9/30/55: 55 years later

only the gentle are ever really strong. - james dean

lillian alling: the manga

a mysterious woman on a journey across north america, in search of a man who is the key to unlocking her past.

who was the larger-than-life lillian alling?

here's lillian alling as seen through the eyes of manga artist sarah ouyang and editor roy husada.













to supersize, double click on the images.

aquatic funtimes

photo credit: hillcrest aquatic centre

the aquatic centre at hillcrest park opened at the end of july but sean and i did not have the time to check it out. until last night. the state of the art aquatic centre replaced the nearby percy norman pool which has been shut down. and may i say wow?



the new "It" pool features:

* a 50m pool with movable floor (purr-fect for me to practice in)
* a pool for laps and swim lessons only
* 1, 3 and 5 metre diving pool
* leisure pool with water toys, sprays, jets, water cannons and lazy river
* outdoor pool with sprays and bubble jets
* 70 person hot tub
* large steam room and sauna

i never seen a lazy river at a pool before but it was kinda fun letting the jet powered stream of water push and carry you along in a circle.

hmmm. i think it's time for me to get back into swim practice.

the wind beneath your wings

it would be just like us to decide on a spur-of-the-moment adventure and end up somewhere completely different than where we wanted to be.

after breakfast, we decided to drive towards the north shore mountains to see the eye of the wind turbine. the 65 meter tall turbine just got powered up this past wednesday. sean found out that the turbine has an observatory with a wicked view of vancouver.

so with enthusiasm, gumption and the sunshine on our backs, we set out on our mission to be wowed by the enormity of this wind turbine. funny thing is, when we got up to the top of mt seymour and asked guest services where we could find the turbine (cuz we lost sight of it on our upward drive), we were that the turbine is actually on the next mountain over, grouse.

the young dude at the counter didn't make us feel too much like yokels, but we found it highly amusing that we missed our mark by just a mountain.

that's just how sean and i roll: fly by the seat of our pants. with no smartphones.

so instead, we spent the afternoon watching rowboats and kayaks while eating sherbet in deep cove.

photo credit: grouse mountain resorts

tea for three

when a deal like this comes along, you take advantage. i don't know why it is that vancouver charges an arm and a leg for afternoon tea. sure, it's "high tea" but i can't really justify paying $25-40 for the addition of finger sandwiches and little desserts laid out on a three-tiered stand. i'm happy as a jaybird just having scones with real clotted cream and jam on chipped, mis-matching teapots and teacups. it's just more charming.

still, never turn down afternoon tea.

so on friday, a couple of co-workers and i took an extended lunch to go to urban tea merchant and treat ourselves for all the OT we've been putting in. with a gazillion choices of tea, from black, green, oolang, white, yerba, rooibos and herbal, you'd think i'd have a hard time choosing. but i went with the old standby - earl grey traditional. yes, i'm not very experimental when it comes to tea. i like it black. and since they didn't offer orange pekoe or english breakfast, earl grey was my choice.



this cuppa went well with the smoked salmon, cucumber and curried egg finger sandwiches. the only drawback was that the petite tea only came with one scone per person. what was interesting was the kundalini tea-infused gelée that accompanied the devon cream, instead of strawberry jam. maybe i could get use to this kind of afternoon tea, after all.

not a bad way to end a very long week.

VO gets QR coded

what in pixelated heck is THAT and what's it doing on the VO blog?

for the uninitiated, this is what's called a QR code aka quick response code. made up of black or coloured modules on a white square background, the information that's embedded in a QR code will direct you to a website, a contact number or other data.

in order to read a QR code, you must have a smartphone such as the iPhone, blackberry or android, a newer model mobile phone with a camera or a QR scanner. some smartphones already come installed with QR code readers, while others just require a simple and free download of a reader such as neo, mobio, among a slew of other options.

for example, once scanned, the above QR code will link you to the www.vancouveropera.ca website. neato!

QR codes have been in use in japan since 1994. you can find them practically everywhere and on most everything: from magazines to posters, billboards, food wrappers and menus.

and QR codes are making their way to north america. in fact, you may have already seen our transit posters with our QR code around the city. posted earlier this month, you can find them at:

cambie street and W. 54th avenue
clark street and E. 3rd avenue
E. 49th avenue and victoria street
E. broadway and prince edward street
E. hastings street and windermere street
E. 41st avenue and windsor street
E. hastings street and princess street
kingsway and knight street
fraser street and E. 35th avenue
main street and E. 36th avenue

if these transit stops are nowhere near you, don't worry. starting monday, we'll be blanketing metro vancouver with 2500 street posters, all of which will have the same QR code on them.

so what's behind our mysterious QR code?

exclusive behind-the-scenes access to all things lillian alling, including photos, audio tracks and video. fresh content will be posted weekly, so be sure to check back regularly.

