News
Cross Canada Reports: In Toronto, political movements are shaping opera
The Vast Variety of Toronto The Toronto opera scene is quite large and extremely varied; from Canadian Opera Company through multiple medium sized companies to an ever-changing array of smaller companies. One might expect this to lead to an equally varied set of...
Women in Musical Leadership: changing the imbalance
In response to "one of the worst professional gender imbalances in the country," according to a press release, Canadian operatic innovators Tapestry Opera and Pacific Opera Victoria have partnered to launch the Women in Musical Leadership fellowship. The full-time,...
Critical Response: Performing in smaller venues vs ‘outright cancellation’
In this Q&A series, we’ve asked performing arts writers across the country to weigh in on how the Canadian opera industry is handling the prolonged pandemic environment. Next up…Michael Zarathus-Cook. What are your feelings on the types of programming being...
Pacific Opera Victoria’s “Live at the Baumann” welcomes in-person audiences
After its busy summer of online content and Pop Up Opera performances, Pacific Opera Victoria is set to host in-person audiences with its new concert series, "Live at the Baumann". The concerts will allow for an intimate and socially-distanced audience, seated...
Cross Canada Reports: Change of guard as Opéra de Québec adapts
Reinventing On Mar. 2nd 2020, Grégoire Legendre, Artistic Director of Opéra de Québec (OdQ), left for New York to attend the premiere of Wagner’s Flying Dutchman, directed by François Girard—the production originated the previous summer in Québec City at the Festival...
Opera Events Galore: Celebrating World Opera Day across Canada
Canadian opera is alive and well, it reminds us this weekend with the influx of 7 separate digital events for any mood. Whether it's a new Canadian musical or Canadians singing on stages abroad, audiences will have plenty of material to help celebrate World Opera Day....
Cross Canada Reports: City Opera Vancouver & UBC Opera
City Opera Vancouver City Opera Vancouver, the city’s main producer of new opera, presented PopUp Opera in August, an idea borrowed from Pacific Opera Victoria and Memphis Opera: free outdoor mini-concerts, “intended to make a joyful noise in a wretched time,” says...
Critical Response: “There’s no substitute for live” critic John Gilks says
In Opera Canada‘s latest Q&A series, our arts writers across the country weigh in on how the Canadian opera industry is handling the prolonged pandemic environment. Next up: John Gilks. What are your feelings on the types of programming being offered, mostly in...
Cross Canada Reports: Calgary & Edmonton companies take divergent approaches
In Alberta, Edmonton Opera and Calgary Opera are working with the same set of unknowns as the rest of the country, but the two companies have publicly projected quite different future scenarios. Edmonton Opera has announced plans to begin a postponed 2020-21 season,...
Tapestry Opera’s fall 2020 includes comedic Baroness von Sketch spirit
Tapestry Opera’s Fall 2020 season hopes to “push the boundary of the genre,” according to a press release on Oct. 13th. Tapestry’s program, a blend of live and live-streamed, offers local and international audiences access to free performances with the goal of...
Behind the Scenes: Charismatic Carmen Costumes at POV
Opera Canada continues our Behind the Scenes series, an exclusive look 'behind the curtain' with the talented people working at opera companies across the country... In this episode, you will find original inspiration boards and costume sketches for the characters...
Rubies 2020: Our Opera Canada Awards Honourees!
Opera Canada is proud to announce the four distinguished honourees who will receive Opera Canada Awards--The Rubies 2020 for their exemplary contributions to the industry: Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Music Director, Metropolitan Opera Barbara Hannigan, soprano...