Rigoletto House Program by Canadian Opera Company

Performance C A N A D I A N O P E R A C O M PA N Y

Au t u m n 2 0 1 1

Rigoletto

M IDTOWN

TORONTO LIVING WITH ALL THE R IGHT

NOTES

A NEW R ENTAL R ETIREMENT R ESIDENCE DESIGNED...

FO OR R L IIFE F E’S FIINEST NE ST P E ERFORMANCES R FOR M A NCE S Toronto’s premiere premiere resort-inspired re sidence invites invites yyou ou tto Toronto’s re sor t-in spired retirement retirement residence o discover the the art art o discover off lliving iving w well. ell. 77 Dunfield Dunfield Avenue, Avenue, To 416 -481-8524 T oronto, M 4S 2 H3 s 416-481-8524 77 Toronto, M4S 2H3 Call Call for ffo or more more information information or or a personal personal ttour. our. JOIN US ON SUND UNDAY AY MORNINGS AT A T 11:30 AM ON

THEDUNFIELD T HEDUNFIELD.COM COM

WWW W W W.

CONTENTS 6

HOUSE OF DYSFUNCTION: IPHIGENIA IN TAURIS BY ERIC DOMVILLE

HAS IT REALLY BEEN FIVE YEARS? CELEBRATING CANADA’S GLORIOUS HOME FOR OPERA

MAY WE INTRODUCE AND WELCOME BACK THE 2011/2012 ENSEMBLE STUDIO ARTISTS BY CAITLIN COULL

RIGOLETTO: A STUDY IN DUAL PERSONALITY BY JON KAPLAN Top: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Photo: Sam Javanrouh

Performance C A N A D I A N O P E R A C O M PA N Y

Autumn 2011

Above: The COC presents Iphigenia in Tauris. Susan Graham (centre) as Iphigenia in the Lyric Opera of Chicago production, 2006. Photo: Dan Rest

n CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY EDITORS: Suzanne Vanstone, Senior Communications Manager, Editorial; Gianna Wichelow, Senior Communications Manager, Creative n RJ PERFORMANCE MEDIA INC.: PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER: Joe Marino n CEO: Frank Barbosa n SECRETARY TREASURER: Rajee Muthuraman n FINANCE: Gina Zicari n NATIONAL ACCOUNT DIRECTORS: Danny Antunes, Gary Bell, Tom Marino, David Thom, Heather Thom n ART DIRECTOR /DESIGN: Jan Haringa n GRAPHIC ARTIST: Glenda Moniz n Cover images: Iphigenia in Tauris – The COC presents Iphigenia in Tauris. Susan Graham as Iphigenia in the Lyric Opera of Chicago production, 2006. Photo: Robert Kusel Rigoletto – Preliminary sketch of The Duke by Michael Levine, set and costume designer for Rigoletto. Production originally designed for Lyric Opera of Chicago, 2000. Canadian Opera Company’s edition of Performance magazine is published quarterly by RJ Performance Media Inc., 2724 Coventry Road, Oakville, Ontario, L6H 6R1. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written consent is prohibited. Contents copyright © Performance Inc. Subscriptions available by contacting publisher. Direct all advertising enquiries to 2724 Coventry Road, Oakville, Ontario, L6H 6R1 or phone 905-829-3900, Ext. 222.

Catch up with blogs and enjoy the new COC Radio at coc.ca.

HOUSE OF DYSFUNCTION IPHIGENIA IN TAURIS BY ERIC DOMVILLE

The COC presents Iphigenia in Tauris. A scene from the Lyric Opera of Chicago production, 2006. Photo: Robert Kusel

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

very family has its problems, but those of the House of Atreus in ancient Mycenae set an unwholesome benchmark for dysfunctionality. Incest, adultery, human sacrifice, the eating of children, murder, vengeance, madness – these are some of the more colourful elements in a checkered family history. As T. S. Eliot put it: “After such knowledge, what forgiveness?” Such aspects of psychology and behaviour have long fascinated writers from Homer and Euripides to the modern era. Opera, beginning with stories from classical mythology and being, in essence, an extreme art form, has frequently seized on the extreme possibilities of this delta of myth over the past 400 years. Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714 – 1787) was thus a latecomer on the scene when he composed an earlier opera, Iphigenia in Aulis (1774), after a long and circuitous career. He was largely self-taught as a musician, although he studied for a while in Prague.

Early diagnosis. Prompt treatment. Better outcomes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The head-to-toe medical provided important information. And Medcan was our advocate in navigating the system to ensure we received the follow-up care weÂ needed.â&#x20AC;?

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s medic medical al ccare are fr from om Medc Medcan. an. Compl Complete ete a Comprehensive Comprehensive Health As Assessment sessment (CHA) at the Medc Medcan an Clinic and Medc Medcan an will giv give e $250 tto o the Canadian OperaÂ Company. Oper aÂ Company.*

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Alexander Neef General Director Canadian Opera Company

t 0OF IPVS DPOTVMUBUJPO XJUI B QIZTJDJBO t 0OF IPVS DPOTVMUBUJPO XJUI B QIZTJDJBO EJTUJODU IFBMUI TDSFFOJOH UFTUT t t EJTUJODU IFBMUI TDSFFOJOH UFTUT t 0OTJUF UFTUJOH JO B TJOHMF WJTJU t 0OTJUF UFTUJOH JO B TJOHMF WJTJU t "TTTJTUBODF XJUI BOZ OFDFTTBSZ TJTUBODF XJUI BOZ OFDFTTBSZ t GPMMPX VQ DBSF GPMMPX VQ DBSF Call 416.350.7103 orÂ supportCOC medcan.com email supportCOC@ supportCOC@medcan.com andÂ quote promo promo ccode: ode: COC250. andÂ quote

PHOTO: MICHAEL COOPER

Be Beyond yond a tr traditional aditional medic medical, al, Medc Medcanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s det detailed ailed CHA includes:

Medcan Medcan is the Preferred Preferred Medical Medical Services Services Provider Provider for for the Canadian Opera Opera Company. Company.

T o learn learn more, more, visit medc an.com To medcan.com

* Comprehensive Comprehensive Health As Assessment sessment mus mustt be purchased pur chased at the rregular egular rretail etail rate. rate.

Medcan Clinic Medcan :PSL 4USFFU 4VJUF :PSL 4USFFU 4VJUF 5PSPOUP 0OUBSJP . ) 4 5PSPOUP 0OUBSJP . ) 4

HOUSE OF DYSFUNCTION: Iphigenia in Tauris

(l – r) Russell Braun Susan Graham Photo: Dario Acosta

Joseph Kaiser Photo: Dario Acosta

As was common at the time, he became a journeyman composer, traveling throughout Europe in search of a permanent position. Eventually he established bases in Paris and Vienna, setting texts in French, Italian and German as required. Another practice of the age was self borrowing. Often he would adapt good musical ideas from an earlier work into a new one (cf. Handel). His ballet, Don Juan (1761), based on the play by Molière, created a landmark in the history of that art. But it was in operas of all kinds that he made his name. Finally growing dissatisfied, as did others, with the excesses into which opera seria (depicting gods, kings, heroes, etc.) had fallen, Gluck undertook what became known as a series of “reform operas.” These were attempts to revive what was believed to have been the spirit of classical Greek drama: dignity, simplicity, directness of expression. These aims were also those of the original creators of opera of Florence in about 1600 and, later, of Richard Wagner. What might seem a laudable intention gave rise to a fierce controversy as lovers of extravagant vocal display felt that such reform struck at the very nature of opera. In 1769, matters had reached such a pitch that a manifesto appeared in the form of a preface to an edition of Gluck’s Alceste. It was almost certainly written by his librettist, Calzabigi, but it clearly had Gluck’s wholehearted endorsement. In part, the preface reads: “When I undertook to write the music for Alceste, I resolved to divest it entirely of all those abuses, introduced into it either by the mistaken vanity of singers or by the 8

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

too great complaisance by composers, which have so long disfigured Italian opera and made of the most splendid and beautiful of spectacles the most ridiculous and wearisome. I have striven to restrict music to its true office of serving poetry by means of expression and by following the situation of the story, without interrupting the action or stifling it with a useless superfluity of ornaments.”

Susan Graham (centre) as Iphigenia in the Lyric Opera of Chicago production, 2006. Photo: Dan Rest

HOUSE OF DYSFUNCTION: Iphigenia in Tauris

The preface went on: “Furthermore, I believed that my greatest labour should be devoted to seeking a beautiful simplicity, and I have avoided making displays of difficulty at the expense of clearness.” It is curious that so intelligent and experienced a composer should seem to believe that words are more important than music. All the weight of historical evidence, including his own works, points conclusively in the opposite direction. As Sir Michael Tippett, composer of several operas, expressed it: Music “cannibalizes” texts. The traditional subordinate position of a librettist to a composer further underlines this imbalance. To return briefly to Iphigenia in Aulis as background to the present work. The story concerns the demand that Agamemnon, King of Mycenae sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia to the gods in order to secure a favourable wind for the Greek ships to sail to Troy. In an incident uncannily close to the story of Abraham and Isaac (Genesis: 22), Diana (goddess of the moon and hunting as well as protector of women) substitutes a stag for Iphigenia, who is then whisked away to distant Tauris (present-day Crimea) to become a priestess among the barbaric Scythians. Iphigenia in Tauris (1779) opens 15 years later with the heroine and other priestesses

begging the gods to abate a severe storm. As usual, the storm is both external and internal, which takes us directly into one of opera’s great strengths: its ability to penetrate the unconscious mind including the realm of visions and dreams. Through Iphigenia’s dream we learn that Agamemnon has been murdered by his wife Clytemnestra and her paramour Aegisthus. They, in turn, have been slaughtered by Orestes, the son, who is now pursued by the furies by way of punishment for his crime. It is in this state of turmoil that Orestes and his friend Pylades are cast on the inhospitable Scythian shore and seized as victims for sacrifice.

The COC presents Iphigenia in Tauris. Susan Graham (centre) as Iphigenia in scenes from the Lyric Opera of Chicago production, 2006. Photos: Robert Kusel

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

The COC presents Iphigenia in Tauris. A scene from the Lyric Opera of Chicago production, 2006. Photo: Robert Kusel

All of this suggests the strong possibility of a “horrorshow” opera, full of gore and rant. While there are such passages for the evil king Thoas, Gluck sticks to his principle of eliminating decoration in order to reach the core of the myth, its fundamental human truth. One of the first signposts that opera had finally come of age psychologically occurs in Orestes’ great arioso “Le calme rentre dans mon coeur!” In a state of exhaustion, following the rending decision that he should be saved while Pylades is to be sacrificed, Orestes expresses a calm resignation. However, the violas play an agitated rhythm on one note for 28 bars, indicating that the calmness is merely on the surface. Words and music are in conflict, as happens so often and so productively. Another striking feature of this work is the absence of romantic and sexual love, at least in any explicit form. In its place we find familial love (the reunion of sister and brother) and male bonding without any obvious suggestion of homoeroticism. Nobility of sentiment, couched in nobility of melodic beauty and elegance, strikes the keynote. As usual, in classically derived works,

when events get out of control, a god intervenes to set things straight. In this instance, Diana, the “dea ex machina,” repeats her last-minute disruption in order to resolve tensions and restore equilibrium. After such knowledge, there is divine forgiveness. Orestes and Iphigenia will return to Mycenae, where he will assume the throne; the Furies are called off the case. This opera, more than most, demands close ensemble work. The intense pressure upon the three main characters necessitates great concentration in this stripped-down score. We are fortunate to have two Canadian singers – Russell Braun as Orestes and Joseph Kaiser as Pylades – who recently demonstrated a remarkable collaboration as the poet and the composer in Richard Strauss’s Capriccio (seen on HD transmission). The presence of Susan Graham in one of her signature roles (also seen on HD) means that we may look forward to a memorable experience of Gluck’s greatest opera.

Eric Domville is Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Toronto. He lectures and broadcasts on opera, and is a member of the COC Volunteer Speakers Bureau.

FOR FURTHER INSIGHTS INTO IPHIGENIA IN TAURIS PLEASE READ SUZANNE VANSTONE’S INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN GRAHAM IN THE FALL ISSUE OF PRELUDE, AVAILABLE ONLINE AT COC.CA/PUBLICATIONS.

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

CENTRAL WEST:

WEST:

NORTH:

Maple Paints & Wallpaper 635 St. Clair Ave. W., Toronto

Erin Mills Paint & Décor 5636 Glen Erin Dr., Unit 5, Mississauga

Centro Paint & Décor 10175 Keele St., Unit 5/6, Maple

The Painters Place 478 Dundas St. W., Unit 4, Oakville

Colour Explosions Decorating Centre 3650 Langstaff Rd., Bldg. G, Units 2-4, Woodbridge

EAST:

Markham 2000 Decorating Centre 4451 Highway 7, Unionville

New Canadians Lumber 804 Dupont St., Toronto Pro Glo Paints 1162 Eglinton Ave. W., Toronto

CENTRAL EAST: Cooks Wallpaper & Paint 2672 Danforth Ave., Toronto Leaside Paint Centre 1525 Bayview Ave., Toronto Peter’s Paint & Paper 1062 Coxwell Ave., Toronto Pro Glo Paints 943 Queen St. E., Toronto

Boyd’s Decorating Centre 590 Ellesmere Rd., Scarborough Lakes Wallpaper & Paint 2500 Lawrence Ave. E, Unit 3, Scarborough Nabor’s Paint Ltd. 2184 Queen St. E., Toronto

Primetime Paint & Paper Inc. 299 Queen St. E., Toronto

Scarborough Paint Centre 2611 Eglinton Ave. E., Scarborough

Upper Canada Decorating Centre 3259 Yonge St., Toronto

Serendib Paints & Décor 4900 Sheppard Ave. E, Unit 2, Scarborough

Monarch Paints 3620 Dufferin St., North York Paint Colours Unlimited 6212 Yonge St., Unit 103, North York Thornhill Paint Supplies 7707 Yonge St., Thornhill

HAS IT REALLY BEEN FIVE YEARS?

1 2

CELEBRATING CANADA’S GLORIOUS HOME FOR OPERA

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

1. Conceptual sketch of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts by A. J. (Jack) Diamond of Diamond and Schmitt Architects Inc. 1998

2. Exterior View of the Henry N. R. Jackman Lounge Photo: Michael Cooper

3. The Annex Quartet in performance at the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. Photo: Karen Reeves

4. Aerial view of the site for the Four Seasons Centre. Yellow lines depict the City Room, red lines depict the auditorium, orange lines depict the orchestra pit and the white lines outline the stage. Photo: Michael Cooper

5. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto. Photo: Sam Javanrouh

6. Richard Paul Fink as Alberich in the COC’s production of Das Rheingold, 2006, part of Canada’s first complete Ring Cycle, and the first staged production in the Four Seasons Centre. Photo: Michael Cooper

TOURS OF THE FOUR SEASONS CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS NOW INCLUDE BACKSTAGE ACCESS! FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT FOURSEASONSCENTRE.CA.

Catch up with blogs and enjoy the new COC Radio at coc.ca.

MAY WE INTRODUCE AND WELCOME BACK THE

2011/2012 ENSEMBLE STUDIO ARTISTS BY CAITLIN COULL

he 2011/2012 program boasts an impressive roster of talented young artists who are certain to make remarkable achievements over the coming season. After winning critical acclaim for their winter 2011 Ensemble Studio performance of The Magic Flute, the Ensemble Studio will mount a presentation of Semele on the mainstage in spring 2012. The principal roles in this special May 23 performance will be sung almost entirely by Ensemble Studio members and recent graduates. They will also participate once again in the Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour, which brings operatic productions geared towards young people to schools across Ontario and the GTA. This year we welcome four new Ensemble Studio members: soprano Mireille Asselin, bass-baritone Philippe Sly, and intern coaches Timothy Cheung and Jenna Douglas. Returning to the Ensemble Studio are eight current members who have established themselves over the past season as the opera stars of tomorrow: sopranos Ambur Braid, Ileana Montalbetti, Simone Osborne, and Jacqueline Woodley; mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb, tenor Christopher Enns, baritone Adrian Kramer and bass-baritone Neil Craighead. Please visit the COC website to discover what our Ensemble members are involved with this season.

