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 2
IL TROVATORE
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CONTENTS 6
VERDI AND IL TROVATORE IT’S ABOUT THE MUSIC BY GIANMARCO SEGATO
18 A FRESH FLEDERMAUS! ALDEN AND DEBUS DISCUSS STRAUSS’S GEM BY SUZANNE VANSTONE
32 WELCOME OUR 2012/2013 ENSEMBLE STUDIO Top: The COC presents Il Trovatore. (l – r) Mzia Nioradze as Azucena and Robert Hyman as Conte di Luna (Opéra de Marseille, 2003). Photo: Christian Dresse Right: Preliminary costume sketch of a male chorus member by costume designer Constance Hoffman for the COC’s new production of Die Fledermaus, 2012.
Performance C A N A D I A N O P E R A C O M PA N Y
Autumn 2012
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: Il Trovatore: (l – r) Ines Salazar as Leonora and Vladimir Galouzine as Manrico (Opéra de Marseille, 2003). Photo: Christian Dresse Die Fledermaus: Preliminary costume sketch of Adele by costume designer Constance Hoffman for the COC’s new production of Die Fledermaus, 2012. 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 COC Radio at coc.ca.
5
VERDI AND IL TROVATORE
IT’S ABOUT THE
MMUSIC
The COC presents Il Trovatore. Robert Hyman (centre) as Conte di Luna (Opéra de Marseille, 2003). Photo: Christian Dresse
BY GIANMARCO SEGATO
2013
happens to mark the 200th birthday of two men who are arguably the most celebrated opera composers of all time: Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner. The COC’s 2012/2013 season honours this auspicious confluence of anniversaries with our fall production of Verdi’s Il Trovatore and then in the winter of 2013, Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. However, despite being born in the same year (1813) and subsequently sharing their productive years as composers, these two masters of music drama have generally 6
Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
been polarized by critics and audiences with Verdi placed at the more populist end of the scale and Wagner lifted to more rarified heights, appealing to exclusive, connoisseur tastes. Luckily, this limiting appraisal has largely been replaced over the past 50 years by a more nuanced acknowledgement of the very different cultures and circumstances in which Verdi and Wagner operated. In 1851, while composing Il Trovatore, Verdi was firmly ensconced within the institutional system of opera production
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Verdi and Il Trovatore IT’S ABOUT THE MUSIC
as then practiced in Italy. At the same time, Wagner was virtually in exile in Zurich due to his role in the May 1849 Dresden uprising, and therefore cut off from Germany with no hope of having his operas produced. It was during this period that he wrote his treatise Opera and Drama in which he proposed to steer opera in a new direction towards the idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk, or, the ideal union of opera and drama. Even though Wagner’s lofty idealism was in many ways worlds apart from the regimented system of librettists, theatres, impresarios, deadlines, and demanding singers which defined Verdi’s world, the Italian master also had strong ideas about operatic reform which he undertook from within the establishment rather than from without. Verdi was hugely influenced by the bel canto works of his illustrious predecessors in Italian Romantic opera, Donizetti and Bellini. But with that inspirational legacy 8
Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
The COC presents Il Trovatore. Robert Hyman (centre) as Conte di Luna with male chorus (Opéra de Marseille, 2003). Photo: Christian Dresse
came a set of constricting compositional formulae. In his other two operas of this “middle period,” Rigoletto (1851) and La Traviata (1853), Verdi was able to break free of these bel canto forms, composing in a much freer way. If not quite matching what Wagner would have recognized as the Gesamtkunstwerk, these two operas certainly brought Verdi closer to achieving his own conviction that “if operas had no more cavatinas, no more duets, no more trios, no more choruses, no more finales etc., and if the whole opera were, so to speak, one single piece, I should find that more reasonable and right.” As progressive as Rigoletto and La Traviata were, the reality is that with Il Trovatore, Verdi was dealing with Salvatore Cammarano’s rather conventional “numbers
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Verdi and Il Trovatore IT’S ABOUT THE MUSIC
opera” libretto. Despite the composer’s desire to move in the direction of throughcomposed opera, the material he was given necessitated that he explore, for one last time, the romantic bel canto tradition he had already begun to leave behind. In his letters, Verdi spoke a lot about why he chose Rigoletto and La Traviata and where the originality of those subjects laid, but there is little comparative discussion around Il Trovatore. As Italian music scholar Gabriele Baldini has speculated, Verdi’s relative quiet on this front was probably a direct result of the conditions of the opera’s creation; that it represented a more mechanical agreement between librettist, composer, management, and publisher than was the case with his other two mid-1850s operas. Also, the adherence to old structures in Il Trovatore actually suits the story in a
