The blockbuster show at this summer’s Festival d’Opéra de Québec is Robert Lepage’s new production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute (seen Aug. 2). It marks the continuation of a long, fruitful collaboration between the Québecois mega-director’s production company, Ex...
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Preview: Ode to the operetta—where do things stand for light opera in Canada?
Enjoy a snippet from writer Catherine Kustanczy’s feature in our upcoming issue exploring ‘light opera’ and where things stand at home for the unjustly maligned genre: Operetta has enjoyed a resurgence of sorts at various European companies, particularly at Komische...
The New York Times praises Dominique Labelle, 2018 Opera Canada Awards honouree
Our 2018 Opera Canada Awards: The Rubies honoree Dominique Labelle was recognized in a New York Times article last week for her vocal artistry and depth of character portrayal (with a nice shout-out to Opera Canada!) Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, a classical music...
Review: Karina Gauvin’s “consistently beautiful singing” is the highlight of Glyndebourne’s Saul
Back in the days before we expected Handel’s oratorios to be staged as operas, the smart comment was always that they were essentially the same thing; because the Church decreed that operas could not be staged during Lent, Handel instead tackled biblical subjects and...
Review: BrottOpera’s production brings “artistic strength” to Mozart’s The Magic Flute
After a seven-year absence, fully staged opera returned to FirstOntario Concert Hall for one night as BrottOpera mounted Mozart’s The Magic Flute (seen July 19) in an English-language production directed by Patrick Hansen. Founded in 2014, BrottOpera’s two-week...
Review: Royal Opera House’s midsummer Falstaff is “truly a dream”
It’s no secret that Robert Carsen’s production of Falstaff (seen July 13), which premiered at London’s Royal Opera House in 2012, has become an absolute must for zealots of Verdi’s ultimate opera, not to mention for unconditional Carsen fans. After some highly...
Opera Canada Awards—’The Rubies’: Announcing our 2018 Honourees!
Opera Canada is proud to announce the three distinguished honourees who will receive the 2018 Opera Canada Awards for their exemplary contributions to the industry: Wayne Gooding, opera educator and Editor, Opera Canada (1994-2017) Dominique Labelle, soprano and vocal...
Breaking boundaries at Banff: Chamber Werx brings new take on traditional music
This summer, as part of its Opera in the 21st Century program, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity will once again present an interactive exploration of art song, chamber music and opera in its multidisciplinary series, Chamber Werx. The whimsically named...
Review: The Llandovery Castle brings “real emotional power” to premier performance in Toronto
On 27th June 1918, the Canadian hospital ship, HMHS Llandovery Castle, laden with doctors, nurses and medical supplies, was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of Ireland by German submarine U86. 234 people, including 14 Canadian nursing sisters died. There were only 24...
Dora Awards 2018: Orphée scoops big win in opera category
June 26th, 2018: The recipients of the 39th annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards were announced last night in Toronto at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre, with the collaborative production of Orphée dominating the opera division with an impressive five-award win....
Review: Opera 5’s “simple and successful adaptation” brings new life to Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia
Opera 5’s new production of Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia (seen Jun. 13) proves that a small, intimate space is all that’s really needed to stage the romantic comedy. Directed by Jessica Derventzis, its few set pieces and simple costuming allow the performances...
Review: Catherine Daniel brings “smoky allure” to The Little Opera Company’s La Tragédie de Carmen
The Little Opera Company wrapped up its 2017/18 season with British theatre director Peter Brook’s radical adaptation of Bizet’s Carmen. His distilled version, La Tragédie de Carmen, pierces the heart of Prosper Mérimée’s original novella with the rapier acuity of a...