COC OPENS DOORS TO EXCLUSIVE AUDITION PROCESS WITH NEW ENSEMBLE STUDIO COMPETITION For the first time in the history of the Canadian Opera Company, the final auditions for singers seeking to join the Ensemble Studio training program will be made public through the launch of an annual vocal competition. The inaugural COC Ensemble Studio Competition takes place on Nov. 28, 2011 at 5:30 p.m. in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, with the winners garnering a variety of awards including offers of highly prized positions in the 2012/2013 Ensemble Studio. Approximately 10 to 15 singers will perform in front of a public audience and COC judges, including Alexander Neef, General Director; Roberto Mauro, Artistic Administrator; Sandra Gavinchuk, Music Administrator; and Liz Upchurch, Head of the Ensemble Studio. Along with guest panellists, they will deliberate, on location, and announce the competition winners at the conclusion of the event. Ticket information and other details will be released at a later date. The COC Ensemble Studio Competition is presented in part by RBC Foundation. Caitlin Coull is the former Communications Manager, Special Initiatives at the Canadian Opera Company.

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

Jacqueline Woodley as Papagena and Adrian Kramer as Papageno (far left) and Simone Osborne as Pamina and Christopher Enns as Tamino (right) in the COC Ensemble Studio performance of The Magic Flute, 2011. Photos: Michael Cooper

Mireille Asselin

Ambur Braid

Rihab Chaieb

Timothy Cheung

Neil Craighead

Jenna Douglas

Christopher Enns

Adrian Kramer

Ileana Montalbetti

Simone Osborne

Philippe Sly

Jacqueline Woodley

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE STUDIO, PLEASE VISIT THE ENSEMBLE PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE AT COC.CA, AND READ CAITLIN COULLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ARTICLE IN THE FALL ISSUE OF PRELUDE, AVAILABLE ONLINE AT COC.CA/PUBLICATIONS.

Catch up with blogs and enjoy the new COC Radio at coc.ca.

ALEXANDER NEEF, General Director

RIGOLETTO by Giuseppe Verdi Opera in Three Acts, Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, after Victor Hugo’s Le roi s’amuse. First performance: Teatro la Fenice, Venice, March 11, 1851 A new co-production with English National Opera, based on the Lyric Opera of Chicago production, 2000 Last performed by the COC in 2004 Sept. 29, 30, Oct. 2, 5, 8, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 2011 Sung in Italian with English SURTITLESTM

The CasT (in order of vocal appearance)

The Duke of Mantua Borsa Countess Ceprano Rigoletto Marullo Count Ceprano Count Monterone Sparafucile Gilda

Giovanna A Page An Usher Maddalena Conductor: Director: Set and Costume Designer: Lighting Designer: Associate Set and Costume Designer: Associate Lighting Designer: Chorus Master: Stage Manager: SURTITLESTM Producer:

David Lomelí (Sept. 30, Oct. 2, 8, 13, 17, 20) Dmitri Pittas (Sept. 29, Oct. 5, 14, 16, 18, 22) John Kriter Mireille Asselin† Quinn Kelsey (Sept. 29, Oct. 2, 5, 8, 14, 16, 18, 22) Lester Lynch (Sept. 30, Oct. 13, 17, 20) Adrian Kramer† Alain Coulombe^ Robert Pomakov Phillip Ens Ekaterina Sadovnikova (Sept. 29, Oct. 2, 5, 8, 14, 16, 18, 22) Simone Osborne† (Sept. 30, Oct. 13, 17, 20) Megan Latham Jacqueline Woodley† Neil Craighead† Kendall Gladen Johannes Debus/Derek Bate (Oct. 13 & 17) Christopher Alden* Michael Levine Duane Schuler Charlotte Dean Michael James Clark Sandra Horst Jenifer Kowal Gunta Dreifelds

Performance time is approximately two hours and 45 minutes, with one 25-minute intermission.

This new COC production of Rigoletto has been generously underwritten, in part, by Tim & Frances Price, Judy & Wilmot Matthews, and Gail & Bob Farquharson. *Mr. alden’s performance is generously sponsored by Paul Bernards. † Current member of the COC Ensemble Studio ^ Graduate of the COC Ensemble Studio

This production of Rigoletto is being recorded for future broadcast on CBC Radio Two (94.1 FM in Toronto) on Saturday Afternoon at the Opera. Program information is correct at time of printing. All casting is subject to change.

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

DIRECTOR’S NOTES

DIRECTOR’S NOTES Rigoletto

igoletto is an incendiary work. Its dramatic source, Victor Hugo’s play Le roi s’amuse, was banned after its first performance at the Comédie Française and not performed again for half a century. Although set in the Renaissance, it deals with the inequalities of the social structure in Hugo’s and Verdi’s own time. Written in a heightened melodramatic mode, it is pointedly accusatory regarding the abuses of monarchy. It is a nightmare about an all-powerful and irresponsible ruler. The title role of Rigoletto retains much of the bile and acid humour of the jester in Hugo’s play, somewhat humanized by Verdi. The anti-hero is dark and brooding, locked into his own obsessions and repressed fantasies. In public life, as part of the nasty and competitive little world of the Duke’s court, he has climbed to the top of the ladder of power by dint of his malicious wit. Mocked by others because of his physical deformity, he has achieved success as a brilliant mocker. In his private life, Rigoletto reveals a positively schizophrenic new personality, sweetly sentimental in his desire to keep his daughter pure and uncorrupted by the outside world. Rigoletto is a genius of denial. His obsession with Monterone’s curse at the source of his misfortune is an easy way out of facing up to his own responsibility as the master of his fate. He is a paradigm of the patriarchal 19th-century male whose power is built on the subjugation of women, disenfranchised and locked safely away

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

at home, while he goes to work in the newly industrialized, dog-eat-dog Darwinian jungle. Gilda is an image of Rigoletto’s soul, kept pure and uncorrupted, far from the soulless marketplace. Rigoletto’s mistake is in thinking he can neatly divide himself into these two separate compartments. When the barriers between them come crashing down, Rigoletto unwittingly kills the thing he loves. In this production, instead of moving from one naturalistic locale to the next, Michael Levine and I are placing all the events of Rigoletto in what we call “the gaming room,” where the men retire after dinner to smoke and drink, read their papers, and play games of power, control, and domination. The room represents both sides of Rigoletto’s life, the workplace and the home. The Duke, a personification of unbounded libido, rules there. The trump card he holds over the men of his court is that at any moment, in full view and fully within his feudal rights, he could seduce their women and humiliate them in the process. Hugo’s play offered Verdi the golden opportunity to move beyond the conventional tenor/soprano/baritone clichés of the era. He insisted on writing Rigoletto, despite warnings from all quarters that the censors would never let it pass. The result is an opera which raises the Donizettian/Bellinian/Rossinian modes to new expressive heights. Christopher alden

SYNOPSIS

SYNOPSIS ACT I Scene i In his palace, the Duke of Mantua tells a courtier, Borsa, about his newest love. The girl has enchanted the Duke, but it makes no difference whether he pursues one woman or the other – they’re all the same to him. The Duke flirts with Countess Ceprano, as Rigoletto cruelly mocks her husband. Another courtier, Marullo, tells his friends of his surprising discovery: Rigoletto has a mistress. Rigoletto suggests several methods of disposing of superfluous husbands. Realizing that he is the object of Rigoletto’s sarcasm, Count Ceprano arranges for a midnight meeting with some of the courtiers to obtain vengeance. An elderly nobleman, Count Monterone, denounces the Duke for dishonouring his daughter. He curses the Duke, and when mocked by Rigoletto, Monterone turns on him and curses him as well. Scene ii Brooding over Monterone’s curse, Rigoletto returns to the secluded house where he shields his daughter, Gilda, from the licentiousness of the Duke’s court. He is confronted by Sparafucile, a professional assassin, who offers him his services. After Rigoletto sends him away, he muses on the similarity of their professions. Gilda greets her father. She asks him about her mother, but he replies only that his wife was an angel who loved him. He refuses to divulge his real name and repeats his command that Gilda not leave their home, except to attend church. While Rigoletto is warning Giovanna (Gilda’s companion) to admit no one, the Duke steals in and hides. He is astonished to

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

hear Rigoletto call Gilda his daughter. Father and daughter bid each other farewell, and Rigoletto departs. Gilda confesses to Giovanna that she is in love with a young man who has been following her home every day after church. The Duke now appears and declares his love for Gilda. He identifies himself as Gualtier Maldè, a penniless student. Hearing footsteps, he rushes off, leaving Gilda thinking lovingly of his name. The courtiers appear, masked and ready to abduct Rigoletto’s supposed mistress. He surprises them by returning, but Marullo convinces him that they are planning to abduct the wife of Count Ceprano, who lives nearby. Rigoletto falls into their trap, permitting himself to be blindfolded and masked. Unknowingly, he assists the conspirators. Gilda cries out to her father as she is carried off. Becoming suspicious, Rigoletto tears off the blindfold, realizes Gilda is gone, and cries, “Ah, the curse!” INTERMISSION ACT II The Duke laments the loss of Gilda. After the courtiers tell him of the abduction, he rejoices that the girl is now in the palace. When Rigoletto appears, he feigns nonchalance. Once it becomes clear to him that Gilda must be with the Duke, he tries to reach her, but the courtiers hold him back. His denunciation of their treachery dissolves into a bereft father’s pleading. Left alone with Rigoletto, Gilda confesses that she is in love with the Duke and begs her father to forgive him. As Monterone is led to his execution, Rigoletto swears that they both will be avenged.

ACT III Rigoletto has brought Gilda to Sparafucile’s inn to prove her lover’s faithlessness. As they lurk in the darkness, the Duke enters. After proclaiming the fickleness of women, he showers attentions on Maddalena, the assassin’s sister, as Rigoletto tries to comfort his despairing daughter. He orders her to disguise herself as a boy and meet him in Verona. After striking a bargain with Sparafucile for the Duke’s murder, Rigoletto departs. Gilda returns in male attire in time to overhear Maddalena begging her brother to spare the handsome stranger’s life.

Sparafucile agrees to deceive Rigoletto by substituting the corpse of the next person who appears at the inn. Having returned to the inn determined to sacrifice herself so the Duke may live, Gilda becomes Sparafucile’s next victim. At the stroke of midnight, Rigoletto pays the assassin and reserves for himself the satisfaction of throwing the sack containing his enemy’s corpse into the river. When he hears the Duke’s voice in the distance, he opens the sack and finds his daughter instead of the Duke. Begging her father’s forgiveness, she dies. The despairing Rigoletto cries out once more, “Ah, the curse!”

MusiC sTaFF

assisTanT liGhTinG desiGners

Ben Malensek (Head Coach) Timothy Cheung (Ensemble Studio Intern Coach) Albert Krywolt Christopher Mokrzewski

Jason Golinsky Wendy Greenwood

iTalian lanGuaGe COaCh

Manuela Scarci assisTanT COnduCTOr

Derek Bate assisTanT direCTOr

Marilyn Gronsdal

aCTOr (Monterone’s Daughter)

Sarah Williamson undersTudies

Borsa Countess Ceprano Count Ceprano Count Monterone Sparafucile Giovanna A Page Maddalena

Christopher Enns Ambur Braid Neil Craighead Philippe Sly Alain Coulombe Rihab Chaieb Ambur Braid Rihab Chaieb

assisTanT sTaGe ManaGers

Chris Porter Liliane Stilwell

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

a night of i nspiration

operanation 8

friday, oct. 21, 2011 live performances featuring

rufus wainwright, austra and members of the coc ensemble studio PRESENTING SPONSOR

DINNER SPONSOR

OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR

Financial Corporation Limited

EVENT SUPPORTERS

Photo: Mario Miotti. Clothing provided by Holt Renfrew. Creative: Endeavour.

BUY TICKETS operanation.ca main event 9 p.m., $150 dress: inspired elegance OFFICIAL FRAGRANCE SPONSOR

PARTNERING SPONSOR

ARTISTS’ BIOGRAPHIES MIREILLE ASSELIN Countess Ceprano

Canadian soprano Mireille Asselin, a new member of the COC Ensemble Studio, has a master’s degree from Yale University. Credits include Galatea in Acis and Galatea and Servilia in La clemenza di Tito (Opera Atelier), the title role in Theodora (Bach Collegium San Diego), Adele in Die Fledermaus (Opera Hamilton) and Pamina in the film Magic Flute Diaries. Last season she made her Carnegie Hall debut with Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem and returns this year as a guest recitalist. Ms Asselin is currently appearing as Second Priestess in Iphigenia in Tauris and later this season sings the title role in the Ensemble Studio performance of Semele. ALAIN COULOMBE Count Ceprano

A COC Ensemble Studio graduate, French-Canadian bass Alain Coulombe appeared at the COC last season as the King of Egypt in Aida. Previous roles with the COC include Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Count Ilya Rostov in War and Peace, Zuniga in Carmen and the Priest in Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. Recent credits include Ramfis in Aida with Calgary Opera, Sparafucile in Rigoletto with Michigan Opera Theatre, Le Bailli in Werther with Opéra de Montréal and Verdi’s Requiem with the Vancouver Symphony. Upcoming engagements include Mary’s Wedding with Pacific Opera Victoria, Waiting for Miss Monroe with Netherlands Opera and L’enfance du Christ with the National Orchestra of Spain.

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

NEIL CRAIGHEAD usher

Bass-baritone Neil Craighead is a returning member of the COC Ensemble Studio. Recent COC appearances include the First Priest on the mainstage and the Speaker in the Ensemble Studio performance of The Magic Flute, a Youth and Russian Father in Death in Venice and, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, a reprisal of Japanese Envoy 2 in the COC’s The Nightingale and Other Short Fables. Other COC roles include the Oracle and the Trojan Man in Idomeneo and the Official Registrar in Madama Butterfly. Later this season he appears as Sciarrone in Tosca, Pinellino in Gianni Schicchi and Cadmus/Somnus in the Ensemble Studio performance of Semele. PHILLIP ENS sparafucile

Canadian bass Phillip Ens returns to the COC having previously sung the roles of Ramfis in Aida, Jacopo Fiesco in Simon Boccanegra, Wurm in Luisa Miller and Fafner and Hunding in the Ring Cycle. Recent engagements include John Claggart in Billy Budd at Glyndebourne; Jorg in Stiffelio at Metropolitan Opera; Arkel in Pelléas et Mélisande at Theater an der Wien; Claggart with Houston Grand Opera; Fafner in Das Rheingold and Siegfried with Royal Opera House Covent Garden and Deutsche Oper Berlin; Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia with San Francisco Opera; Hunding in Die Walküre with Lyric Opera of Chicago; and, Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni with the Met and Bayerische Staatsoper. 7

ARTISTS’ BIOGRAPHIES

KENDALL GLADEN Maddalena

American mezzo-soprano Kendall Gladen is making her COC debut. Recent credits include Maddalena at Los Angeles Opera, San Francisco Opera (SFO) and Teatro Comunale; the title role in Carmen with Deutsche Oper Berlin, Los Angeles Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre and Opera Saratoga; Lily in Porgy and Bess with Washington National Opera; and, the Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte and Elizabeth Keckley in Philip Glass’s Appomattox with SFO. Engagements in the 2011/2012 season include Meg Page in Falstaff with Opera de Lausanne, Carmen with Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Maddalena with SFO. QUINN KELSEY rigoletto

Hawaiian baritone Quinn Kelsey is making his COC debut. Roles this season include Amonasro in Aida with Vancouver Opera and Hawaii Opera Theatre, Ezio in Attila with San Francisco Opera (SFO) and two house debuts in Germany, as Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with Deutsche Oper Berlin and as the Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore with Semperoper Dresden. Recent performances include the title role in Rigoletto with Norwegian National Opera; Amonasro with SFO and the Bregenzer Festspiele; Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with SFO and New York City Opera; Zurga in The Pearl Fishers with English National Opera; and, Monterone in Rigoletto with the Met. Future projects include Amonasro with Lyric Opera of Chicago and leading roles with Opernhaus Zürich and Oper Frankfurt.