for those who don't have smartphones, not to fear, we will be re-posting all the content on the VO blog at a later date.

vancouver opera is excited about using this technology to enhance your experience at our operas. we hope you enjoy this new feature.

best arts web site

oh happy day!

vancouver opera landed in the georgia straight's best of vancouver 2010 issue. under the arts category, vancouver opera was named best arts web site.

here's what the georgia straight contributors had to say:

It may specialize in a centuries-old art form, but the Vancouver Opera is ahead of the times when it comes to its Web presence. Head to www.vancouveropera.ca and you can watch videos of rehearsals and audience responses, listen to podcasts, or, funkiest of all, check out the Opera Manga—illustrated versions of the pieces on its seasonal roster. The VO also has its own blog, plus a phalanx of live bloggers covering its shows; it sponsors a video contest via YouTube called Operabot; and it ranks as one of the few arts organizations in North America to employ full-time staff dedicated to social media. Yes, the team even tweets from backstage on opening night.

thank you georgia straight for this amazing honour!

now if you'll excuse us, we're going to run out and empty all the newstands for this week's issue to paste up on our office walls.

lillian alling in your glass

photo credit: four seasons hotel

a romantic dinner. drinks after work. a girls night out. a business lunch meeting.

what do they all have in common?

there are all great occasions to try out the new lillian alling cocktail drink at YEW restaurant and bar in the four seasons hotel!

heard on last weekend's saturday afternoon at the opera, YEW bartender extraordinaire justin taylor concocted this utterly original cocktail. FYI, justin also came up with the 2010 winter olympic cocktails for YEW last winter.

as for the lillian alling cocktail, justin says it's "dramatic looking for the opera crowd and refreshing & delicious for a journey like Lillian's."

lillian alling cocktail:

2 oz vodka

1/4 tsp red cayenne pepper sauce

1/4 tsp peach bitters

3/4oz elderflower cordial

1 oz fresh lime juice

1 oz fresh cucumber

pinch of fresh cilantro

top with seltzer water and serve in an oversized wine goblet with a tied cucumber slice.

YEW restaurant is open everyday from 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm for dinner.

YEW bar is open sunday through wednesday 11:00am - midnight & thursday through saturday 11:00am - 1:00am

perfect times for a pre-show drink to get you in the mood for lillian alling or as a nightcap after our world premiere.

enjoy. (but please drink responsibly).

jonesy turns one

we don't really know the actual date jonesy was born on, but we do know she was 3 months old when we adopted her last december. so sean decided to christen saturday september 18 as her birthday from here on outwards.

we did a little spoilin' for her first birthday. you'd think she was a human or something.

check out her goodies:



we got her the typical cat toys, such as a laser pointer and some rollie jingle balls. but our best finds included a kiddle cuddle pal soother for cats. it's like a hot water bottle for women!

we totally got suckered in by all the marketing messages on the package:

* the kitty cuddle pal is a soft, soothing pillow that is filled with buckwheat that can be warmed in the microwave to give your cat extra comfort when he or she needs it most.
* great for naptime or bedtime or when your cat is feeling stressed.
* use the kitty cuddle pal to provide a warmth and comfort for your kitten or cat.
* simply microwave this toy and place with your cat when you're away, or any other time she needs comfort.

and then there is the 2 pack rabbit and panda doggie squeeze toy, to line jonesy's bed. and they're small enough for her to play with. but if you ask me, i think this one was just for sean.

and she got to play with her rubber duckies in the bath today.


one little ducky...two little duckies...three little duckies...


knockin' the little duckies off the ledge


trying to catch the spray


getting shampoo'd



happy birthday. wet little monkey.

happy workiversary to me

today marks 3 years at the opera.



where did the time go?

brunch, zombies & the dread pirate roberts

a purr-fect little saturday that we had been looking forward to for the past couple of weeks.



started the morning off with brunch at the well. our first time there and my what big servings they have! i got the smoked salmon scramble, while sean got the buon giorno, an omelette filled with Italian sausage, mushrooms and peppers and served in a toasted baguette. the presentation was pleasing to the eye and the service was tip top. we'll have to go again.

in the afternoon, we just HAD to go see resident evil: afterlife. we're both fans of the franchise, it's filmed in 3D and c'mon, milla jovovich. not only is she insanely hot, but she gets to kick zombie ass.



i still think resident evil: extinction is the best of the quadrilogy, but afterlife had some awesome multiple millas vs. umbrella corporation fight scenes. and not to mention fighting the zombie horde at the prison. a fun check-your-brain-at-the-door movie.

sean surprised me after dinner with a dvd he picked up - the princess bride. who doesn't love this movie? this movie is considered a childhood favourite to pretty much everyone i know.

scaling the cliffs of insanity. battling rodents of unusual size. facing torture in the pit of despair.

we need more lazy saturdays like today.

