Vagabond Opera, Friday, June 27, 7:30 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.) at West Vancouver Memorial Library. 1950 Marine Dr.
Free. Presented by North Shore Jazz in partnership with TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival.
Vagabond Opera cannot be bound by genre.
The six-piece ensemble based out of Portland, Ore. boasts an eclectic repertoire influenced by Bohemian cabaret, neo-classical opera, Yiddish theatre, vintage Americana and the list goes on.
"For the most part, when people hear us, we invoke a sort of old Eastern European world," says founder and artistic director Eric Stern, who provides vocals, piano and accordion. "But at the same time, the voice is central to the project."
Musically trained in Europe and the U.S., Stern sang classical opera for many years and has appeared in more than 30 operas. But he found that traditional operatic productions "can be a little bit unwieldy" when you factor in the cast, crew, chorus, orchestra and elaborate set. With Vagabond Opera, Stern sought to reinvent the genre and distill what he felt were its best elements - the voice, the narrative and the striking visuals.
"I always felt that it makes sense to create an unabashed spectacle rather than be selfdeprecating or staring at your shoes or anything like that," he says.
With four full-length albums to their credit, the group's lineup features operatic tenor and soprano vocals, accordion, tenor and alto saxophones, cello, stand-up bass and drums. All members are fluent in a wide range of musical styles, from classical to jazz to international music, and the vocalists sing in 13 different languages.
"The standard is very high in our rehearsal and our performance - as high as you would find in (the opera) world - but at the same time there's not the elitism. .. there's not the sort of unwieldiness of the production," Stern says. "It's faster and dirtier."
Flaunting a fashion sense as eclectic as their sound, the stage-ready members of Vagabond Opera are a sight to behold. Think waxed moustaches, waistcoats, suspenders and porkpie hats - old-world style with a steampunk edge. And their live shows often incorporate a theatrical element, creating an almost circus-like experience for the audience.
"It comes organically," Stern says of the dramatics. "I think it's just who we are."
Vagabond Opera formed in 2002 during a time in Portland that Stern likens to the creative hotbed of 1930s Paris. "There was a community of like-minded artists, and I still feel like it's that way here," he says.
As one of the group's lyricists, Stern draws inspiration from many things, but he is quick to point out what he doesn't write and that is "I songs."
Listeners won't hear anything in the vein of "My girlfriend broke up with me and I'm so sad.. ." Rather, Stern prefers to focus on the average Joe walking down the street or a historical character and re-imagine their respective worlds in song.
"In some ways it's very freeing to write about something, or someone, that's not yourself."
Through their diverse musical offerings and energetic showmanship, Vagabond Opera creates unique concert experiences and tonight's performance at West Vancouver Memorial Library will be no exception.
"People will laugh and really experience this occasion," Stern says. "We're really inviting the audience into this world that we're creating."