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

ADRIAN KRAMER Marullo

Canadian baritone and Ensemble Studio member Adrian Kramer recently appeared with the COC as Papageno in the Ensemble Studio performance of The Magic Flute, the Wig-maker in Ariadne auf Naxos, the Hotel Waiter in Death in Venice and, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Japanese Envoy 3 in the COC’s The Nightingale and Other Short Fables. Mr. Kramer has performed with Glimmerglass Opera, Châteauville Festival, Chautauqua Institution and the Steans Institute at the Ravinia Festival. Concert credits include performances at Carnegie Hall, the Kimmel Center and the Kennedy Center. Later this season he appears as a Jailer in Tosca and, with Chicago Opera Theatre, as Sasha in Shostakovich’s Moscow Cheryomushki. JOHN KRITER Borsa

Canadian tenor John Kriter previously appeared with the COC as the Hotel Porter in Death in Venice, Goro in Madama Butterfly, Normanno in Lucia di Lammermoor, Emperor Altoum in Turandot, Bardolfo in Falstaff, the Reverend Horace Adams in Peter Grimes, Red Whiskers in Billy Budd, Nick in La fanciulla del West, the Ringmaster in The Bartered Bride, Tanzmeister in Ariadne auf Naxos, Gherardo in Gianni Schicchi, and Don Basilio and Don Curzio in The Marriage of Figaro. He has performed with Calgary Opera, Edmonton Opera, Opera Hamilton, Toronto Masque Theatre and Queen of Puddings Music Theatre at the Linbury Theatre (Royal Opera House Covent Garden). This season with the COC he also performs Spoletta in Tosca.

ARTISTS’ BIOGRAPHIES

MEGAN LATHAM Giovanna

Canadian mezzo-soprano Megan Latham recently appeared with the COC as the Third Secretary to Mao in Nixon in China and, previously, as Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro and Florence Pike in the Ensemble Studio production of Albert Herring. She performed Eduige in Rodelinda with Pacific Opera Victoria, Marcellina for Vancouver Opera and was featured in The Sound of Music at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Concert appearances include the Regina Symphony, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Abbotsford Symphony and the Aldeburgh Connection. She was the 2003 winner of the Marilyn Horne Foundation Song Competition which resulted in her recital debut at Carnegie Hall. DAVID LOMELÍ The duke of Mantua

This season marks Mexican tenor David Lomelí’s debuts with the COC, the Houston Grand Opera as Alfredo in La Traviata and the Glyndebourne Festival as Rodolfo in La Bohème. Last season he made debuts as Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore (New York City Opera), Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor (Pittsburgh Opera), Alfredo (Deutsche Oper Berlin), Macduff in Macbeth (Opera de Lille) and Rodolfo (Santa Fe Opera). Mr. Lomelí was a member of the prestigious Adler Fellowship program at San Francisco Opera, where he was heard as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi and as Alfredo. Future engagements include Edgardo (Deutsche Oper Berlin), Rodolfo (Pacific Symphony Orchestra) and the Duke (Los Angeles Philharmonic).

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

LESTER LYNCH rigoletto

American baritone Lester Lynch last appeared with the COC as Mr. Flint in Billy Budd. Recent appearances include Gérard in Andrea Chénier with Bregenzer Festspiele; Scarpia in Tosca with Glimmerglass Festival; the title role in Plump Jack by Gordon Getty with the Munich Radio Orchestra; Carbon in Cyrano de Bergerac with San Francisco Opera; Alfio in Cavalleria rusticana and Tonio in Pagliacci with Kentucky Opera; Germont in La Traviata with Lyric Opera of Kansas City; and, the Herald in Lohengrin, Nottingham in Roberto Devereux and Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore with Minnesota Opera. Mr. Lynch has also appeared with Los Angeles Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia and Washington National Opera. Upcoming appearances include Dallas Opera, Bregenzer Festspiele and the Berlin Philharmonic with Sir Simon Rattle. SIMONE OSBORNE Gilda

Ensemble Studio soprano Simone Osborne recently appeared with the COC as Pamina in both the mainstage and Ensemble performances of The Magic Flute and Naiad in Ariadne auf Naxos. Other credits include Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief (Wexford Opera Festival) and the title role in Mignon (Music Academy of the West). She is a grand prize winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the Marilyn Horne Foundation Competition. Later this season Ms Osborne sings Lauretta in the COC’s Gianni Schicchi and makes debuts with the Vancouver Opera as Juliette in Romeo et Juliette, the TSO in Mozart’s Requiem and the Victoria Symphony in A Viennese New Year’s, as well as touring Atlantic Canada in recital. 9

ARTISTS’ BIOGRAPHIES

DIMITRI PITTAS The duke of Mantua

Making his COC debut, tenor Dimitri Pittas’s credits include Tebaldo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Bayerische Staatsoper), Alfredo in La Traviata (Deutsche Oper Berlin, Seattle Opera), Macduff in Macbeth (Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Wiener Staatsoper, Bayerische Staatsoper), Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor (Houston Grand Opera, Oper Frankfurt), Rodolfo in La Bohème (Semperoper Dresden, Santa Fe Opera), Tamino in The Magic Flute (Metropolitan Opera), and Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore (Metropolitan Opera, Welsh National Opera, Santa Fe Opera). Concert engagements include Verdi’s Requiem with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Atlanta Symphony, Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park in Chicago and a recital for the Met in Japan. Later this season he sings Rodolfo and Macduff at the Met, Tebaldo in Munich and a recital at Carnegie Hall. ROBERT POMAKOV Count Monterone

Canadian bass Robert Pomakov most recently appeared at the COC as the Bonze in Madama Butterfly, Angelotti in Tosca and the Chamberlain in The Nightingale and Other Short Fables. Engagements in the 2011/2012 season include Vodnik in Rusalka (Opéra de Montréal), Colline in La Bohème and Pietro in Simon Boccanegra (Los Angeles Opera), and Angelotti (Opera Lyra). Other credits include Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor (Opera Lyra); Hobson in Peter Grimes and the Bonze (Houston Grand Opera); performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 (National Arts Centre Orchestra and

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

Orchestre Métropolitain); and, productions of Attila, Rigoletto and Pelléas et Mélisande (Metropolitan Opera). Mr. Pomakov also currently appears as the Old Servant in Iphigenia in Tauris. EKATERINA SADOVNIKOVA Gilda

The role of Gilda marks Russian soprano Ekaterina Sadovnikova’s debut with the COC. She studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and Hochschule für Musik Dresden. Ms Sadovnikova’s recent engagements include Gilda with Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Teatro La Fenice, Opéra Royal de Wallonie and the Baths of Caracalla, Rome; Violetta in La Traviata at Teatro la Fenice, Teatro San Carlo and Opéra Royal Wallonie; Adina in L’elisir d’amore with the Mikhailovsky Theatre and Bolshoi Theatre; and, Musetta in La Bohème and the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor with Teatro La Fenice. Concert performances include Rachmaninoff’s The Bells at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. JACQUELINE WOODLEY Page

Canadian soprano Jacqueline Woodley is a COC Ensemble Studio member. Last season with the COC, she performed the roles of Papagena in the Ensemble Studio performance of The Magic Flute and the Lace Seller in Death in Venice. Ms Woodley holds a master’s degree from McGill University with additional training at the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv and Montreal and Opera NUOVA in Edmonton. She recently performed the role of Milica, the bride, in Svadba-Wedding

ARTISTS’ BIOGRAPHIES

with Queen of Puddings Music Theatre. Ms Woodley is currently appearing as First Priestess in Iphigenia in Tauris and, later this season, as Iris in the Ensemble Studio performance of Semele.

JOHANNES DEBUS Conductor

Last season COC Music Director Johannes Debus conducted the company’s Aida, The Magic Flute and, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Nightingale and Other Short Fables. In 2010 he made his Tanglewood Festival debut, replacing James Levine, conducting The Abduction from the Seraglio with the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO). Following his huge success, he was invited by BSO to make his Symphony Hall debut. Mr. Debus recently conducted Elektra at the Staatsoper unter den Linden in Berlin and will return for The Rake’s Progress next year. This past summer he appeared at the Spoleto Festival, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opéra Festival de Québec and the Merola Opera Program at San Francisco Opera. Later this season Mr. Debus returns to the COC podium for Love from Afar and The Tales of Hoffmann. DEREK BATE Conductor/assistant Conductor

Derek Bate recently conducted performances of Aida, Madama Butterfly and The Flying Dutchman and was the assistant conductor for Maria Stuarda, Nixon in China and Cinderella. As the COC resident conductor, he has led performances of Luisa Miller, Eugene Onegin, La Bohème, Carmen, Turandot, La Traviata, Die Fledermaus, the Ensemble Studio productions of Renard and Swoon,

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

and was assistant conductor of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Fidelio, War and Peace, Pelléas et Mélisande, From the House of the Dead, Don Carlos, Elektra, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and the complete Ring Cycle. He conducts frequently with Toronto Operetta Theatre, and was musical director for Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Show Boat. CHRISTOPHER ALDEN director

American director Christopher Alden returns to the COC after directing The Flying Dutchman. Other credits include Les contes d’Hoffmann for Santa Fe Opera; A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Partenope with English National Opera; Don Giovanni and A Quiet Place for New York City Opera; Les contes d’Hoffmann, L’incoronazione di Poppea, I vespri siciliani, and Das verratene Meer for San Francisco Opera; La clemenza di Tito for Chicago Opera Theater; Der fliegende Holländer, Le nozze di Figaro and Wozzeck for Dallas Opera; La Traviata, Madama Butterfly, and Harvey Milk for Houston Grand Opera; Aida for Deutsche Oper Berlin; The Makropulos Case for Prague National Theatre; Idomeneo for Grand Théâtre de Genève; and, Djamileh with Opéra national de Lyon. Upcoming engagements include Norma with Opera North, Così fan tutte with NYC Opera and A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Stanislavsky Theatre in Moscow. MICHAEL LEVINE set & Costume designer

Canadian Michael Levine recently designed the Ring Cycle and directed Das Rheingold for the COC. He has worked

ARTISTS’ BIOGRAPHIES

internationally in theatre, opera, film and dance. Recent credits include The Flying Dutchman and Tannhäuser (Royal Opera House Covent Garden), A Dog’s Heart and Carmen (Nederlandse Opera), The Magic Flute (Hungarian National Opera), Rigoletto (Teatro Real Madrid), The Coronation of Poppea (Glyndebourne), Madama Butterfly (Metropolitan Opera) and Candide (Théâtre du Châtelet, La Scala, English National Opera). In Canada, he has worked for the Shaw Festival, Canadian Stage, Tarragon Theatre, Soulpepper Theatre, The National Ballet of Canada and Dancemakers. Mr. Levine has been honoured with a Gemini Award, Paris Critics’ Prize, Edinburgh Festival Drama and Music Award, two Dora Awards, Toronto Arts Award, and he is a Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in France. Upcoming projects include Parsifal (Opéra national de Lyon, Metropolitan Opera) and Don Giovanni (La Scala). DUANE SCHULER lighting designer

Duane Schuler was last with the COC for L’Italiana in Algeri (2003). Recent credits include Cendrillon (Royal Opera House Covent Garden), Boris Godunov (Metropolitan Opera), Werther (San Francisco Opera), Porgy and Bess (Seattle Opera) and Salome (Baden-Baden Festspielhaus). Other productions include Dead Man Walking (Staatsoper Dresden), Tannhäuser and Turandot (De Nederlandse Opera), Manon (Staatsoper Berlin), Lulu and Lohengrin (La Scala), and Benvenuto Cellini and Elektra (Salzburg Festival). Mr. Schuler is a partner of Schuler Shook, the theatre planning and architectural lighting design firm (Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas) whose projects include the renovation of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York.

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

SANDRA HORST Chorus Master

Sandra Horst’s recent COC credits include La Cenerentola, Orfeo ed Euridice and The Nightingale and Other Short Fables. She is director of musical studies for the University of Toronto’s Opera Division where she most recently conducted Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. Ms Horst has been chorus master of Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Edmonton Opera. Other credits include conductor of Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims for the COC, a judge for the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions and music staff of the Juilliard Opera Center, Chautauqua Institution, Boston Lyric Opera, Edmonton Opera, Banff Centre for the Arts, Opera Ontario and Opera Saskatchewan. This season she is also chorus master for Iphigenia in Tauris, Tosca, Love from Afar, The Tales of Hoffmann and Semele. JENIFER KOWAL stage Manager

Last season Jenifer Kowal appeared with the COC as stage manager for Aida and, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, for The Nightingale and Other Short Fables. Recently she was the production stage manager for the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera’s Miss Saigon, which also toured to Toronto and Schenectady. This is Ms Kowal’s 20th season with the COC. Previous COC credits include Carmen, The Flying Dutchman, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Fidelio, War and Peace, Eugene Onegin, Tosca, Don Carlos, La Traviata, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and all COC productions of the Ring Cycle. Ms Kowal studied theatre at Indiana University.

ARTISTS’ BIOGRAPHIES

MARILYN GRONSDAL assistant director

Marilyn Gronsdal was the assistant director for last season’s Aida, La Cenerentola and Robert Lepage’s production of The Nightingale and Other Short Fables at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Other credits with the COC include director of La Bohème, associate director of Eugene Onegin and assistant director on several productions including Oedipus Rex with Symphony of Psalms (Edinburgh), La Traviata (New Zealand) and Siegfried (Opéra national de Lyon). Ms Gronsdal was the production assistant director for the COC’s Ring Cycle. She is the Artistic Director of Landlocked Opera Theatre.

ARTISTS’ BIOGRAPHIES

MICHAEL JAMES CLARK associate lighting designer

Michael James Clark is the lighting supervisor at Houston Grand Opera (HGO) and a member of the lighting department at the Santa Fe Opera. Design credits include The Marriage of Figaro, The Queen of Spades, The Elixir of Love and the world premiere of Cruzar la Cara de la Luna/To Cross the Face of the Moon for HGO as well as Rigoletto and Tosca for the Miller Outdoor Theatre. Last year he lit Sondheim’s A Little Night Music at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. Mr. Clark holds a bachelor’s degree in lighting design from North Carolina School of the Arts.

CHARLOTTE DEAN associate set/Costume designer

A five-time Dora Award winner (four times for outstanding costume design and once for outstanding set design), Canadian Charlotte Dean’s design credits include Love’s Labour’s Lost, To Kill A Mockingbird (Stratford Shakespeare Festival); The Admirable Crichton, The Doctor’s Dilemma (Shaw Festival); The Drowsy Chaperone, The Importance of Being Earnest (Manitoba Theatre Centre); My Fair Lady, Suddenly Last Summer (Citadel Theatre); The Drowsy Chaperone, Betrayal (Theatre Calgary); Tamara, Last Romantics (Necessary Angel); The Misanthrope, Molière, Democracy (Tarragon Theatre); Annie, A Streetcar Named Desire, (Grand Theatre); and, Salt Water Moon and Canada Rocks (Charlottetown Festival). Ms Dean is the 2009 recipient of the Virginia and Myrtle Cooper Award in Costume Design.