friday night lights

given that we had less than a day to get the word out, the turnout of 250+ at the start of project nightfire tonight was surprisingly good. i got there at 815pm to chat with the guys at rival school and take in the set-up. as we came upon 9pm, there was a big crowd around the vancouver art gallery fountain eagerly waiting in anticipation.

the weather behaved, the crowd was good and although there was a hiccup on its first run, i think the crowd was pleased with the animation on the VAG's facade.

i may be completely biased here, but i thought that the booming sounds of jose carreras belting out nessun dorma in the middle of downtown was a total ear-catcher. imagine, you're walking down the street and all of a sudden, you hear the famous aria from turandot. wouldn't you just gravitate to the music?

here are some pictures:


testing 1,2,3...


checking the calibration


project nightfire stills

and the video:


video credit: rival schools

the rival schools team are planning on another 3D animated building manipulation in december. should be fun to see what they come up with.

press play for slideshow or to go to my flickr, click here.

welcome operabot 2.0

operabot 2.0 has invaded the opera world!

last season's operabot animation contest was so successful, we decided to build another operabot. watch out world - operabot 2.0 is slicker, faster and more cunning then its predecessor.

animators from across north america will again be challenged to create an a 4 minutes or less animated short, but this time of an interperetation of VO's season closer, giuseppe verdi's la traviata.

the top three winners will be chosen by a panel of judges from vancouver-area animation studios including EA, rainmaker entertainment, rival schools, nerd corps and bardel. prizes up for grabs will include wacom cintiq 21UX (first prize), toon boom animate pro (second prize) adobe creative suite 5 (third prize). one prize per winner.

submissions will be uploaded to vancouver opera's Youtube channel. music for operabot 2.0 can be found here and are courtesy of EMI music canada.

selections include:

* libiamo ne’ lieti calici
* sempre libera
* ah! dite alla giovine
* parigi, o cara, noi lasceremo

the contest runs september 1, 2010 to february 28, 2011 and is open to all residents of the US and canada, 18+ years or older. official rules can be found at www.vancouveropera.ca. everyone who enters will receive 2 tickets to la traviata, so everyone is a winner!

to give you an idea of all the amazing and inspirational talent that is out there, here are the top 3 winners from last season's operabot contest.


created by: brandon cathey, art institute of colorado


created by: gabriela meijia and chris holbrow, vancouver


created by: arron robinson, olaf miller and curt spurging, vancouver

we can't wait to see all the mind-blowin' brilliance this year. good luck, operabot-ers!

9/28 update: rainmaker entertainment joins the panel of operabot 2.0 judges

11/5 update: here are the updated prize packs for operabot 2.0:

prizes (3):

first prize (1) wacom CINTIQ 21UX (value: $1,999 USD), (1) toon boom animate PRO (value: $1,999 USD)

second prize (1) toon boom animate (one license value: $699 USD), (1) wacom intuos4 wireless (value: $400 USD)

third prize (1) toon boom “animate” (value: $499 USD)

illustration by roy husada

project nightfire tonight!

tonight is the night!

rival schools' project nightfire will be projected onto the georgia street exterior facade of the vancouver art gallery, starting at 9pm.

roy husada and the rival schools team has worked for months on project nightfire. they created the project completely from the ground up: design, implementation, lighting, and animation.


setting up for project nightfire


a miniature cardboard model of the VAG was constructed for lighting tests

project nightfire will be a first of it's kind in north america. expect light and shadow to change the form of the VAG; walls will appear to fall away, columns will distort and surfaces will displace. if you've seen videos of the samsung 3D art installation in amsterdam, you'll no doubt agree, this will wow the crowds.

Nightfire - Sept 6 Test at the Vancouver Art Gallery from Rival Schools on Vimeo.

project nightfire will be projected tonight and tomorrow, starting at 9pm. over one hour on each night, the animation will play every 10 minutes to the music nessun dorma from giacomo puccini's turandot. a single animated sequence will last approximately 5 minutes and will be played about 6 times per night.



so come down tonight and tomorrow to see rival schools inspire people across the country to experiment with digital storytelling and explore new forms of narrative art. vancouver opera is pleased to support this event with logistical assistance.

see you there!

photos & video credits: rival schools

info freako

i like my infographics. and this inception one by dehahs seriously kicks ass. double click on the image for all the awesomeness.

project nightfire

our friends at rival schools are planning something pretty spectacular. you know them as the super talented and creative bunch who designs all of our opera mangas. but mangas are just the tip of the iceberg. rival schools are also a much in-demand strategic design and content firm, having created campaigns for puma, Xbox 360, YVR and translink.

for their most ambitious project to date, roy husada and his team at rival schools will present project nightfire, a one-of-a-kind animation meets public art installation event projected on the exterior walls of vancouver art gallery.



the 3D building manipulation piece tells the story of a fallen angel and will be set to the music of giacomo puccini's nessun dorma.

