The self-described “opera singing, hockey loving Prairie boy,” has landed an interesting musical gig next Wednesday.
Estevan’s own Chad Armstrong, a graduate of Estevan Comprehensive School, and Minot State, who lives in New York with wife Sara and their now three-month-old daughter Iris Louise, will be singing both the Canadian and American national anthems in Madison Square Garden before the Montreal Canadiens take on the New York Rangers in front of more than 16,000 hockey fans.
The game will be televised on the SportsNet channel and on TSN’s French channel.
“Maybe I’m the first person from Estevan to get to step on the ice at MSG,” he said in a recent email exchange.
Armstrong confirmed that MSG management asked him to sing the bilingual version of O’Canada, which he is prepared to do, but then they had second thoughts and are re-considering the request and may ask for the English only version. He’ll be prepared either way, he said.
“I have auditioned and performed in some major international opera houses, but for this hockey loving Prairie boy, well, I’ll be a little bit nervous, like an awestruck kid. I’m grinning now just thinking about it,” he said.
When asked if he wanted to lace up the skates like he did for hockey games in Estevan, and skate around the rink while singing the anthems, like one unfortunate vocalist did, before tripping on the red carpet, Armstrong said he had actually thought about it, but deferred to the more modest approach for this first-time appearance in front of a hockey audience.
“Once I do a few more games, I’ll put out the feelers,” he added.
As for his other vocalizing assignments, Armstrong said he and Sara are taking a brief break from their opera schedules to spend a bit of time with their newest
family member.
The baritone from the Energy City said Sara had been slated to appear in the Metropolitan Opera’s rendition of Othello but rehearsals and opening night were just too close to her due date, so she turned it down.
As for Armstrong himself, he said it’s kind of strange seeing as how he’s a true-blue Saskatchewan guy, but he will be making his first appearance on a Canadian stage this coming January.
“I am flying to Hamilton to sing a concert of opera arias with the Philharmonic. It will be my Canadian debut. Crazy huh? Fifteen years in the biz and no Canadian gigs. About time!”
In closing the exchange, Armstrong said he wished all Estevanites “a great beginning to winter. I definitely miss Estevan this time of year. Well, I miss it every time of year. Maybe someday I will be able to do a concert in Estevan. I know we had a few starts in the process before, then people stopped responding,” he said.