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE

We are pleased to offer, for the convenience of all of our patrons, a pre-order system for intermission purchases. Our pre-order system is designed to decrease your wait time at the bar during intermission and we invite you to make use of it at every COC performance. Bars are located throughout the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room’s many levels. Food and beverages are not permitted in R. Fraser Elliott Hall.

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY ORCHESTRA VIOLIN I Marie Bérard, Concertmaster The Concertmaster’s chair has been endowed in perpetuity by Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Benjamin Bowman, Associate Concertmaster, on leave of absence Diane Tait, Assistant Concertmaster Anne Armstrong Sandra Baron Bethany Bergman Pamela Hinman* Elizabeth Johnston Nancy Kershaw, on leave of absence Dominique Laplante Yakov Lerner Jayne Maddison Neria Mayer Aya Miyagawa VIOLIN II Paul Zevenhuizen, Principal Csaba Koczó, Assistant Principal James Aylesworth Andrew Chung* Hiroko Kagawa* Lynn Kuo* Renée London* Louise Tardif Marianne Urke Joanna Zabrowarna

VIOLA Francis Kefford, Acting Principal* Joshua Greenlaw, Assistant Principal Nicholaos Papadakis* Rhyll Peel Theresa Rudolph Koczó, on leave of absence Angela Rudden* Capella Sherwood* Beverley Spotton Yosef Tamir CELLO Bryan Epperson, Principal Alastair Eng, Associate Principal Paul Widner, Assistant Principal Maurizio Baccante Olga Laktionova Elaine Thompson BASS Alan Molitz, Principal Robert Speer, Assistant Principal Tom Hazlitt Paul Langley Robert Wolanski* FLUTE Douglas Stewart, Principal Shelley Brown PICCOLO Shelley Brown

ENGLISH HORN Lesley Young CLARINET James T. Shields, Principal Colleen Cook BASSOON Eric Hall, Principal Elizabeth Gowen HORN Joan Watson, Principal Janet Anderson Bardhyl Gjevori Gary Pattison TRUMPET Robert Grim, Principal Brendan Cassin TROMBONE Robert Ferguson, Principal Ian Cowie BASS TROMBONE Herbert Poole

BANDA FLUTE Christine Little* PICCOLO Maria Pelletier* Eb CLARINET Max Christie* CLARINET Margaret Gillie* James Ormston* BASSOON William Cannaway* HORN Diane Doig* Michele Gagnon* Christine Passmore* TRUMPET Valerie Cowie* Andre Dubelsten* BASS TROMBONE Isabel Lavoie* PERCUSSION Ryan Scott*

CIMBASSO Scott Irvine TIMPANI Michael Perry, Principal PERCUSSION Trevor Tureski, Principal

OBOE Mark Rogers, Principal Lesley Young

LIBRARIAN Wayne Vogan ASSISTANT MUSIC LIBRARIAN Capella Sherwood STAGE LIBRARIAN Paul Langley PERSONNEL MANAGER Ian Cowie * extra musician

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY CHORUS TENORS Craig Ashton Stephen Bell Taras Chmil Sam Chung Stephen Erickson

Nicolas Groenewegen Jason Lamont James Leatch Stephen McClare Eric Olsen

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

BARITONES & BASSES Grant Allert Kenneth Baker Sung Chung Michael Downie

Jason Nedecky Bruce Schaef Michael Sproule Jan Vaculik Marcus Wilson Michael York

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS Mr. Paul B. Spafford, Chair Mr. Philip C. Deck, President Mr. Paul A. Bernards, Treasurer Mr. John H. Macfarlane, Secretary Mr. Alexander Neef, General Director (ex officio) Mr. Robert Lamb, Managing Director (ex officio) MEMBERS Mr. H. Anthony (Tony) Arrell Ms Nora Aufreiter Mr. Barry Avrich Mr. David Broadhurst Mr. Robert Brouwer Ms Marcia Lewis Brown

Mr. Stewart Burton Mr. George S. Dembroski Dr. Fayaz Dossa Mr. William Fearn (ex officio) Mr. David C. Ferguson Mr. David Forster Mr. Adam Froman Mr. John Gagliano Mr. Michael Gibbens Dr. Linda Hutcheon Ms Trinity Jackman Ms Pamela Jeffery Mr. Jeff Lloyd Mr. Stephen O. Marshall Ms Judy Matthews Mr. Geoffrey Matus Ms Marina McDougall (ex officio)

Ms Trina McQueen Mr. Jonathan Morgan Mrs. Sue Mortimer Mr. Nicholas Mutton Mr. Ian Pearce Ms Frances Price Mr. John Rothschild Mr. Arthur R. A. Scace, C.M. Ms Colleen Sexsmith Ms Sandra Simpson Mr. Philip Smith Ms Kristine (Kris) Vikmanis Ms Karen Walsh Mr. John H. (Jack) Whiteside Mr. Tom Woods HONORARY DIRECTORS Mr. Joey Tanenbaum, C.M.

VOLUNTEER SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS COC OPERA GUILDS Brantford Opera Guild, David M. Cullen, President Kingston Opera Guild Grace Orzech, President London Opera Guild Ernest H. Redekop, President Muskoka Opera Guild Tom Anderson, President Northumberland Opera Guild Thais Donald, President Oakville Opera Guild Margaret Parker, President Peterborough Opera Guild June Wilson Thexton, President Quinte Opera Guild Dorothy Temple, President Sudbury Opera Guild Mike Humphris, President Western New York Opera Guild Dorothy K. Piepke, President

ARIAS: Canadian Student Opera Development Fund Arija Stiver, Chair Marina McDougall, President Arija Stiver, Past-President Lisa Teskey, Vice President/ Treasurer

CANADIAN OPERA FOUNDATION Mr. William Fearn, Chair Mr. Derek Brown Mr. J. Rob Collins Mr. Philip C. Deck (ex officio) Mr. David Forster Mr. George Hamilton, Treasurer Mr. Roy D. Hogg, FCA Hon. Dennis Lane Mr. Peter MacKenzie Ms Kathleen McLaughlin Mr. David E. Spiro, Secretary

For more information on COC Guilds please visit coc.ca/Guilds

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF ALEXANDER NEEF, General Director robert lamb Managing Director

Capella sherwood Assistant Librarian

Paul Otis Chuck Theil

Johannes debus Music Director

COC Ensemble Studio Mireille asselin ambur Braid rihab Chaieb Timothy Cheung neil Craighead Jenna douglas Chris enns adrian Kramer ileana Montalbetti simone Osborne Philippe sly Jacqueline Woodley

alex naylor Scene Shop Co-ordinator

MUSIC

Production Assistants Morgan-leigh hearty ariel Martin-smith

Additional Millinery by Kaz Maxine

sandra Gavinchuk Music Administrator

Assistant Head Scenic Artists Katherine lilly Jana Osterman

PROGRAMMING

sandra horst Chorus Master

nina draganić Director of Programming – Free Concert Series

scott Williamson Rehearsal Head Technician

Additional Male Supernumerary Costumes supplied by Malabar limited

Wayne Vogan Music Librarian, Coach

PRODUCTION

Guy nokes Properties Supervisor

Marilyn rodwell Wardrobe Mistress

elizabeth upchurch Head of the Ensemble Studio & Coach

lee Milliken Production Manager

stephanie Tjelios Resident Properties Builder/Co-ordinator

rafe Macpherson Wardrobe Assistant

EXECUTIVE OFFICE Marguerite schabas Executive Assistant to the General Director ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATION roberto Mauro Artistic Administrator

derek Bate Resident Conductor Music Staff rachel andrist susan Ball esther Gonthier albert Krywolt anne larlee Ben Malensek Christopher Mokrzewski steven Philcox Kinza Tyrrell Felice Venanzoni eric Weimer

david Feheley Technical Director Barney Bayliss Associate Technical Director Wendy Greenwood Lighting Co-ordinator Assistant Technical Directors Melynda Jurgenson Wendy ryder Janice Fraser Head Electrician

Olwyn lewis Company Manager

Joel Thoman Assistant Electrician

Kathryn Garnett Scheduling Manager

al Merson Head of Sound

Mike Barrs Assistant Scheduling Manager

Paul Watkinson Head Carpenter

Karen Olinyk Administrative Assistant, Music

Mike Gelfand Assistant Carpenter rupert Baker Head Flyman

Birthe Joergensen Archivist, Joan Baillie Archives

alison Potter Head of Properties

ian Cowie Orchestra Personnel Manager

Core Crew scott Clarke Terry hurley

david retzleff Head Scene Shop Carpenter andrew Walker Assistant Scene Shop Carpenter richard Gordon Head Scenic Artist

Kathy Frost Properties Buyer/ Co-ordinator Tracy Taylor Properties Builder/ Co-ordinator Properties Builders Carolyn Choo Wulf sandra Corazza Costume Supervisor Chloe anderson Costume Co-ordinator

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

Additional Costumes Assisted by adrienne Baker Jason Bendig laura Coates Mary Furlong Judy Macdougall Milena radeva Marion schoeler Additional Dyeing by Chrome Yellow

sharon ryman Wig & Make-up Supervisor Cori Ferguson Head of Wig & Makeup Crew shawna Green Production Co-ordinator Gunta dreifelds SURTITLES™ Producer Gillian Bartlett SURTITLES™ Editor Olwyn lewis SURTITLES™ Assistant

Costume Assistants Kiyomi hidaka lina Marques

DEVELOPMENT

sue Furlong Resident Tailor

Christie darville Director of Development

Assisted By deniz Cakin Gulay Cokgezen Karen donaldson helen Flower sharon Gashgarian Karen hancock ilana harendorf lori McMahon Barbara nowakowski Additional Costumes by avril stevenson

FSCPA – Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

Christine audet h’evan lee Creations industry Costumes Mary logan

Jill Planche Associate Director, Individual Giving dawn Marie schlegel Senior Development Officer, Individual Giving & Donor Programs leeanne rorabeck Senior Development Officer, Individual Giving

natalie sandassie Senior Development Officer, Annual Programs

Gianna Wichelow Senior Communications Manager, Creative

stephen radbourn Donor Relations Officer

Jennifer dougall Digital Marketing Manager (on leave)

aisha Talarico Development Officer, Friends of the COC

Jennifer Pugsley Media Relations Manager

lucia ly Individual Giving Co-ordinator, Friends of the COC

Cecily Carver Social and Interactive Media Co-ordinator eldon earle Marketing Co-ordinator

stephanie hunt Development Officer, Individual Giving & Ensemble Circle

Olga Kwak Digital Marketing Co-ordinator

andriana Formusa Individual Giving Co-ordinator

Gianmarco segato Retail and Editorial Co-ordinator

nikita Gourski Development Communications Assistant

John Kriter Volunteer and Creative Assistant

Carlie Weppler Senior Development Officer, Corporate Development

eduCaTiOn and OuTreaCh Katherine semcesen Associate Director, Education

sybil Choles Development Officer, Corporate & Foundation Giving

Carly anderson Manager, Child and Youth Programs

Peggy lau Co-ordinator, Corporate Development Tracy Briggs Manager, Special Events Christine Tizzard Co-ordinator, Special Events Kira egorova Donation Database Officer Olena Moldovan Data Processing Co-ordinator

Vanessa smith Manager, School Programs TiCKeT serViCes alan Moffat Patron Relationship Manager andrea salin Associate Manager, Ticket Services nikki Tremblay Assistant Ticket Services Manager (on leave) david nimmo Group Sales Co-ordinator

COMMUNICATIONS Claudine domingue Director of Public Relations Jeremy elbourne Director of Marketing Phil stephens Senior Manager, Sales and Customer Service suzanne Vanstone Senior Communications Manager, Editorial

Ticket Services Supervisors erin Cook lilian Fung Victor Widjaja Ticket Services Representatives Terry Bursey ernest Cayemen holly Coish danielle d’Ornellas anna Kay eldridge Peter Genoway daniel Krolick

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

Keith lam Julia lederer ian Mcdonnell diana Merta amber Mills Kevin Pook Mary Porter Mitch Yolevsky Call CenTre sarah Frankel Call Centre Manager Call Centre Representatives Peter Counter alex Gladwell dane Oliver richard Paradiso Tim sell Tomasz smereka adriano sobretodo Jr. Margaret Terry Mauro Victoriano FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

Security Supervisors Videsh dookhu dave samuels Maintenance Assistants ryszard Gad (COC) Branislav Peterman (COC) Julian Peters (COC) Tymen de Vries (FsCPa) James esposito (FsCPa) Wojtek Plichta (FsCPa) Piotr Wiench (FsCPa/COC) Security Officers George Balyasin Joel Grannum Tammy hill natalia Juzyc usman Khalid Kathleen Minor heather reid

lindy Cowan, Ca Director of Finance and Administration

Building Operators dan Bisca radu Chereji dan Popescu

ray Gooden, FCa (uK) Finance Manager

Paula da Costa Hurley Supervisor

General Accountants Florence huang Zoran Orlić (FSCPA)

FOUR SEASONS CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Payroll Accountants Jovana Bojovic Jeanny Won

alfred Caron Director of Facility Operations

amy Mushinski Public Affairs Manager

elizabeth Jones Business Manager

steven sherwood Manager, IT Services

Jefferson Guzman Patron Services Manager

Tony sandy IT Services Assistant nick Mitropoulos Computer Services Assistant Katarina Božović Receptionist/ Switchboard Branka hrsum Mailroom Clerk/ Courier BUILDING SERVICES Joe Waldherr Building Services Manager Piro Milo Assistant Building Services Manager

Kim hutchinson-Barber Assistant Manager, Front of House Brigitte lang Assistant Manager, Food & Beverage Patron Services Supervisors Kelly Bailey stuart Constable Jamieson eakin Melissa lapczynski adam Orr Brynn Pearson rebecca riddell ashley Westlake Kimberly Wu Carianne hill Patron Services Lead

!S .AMING $ONOR OF THE &OUR 3EASONS #ENTRE FOR THE 0ERFORMING !RTS WE ARE PROUD TO BE A LIFELONG FRIEND OF THE FINE ARTS EXPERIENCE FOR PATRONS HERE AND FROM AROUND THE WORLD

E. LOUISE MORGAN SOCIETY The E. Louise Morgan Society was created to reflect the vision and commitment of its founder and the members who have created a legacy of leadership, passion and philanthropy in support of the goals of the Canadian Opera Company. Each of these donors has contributed a cumulative total of more than $1 million dollars over the past 15 years. Their support is critical to the company’s success and we are forever indebted to their commitment and generosity. Dr. Larry M. Agranove

Kolter Communities

ARIAS: Canadian Opera Student Development Fund

The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation

The Gerard & Earlaine Collins Foundation

E. Louise Morgan

The late John A. Cook

Joey & Toby Tanenbaum

Roger D. Moore

The Estate of Horst Dantz and Don Quick

MAJOR GIFTS & SPECIAL PROJECTS Every year, the Canadian Opera Company has unique projects operating beyond regular annual activities, each of which relies on private funding to ensure its success. These include: transition and endowment funding, production underwriting, artist and performance sponsorship as well as training, education and outreach programs. $1,000,000+ The Estate of Horst Dantz & Don Quick‡ $500,000 – $999,999 The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation $100,000 – $499,999 Anne & Tony Arrell David G. Broadhurst Jean Davidson & Paul Spafford Philip Deck & Kimberley Bozak George S. Dembroski Gail & Bob Farquharson Estate of Ethel Berney Jackson‡ Judy & Wilmot Matthews Trina & Don McQueen Tim & Frances Price Colleen Sexsmith Sandra L. Simpson The Slaight Family Riki Turofsky & Charles Petersen Anonymous‡ (1) $25,000 – $99,999 Estate of Daphne Bell Earlaine Collins Ethel Harris & the late Milton E. Harris Ronald Kimel & Vanessa LaPerriere

