Back by popular demand! 

Beach United Church is excited to welcome back Opera Revue on Saturday, April 19th at 4:30pm. Opera Revue began with the question “Why does opera get such a bad rap?”. Founder and lead Soprano, Danie Friesen, came up with several answers: It’s expensive. You have to dress up. It’s snobby. You can’t drink, except during intermission. You can’t talk. It’s snobby. You can’t get up and move around. And it’s snobby. So, that’s what Opera Revue has set out to change. Their shows are a great way to introduce opera to people who have never seen it before, as well as a new way for opera lovers to enjoy it. 

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Danie Friesen – Soprano
Actor/Soprano Danie Friesen turned to opera after getting tired of constantly being cast as the murder victim in made for TV docu-dramas. Little did she realize that, in opera, sopranos are constantly being murdered, or just dying at random. Ah well, you can’t run from your calling. Having taken a unique path to opera, Danie has learned to wear many hats, from classical singer, to actor, to producer/curator, to cowboy. Danie is active in creating new works, such as Opera Revue, and Blitzkrieg Cabaret, an all-Kurt Weill Cabaret. She’s also always game to collaborate with non-traditional projects, such as The Flowers of Hell, a transatlantic experimental orchestra, that she has toured with to Moscow, London, Berlin and Prague. In her spare time, Danie can be found drinking wine, listening to music, and actively avoiding writing her bio.

Claire Elise Harris - Piano

Originally from New Zealand, Claire is Opera Revue's Southern Hemisphere representative. She doesn't mind being referred to as a kiwi, just don't offer her a Vegemite sandwich. It's Marmite or nothing, haters to the left. Claire has been playing the piano since she was a wee girl, but discovered the magic of collaborative piano in her undergraduate degree at the New Zealand School of Music. Because she likes to live dangerously, she also joined several contemporary music ensembles at this time. Since then, the weird and wonderful world of new music, and the weird and wonderful world of collaborative piano have been her two true loves. Before moving to Toronto in 2018, Claire lived in London (the big one) for 8 years, getting her Masters degree from the Royal College of Music. Now she has swapped cups of tea for cups of Tims and lives happily in the west end with 2 cats (and a partner).

Alexander Hajek - Baritone

Economic refugee of an earlier plague ( Pre-Monkey Pox ) Baritone Alexander Hajek has only recently returned from his decade long Operatic European safari. While there he sang for lots of fancy people in lots of fancy places, but ultimately felt hollow because his razor sharp wit, sarcasm, and criticism would sail over their fancy heads. Alex discovered his passion for busking one evening at a Weihnachtsmarkt while fulfilling his part of a friendly glühwein-inspired wager. He knew right away from the enraptured attention displayed by his captive audience that he was fulfilling his purpose of bringing comfort and distraction to the masses. The overflowing hat of unclaimed income was just icing on the cake. He has dedicated a considerable amount of his time and energy to raising funds for the defence of his spiritual homeland of Ukraine and defeating the mongrel invader. Having obtained his bachelors and masters singing license from the same school that Robin Williams studied at, the two met backstage for a few minutes and shared the most precious gift of all, a few laughs. The encounter left a Coco sized hand print on Alexander’s heart, and ultimately inspired the performances that you are about to bear witness to.