'Tremendous honour': Sault opera singer playing Louis Riel

Evan Korbut, a Sault native and professional opera singer, is at a high point in his career portraying one of the most famous figures in Canadian history.  

The baritone is playing Louis Riel in a new opera entitled Li Keur: Riel's Heart of the North.

The production hit the stage for the first time on Saturday, Nov. 18 at Winnipeg’s Centennial Concert Hall and will entertain audiences for two more shows in that city on Wednesday Nov. 22 and Friday Nov. 24.

Though hanged for treason by the federal government in 1885, Riel is recognized as a founder of the province of Manitoba and a political leader of the Métis people.

“I would say it’s a tremendous honour that I’ve been entrusted to characterize Louis Riel because he is such an important figure among the Métis,” Korbut said during a phone interview with SooToday from Winnipeg.

“It’s a story about the women in Louis Riel’s life and how their stories go untold so frequently, but Louis Riel is the linchpin underneath it all,” said Korbut of Li Keur: Riel's Heart of the North.

“There’s a tremendous amount of pressure. I want to make sure I do it right. The love for Louis Riel that’s in the community is tremendous. I want to make sure I don’t let the memory of Louis Riel down,” Korbut said.

“It was a tremendous success. I felt very positive about it. It resonated with the community and they really enjoyed it,” said Korbut of Saturday’s premiere performance.            

“I would say it’s the most significant role that I’ve had the privilege to perform so far.”

Korbut graduated from Tarentorus Public School and Korah Collegiate before studying at the University of Western Ontario beginning in 2007, earning a Bachelor’s degree in music (voice) in 2011 and a Master’s degree in music (voice) in 2014.

As a Korah Collegiate music student, Evan Korbut was playing a violin looking up at performers on stage. 

“I started playing violin when I was quite young. Then I started playing violin in the pit band at Korah for musicals. When I was in Grade 9 at Korah I was playing violin in the pit for a production of Guys and Dolls and being that close to the stage and seeing how magical it was to be on stage was tremendously inspiring.”

He started auditioning for vocal parts and by Grade 11 he landed his first on stage role for a production of Cinderella. 

“Denine Williams, who is the music director at Korah, helped foster my love for singing.”

Korbut also credits his family for encouraging him in his singing career.

After graduating from Western, he moved to Toronto to get his start as a professional opera singer.

“Once you’ve done your degree there isn’t really a plan. You just have to make it work somehow,” Korbut said, stating there were some lean years for him at first.

He started getting singing roles and now, in his 30s, Korbut has a long list of performances to his credit.

He has performed in operas in several countries and, prior to his performance as Riel in Winnipeg, worked in Anchorage, Alaska in an opera entitled Missing.

That production centres around missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

“It was tremendously powerful to be there,” said Korbut, who is Anishinaabe.

“I would say that was one of my proudest achievements. Along with this current performance I would say it's definitely the biggest thing I’ve done so far.”

Li Keur: Riel's Heart of the North is the first full-scale Indigenous-led opera presented on a Canadian opera mainstage.

Korbut said that Indigenous opera is becoming more mainstream.

“I hope I’m able to inspire other up and coming Indigenous opera singers. I’m always excited to see a new Indigenous face and say ‘welcome’ and provide mentorship when I can. There are so many other stories that need to be told. The more storytellers I can share the stage with the better.”

Officially based in Toronto since 2015, Korbut said the Sault is still home. 

“It’s been nice in Toronto but I do find myself relieved when I come back to the Sault and I don’t have to elbow my way through a crowd to get from Point A to Point B. I try to come back twice a year and do a belated holiday in January and often I come by in the summer to see my family.”

When it comes to younger people considering a career of singing on stage, Korbut’s advice is ‘go for it.’

“It does require full commitment but if you’re able to go onstage and do it, it’s immensely gratifying. Go watch some operas, go watch some musicals, go watch whatever it is that makes your heart soar and use that to fuel you.”

“There’s so much beautiful art out there and it would be a shame if you didn’t do your thing and get in there too.”