Marjorie & Roy Linden Estate of Aldo & Anita Maggiorotti Jill & Geoff Matus Roger D. Moore The Stratton Trust Françoise Sutton William & Phyllis Waters Jack Whiteside UP TO $24,999 Cecily & Robert Bradshaw Ian & June Cockwell David & Kristin Ferguson Peter & Hélène Hunt Hon. Henry N. R. Jackman‡ Patrick & Barbara Keenan J. Hans Kluge Jo Lander David Roffey & Karen Walsh Katalin Schäfer Dr. David Stanley-Porter & Dr. Colin McGregor Mailer Ms Kristine Vikmanis & Mr. Denton Creighton Samara Walbohm Estate of Hugh Victor Wallace Anonymous (2)

INDIVIDUAL ANNUAL SUPPORT GOLDEN CIRCLE GOLD, $50,000+ Anne & Tony Arrell**** David G. Broadhurst* In memory of Gerard H. Collins**** Jerry & Geraldine Heffernan**** The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation**** Roger D. Moore****

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

Arthur & Susan Scace**** Colleen Sexsmith** Sandra L. Simpson* SILVER, $25,000 – $49,999 Andrew Peller Limited Paul Bernards*** Cecily & Robert Bradshaw Stephen Clarke & Elizabeth Black* Philip Deck & Kimberley Bozak*** George & Kathy Dembroski**** Mr. & Mrs. W. Humphries*** Ronald Kimel & Vanessa LaPerriere**** Susan Loube & William Acton* BRONZE, $12,500 – $24,999 Dr. & Mrs. Hans G. Abromeit**** Mark & Gail Appel*** Philip & Linda Armstrong* Ms Nora Aufreiter Melissa & Barry Avrich John & Claudine Bailey**** Barbara Black* Mr. Philip J. Boswell†**** Walter M. & Lisa Balfour Bowen**** Susanne Boyce & Brendan Mullen*** Rob & Teresa Brouwer* Marcia Lewis Brown Stewart & Gina Burton* Dr. John Chiu in memory of Yvonne Chiu, C.M.**** The Max Clarkson Family Foundation**** J. Rob Collins & Janet Cottrelle**** Sydney & Florence Cooper* Mr. & Mrs. Leslie Dan** Jean Davidson & Paul Spafford**** David Denison & Maureen Flanagan* 19

Christian Franz as Siegfried (back to camera) in the COC’s Siegfried, 2005. Photo: Michael Cooper

The President’s Council and Golden Circle programs help make possible many of the company’s activities. New productions, the COC Ensemble Studio program, our education and outreach initiatives – these are just a few of the reasons why President’s Council and Golden Circle gifts are so crucial to our future. President’s Council and Golden Circle members share in the excitement of opera in new ways through events and activities, receive personalized service for ticket purchases and exchanges, and enjoy exclusive use of the Henry N. R. Jackman Lounge at all opera performances. For further information, contact us at presidentscouncil@coc.ca or call 416-363-5801.

*The COC recognizes donations from all individual giving programs with a charitable tax receipt for the maximum amount allowable under the Canada Revenue Agency guidelines.

David & Kristin Ferguson**** George Fierheller**** Margaret & Jim Fleck* Lloyd & Gladys Fogler*** Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts** Adam & Sharin Froman Roger & Kevin Garland** Michael & Lora Gibbens Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin*** James & Joyce Gutmann**** Ethel Harris & the late Milton Harris**** Dr. W. P. Hayman & Dr. M. L. Myers*** Nona & William Heaslip Foundation**** Douglas E. Hodgson**** Michael & Linda Hutcheon**** William Ip & Kathleen Latimer* Jeff Lloyd & Barbara Henders* Mr. & Mrs. J. S. A. MacDonald**** Bobby & Gordon MacNeill* Judy & Wilmot Matthews* Jill & Geoff Matus* John & Esther McNeil*** Don McQueen & Trina McQueen, O.C.* John McVicker & B. W. Thomas**** Johanna Metcalf*** Bruce & Vladka Mitchell* Delia M. Moog** Jonathan Morgan & Shurla Gittens* Sue Mortimer in memory of Clive Bennett Mortimer**** Nicholas & Rosemary Mutton Mrs. & Mr. Christl & Karl Niemuller** Donald O’Born** Peter M. Partridge**** Ian & Michelle Pearce Tim & Frances Price**** David Roffey & Karen Walsh*** Barrie Rose & Family*** John A. Rothschild* Katalin Schäfer*** Philip & Maria Smith** Stephen & Jane Smith**** Marion & Gerald Soloway** David E. Spiro*** David Stanley-Porter**** Ms Kristine Vikmanis & Mr. Denton Creighton**** Jack Whiteside** Tom & Ruth Woods*** PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL COMMITTEE Mary-Catherine Acheson Diane Adamson-Brdar Thomas J. Burton Gladys Fogler

Sue Mortimer Katalin Schäfer Colleen Sexsmith (Chair) Kristine Vikmanis Karen Walsh TRUSTEE, $7,500 – $12,499 à la Carte Kitchen Inc. Laurie & Fareed Ali* Margaret Atwood & Graeme Gibson** Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Christ**** Mrs. A. Ephraim Diamond & Family**** Andrew Fleming** The Hon. William C. Graham & Mrs. Catherine Graham**** Al & Malka Green* Rainer Hackert**** Maggie Hayes** Trinity Jackman Bernhard & Hannelore Kaeser**** J. Hans Kluge* Murray & Marvelle Koffler**** Mr. Gurney Kranz*** Anne Lewitt* Jerry & Joan Lozinski**** Hon. Margaret & Mr. Wallace McCain** Mrs. Louise O’Shea**** Ms R. Raso**** Mr. & Mrs. R. T. Ruggles**** Françoise Sutton** Dr. David Shaw* Carol Swallow*** Anonymous (1) PATRON, $3,750 – $7,499 Clive & Barbara Allen**** Mr. Peter Allen* Sue Armstrong*** Ron Atkinson & Bruce Blandford*** Mrs. N. A. Balciunas**** Mona H. Bandeen, C. M.** Schuyler Bankes & Family*** Karen & Bill Barnett L. H. Bartelink in memory of Oskar & Irmgard Gaube** Dr. Thomas H. Beechy**** Mr. & Mrs. Eric Belli-Bivar*** Mr. & Mrs. Avie Bennett**** Mr. Roland Bertin**** Tom Bogart & Kathy Tamaki* William & Anna Maria Braithwaite* Dr. David & Constance Briant**** Dr. Jane Brissenden & Dr. Janet Roscoe**** Mrs. Donna Brock** Margaret & Derek Brown**** Murray & Judy Bryant** Sharon & Howard Campbell* Joe & Laurissa Canavan Cesaroni Management Limited**

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

Paul G. Cherry & Dean C. Noack**** Peter & Frances Chiddy* Frank Ciccolini**** Marilyn Cook* Mr. & Mrs. William J. Corcoran** Tim Costigan & Kathleen McLaughlin* Lindy Cowan† & Chris Hatley** Mrs. Ninalee Craig*** Norman Curtis**** C. M. Dare**** Raul Werneck de Castro** Dr. Jeanne Deinum**** Carol Derk & David Giles* Bernard & Francine Dorval** Peter & Anne Dotsikas** Vreni & Marc Ducommun*** Bud & Leigh Eisenberg*** Joseph Fantl & Moira Bartram* Graham Farquharson** Fleur-de-lis Interior Design Kimberley Fobert & Robert Lamb†*** The Fraser Elliott Foundation**** Dr. & Mrs. Wm. O. Geisler** The Hon. & Mrs. Alastair W. Gillespie**** Ben & Sarah Glatt**** Peter & Shelagh Godsoe* Rose & Roger Goldstein *** Michael & Anne Gough**** Dr. Noëlle Grace & The Shohet Family*** Ronald & Birgitte Granofsky**** Douglas & Ruth Grant John & Judith Grant** John Groves*** Hampton Securities Ltd. Scott & Ellen Hand** Mr. & Mrs. William B. Harris*** Hon. & Mrs. Paul Hellyer**** Ava Marion Hillier* Prof. Michiel Horn**** Scott Irvine† & Joan Watson†** The Jackman Foundation*** Victoria Jackman*** Dr. Peter Janetos* Mr. Robert C. Jefferies**** Dr. Joshua Josephson**** Lorraine Kaake**** Patrick & Barbara Keenan**** Dr. Joel Keenleyside**** Jim & Diane King* Joseph Kerzner & Lisa Koeper**** Jean V. Kramar* The Hon. Dennis Lane, Q.C. & Mrs. Sandra Lane**** Harold & Larraine Langer**** Mr. Philip Lanouette* John B. Lawson, Q.C.**** Paul Lee & Jill Maynard**** Mr. J. Levitt & Ms E. Mah* Daniel & Janet Li* Anthony Lisanti**

Michel Lislois*** Vincent & Helene Lobraico* Tom C. Logan* Angelo & Grace Locilento** John Macfarlane* Mrs. J. L. Malcolm* Dr. & Mrs. M. A. Manuel* Christa & Robert McDermott* The Hon. Barbara McDougall*** Paul & Jean McGrath**** June McLean**** Mr. Michael J. McMurray* Mr. Ulrich Menzefricke**** Dr. Thomas & Mrs. Catherine H. Millar Dr. Judith A. Miller*** Beatrice & Arthur Minden Foundation**** Professor David J. Murray*** Eileen Patricia Newell** Mrs. Sally-Ann Noznesky**** E. Oliana & A. Iu*** Keith & Brenda Ottaway*** Dr. & Mrs. William M. Park**** Douglas L. Parker**** John & Gwen Pattison* Polk Family Charitable Fund** Julian Porter, Q.C.* Mary Jean & Frank Potter*** Samuel A. Rea & Wendy J. Thompson**** Rob & Penny Richards*** Margaret A. Riggin* Gordon Robison & David Grant* Joseph L. Rosenmiller** Maxwell L. Rotstein & Nancy-Gay Rotstein**** Annie & Ian D. Sale Ms Sharon Cookie Sandler*** Judy & Hy Sarick**** Sam & Esther Sarick*** Helen & John Scott* Katherine & Gary Shaw* Dr. Ralph Shaw & June Shaw**** Allan & Helaine Shiff**** Judy & Hume Smith*** Dr. John Stanley & Dr. Helmut Reichenbächer** Drs. Wayne Stanley & Marina Pretorius* Doreen L. Stanton**** Dr. Richard & Jane Stoneman* Mr. & Mrs. Michael Tatham* Kathryn J. Thornton**** Anthea Thorp**** Vincent Tovell, O.C.*** Rosalind & Dory Vanderhoof Donald & Margaret Walter**** Hugh & Colleen Washington* William R. Waters*** Ruth Watts-Gransden**** Dr. Virginia Wesson** Dr. Jack Williams & Dr. Dorothy Pringle** Mr. & Mrs. Richard Wookey*** Linda Young*

The Youssef-Warren Foundation*** Helen Ziegler** Sharon Zuckerman**** Helen & Walter Zwig**** Anonymous (7) MEMBER, $2,250 – $3,749 Mr. Herb Abramson** The Acheson Family Foundation** D. C. Adamson-Brdar**** Dr. & Mrs. Larry M. Agranove**** Donna & Lorne Albaum* Mr. & Mrs. Roberto & Nancy Albis** Mr. Thomas & Mrs. Claire Allen* Mr. & Mrs. Howard Alpert** Dr. D. Amato & Ms J. Hodges**** Rod Anderson & Merike Lugus**** Andrée Appleton & Alexander Leman* Anne-Marie H. Applin*** Valerie Armstrong**** Philip Arthur* Virginia Atkin*** John Bailey* James C. Baillie* Marilyn & Charles Baillie**** Andrew & Cornelia Baines**** Janice A. Baker**** Richard J. Balfour*** Lindy Barrow** Ms Roxanne Bartel Dr. Frank Bartoszek & Mr. Daniel O’Brien**** Florence Sharpe Barwell**** Julia Bass & David Hamilton** Alice & Tom Bastedo** Rene Beaulieu Dr. Gail Beck, O. Ont. & Mr. Andrew Fenus Mr. & Mrs. Peter & Sondra Beck Mr. Doug & Mrs. Alison Bell Ms Marie Bérard†** Dan Bereskin, Q.C. & Rhoda Gryfe** Dr. Catherine Bergeron** Nani & Austin Beutel**** John N. & Miranda A. H. Birch J. Bismillah* Anneliese and Walter Blackwell**** Susanne Blake*** Lynn Blaser & John van Ogtrop**** Ian & Janet Blue** John & Ila Bossons* Mr. W. Bowen & Ms S. Gavinchuk†*** Mrs. Carolyn Bradley-Hall & Mr. William Bradley*** Mrs. Richard Bradshaw*** Sylvia Brander**** Peter Brieger & Beverley Hamblin*

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

Brian Bucknall & Mary Jane Mossman**** Alice Burton** Thomas J. Burton* Barrie & Betty Cade** Maureen Callahan & Douglas Gray* Margaret Harriett Cameron**** Della H. Campbell**** Brian & Ellen Carr**** Gail Carson**** Wendy M. Cecil**** Dr. & Mrs. Albert Cheskes** Birte von Chlumecky-Bauer** Dr. Howard M. Clarke** The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson Cogeco Data Services Edward Cole & Adrienne Hood** Brian Collins & Amanda Demers* Murray & Katherine Corlett*** Harold & Anita Corrigan*** Dr. Lesley S. Corrin**** Margaret Couch** Gay & Derek Cowbourne* Ms Wanda Crickmay Irene & Keith Croot*** Andreas Curkovic Mary Beth Currie & Jeff Rintoul Carrol Anne Curry*** Ms Lindsay Dale-Harris & Mr. Rupert Field-Marsham**** Doris J. Daughney Dr. & Mrs. Michael & Ute Davis** Brian J. Dawson** Juleth Dawson Michael & Honor de Pencier*** Mrs. Rosario de Wit-Farro*** Mrs. Leonard G. (Anne) Delicaet & Mrs. Kendra Anne Delicaet-Almasi**** Mary-Kathleen Delicaet & John Young Perry & Rae Dellio*** Angelo & Carol DelZotto*** Mr. & Mrs. Elvio DelZotto* Jill Denham & Stephen Marshall* Mr. & Mrs. A. J. Diamond* Mr. David S. Dick J. DiGiovanni* Olwen & Frank Dixon* James Doak & Patricia Best** Sandra Z. Doblinger* Ms Petrina Dolby** Dr. James & Mrs. Ellen Downey* John Duffy & Jill Presser* Marko Duic**** H. I. Dunlop*** Judy Dunn* Ron Dyck & Walter Stewart*** William & Gwenda Echard**** Jean Edwards* Wendy & Elliot Eisen*** Mr. & Mrs. John J. Elder****

Genia & Stan Elkind**** Robert Elliott & Paul Wilson* Dr. & Mrs. John Evans** Virginia Evans* Fabris Inc. George A. Farkass* Gail & Bob Farquharson Catherine Fauquier*** Bill Fearn & Claudia Rogers*** Lee K. Ferrier*** William & Rosemary Fillmore** Mr. & Mrs. Cosimo & Christina Fiorenza** Dr. Sidney M. Fireman* David & Elizabeth Forster** Robert & Julia Foster** Margaret & David Fountain**** Mr. Michael A. French* Judith Ann Fullerton* Robert Fung** John & Rita Gagliano Rev. Ivars Gaide & Rev. Dr. Anita Gaide** Tom & Helen Galt**** Ann Gawman** Dr. Barry A. Gayle**** Martin & Mindy Gerskup* The Honourable Irving Gerstein & Mrs. Gail Gerstein* Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Giancamilli * Ann J. Gibson**** Mary & Lionel Goffart Dr. Eudice Goldberg Dr. Fay Goldstep & Dr. George Freedman* Deanna A. Gontard**** Tina & Michael Gooding** Wayne A. Gooding**** Goodman Family* David & Janice Gordon** Jane Greene* Mr. Finn Greflund & Mrs. M. Ortner* Mr. Carmen & Mrs. Vittoria Guglietti* Ellen & Simon Gulden**** Anna L. Guthrie**** Mr. & Mrs. Henry Hackenspiel**** Gudrun Hackert*** Dan Hagler & Family** Ms Francess G. Halpenny**** Mr. Adrian J. Hamel George & Irene Hamilton**** John & Ruth Hannigan Beverly Hargraft* Michael Harris & Carol Rak* Valerie & Brian Harris**** Mr. D. Harrison & Dr. E. Fischer* Paul & Natalie Hartman* David Harquail & Birgitta Sigfridsson* Lloyd Heaslip**** Jenny Heathcote**** Mr. Thomas G. Heintzman & Ms Mary Jane Heintzman** Caroline Helbronner**

