“A Day in the Life” with Marshall Pynkoski & Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg

Joel Levy — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 04:30:23 +0000

Marshall Pynkoski and Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg are Founding Co-Artistic Directors of Opera Atelier, a Toronto-based opera and ballet company focusing productions of baroque and classical repertoire. One of the company’s unique features is that its productions are always accompanied by Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra – one of the finest period instrument ensembles in the world.

Pynkoski and Zingg met in ballet class when they were students and received their ballet and theatre training primarily in England, Denmark, Paris and Toronto.

Pynkoski acts as stage director for all Opera Atelier productions, and Zingg as Choreographer/Dancer. They have assembled a superb creative team and ensemble of performing artists from around the globe.

Over the past 35 years, Opera Atelier has grown into one of Canada’s most important arts ambassadors, and enjoys the most extensive international touring schedule of any theatre company in the country.

Opera Atelier has toured fully-mounted productions to the Salzburg Festival, La Scala in Milan, the BBC Proms in London, major opera houses throughout Asia and enjoys an ongoing relationship with the Opera Royal in Versailles.

Pynkoski and Zingg have both received the Order of Canada and this past year, received the distinction of being made Officers of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government.

Co-Artistic Director Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg in profile in the Opéra Royal, Versailles – Photo by Bruce Zinger.

Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg in rehearsal with dancers from La Scala for the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Italy.

Co-Artistic Director Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg teaching students from the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community in Opera Atelier’s Making of an Opera program.

Co-Artistic Director Marshall Pynkoski demonstrates a wind machine to a student from the Blind and Partially-Sighted community in Opera Atelier’s Making of an Opera program.

Opera Atelier’s creative team in rehearsal at the Opéra Royal, Versailles.

Co-Artistic Director Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg teaches a virtual ballet class with Artist of Atelier Ballet Rebecca Moranis participating from home

Marshall Pynkoski in Pesaro_Amati Bacciardi: Marshall Pynkoski in rehearsal at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Italy.

Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg and Marshall Pynkoski – Photo by Bruce Zinger

What ‘hood do you live in?

We live in an area of Forest Hill which is traditionally called Chaplin Estates – a beautiful, green area in Midtown – walking distance from Davisville subway station.

What do you do?

We are Founding Co-Artistic Directors of Opera Atelier. I am a full-time stage director, and Jeannette a full-time choreographer and dancer.

What are you currently working on?

We are currently working on Opera Atelier’s first virtual showcase, titled Together/Apart. Together/Apart will premiere on May 20th at 8PM and will feature some of Canada’s finest artists from around the globe, including Soprano Measha Brueggergosman (in Nova Scotia), Pianist Angela Hewitt (in London, England) and Mezzo-Soprano Wallis Giunta (in Leeds, England).

Jeannette has been teaching virtual ballet classes from our home, and along with our administrative team, we are actively preparing for Opera Atelier’s fall season.

Where can we find your work?

You can find out more about Opera Atelier on our website at operaatelier.com, or visit us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.

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“A Day in the Life” with Marshall Pynkoski & Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg