In a news release on Oct. 6th, the Canadian Opera Company announced that they have cancelled winter and spring programming for the 2020/2021 season. Included in the original plans–and now on the chopping block–are Bizet’s Carmen, Janáček’s Katya Kabanova, Verdi’s La Traviata and Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice.
“Earlier this summer, our team made a promise to ourselves–and to you–to explore every possible option for going ahead with the remainder of our planned 2020/2021 season,” the release from General Director Alexander Neef read. “Given the ongoing uncertainties around large-scale gatherings, however, it has become clear that cancelling all our originally planned winter and spring programming is the right decision for our staff, artists, and audience members.”
All of the COC’s events, including Operanation, fundraisers and the premiere of a recently commissioned “Opera for Young Audiences” production entitled Fantasma, will be cancelled as well. They will forge forward with digital content and programming.
“When we first announced our 20/21 season, we had called it ‘monumental,’” read the release from Neef. “What I’m realizing now is that this season is very much still monumental–even more so, in many ways, than our original plans. This is undoubtedly one of the most challenging times in our company’s history but, together, we are moving opera forward into an exciting future of new possibilities.”