Jacques & Elizabeth Helbronner** Ann & Lyman Henderson**** Thea Herman & Gregory King** William E. Hewitt*** Sam & Libby Ho** Chris Hoffmann & Joan Eakin* Richard & Donna Holbrook**** Sally Holton & Stephen Ireland*** Emmy & Walter Homburger** Mr. Roland Hoy** Drs. Walter & Virginia Hryshko* Ken Hugessen & Jennifer Connolly* Anthony C. J. Humphreys**** Gillian Humphreys* Peter & Hélène Hunt**** Mrs. Wilma Hysen*** Infonex Inc.* Prof. Christopher Innes & Brigitte Bogar* William Innes* Dr. Melvyn L. Iscove** Diana & Philip Jackson in memory of Ethel B. Jackson**** Elliott Jacobson & Judy Malkin* Lynne Jeffrey*** Laurence Jewell* The Norman & Margaret Jewison Charitable Foundation**** Mrs. E. Patricia Johnson** Ms Elizabeth Johnson* Dr. Albert & Bette Johnston* Joyce Johnston** H. L. Katarynych** Joseph & Maureen Katchen David W. & Sheryl L. Kerr* Inta Kierans**** Peter Kingsmill* Ellen & Hermann Kircher**** Dr. Elizabeth Kocmur**** Michael & Sonja Koerner** Robin Korthals & Janet Charlton* Dr. Robert Kosnik**** Richard J. Kostoff** Valarie Koziol William & Eva Krangle**** Richard T. La Prairie* Elizabeth & Goulding Lambert*** Leslie & Jo Lander**** Dr. Connie Lee** Linda Lee & Michael Pharoah**** Neal Lee & Dominique Lee* Dr. Richard Lee & Mr. Gary Van Haren* Alexander & Anna Leggatt*** Joy Levine** Mr. Peter Levitt & Ms Mai Why** Cheryl Lewis & Mihkel Voore** L. Liivamagi Justin S. Linden Marjorie & Roy Linden**** Dr. & Mrs. W. G. Lindley****

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

Janet & Sid Lindsay** Dr. Vance Logan*** A. Benson Lorriman**** Douglas L. Ludwig & Karen J. Rice** Dr. Robert G. Luton**** Ms Jane Loughborough* Jonathan & Dorothea Lovat Dickson* Mary Lu & Bruce MacDonald**** James & Connie MacDougall**** Mr. Jed MacKay**** Dr. & Mrs. Richard Mackenzie**** Mrs. R. MacMillan**** Tom & Catharina MacMillan**** Macro Properties Ltd.* Mrs. Janet Maggiacomo* Susan & Scott Maidment** Dr. Colin McGregor Mailer**** R. Manke**** Mr. & Mrs. R. Gordon Marantz**** Gerald & Helen Marr**** Kenneth & Kathleen Mathieson* Pauline and Dipak Mazumdar at the Toronto Community Foundation**** Mrs. Ettore Mazzoleni** Dr. & Mrs. John A. McCallum**** Wendy & Chris McDowall* Dr. & Mrs. Donald C. McGillivray**** Dr. Gabrielle McIntire Darcy & Joyce McKeough* Don McLean & Diane Martello Guy & Joanne McLean**** M. E. McLeod**** Jean M. McNab**** Margaret C. McNee Mark & Andrea McQueen*** Shawn McReynolds & Elaine Kierans* Mr. Ian McWalter* Dr. Don Melady & Mr. Rowley Mossop** MI9 Business Intelligence Systems Ingrid & Daniel Mida* Marvene (Cox) & Gordon Miller** Lee Milliken† & Doug MacNaughton* Patricia & Frank Mills** Ms Kamini Milnes* Audrey & David Mirvish** Dr. David N. Mitchell & Dr. Susan M. Till*** Mr. Donald Mitchell Robert & Janet Mitchell* Eva Mocarski* Dr. & Mrs. S. Mocarski* Donald Moggridge & Susan Howson** Anne Moore**** Mr. Robert Morassutti**** Alice Janet Morgan*** Ada & Hugh G. Morris*

Shannon Mercer, Krisztina Szabó and Joni Henson in the COC’s Così fan tutte, 2006. Photo: Michael Cooper

Join us! Today’s performance has been made possible, in part, by the generosity and loyal support of the Friends of the COC. Our Friends also support our education and outreach programs and Ensemble Studio training program. Become a Friend of the COC* and you can join us in the Friends Lounge at all COC performances, enjoy special behind-the-scenes working rehearsals and events, receive our newsletter Prelude, as well as gain access to single tickets one week prior to the public. All gifts will be gratefully acknowledged with a charitable tax receipt. For more information, please stop by the Friends Lounge located on Ring 3, visit coc.ca, or call 416-847-4949.

*Friends of the COC give a charitable membership gift between $150 – $2,249 annually.

Edith Patterson Morrow*** Ms Rosalind Morrow* Drs. Christopher & Pippa Moss** Mr. Noel Mowat** Mr. Joseph Mulder* Taketo & Vija Murata* Ethel Myers**** David & Mary Neelands*** Dr. Shirley C. Neuman* Dr. John & Pamela Newall**** Dr. Emilie Newell* Dr. Steven Nitzkin*** Simon & Marlene Nyilassy Dr. James & Mrs. Valda Oestreicher** Janice Oliver** Benson Orenstein*** Martin & Myrna Ossip* Julia & Liza Overs*** John Pahapill* Dr. & Mrs. N. Pairaudeau**** Isabel Pargana & Raimondo Maltese Lee Parsons Mrs. Margaret Ann Pattison**** John & Penelope Pepperell* Dr. R. G. Perrin* Stephanie Perry & Ronan McGrath Mr. William Perry* John & Carol Peterson** M. J. Phillips**** June C. Pinkney**** Johann C. Pinto Robin B. Pitcher*** Wanda Plachta*** Jill† & Ron Planche Georgia Prassas**** C. Edward Rathé**** Margrit & Tony Rahilly**** Stephen Ralls & Bruce Ubukata** The Carol & Morton Rapp Foundation**** Kenneth F. Read**** Grant L. Reuber*** Mrs. Gabrielle Richards** Carolyn Ricketts*** Ms Nada Ristich Emily & Fred Rizner* Clara Robert* Ms Virginia Robeson Sidney Robinson & Linda Currie**** Dr. Michael & Mary Romeo**** John & Hannah Rosen* Ken & Helen Rotenberg* Rainer & Sharyn Rothfuss**** Drs. Orest & Maureen Rudzik**** David A. Ruston*** Mallory Morris Sartz & John Sartz**** Stewart & Dianne Saxe**** Dr. & Mrs. Bruce Schaef**** Beverly & Fred Schaeffer****

Mrs. Ortaud Scherer* Fred & Mary Schulz* Dr. Marianne Seger**** Carol Seifert & Bruno Tesan** Mr. & Mrs. Norman Shamie*** Victor & Rhoda Shields**** Milton & Joyce Shier**** Dr. Kevin Shiffman* Dorothy Cohen Shoichet** David & Hilary Short*** William Siegel & Margaret Swaine* In memory of Dr. Bernard Slatt Dr. & Mrs. Jeremy Sloan* Jay Smith & Laura Rapp* Kenneth & Catherine Smith*** Ms Muriel Smith & Mr. Eric Ojala*** Dr. Harley Smyth & Carolyn McIntire Smyth* Dr. Joseph So*** Philip Somerville* John & Ellen Spears*** Martha E. Spears*** Alex & Kim Squires**** Oksana R. Stein*** Mr. & Mrs. Gary & Sula Stern* Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Stern*** John D. Stevenson*** James H. Stonehouse* Dr. Peter Stroz & Dr. Sophia Pantazi*** Janet Stubbs Eric Tang & Dr. James Miller* Mr. Arthur Paul Tarasuk* Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Taylor*** John Todd & Jenny Ginder**** John & Liz Tory**** Diana Tremain**** Ian Turner** Riki Turofsky & Charles Petersen* Cindy & Gary Ullman** Sandra & Guy Upjohn** Dita Vadron & James Catty* Tony & Mary van Straubenzee*** Dr. R. B. Van Winckle Edmond & Sylvia Vanhaverbeke*** Mr. & Mrs. Henry & Ann Louise Vehovec*** Dr. Yvonne Verbeeten** Dr. Helen Vosu & Donald Milner**** Richard & Nathalie Wachsberg Samara Walbohm & Joe Schlesinger Dr. O. R. Waler* Diane Walker & Rob Bell** Elizabeth & Michael Walker** Peter Webb & Joan York**** Philip & Diana Weinstein* Dr. Bogomila Welsh* Ms Eleanor Westney* Melanie Whitehead** Ms Anne-Marie Widner & Mr. Paul Szymanski***

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

Mr. Brian Wilks* Elizabeth Wilson & Ian Montagnes**** Jeffrey Stewart Wilson* Dr. Jackson Wu & Dr. Viviana Chang Erik Yeo Morden Yolles**** Marina Yoshida*** Dr. Howard & Sybil Young**** Tricia Younger* George Zeman Susan Zorzi** Anonymous (22) FRIENDS OF THE COC SUSTAINING FRIENDS $1,600 – $2,249 In memory of M. Baptista** Dody Bienenstock* Iivi Campbell**** Ruth & John Crow*** Jayne & Ted Dawson**** Mr. Albert D. Dunn Mrs. Lois Fleming**** J. E. Fordyce**** Ms Suanne Kelman & Dr. Allan J. Fox* Dr. & Mrs. R. W. Kimber** Mr. A. Mafrici**** Mrs. Eileen A. Mercier**** Mr. John Nagel* Mrs. Annette Oelbaum* Clarence & Mary Pace** Dr. Roger D. Pearce*** Dr. Norbert V. Perera**** Mrs. Richard Gavin Reid* Go Sato**** Gary Shiff*** Jim Stewart & Deborah Swail* Mr. & Mrs. Vernon & Beryl Turner*** Gordon Waugh*** Ms June Yee** Anonymous (2) ASSOCIATE FRIENDS $1,100 – $1,599 Ms I. M. Allen**** Michael & Janet Barnard* Michael Benedict & Martha Lowrie**** Don Biderman**** Mrs. William Birchall Ms Ethel Birkenshaw Bruce Burgess** Ms E. Burton*** Dr. Wendy C. Chan Pauline Cheung & Winston Koo Patricia Clarke* Elaine & Michael Davies**** Mr. Darren Day** Prometheum Institute*** Ms Christine Demont*** Gary Fitzgibbon** The late Mr. James Dewhurst

Get fascinating this fall at the Opera Shop! Glamorous fascinators, one-of-a-kind jewellery, elegant stationery, musical gems, and so much more at the Opera Shop! Visit us on the main floor of the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room, open before, during and (sometimes) after all performances.

Jewellery trunk show

This fall we recommend the following recordings from Universal Classics: Iphigénie en Tauride Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre rely on their mastery of historically informed performance practice to turn this outstanding recording of Gluck’s masterpiece into a truly theatrical experience. The mostly French cast excels in the declamatory singing style required by Gluck. Marc Minkowski, conductor, Le Choeur des Musiciens du Louvre and Les Musiciens du Louvre. With Mireille Delunsch, Simon Keenlyside, Yann Beuron and Laurent Naouri. Archiv, $52.75 including tax.

Rigoletto Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s sumptuous production is set in a Renaissance ducal palace with Luciano Pavarotti in his prime performing one of his signature roles. This atmospheric film version also features the great coloratura soprano Edita Gruberova as Gilda. Riccardo Chailly, conductor, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna State Opera Chorus. With Luciano Pavarotti, Edita Gruberová, Ingvar Wixell, Ferruccio Furlanetto. Decca, $25.75 including tax.

Shop for much more at the Opera Shop or at coc.ca! The Opera Shop is a project of the Canadian Opera Company, in partnership with L’Atelier Grigorian and Decca – The Opera Label. All proceeds support the Canadian Opera Company.

Photo: Sev Seven

P. J. Bundy: Saturday, Oct. 22

Miss Gillian Foster*** R. Dalton Fowler**** Klaus Multiparking Inc.* John H. Galloway**** Alison Girling & Paul Schabas* Helen & Barry Goldlist**** Dr. Gabriela Gohla Aviva & Andrew Goldenberg* Mr. Henry Gooderham** Dr. Wilfred S. Goodman**** Mrs. Marion A. Green**** Suzy Greenspan** Mr. & Mrs. Michael E. Harrison**** Mr. & Mrs. H. C. Hatch*** Jean & Bill Heaslip**** Lawrence & Beatrice Herman*** Mr. David Holdsworth & Ms Nicole Senecal* Mr. Josef Hrdina* Donald Hughes*** Ms K. Margot Khan Horace & Elizabeth Krever**** Mr. & Mrs. Owen & Margie Kurin* Alan & Marti Latta**** Claus & Heather Lenk* P. Anne Mackay**** Craig & Karen Mahood* Mary McGowan*** Brian Miron & Monica Vegelj* Mr. Carl Morey*** Mr. Sean O'Neill*** Barbara & Peter Pauly* Ms Alexandra Petrenko Mr. & Mrs. Porporo* Ms Beatrice Riddell* Dorothy & Robert Ross*** A. K. Sigurjonsson*** C. Anderson Silber* Dr. & Mrs. Bernie & Bobbie Silverman** David Smukler & Patricia Kern** Mr. Warren Sorensen & Mr. Gregory Williams**** Dr. & Mrs. George Steiner**** Jane & Ted Stephenson*** Ms Peg Thoen* Bill MacKenzie & Alan Westbrook*** Janet White* Ron Williams* Anonymous (3) CONTRIBUTING FRIENDS $700 - $1,099 Mr. Roger Abbott Mrs. Carol A. Albright*** Mrs. Rosalen Armstrong**** Anne & Husayn Banani* Peter & Leslie Barton** Jeniva Berger*** David W. Binet Dr. B. Derek & Dr. Anne W. Birt**** Dr. Jennifer Blake* Ms Marlene Bohn* Mary Brock & Brian Iler**** Mr. Thomas N. Bryson**