so come down friday and saturday and be visually amazed as animation, architecture and opera blend together to create an unforgettable work of art.

september 10th & 11th 9pm
vancouver art gallery (georgia st. side)

lillian alling set models

our director of production, terry harper, came back from banff a couple of weeks ago and instead of bringing us touristy t-shirts, he bought us pictures of the lillian alling set models.











terry returns to banff this week and the next time he returns, he'll be bringing the real life sets back with him!

social media spotlight: vancouver opera

Vancouver Opera’s social media presence, headed by photography/fashion buff and technology maven Ling Chan, goes where few opera companies have gone before. In order to achieve their goal of increasing brand awareness and facilitating two way communications with their followers, the $9 million opera company has launched initiatives like manga (a traditionally Japanese style of comic) and an annual animation contest, for instance. Currently on the company’s blog is a serial feature written in the voice of the main character of their world premiere opera, Lillian Alling.

Vancouver Opera takes ideas that many non-profit arts companies might deem risky or unsustainable and, through a combination of sheer creativity, thorough execution and diligent tracking, have made the Vancouver Opera social media sites vibrant, interesting, and unique. ~ technology in the arts

i had the pleasure of meeting amelia northrup, social media assistant at the center for arts management and technology, at the opera america conference when she sat in on my presentation. and although we tried a few times to connect for a sit-down, the seminars and keynotes kept us busy and on different schedules. but recently, i finally got a chance to answer all of amelia's questions! thanks amelia for the wonderful write-up!

to check out my interview, click here.

introducing myself: risk management style

the topic of today's annual day long staff retreat was risk management. for our first exercise our facilitator, ludmijla, challenged each of us to introduce ourselves to the group, but with a twist. we were instructed to go out on a limb when telling everyone something they might not know about ourselves.

one person told of their checkered past and how they were arrested and had the mark of the arrest follow them for years whenever they crossed the border. another staffer who used to be a track and field star, shared with the group of the time she did the hammer throw and accidentally hit someone square in the sternum with the weight. in her defense, that person had been told repeatedly to move out of the way but chose not to. another staffer told of how she used to be a shepherdess and knows how to milk a cow, shear a sheep and churn butter. and in an apocalypse, we'd probably want her on our side. another staffer used to run competitively at the provincial level when she was a teenager. another abandoned aspirations of photography for a career in theatre arts. another staffer regaled us with how she overcame her fear of heights while being suspended in a glow worm cave in new zealand.

so how would i introduce myself?

hello, my name is ling. at the risk of sounding like a complete nutbar, horror movies have done quite the number on me. i used to be quite the horror movie aficionado, having started watching them when i was 11-12 years old. the really scary ones from the 70s and 80s, like the omen, rosemary's baby and amityville horror. watching horror movies that young accentuated my already overactive imagination and cursed me in growing up to be a slightly neurotic adult.

even now, as an adult, i kinda steer clear of rottweilers cuz it reminds me of the hell hound from the omen. i will not dare say "bloody mary" three times in front of a candlelit mirror at midnight. the name malachi is ruined for me. you couldn't pay me enough to live in a house that was built on top of an ancient indian burial ground. and i'd walk a hundred miles, in the rain and without shoes, before i'd get into a hearse with a driver who looked like the one from burnt offerings. for reals.

yea. not traumatized at all.

i even put the kibosh on watching horror movies for the past 7 or so years and just recently started watching horror movies again, but selectively. the embargo will get re-instated when i'm "in that way." i am not going to be watching any horror flicks in that condition. and as for my future kids? forget about it. they're not watching horror movies until they're at least 18.

still wanna get to know me?

music to my ears

eargasm.

i waited and waited and it's finally here! the new interpol album is out today! (thanks ed for the heads up!) this is also the last album that carlos d. played on before going off to work on his own projects. so it's a bit of a bittersweet listen for me.



you can currently listen to the whole album on the band's myspace. the band looks like they'll be playing europe til the end of the year. now i just have to wait for the north american tour dates to be announced.

after all these years

when KT tunstall came out, she didn't exactly fry my burger. i didn't really take to her black horse and the cherry tree, suddenly i see or hold on. i think i much prefer when she slows things down a bit. with other side of the world, i kept the musical door and my ear open.

her latest release, (still a) weirdo is a really good one. not only is the song 'sticky', but the song resonates, especially with people who can identify with it.


KT Tunstall - (Still A) Weirdo
Uploaded by EMI_Music. - See the latest featured music videos.

who's still the weirdo?

laugh til you cry

it's real love when you laugh so unexpectedly that you also spit up on someone and instead of the other person getting angry, you both descend into side-splitting, peals of uncontrollable laughter. the kind where tears run down your cheeks. and that it takes more than 5 minutes for both of you to regain your composure. guffaw.

i'm still giggling.