Home | WebMail | Register or Login

      Calgary | Regions | Local Traffic Report | Advertise on Action News | Contact

British Columbia

Vancouver Opera chorus singer hits last note on 50-year career

Bette Cosar capped her 50-year career as a chorus singer with the Vancouver Opera on Sunday, performing in Richard Wagners The Flying Dutchman, her 118th production.

Bette Cosar began singing with the Vancouver Opera in 1973, performing in 118 productions

A woman in a costume from Richard Wagner's The Flying Dutchman opera sings on stage with other performers around her.
Bette Cosar performs in Wagner's The Flying Dutchman with the Vancouver Opera in May 2023, her final performance with the company following a 50-year career. (Tim Matheson)

At the closing performance of Richard Wagner's The Flying Dutchman by the Vancouver Opera, the most sought-after performers weren't the leads but a woman from the chorus who had just completed her 118th production.

"It's been a great adventure, and the response that I've had from the company was beyond my imagination," said Bette Cosar, who began singing with the Vancouver Operain 1973and was swarmed by cast members with hugs and well-wishes on Sunday.

"It was really, really touching."

Cosar, who declined to share her age but said "life begins at 70," is a UBC graduate and trained with the London Opera Centre in the United Kingdom. With the Vancouver Opera, shestayedlong past what many thoughtpossible in the demanding performing art.

'It's possible to have a long career in opera'

"It is a rare honour to have a chorus member who has performed with one company for 50 years," said Tom Wright, the Vancouver Opera's general director, in a statement marking her career.

"This is an incredible accomplishment for any performer, and we are honoured to celebrate and recognize her contributions to Vancouver Opera throughout the years."

"It's possible to have a long career in opera," said Leslie Dala, the chorus director at Vancouver Opera, about the significanceof Cosar's career.

A woman in a costume for Richard Wagner's The Flying Dutchman is hugged by a chorus mate. She smiles.
Bette Cosar is hugged and congratulated by Vancouver Opera chorus members following her final performance on Sunday, May 7, 2023, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. (Murray Titus/CBC News)

Dala said Cosar has worked hard to keep her voice capable of meeting the demands of opera singing.

"She always comes prepared, and it really has been a pleasure and an honour. I'm going to miss [her] so much."

Cosar's first opera was Verdi's Don Carlo, while she said her favourite pieces of music to perform were Puccini's Turandot and Madama Butterfly.

Singing has been a singular focus for Cosar as she not only performedin operas but also at gala concerts and with other mixed choirs.

"I have loved singing the rich choral repertoire, and the technical balance of choral versus opera singing has been very helpful in keeping my voice healthy for so many years," she said.

'Opera really is about people'

Dala said Cosar has been a role model for younger singers in the chorus by showing how to perform at a high level for many yearsbut also through her ability to work as part of a group.

"Opera really is about people," he said. "The chorus and the orchestra are the ones who live here. They are the ones who really make the backbone of this organization. We get soloists flying in from everywhere, but it's the people who are herewho are committed."

In addition to working as a singer, Cosar taught for several years at the Arts Connection in Richmond and at her own private studio.

For her retirement, Vancouver Opera said Cosar plans to increase "her proficiency in sports such as badminton and golf."

With files from Murray Titus