Miss Maria Buisman* Ms Judith Burrows** Theresa & John Caldwell**** Betty Carlyle**** Jack A. Carr*** Mark Cestnik**** Carole Chabot & Derek Dodd** Barbara Charters**** Harold Chmara**** Joe T. R. Clarke**** Dr. Marsha Cohen & Mr. Michael Mendelson** D. M. Cook*** Mr. & Mrs. Norman & Louise Coxall*** Mr. Neil Crawford Mr. John A. Crocker & Mrs. Mary Crocker*** Don DeBoer & Brent Vickar*** Mrs. Grace Diez Mr. Michael Disney Dr. Domville** Mr. Steven D. Donohoe**** Howard & Kathrine Eckler** Peter & Shashi Eden* Mr. Thomas Eiser**** Mr. Ray Eleid Ms Eleanor L. Ellins**** Mr. Arthur English* Mr. Larry Enkin ** Ms Sharon Evans**** Mr. Kirk Falconer*** Mr. F. C. Farr*** Joe & Helen Feldmann** Brian A. Ferguson*** Richard & Gail Flack** Mr. Morris Flicht**** Mrs. & Mr. Jennifer & Francis Flower*** Dr. & Mrs. A. Mervyn Fox**** Linda & Ken Foxcroft* Douglas G. Gardner*** Elinor Gill Ratcliffe C.M., O.N.L. Mr. Alexander Globe Dr. Bruno & Mrs. Louise Golisky** Lisa & Harvey Golombek in memory of Hilda & Isie Golombek* Ricardo Gomez-Insausti Ms Ina K. Govan**** Mr. James Hamilton* Philo Handler** Dr. & Mrs. Brian & Cynthia Hands**** Harper House Contracting Ltd Mr. & Mrs. E. Roy Harrison**** Sandra Hausman** W. L. B. Heath**** In memory of Pauline Chorniuk Hinch* Richard & Susan Horner**** Dr. Ivan & Mrs. Diana Hronsky**** James Hughes** Pierre Hurtubise**** Ms Catherine Hutt* Mr. Sumant Inamdar* Mr. Jai Jayaraman

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

Mr. Kazik Jedrzejczak**** Frances E. Johnson**** Douglas & Dorothy Joyce**** May & Fred Karp** Heidi & Khalid Khokhar*** Mai Kirch**** Mr. Martin Kirr Dr. & Mrs. L. A. Kitchell**** Mr. & Mrs. I. P. & O. M. Komarnicky*** Mr.& Mrs. Armin Kratel*** Mr. Jonathan Krehm* Gediminas P. Kurpis**** Mr. James R. Lake**** Harry Lane** Mary-Jane Large** Giles le Riche & Rosemary Polczer** Mr. Yakov Lerner Mrs. Mary Liitoja**** Nathan & Glenys Lindenberg* Ingrid Martin Kathy Marton Mary McClymont**** Jil McIntosh* Mr. Bruce McKeown*** Georgina McLennan**** Sylvia McPhee**** Janis Medland* Mr. & Mrs. David & Shirley Menzel** Suzanne Mess*** Kathryn Mikoski & Hope Clement* Murray & Ruth Miskin Frank & Anne Moir** Eve Nash**** David Northcote & Suzanne Betcke** Jean O'Grady* Ms Cristina Oke** Karen Olinykâ&#x20AC; William Ostrander**** Mr. Martti Paloheimo* Mr. Joseph & Mrs. Letizia Paradiso*** David Peachey & Georgia Henderson** Bruce Pearce**** Dr. A. Angus Peller* Mrs. Dorothy K. Piepke**** The Late Ms Ella Prindiville**** Dr. Peter Ray*** Dr. Shelley Rechner**** Guylaine Rheault-Oliver* Mr. David E. Roman**** Mrs. Gertrude Rosenthal**** M. Sanvido**** William & Meredith Saunderson*** Barbara Sawaszkiewicz**** Miss Elisabeth Scarff**** Patti & Richard Schabas** Mrs. Sylvia Schmid**** The Derick Brenninkmeyer Charitable Foundation Henry & Mary Seldon*** Anci Shafran****

Robert Sherrin** Cheryl Shook* Ms Elizabeth J. Shropshire** D. Bruce Sinclair** Joan Sinclair & John McConnell** John Spears**** Mrs. Harriet H. Stairs** Tony Stapells** Dr. & Mrs. W. K. Stavraky** Scott Steele & Jan Korman* Robert & Nancy Stephenson* Marta Stewart**** Mr. Paul Szaszkiewicz & Ms Peggy Theodore Anna M. Tait**** Ms Michelle Tan* Mrs. Yoka Terbrugge Dr. M. Lynne Thurling & Dr. John Treilhard** Dr. Claude Tousignant* David & Diana Trent**** Mrs. Norene Turvolgyi**** Tobias & Jeanne van Dalen* Dr. Nancy F. Vogan**** Mr. Wayne Vogan†**** Dr. Peter Voore*** Rick & Virginia Walker Mr. John M. Welch**** Mr. and Mrs. Karl Wildi David B. & Virginia Wortman** Nina & Norman Wright** Ms Iris Zawadowski* Anonymous (19) THE ENCORE LEGACY The Encore Legacy is the planned giving program of the Canadian Opera Company. Planned giving is making the decision today to provide a gift for the Canadian Opera Company that may not be realized until after your lifetime. Planned giving also allows many people to make a significant gift without altering their current lifestyle. Gifts planned today, that will ultimately affect your estate, allow you to make a statement of support that will become a lasting legacy to the COC. In addition, gift planning may provide significant tax benefits for your estate.

The Canadian Opera Company gratefully acknowledges and thanks the following individuals who have included the COC in their estate planning: Dr. Larry M. Agranove Isobel Allen Renata Arens & Elizabeth Frey Mrs. Rosalen Armstrong Ron Atkinson & Bruce Blandford Mr. L. H. Bartelink J. Linden Best & James G. Kerr David Bowen Marnie M. Bracht Walter Carsen Earl Clark Brian Collins & Amanda Demers Earlaine Collins David H. Cormack Ann De Brouwer Helen Drake Rowland D. Galbraith Douglas G. Gardner Michael & Anne Gough L. A. Grover George & Irene Hamilton Joan L. Harris James Hewson John R. Higgins Mr. Kim Yim Ho & Walter Frederic Thommen Douglas E. Hodgson Matt Hughes Lynne Jeffrey Ann Kadrnka Kathryn Kossow Mr. Gurney Kranz Jo Lander Peggy Lau† Marjorie & Roy Linden J. Bruce MacDonald Ms Lenore MacDonald Dr. Colin M. Mailer R. Manke Tim & Jane Marlatt Margaret McKee Sylvia M. McPhee Dr. Alan C. Middleton Eleanor Miller Donald Morse Sue Mortimer Mr. & Mrs. James D. Patterson Mervyn Pickering Gunther & Dorothy Piepke Ms Georgia Prassas K. F. Read Dr. John Reeve-Newson Mrs. Margaret Russell Cookie & Stephen Sandler J. M. Doc Savage David Serber Claire Shaw R. Bonnie Shettler David E. Spiro Dr. D. P. Stanley-Porter Doreen L. Stanton

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

Lilly Offenbach Strauss Drs. W. & K. Stavraky Janet Stubbs Ann Sutton Ronald Taber Vivian Treacy Mrs. L. Treutler N. Suzanne Vanstone† Marie-Laure Wagner Hugh & Colleen Washington Marion C. Wilson Marion York Anonymous (46) CORPORATE MATCHING PARTNERS The Canadian Opera Company gratefully acknowledges the following organizations that have matched gifts by their employees: Canadian Tire Corporation Limited Ivanhoe Cambridge Inc Goodman & Company, Investment Counsel Ltd. FM Global Foundation Ketchum Canada Inc.

The above Individual Support Gifts were made as of Aug. 22, 2011. * ** *** **** † ‡

five to nine years of support 10 to 14 years of support 15 to 19 years of support 20 or more years of support COC administration, chorus or orchestra member Endowment

Despite the staff’s extensive efforts to avoid errors and omissions, mistakes can occur. If your name was omitted, listed incorrectly or misspelled, we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. We would appreciate being notified of any errors at 416-847-4949.

(l â&#x20AC;&#x201C; r) Adrian Kramer as Papageno, Michael Barrett as Monostatos and Simone Osborne as Pamina in the COC Ensemble Studio performance of The Magic Flute, 2011. Photo: Michael Cooper

Ensemble Studio The Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio is the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier opera training program. Since 1980, more than 150 young Canadian singers, stage directors, apprentice opera coaches and conductors have acquired their first professional operatic experience through this program, including such well known singers as Ben Heppner, Joanne Kolomyjec, Wendy Nielsen, Joni Henson, John Fanning, and Isabel Bayrakdarian. For more information about supporting the COC Ensemble Studio, please call 416-847-4949 or visit coc.ca.

MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS 2011/2012 SEASON

Sun Life Financial Accessibility Program Encompassing SURTITLES™, Wheelchair Seating, Hearing-Assistive and Vision-Impaired Devices

Official Automotive Sponsor of the COC at the FSCPA

BMO Financial Group Pre-Performance Opera Chats and BMO Financial Group Student Dress Rehearsals Production Sponsor Saariaho’s Love from Afar

Production Sponsor Handel’s Semele

Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour

RBC Foundation Major Supporter, Ensemble Studio

Official Canadian Wine of the COC at the FSCPA

Official Spirit of the COC at the FSCPA

Preferred Hospitality Sponsor

Presenting Sponsor Opera for a New Age and Operanation 8

Title Sponsor KPMG Opera Golf Classic

Preferred Medical Services Provider

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

Production Co-sponsors Zemlinsky’s A Florentine Tragedy and Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi

Preferred Fragrance

Official Media Sponsors

Official Airline Sponsor

Digital Marketing Sponsor

201 1/2012 SPONSORS RENTALS SUPPLIER

PREFERRED FLORISTS

Quince Flowers Tidy’s Flowers Wild Thyme OTHER SUPPLIERS

THE BUTLER DID IT Nestlé Waters Torrié Coffee Mill Street

DIAMOND PERFORMANCE SPONSORS

PERFORMANCE SPONSORS Delvinia Fionn MacCool’s Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

OPENING NIGHT SPONSOR Fionn MacCool’s HOSTING SPONSOR

PROGRAM SPONSORS Great West Life London Life and Canada Life The Globe and Mail Subscriber Ticket Back Sponsor Standard Life Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour Performance Sponsor Torys LLP After School Opera Program Supporting Sponsor

2011/2012 MEDIA SPONSORS & IN-KIND SUPPORTERS CBC Radio Two Remenyi House of Music Ltd.

CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION DONORS MaJOr GiFTs

OFFiCial FraGranCe Calvin Klein forbidden euphoria

$10,000+ Audrey S. Hellyer Charitable Foundation The Hope Charitable Foundation The Hal Jackman Fund at the Ontario Arts Foundation The McLean Foundation

dinner sPOnsOr E-L Financial Limited

$5,000 to $9,999 225490 Investments Limited IATSE Local 58 Charitable Stage Technicians Toronto SNC Lavalin Unit Park Holdings Inc. $3,000 to $4,999 The Calgary Foundation – Nellie Hicks Memorial Fund $2,000 to $2,999 Classical 96.3 FM Jarvis & Associates MAC Cosmetics Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. Shinex Window Cleaning Inc.

KPMG OPERA GOLF CLASSIC TiTle sPOnsOr KPMG LLP OPERANATION 8 PresenTinG sPOnsOr TD Bank Financial Group

ParTnerinG sPOnsOr Dundee Real Estate Asset Management ANNUAL FINE WINE AUCTION 2011 hOsT sPOnsOr Crush Wine Bar ParTnerinG sPOnsOr Harris Brown & Partners Limited Cheese sPOnsOr Cheese Boutique ChOCOlaTe sPOnsOr Rhéo Thompson Candies

$1,000 to $1,999 Aeroplan Canada LoyaltyOne Milgram Group of Companies Ltd. Truck ’N Roll

Please visit coc.ca for additional information

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT The Canadian Opera Company gratefully acknowledges the generous support of these government agencies and departments.

OPeraTinG GranTs

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts which last year invested $26.3 million in music throughout Canada. Nous remercions de son soutien le Conseil des Arts du Canada, qui a investi 26,3 millions de dollars l’an dernier dans la musique à travers le Canada.

enseMBle sTudiO

sPeCial PrOJeCT FundinG For the many programs and special initiatives undertaken each year by the Canadian Opera Company, we gratefully acknowledge project funding from: Canada Council for the Arts Department of Canadian Heritage Human Resources and Skills Development Canada Ontario Arts Council Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund

CREDITS & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Canadian Opera Company would like to thank all those who volunteer both on a daily basis and for special events with the company. Michael Cooper: Official photographer The COC is a member of Opera America and Opera.ca. The COC operates in agreement with Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. The COC operates in agreement with I.A.T.S.E., Local #58 and Local #822.

SUPERNUMERARIES Liz Allemang Stephanie Applin Matt Bernstein Paul Ciantar Marie Colucci Mark Garron

Rodger Harding Mark Henderson Dale Humphrey Caroline Lanese Rick Lobodzinski Dan Lopes

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

Dave Matoc Eric Matto Alexandra Mealia Mark Milligan Mike O’Morrow James Whitaker

RIGOLETTO: A STUDY IN DUAL PERSONALITY BY JON KAPLAN

Preliminary sketch of Rigoletto by Michael Levine, set and costume designer for Rigoletto. Production originally designed for Lyric Opera of Chicago, 2000.

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

ne of Verdi’s most popular operas, Rigoletto, had its first performance in Venice in 1851. Written at the end of the composer’s so-called “galley years,” it was a sign of the quality of work to come a few years later; Il Trovatore and La Traviata both premiered in 1853. A masterful blend of memorable arias, duets and the nowfamous quartet in the final act, Rigoletto is also a dramatically strong piece, one that holds its own as a piece of theatre, in part because of its tight plot and suggestive character studies. None of its figures is more memorable than the title character, a hunchback jester who leads what we’d now call a double life. Not only is Rigoletto the nastily entertaining, darkly comic figure at the court of the licentious Duke of Mantua; he is also the loving father who protects his daughter, Gilda, by keeping her existence a secret from the court and insisting that she be isolated from the outside world. In theory, the two sides of his personality might seem at odds with each other. But Verdi, ever a man of the theatre, combines

Russian Waterways J u n e 1 1- 23, 2012

Enjoy a spectacular voyage through the heart of Russia along its colorful and historic waterways. Explore bustling and excitement-packed Moscow, then cruise north and visit the enchanting Golden Ring cities of Uglich and Yaroslavl. Cruise along the Volga-Baltic Waterways and through Europe’s two largest lakes, Onega and Ladoga, to St. Petersburg, known as the “Venice of the North”, and one of the world’s most beautiful cities, spread over 101 islands and 66 canals. Date

Days

From / T To o

Fares from

Jun 11-23/2012

St. Petersburg to Moscow

CAD $6,470

Savings!

Package Price includes: air from T Tor oronto, air taxes, transfers, cruise, Russia Visa, prepaid tipping for cruise dir ector and crew, included concert in St. Petersburg, and tour to Catherine the Gr eat Palace in Pushkin, near Moscow. Air Credit: CAD1100 pp

Book befor e September before 30, 2011 and rreceive eceive a EARL EARLY LY Y BOOKING DISCOUNT of $150 pp. Pay by cheque, and save additional 3% of far fare. e.

For more information and to r eserve your stateroom call

Cruise Holidays of Clarkson 1739 Lakeshore Rd W W,, M Mississauga, ON, L5J 1J4 Tel: (905) 855-1700 s T Toll o Free: 866-919-2111 oll Fax: (905) 855-1701 Email: info@clarksontravel.ca 50015708 Website: www.clarksontours.ca Enjoy a ballet performance at the Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

MS A AmaKatarina Am maK Katarina ari Cruise Russia in style with the completely rredesigned edesigned AMAKATARINA, AMAKA AT TARINA, featuring outside balconies in over 70% of the staterooms. stater ooms.

