Career success, competitions and the COC: In conversation with Toronto-born star soprano Karoline Podolak
Polish-Canadian soprano Karoline Podolak is both a critical darling and a popular favourite. Already a career success story, she has moved hometown Toronto audiences and audiences worldwide with her beautiful voice.
It’s a bit of a surprise, then, to learn that singing was not her initial focus or career pursuit. Born in Toronto to an artistic family, Podolak grew up playing the violin and the guitar, and began her artistic journey in the world of local theatre and music. After attending an arts high school in Mississauga, she went on to graduate from Toronto Metropolitan (formerly Ryerson) University with a degree in Radio and Television Arts. Fluent in English, Polish, and French, she put these skills to work in acting and voiceover roles – plus, she became an award-winning photographer along the way.
During her undergraduate studies, her passion for classical singing was ignited through private lessons with vocal coach and coloratura Soprano Kinga Mitrowska. These eventually led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Opera Performance at the K. Szymanowski Academy of Music in Poland. After this, Podolak performed nationally and internationally, including with the Toronto Concert Orchestra and Southern Ontario Lyric Opera, and made her operatic debut at the Silesian Opera House in 2019.
And she was just getting started. In 2021, she was named one of the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques of Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20, and won several international engagements in the 2022-2023 season, including roles in Bulgaria, Mexico, and Germany. Other accolades followed, such as winning the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition in 2022, and being a Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation Grant Recipient. More recently, she won the prestigious Grand Prix at the 2023 Nuits Lyriques Competition in France, and the Grand Prize at the 2023 George and Nora London Foundation Competition.
For the 2023/2024 season, she has once again been named one of the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques of Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20, and so will grace international stages again this season. To name just a few, she is singing Violetta in La Traviata with Staatstheater Augsburg; and will perform in Markopoulos’ Liturgy of Orpheus at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, Greece; and a recital at Daegu Opera House in South Korea.
Podolak has also won significant recognition closer to home. In 2022, she won both the First Prize and Audience Choice Prize at the Canadian Opera Company’s (COC) Centre Stage: Ensemble Studio Competition, an annual gala showcase of the emerging operatic talent in Canada. In addition to the prize money, she received an invitation to join the prestigious COC Ensemble Studio. The happy result is that GTA audiences will see a lot of Podolak in COC productions this season. She is covering various roles, including Marzelline in Beethoven’s Fidelio, Norina in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, and Glauce in Cherubini’s Medea at the COC, and she will sing the title role of Vixen in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen (1920) at the special relaxed performance on February 13, 2024.
In an in-depth interview with SesayArts Magazine, Podolak discusses the launch of her thriving opera career, the artistry and complexity of Vixen in The Cunning Little Vixen, and how being a professional opera singer supports her efforts to share the healing power of music.
SesayArts Magazine: In your recollection, was there a specific moment that sparked your desire to pursue singing as a career?
KP: There were two moments in my youth that sparked an interest and appreciation of opera and classical music: watching Canadian Opera Company dress rehearsals as a child and the movie Amadeus. Later on in life, because singing was an ongoing interest I had and did for fun, I started private singing lessons with my longtime teacher Kinga Mitrowska. She sparked a true passion and motivation in me to pursue opera as a career. I was actually working in a different career, and it hadn’t occurred to me that opera was even a possible career path, and I grew to love it so much.
Interestingly, there were some iconic scenes in Amadeus that have influenced me to this day – for example, my favourite scene was the “Martern aller Arten” performance, which I now sing myself!
All in all, I would have never thought life would take me on this exciting and unique path.
SesayArts Magazine: How tremendous that you will be playing the title role in the relaxed performance of The Cunning Little Vixen! Tell us a little about this character and how you relate to her.
KP: Vixen has a strong personality. There are so many words to describe her: leader, trailblazer, confident, clever, independent, intelligent, playful, but also transformed, sensitive and tragic. Even though she’s an animal – a fox – there are many real and complex human elements presented within her role and in the opera. Specifically, when she deals with the difficulties/trauma from her past, demonstrated through the idea of her child within, which is very touching. Also, there is a realness when she meets and builds a relationship with the love of her life, with all its ups and downs.
At the initial stages of learning the role, I wondered if it would be a challenge to connect to and interpret an animal on stage. Though it came quite naturally. Just like anyone, I have lived through life’s ups and downs and been able to loosely connect my own experiences with Vixen’s story and emotions.
SesayArts Magazine: We are eager to see you in The Cunning Little Vixen. What are you most excited for the audience to experience?
KP: Vixen in The Cunning Little Vixen is quite different from other roles I’ve done. The music, style and language are unique, and it is quite physical. The opera, and this specific production, is true art.
I’m most excited for the audience to experience Janáček’s beautiful musical moments, as well as comedic scenes. It’s very cleverly directed!
SesayArts Magazine: I read in your bio that you have won a lot of singing competitions, including both First and Audience Choice Prizes at last year’s annual Centre Stage: Ensemble Studio Competition, presented by the Canadian Opera Company. Please share with us the secret of your success.
KP: I have a routine leading up to competitions that I follow, and ultimately I believe you need to find the fun and confidence in performing on stage, connecting with the role you’re singing, and the audience. Singing, and competitions, are a mental and physical game that takes practice and patience!
SesayArts Magazine: Your repertoire and professional experiences are expanding rapidly. What’s been a career highlight for you so far?
KP: I feel so lucky to have had some amazing performance experiences! A highlight for me would be performing the role of Violetta in La Traviata at Bulgaria’s National Opera & Ballet. It is my all-time favourite role; it was a gorgeous production, opera house, and I was surrounded by wonderful people, in the beautiful city of Sofia. My family was there to watch me, too, I was so grateful for their love and support. All in all, an experience I will never forget!
SesayArts Magazine: What role(s) would you like to perform that you haven’t yet?
KP: There are many roles I would like to perform, especially Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor and Gilda in Rigoletto.
SesayArts Magazine: What do you love about being a professional opera singer? Any challenges?
There are so many things to love about this profession. Singing beautiful music in beautiful venues, meeting amazing people who share your passion, seeing the world, the exhilaration of experiencing what the voice is capable of achieving and producing, exploring the historic traditions of opera. It’s a great privilege. I feel so lucky.
I also deeply value music as a source of light and healing; being able to move someone with music is magical, and I try to get involved and give back in whatever way I can in that regard. The challenge is that the career requires some sacrifices, lifestyle choices; there are ups and downs, but I believe it’s worth it!
The COC’s productions of Leoš Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen (sung in Czech with English SURTITLESTM) is on stage until February 16, 2024. See Karoline Podolak sing the title role of Vixen on February 13, 2024.
Mozart’s Don Giovanni (sung in Italian with English SURTITLESTM) runs February 2 – 24, 2024 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Arts.
© Arpita Ghosal, Sesayarts Magazine, 2024
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