Murdoch at the Opera

"Murdoch at the Opera"
Season	5
Episode	5
Air date	July 3, 2012 (Canada)
Written by	Carol Hay
Directed by	Yannick Bisson
Guest Stars	Measha Brueggergosman
Recurring	Arwen Humphreys as Margaret Brackenreid
Previous	War on Terror
Next	Who Killed the Electric Carriage?

"Murdoch at the Opera" is the fifth episode of the fifth season of the Murdoch Mysteries and the fifty-seventh episode of the series. It first aired on March 27, 2012 (UK).

Summary

Detective Murdoch and Constable Crabtree investigate the death of Elvira Cummings, a young member of a touring opera company who died by poison on stage during the dress rehearsal for a forthcoming performance of La Bohème. Detective Murdoch suspects the intended victim was Madame Rosa Hamilton, the diva who stormed off stage moments before her protégé collapsed. Showing her thoroughness and skill, Dr. Grace's autopsy brings her to the same conclusion as Murdoch: the aspiring soprano was killed by a fast-acting poison, likely slipped into her prop glass by one of the other on-stage performers.

A serious opera aficionado, Inspector Thomas Brackenreid takes a personal interest in the crime, and the famed and flirtatious soprano, inflaming the jealousy of his wife Margaret. Further investigation into the opera company uncovers a unanimous disdain for Rosa, and a rumoured love triangle between Rosa, her longtime lover, tenor Carlo Corsi, and the dead singer. As Murdoch, Brackenreid and Constable George Crabtree delve for answers, the dramatic behind the scenes machinations reach operatic heights.

Character Revelations

• Thomas Brackenreid is a fan of opera, similar to his love of Shakespeare.
• Margaret Brackenreid can be jealous and doesn't like opera.

Continuity

• As in Body Double, the Inspector has a soft spot for the beautiful and talented diva.

Historical References

• By 1839, opera companies and famous singers from abroad began to include Canada in their touring itinerary. On October 21 and 23, 1851, the legendary Swedish soprano Jenny Lind sang at St. Lawrence Hall in Toronto. Spanish opera diva Adelina Patti sang in Toronto in 1855 and 1860.
• These foreign troupes often featured Canadian opera singers who had left Canada to pursue singing careers in Europe.
• La Bohème is an opera composed by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger. The world premiere performance of La Bohème was in February 1896 at the Teatro Regio in Turin, Italy, conducted by the young Arturo Toscanini. La Bohème has become part of the standard Italian opera repertory and is one of the most frequently performed operas worldwide.

Trivia

• Measha Brueggergosman who plays Rosa Hamilton is an internationally acclaimed Canadian soprano who performs both as an opera singer and concert artist.
• Hélène Joy ( Dr. Julia Ogden ) does not appear in this episode.

Errors

• When Inspector Brackenreid first arrives at the opera after the murder the flower he wears is a dark pink. However when he is in Madame Hamilton's dressing room the flower is a light pink.

Cast 

Main Cast

Yannick Bisson as William Murdoch
Thomas Craig as Thomas Brackenreid
Jonny Harris as George Crabtree
Georgina Reilly as Emily Grace

Recurring Cast

Arwen Humphreys as Margaret Brackenreid

Guest Cast

Measha Brueggergosman as Rosa Hamilton
Paulino Nunes as Carlo Corsi
Earl Pastko as Senor Arturo
Nathalie Toriel as Anne Marie Thiery
Brandon McGibbon as Mr. Peters
Roger Doche as Maurice Domenicke
Alison Jantzie as Elvira Cummings
Fraser Elsdon as Tony Rizzini
Constant Bernard as Fan

Gallery

Working it out at the Blackboard

The Kiss

Brackenreid and the Diva

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