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Sasha - continued from page 17 With star performances in Pirates of Penzance and Camelot, Sasha was completely enamoured by the thrill of perform- ing. Fortunately, an opportunity came her way that she simply could not pass up — the chance to sing for Richard Bradshaw, the Artistic Director of the Canadian Opera Com- pany. With his positive feedback, she decided to enroll in proper vocal training —a task that, miraculously, Sasha had never undertaken before. She chose to study at the University of Toronto to get her degree in Voice Per. }=—HH—___—___—_ formance. After three years at the University of Toronto, she received her diploma and head- ed off to the University of British Columbia to receive her Master’s in Opera Performance. Remember that d collection of dicti Consider this to be the point in Sasha’s life where they came in handy! Amidst all the hard studying, Sasha still made time for fun. She happened to meet her husband, Jonathan, the summer before grad school. Both were cast in the opera The Magic Flute, playing at a small theatre in a town called Opava in the Czech Republic. Sasha starred as the ‘Queen of the Night’ and her future husband, part of a performing group from Vancouver, was also cast as a lead. Three years later they’d be married and expecting their first child. But before married life, Sasha and Jonathan were invited They toured all over Europe for two years visiting schools and introducing children to a new art form to join the Vancouver Opera Chorus as students and after graduation the two were hired along with three other grad- uates to be a part of the Chorus’ touring ensemble. Together, Sasha and her husband toured all over Europe for two years, visiting schools and introducing children to a new art form that they would not have had access to otherwise. All their work with children must have sparked the desire to start their own family as Sasha became pregnant while touring. With over 200 performances during her preg- nancy, Sasha says, “people would ask: ‘How can you still do this when you’re pregnant? And I would say: The more pregnant I am, the greater sense I have of my breathing!” Her first son, Samuel, was born near the end of their tour and th le decided they needed to settle di a family home. Brooklin, Ontario seemed the perfect fit. But despite the longing for a quiet home life, Sasha’s travels were far from over. Over the next six months, she travelled throughout Europe stopping in Austria, France, Germany and England to do auditions, while her husband and son resided in Brooklin. Every day, the family would communi- cate via webcam but it wasn’t enough. While an apartment overlooking the St. Stephens Cathe- dral in Vienna is enough to make anyone swoon, Sasha says she longed to be home with her family. “It was a dilemma... travel had become too difficult,” she says. “I had to make a choice and I chose a good marriage and family life.” Sasha walked away from professional opera and, de- spite what many would think, she insists the hardest part for her was not leaving the performing behind. “Although Imissed that too,” she — adds, “but it was the ie of working She walked away LOOMING FOR A SIGHTe All vehicles certified & jons tested emissions Warranty Available Good, reliable certified vehicles from $1900 & up Celebrating 12 years} signs - ~ ee ‘oraphies 166 Reach Industrial Park Rd., art Perry 905-985-3885 Reach & Northport Rd., Port Perry 905-985-0802 Making your landscape dreams a reality Free Estimates Chris Adomeit 834 * 905-982-7: 4 rollinghillslandscapi Quality and Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed! 20 FOCUS - JULY 2010 from professional opera, but misses the with a cast that I knew I would miss the most. We had fabulous friends and . we always had somuch camaraderie of fun together.” ‘ 5 Witha second child Working with a cast on the way and a desire for a fresh start, the Tait family moved to Port Perry. Sasha explains that she was initially drawn to Port Perry’s “rich artistic community,” but in the meantime, she needed a job quickly and so she returned to her commerce back- ground and spent the next five years working as a financial recruiter. Please turn to page 20