Verisimo presents : Les Femmes de FILMPROV Talia Fuchs, vocalist

Sunday February 10th at Anticafe in the Old Port of Montreal Verisimo: Chamber Music and Film will be hosting a Filmprov event celebrating the life and pioneering work of female filmmaker Germaine Dulac.

Talia Fuchs is a singer and theatre artist with a passion for interdisciplinary live performance. A classically trained vocalist and performer, she has performed in productions with Opera McGill and the McGill Savoy Society. Equally at home in choir and concert work, she has sung with Schulich Singers of McGill University, St. Matthias Anglican Church, The Brooklyn Youth Chorus in New York City as both and ensemble member and a soloist. Constantly seeking to expand her knowledge, recently, she participated in workshops with Bernard Hiller (acting), Meredith Monk (voice/movement), and is working with composer Zara Ali on a piece for Winter 2019. She holds a Bachelor of Music from McGill University where she studied with Tracy Smith Bessette and Dominique Labelle and continues to train at the House of Actors with Vanessa Rancourt.

• What is your creative process?

First and foremost, I’ll also make sure I know all the notes, rhythms, and text accurately. I find it impossible to be creative if I feel insecure with the building blocks. The voice is a special and somewhat elusive because of how internal it is (quite literally). In contrast to the instrument, I have a very tactile, external creative process. I love research! If I am singing an art song cycle or an opera, I will familiarize myself with the text and its origins, and the composer’s influences. If it’s a more l piece without text, I’ll spend time creating visual map of the sound world with colors and shapes. I’ll then leave the piece alone for a bit. I find things come out the best if I let them stew in my subconscious for a while.

• Have you ever dealt with performance anxiety?

Absolutely! I still do. One of the most valuable lessons I learned is that dealing with performance anxiety is a process, not something with a simple solution. The only way to refine a process is by trying it out, which is why taking performance opportunities in different settings is so important! I learned in my undergrad to “practice performing”, which includes practicing being nervous before a performance and how to center yourself.

• What is one of your favorite performances?

I was fortunate enough to see “The Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess” on Broadway in 2012, which starred two of my favorite performers- Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis. They are incredibly talented singers with beautiful instruments, who can simultaneously imbue their voices with and overwhelming amount of honest emotion. Their energy was unforgettable.

• This concert is focusing on the feminist films of a female filmmaker and featuring all female musicians: how do you feel about the representation of women in classical and contemporary music today?

Women in classical music and the arts in general is a very complicated topic. Thinking back to when I was younger, way more of my female friends spent their extra-curricular time playing instruments or singing than my male friends. Yet, when we get to the highest levels of our art form, the gender imbalance is completely switched. So, what happens? I think it is wonderful that the musical community is beginning to recognize the lack of gender diversity in classical music. I am heartened to see the conscious programming of female composers, the making spaces to celebrate female achievement, and the resurrection of past female icons. However, I think that much work still needs to be done in terms of placing more females (and non-males) in positions of power as decision makers and artistic directors in the classical and contemporary music communities.

What are your thoughts on working with all women?

I’m super excited! As a singer, many of my colleagues are women, however it is rare that I get the privilege of working with female instrumentalists. It is especially exciting because our fearless organizer, Christine, is also a woman. Yay for women in positions of power!

• What is your favorite food?

Dark chocolate!

Join Talia and the rest of the gang for an evening celebrating the surrealist films of Germaine Dulac and the power of improvisation on February 10th at Anticafe (40 Notre Dame Est) Doors open at 8. $15 Entry includes free coffee, tea, pasteries, and other cafe amenities.

If the entrance fee prohibits your attendance please feel free to reach out of us personally and we will handle everything on a case by case basis. Financial restrictions should not restrict the experience of live performance and art.