RIGOLETTO: A Study in Dual Personality

the libretto by Francesco Maria Piave (based on Victor Hugo’s Le Roi s’amuse), and the music, to paint a believable portrait of a man who is both snarling court jester and devoted parent. “That duality is really what makes him a great figure to perform,” says Quinn Kelsey, the Hawaiian-born baritone making his debut with the Canadian Opera Company. “He’s a terribly flawed character, and his nastiness in the court is a way of being one of the boys; Rigoletto struggles so hard for some sort of recognition and identity, doing anything to get a smile or a laugh out of the courtiers. It’s clear early on that though Rigoletto prides himself on the status he derives in the court, he actually has none; he’s only allowed as much as the Duke gives him, which is really that of an entertaining pet. “We actually see how insecure he is when, near the end of the first act, Monterone comes in under arrest. When the old nobleman denounces the Duke for seducing his daughter, Rigoletto jeers at him and is cursed for laughing at a father’s grief: ‘…and you, serpent, you who laugh at a father’s grief, my curse upon you.’ That curse immediately terrifies the jester, since it touches him in a way that none of the court knows. That’s the turning point of the story for Rigoletto: the curse has gotten through his protective shell, his brittle words, and infected the soft flesh underneath. I’m surprised that he doesn’t fall apart at the end of the scene.” On the other hand, Rigoletto is “an overprotective father” who worries even about Gilda going to church unattended. Kelsey continues, “She’s the only reminder of his dead wife, the woman who took pity on Rigoletto and showed him affection despite his physical deformity, poverty and isolation. Gilda, I think, is the representation of that loving relationship, a reminder of better days. Since he’s a first-hand witness of the ugliness in the outside world – and even contributes to it – he’s overly sensitive 22

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

about keeping her apart from that world. In his private life he maintains a loving, trying-to-be-a-sensitive-father mindset. He doesn’t dare let the purer-than-pure Gilda know his day job.” It’s a challenge to switch back and forth between those two aspects of Rigoletto, admits Kelsey, and feels it would be nearly impossible to live that kind of duality in real life. “As a singer who’s only sung the role a few times, I’m still at the beginning of appreciating its various sides. I enjoy, for instance, the harshness of expression that Rigoletto is able to savour in the first act, when he’s with the court. “But then there’s the final act, one of the greatest that Verdi wrote, with Rigoletto’s various emotions raised to fever pitch. The hardest moment, one that can generate improper audience laughter if it’s not balanced just right, is when he hears the Duke singing “La donna è mobile” offstage and realizes that the Duke is still alive and not in the sack that Sparafucile has given Rigoletto. You have to be delicate in how you play it, as the man moves from confusion to surprise and then to anxiety coupled with fear. When the light bulb finally goes on that it’s Gilda who’s in the sack, you have to highlight his vulnerability and sense of mortality.” Lester Lynch, who alternates in the role of Rigoletto with Kelsey, has a slightly different spin on the jester’s life at court. “I think he hates his life just as much as he hates the duke and being bossed around,” offers Lynch, who appeared in the COC’s production of Billy Budd. “I see him as a man who’s been ridiculed his whole life, and the derision has turned him nasty. Certainly you see that with Gilda he’s a kind, good-natured person, but he can’t escape from his physical nature and the way people treat him.” Reflecting on the close father/daughter relationship in the opera, Lynch brings up the fact that Verdi

2011|12 season is presented by

presents

World Premiere!

Romeo&Juliet Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky

November 16—27, 2011 national.ballet.ca 416 345 9595

Lead philanthropic support provided by Sandra & Jim Pitblado with additional generous support from Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan, The Catherine & Maxwell Meighen Foundation, an anonymous friend of the National Ballet and Walter Carsen, O.C.

Celebrating 60 Years of Partnership with The Volunteer Committee, The National Ballet of Canada Elena Lobsanova and Guillaume Côté. Photo by Christopher Wahl.

RIGOLETTO: A Study in Dual Personality

Preliminary sketch of Gilda by Michael Levine, set and costume designer for Rigoletto. Production originally designed for Lyric Opera of Chicago, 2000.

himself had lost two children from his first marriage, which possibly underlies the sensitivity we see between Rigoletto and Gilda. Both baritones admire the portraiture Verdi creates through his music, notably the music involving the regular reference to Monterone’s curse. In fact, the opera was originally to be called La Maledizione (The Curse), and the word is the final one sung at the end of two of its four scenes, including the last. It’s hard to ignore the impact of the recurring mention. “That word couldn’t have been set more perfectly,” says Lynch. “In the scene with the assassin Sparafucile, Rigoletto’s more off centre than usual as he remembers Monterone’s words. ‘That old man cursed me,’ he says, singing the phrase to the same 24

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

note, almost like a motif that keeps returning. There’s a crescendo and a diminished chord on the word ‘cursed’ that envelops the character in a perfect harmonic language.” Kelsey has a rich understanding of the malediction, having sung both Monterone and Rigoletto (the curser and the cursee, as it were) at different points in his career. “Verdi uses the word maledizione as a way of reminding both characters and audience what’s at the heart of the story. Rigoletto says the word again and again, not able to believe that he’s caught in its web. It disrupts the two sides of his life, the jester and the father, which in fact are only separated by a wafer-thin wall. And once the rupture occurs, everything starts to fall apart for the man; his vulnerability takes control when the curse surfaces in his mind.”

RIGOLETTO: A Study in Dual Personality

(l – r) Lester Lynch Quinn Kelsey Photo: Ken Howard

Johannes Debus Photo: Michael Cooper

COC music director Johannes Debus, who will conduct the Rigoletto performances, points to Verdi’s music as a way of reconciling the extremities of the jester’s character. “The music captures the viciousness of the court scenes, in the falling runs when Rigoletto insults Monterone and the others, or the wildness in his aria ‘Cortigiani, vil razza dannata’ (‘Vile, damnable race of courtiers’), directed at the men who have kidnapped Gilda. In the later duet with Gilda, ‘Si, vendetta, tremenda vendetta’ (‘Yes, revenge, terrible revenge’), he’s like a lion

defending his offspring. The music has such a forward drive when it deals with vengeance. But then there are the scenes with Gilda, where tears rather than curses are prominent. The music has such a dolcezza, an intimacy, softness and vulnerability.” Kelsey finds that he has a through-line for his character simply by listening to the music in each scene. “Verdi accents each of Rigoletto’s main scenes through the score. When he’s with the court, the music is biting, a reflection of the courtiers’ attitude toward life. But with Gilda, Rigoletto becomes

Presented by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

DON GIOVANNI Oct 29 – Nov 5, 2011 Don’t miss Mozart’s outrageous comedy about an incorrigible young playboy who blazes a path to his own destruction in a single day.

Tickets from $35 Call 1-855-622-ARTS(2787) or visit ticketmaster.ca Quote “OPERA1” to access 20% off regular priced tickets. Offer is subject to availability and is valid on price A , B and C sections ONLY

oper aatelier.com Production Sponsor

Production Underwriter Michael A. Wekerle

Photo of Phillip Addis and Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg by Bruce Zinger

Johannes Debus and Quinn Kelsey in rehearsal for Rigoletto. Photo: COC

another person, with music that’s sweeter, more heartfelt and sensitive.” Talking about Rigoletto’s two sides leads Debus to some thoughts on the nature of the Verdi baritone. “He must have a bel canto voice, one used meticulously and with technical skill, but the notes produced must never sound like verismo. The singer must be able to create emotions, to be connected to immense feelings, but, paradoxically, control those emotions. “He must,” smiles the conductor, “have a cool head and a burning heart, able to show nobility and grandezza (grandeur), though

the emotions he deals with are usually stronger than those found in pure bel canto operas. “When I listen to the best music Verdi wrote for his baritones – who are all, in their own way, giants – I have the image of a Michelangelo statue. Every muscle is well defined and you see the incredible energy and beauty inherent in the figure, but you still must – along with the expression, energy and beauty – have a balanced form, an equilibrium, which never disappears.” Jon Kaplan is senior theatre writer at NOW Magazine.

FOR FURTHER INSIGHTS INTO RIGOLETTO PLEASE READ GIANMARCO SEGATO’S ARTICLE IN THE FALL ISSUE OF PRELUDE, AVAILABLE ONLINE AT COC.CA/PUBLICATIONS.

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

Passion. Pride. Performance.

All the Right Moves The same strong focus and discipline that took Geon van der Wyst to the top of his profession as principal dancer, has taken his career in real estate to award winning levels. His level of skill and service has clients saying: “I successfully sold my house in Lawrence Park in a quiet market, thanks to Geon van der Wyst’s expert guidance that eased the complicated process from beginning to end. I could not be happier with the experience and the result.” – L. Hertzman “It was a pleasure listing my Forest Hill Town House with Geon. It sold within 24 hours of the Agents’ Open House at above asking... Geon was most professional throughout and created outstanding PR materials for the listing as part of his service. I look forward to working with him again.” – John Theo

Geon van der Wyst Passion. Pride. Performance.

Geon van der Wyst, Sales Representative 416.921.1112 Office 416.824.3527 Cellular TM

COMING THIS WINTER!

LOVE FROM AFAR KAIJA SAARIAHO Production Sponsor

Feb. 2 – 22, 2012 Sung in French with English SURTITLES™

CIRQUE MEETS OPERA

coc.ca Presenting Sponsor of SURTITLES™

416-363-8231 Official Automotive Sponsor

Official Media Sponsors

Rachel Harnisch (centre) as Clémence in a scene from the Vlaamse Opera production of Love from Afar, 2010. Photo: Annemie Augustijns

TOSCA GIACOMO PUCCINI

Jan. 21 – Feb. 25, 2012 Sung in Italian with English SURTITLES™

ADRIANNE PIECZONKA “A NATURAL WONDER.” GLOBE AND MAIL

Adrianne Pieczonka: Jan. 21, 25, 29, Feb. 3, 7, 11, 13, 16, 2012

JULIE MAKEROV “REMARKABLY COMPELLING.” SUN SENTINEL

Julie Makerov: Jan. 31, Feb. 5, 9, 21, 23, 25, 2012

Tosca Radio Sponsor

Broadcast Sponsor

Alan Opie and Eszter Sümegi in Tosca (COC, 2008). Photo: Gary Beechey

Creative: Endeavour

PATRON INFORMATION AND POLICIES Etiquette Patrons are reminded that R. Fraser Elliott Hall is an extremely lively auditorium and that all audience noise will be accentuated and will be audible to other patrons. Turn off all electronic devices, avoid talking, coughing, humming, moving loose seats, kicking the backs of seats, rustling programs, and unwrapping candies or cough drops. In consideration of patrons with allergies please avoid wearing strongly perfumed beauty products and fragrances. Please remain in your seat until the performance has completely ended and the house lights have been turned on. Electronic Devices The use of mobile and smartphones and all other electronic devices is extremely disruptive and is strictly prohibited during performances. If a patron has an emergency and needs to be contacted during a performance, he or she should contact Patron Services for assistance before the performance. Cameras/Recording Devices The use of cameras, video cameras or sound-recording devices of any kind is prohibited in R. Fraser Elliott Hall during performances. Any person using an unauthorized recording device while the performance is in progress will be required to surrender or erase any recordings, photographic or digital images and may be asked to leave. No refunds will be issued. Latecomers In the interest of safety and for the comfort of all patrons and performers, latecomers may not enter the auditorium or be seated unless there is a suitable break in the performance (usually intermission). Patrons leaving the auditorium during the performance or returning late after intermission may not be readmitted or will be accommodated in an alternate viewing location. Children and Babes-in-Arms All patrons, including children, must have a ticket for the performance. All children must be seated next to an accompanying adult. Young children should be able to sit quietly throughout the performance. If unable to do so, children and their accompanying adult will be asked to leave the auditorium. Babes-in-arms will not be admitted. Patron Services Located in the Lower Lobby, the following services are available: coat and parcel check, booster seats, back supports, infrared hearing-assistive devices and rental of binoculars, on a first-come, first-served basis. Medical Emergencies and First Aid A house doctor is present at all performances. Please contact an usher if medical services are required. Lost and Found During performances please speak with an usher or visit Patron Services at the Coat Check in the Lower Lobby. Following performances, all lost and found items will be stored at the security desk at Stage Door. Please call 416-363-6671 for information.

Canadian Opera Company 2011/2012 Season

Ticket Services Canadian Opera Company subscriptions and individual tickets are available through COC Ticket Services ONLINE: www.coc.ca BY PHONE: 416-363-8231 or long distance 1-800-250-4653 Monday to Friday – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. IN PERSON: Four Seasons Centre Box Office 145 Queen St. W. Monday to Saturday – 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. or through first intermission Sunday (performance days only) – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or through first intermission The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Box Office also services ticketing needs for The National Ballet of Canada and all other Four Seasons Centre events. Group Sales Groups of 10 or more enjoy savings on regular individual ticket prices. For more information or to reserve seats call 416-306-2356. Parking There is parking on a first-come, first-served basis for about 200 vehicles underneath the Four Seasons Centre. The entrance is located on the west side of York Street, south of Queen Street. Additional parking is conveniently located just steps away in the Green P lot underneath Nathan Phillips Square. For directions visit www.greenp.com. Four Seasons Centre Facility Tours Tours of the Four Seasons Centre now include backstage access! For more information, visit fourseasonscentre.ca. BMO Financial Group Pre-Performance Opera Chats The Canadian Opera Company Volunteer Speakers Bureau offers free, insightful chats about the stories, music and background of all COC performances, 45 minutes prior to each performance in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. Food and Beverage Service A pre-order system for intermission refreshments is available at all bars throughout the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room. Food and beverages are not permitted in R. Fraser Elliott Hall. Special Events and Catering The Four Seasons Centre is available for rental for all of your presentation, meeting or special events needs, with spaces accommodating from 20 to 2,000 people and full catering services. For further details visit www.fourseasonscentre.ca or call 416-363-6671. The Opera Shop Located on the orchestra level of the Isadore and Rosalie Sharpe City Room, the COC's Opera Shop offers a fine selection of opera recordings on CD and DVD, as well as opera-related books, giftware and COC souvenirs.

Bravissimo! Opera’s Greatest Hits

Sat Dec 31, 7pm

•

Roy Thomson Hall Opera Canada Symphony Bruno Aprea, conductor (Italy) Sabina Cvilak, soprano (Slovenia) Virginia Tola, soprano (Argentina) Wallis Giunta, mezzo-soprano (Canada) David Pomeroy, tenor (Canada) Aris Argiris, baritone (Greece)

A cast of international musicians come together on New Year’s Eve for a dazzling performance of the world’s most beloved opera excerpts, including Tosca, La Traviata, Romeo and Juliet, La Bohème and more. Co-presented with Attila Glatz Concert Productions Clockwise from top left: Sabina Cvilak, Virginia Tola, David Pomeroy and Wallis Giunta.

Renée Fleming

, soprano

Fri Apr 20, 8pm Roy Thomson Hall "Ms. Fleming sang with an alluring blend of plush colorings and expressive restraint." — The New York Times, January 2011

For Tickets call

416.872.4255 Online roythomson.com

7E RE IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

!T !VIS h7E TRY HARDER v IS OUR GLOBAL COMMITMENT TO YOU

AND WITH SO MANY LOCATIONS YOU LL FIND US CLOSE BY .EED A TEMPORARY VEHICLE WHEN YOUR CAR IS IN THE SHOP .EED A CAR VAN OR 356 FOR THE WEEKEND !VIS IS THERE WITH A WIDE RANGE OF VEHICLES TO SUIT EVERY NEED 7HETHER FOR YOUR BUSINESS OR PERSONAL RENTAL NEEDS

COUNT ON !VIS TO PROVIDE THE PERSONAL ATTENTION AND SERVICE YOU DESERVE TO GET YOU ON YOUR WAY FAST

"OOK ONLINE AT AVIS CA OR CALL

429 !6)3

%ARN !EROPLAN -ILES ÁÊ Û ÃÊ ÃÊ>Ê,i} ÃÌiÀi`ÊÌÀ>`i >À Ê Vi Ãi`ÊÌ Û ÃV>À]Ê V°Êv ÀÊÕÃiÊ Ê > >`>°ÊÊÁÊ iÀ « > Ê ÃÊ>Ê,i} ÃÌiÀi`Ê/À>`i >À Ê vÊ iÀ « > Ê *°ÊÊäxÉäÈÊ-*ÊÊ