo-soprano Kristina SzabĂł takes the title role of Angelina (Cenerentola) while Edmonton tenor John Tessier plays the role of Prince Ramiro.

Director Robert Herriot has selected the theme of 1950s high fashion to take a swipe at society’s pretensions, and it’s given costume designer Deanna Finnman a wonderful opportunity to magnify haute couture to an extreme.

As Clorinda, Wood has four costume changes, all overstated in terms of colour, pattern and fullness. In contrast, Tisby, the other narcissistic stepsister wears pencil thin skirts so tight she walks with knees stuck together.

“I have a ballroom gown. It’s red and pink and the skirt is made from bunches of different fabrics. It goes below my knee and I feel I’m swimming in a boat.”

While the costumes project a zany, amped up quality, they match the “cartoonish” larger than life personality of the characters. And they are a visual feast for the viewer.

Rossini was just 25 when he wrote Cinderella in a mere six weeks, a year after he composed The Barber of Seville. Although the 1817 opera initially had a cold reception, it has become established as one of his finest and most popular works.

Herriot selected Wood as Clorinda after the two artists met about 10 years ago while performing Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He was Adolfo Pirelli, the barber. She was Joanna, a young ward.

“Rob is fantastic. He’s exceptionally funny and an exceptional director. I’m learning so much from him.”

While Cinderella isn’t grand opera like Wagner, it does have its challenges.

“This is my first Rossini opera. It has a lot of high notes and the singing is really fast. And there’s quick word patter. It’s been a bit of learning curve.”

That’s how you build a career – one part at a time. When she completes Cinderella, Wood will resume her nomadic life travelling to Vancouver Opera to play the lead role of Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, and in July she is under contract for a month with Bicycle Opera.

“We’re going to bicycle across Ontario and put shows on across the province.”

But for now, Wood’s focus is strictly on Cinderella.

“It’s extremely fashionable, very fast singing, romantic, funny and of course, good triumphs over pettiness and evil. Most people will find it enjoyable.”