way it wouldn’t have for Rigoletto, La Traviata or even Luisa Miller (1849) with their more “realistic” subjects and atmospheres. During the 19th century, Il Trovatore actually outstripped Rigoletto and La Traviata in popularity, but by the 20th century the situation was reversed as audience taste tended to relegate the piece to the level of low culture, regarding its plot to be excessively melodramatic and its music too rigid in its formal structure. Roger Parker has observed that “in Rigoletto and La Traviata the plots are directional, that is, the characters develop and interact with one another following the course of events.” By contrast, the plot of II Trovatore is static, since not one of the characters “grows” in any way during its four acts. Within
The COC presents Il Trovatore. Robert Hyman (centre) as Conte di Luna (Opéra de Marseille, 2003). Photo: Christian Dresse
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
Verdi and Il Trovatore IT’S ABOUT THE MUSIC
popular culture, the piece came to epitomize the excesses of grand opera, and was a target for parody from the “organ-grinder” label affixed by critics to its popular “Anvil” chorus to the farcical plot device of the baby-swap “stolen” by Gilbert & Sullivan for their H.M.S. Pinafore. The Marx Brothers’ classic film, A Night at the Opera inserts “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” into the opera’s introduction and unmercifully upstages the tenor’s heroic “Di quella pira” near the climax of the movie. Despite containing elements which make it ripe for parody, it would be wrong to simply dismiss Il Trovatore as Verdi somehow losing ground, back-pedalling to an earlier, old-fashioned form of opera. The miracle lies in the way Verdi transcends a conservatively-structured libretto and
notoriously complicated plot to create characters that live fully and absolutely convincingly through their musical expression alone. Il Trovatore’s appeal is not based on the twists and turns of its admittedly thorny plot – instead, we must look to its masterful score in order to understand both Verdi’s innovation and the opera’s continued popularity. Since Il Trovatore’s musical forms do indeed hearken back to classic bel canto precedents, its singers need to bring to the plate all the style required to sing Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini – that is, perfect legato (the ability to vocalize long-lined melodies with the utmost smoothness); coloratura (those fast-moving, rapid scale-like passages); high notes – and to invest these technical requirements and the poetry on which they
The COC presents Il Trovatore. (l – r) Vladimir Galouzine as Manrico and Mzia Nioradze as Azucena (Opéra de Marseille, 2003). Photo: Christian Dresse
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
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Verdi and Il Trovatore IT’S ABOUT THE MUSIC
are built with an intense emotional honesty. However, if Verdi had just stopped at that, there would have been little to distinguish Il Trovatore from say, a Donizetti opera such as Maria Stuarda (which the COC presented in 2011) or his Lucia di Lammermoor (coming to the COC this spring). What distinguishes Verdi’s brand of bel canto is the propulsive, forward motion of the score, even in the numbers which have a slower tempo.
Verdi achieved this by writing out vocal embellishments which would have been left to the singer’s discretion in a bel canto opera and by tightly structuring largerscale scenes. A prime example of the latter is the remarkable succession of numbers which make up Act IV, scene i. Leonora begins the act with her hypnotic aria “D’amor sull’ali rosee” which, according to the standard design that was the backbone of the bel canto aria form from Rossini
The COC presents Il Trovatore. A scene from Opéra de Marseille, 2003. Photo: Christian Dresse
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
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Verdi and Il Trovatore IT’S ABOUT THE MUSIC
through to middle Verdi, should have been followed by a more energized, highly decorated cabaletta. Instead, Verdi came up with a brooding monument of an ensemble – the Miserere, a musical structure that came entirely from his imagination, not based on any prescribed form. This number takes its name from its first section in which an offstage chorus of monks sings a prayer for the soul of Manrico who is in prison awaiting execution. The prayer is sung in the style of Gregorian chant (early Roman Catholic church vocal music intoned mostly on one note), and upon hearing it, Leonora is spurred onto even greater expressions of grief which take the form of her reflective, but still very dramatic cabaletta “Tu vedrai che amore in terra.” No sooner has she finished singing this when she becomes embroiled in an exchange with Manrico’s rival, the Conte di Luna. The extended baritone/soprano duet which follows is imbued with a kind of rhythmic energy that functions like a javelin throw, hurtling the scene towards its astonishing conclusion in which Leonora promises herself to the Count while simultaneously taking poison, thus ensuring she will not be kept to her word. Despite the persistent tendency in some opera circles to snigger at those elements in Il Trovatore which stretch the imagination unduly, it is Verdi’s musical innovation, undertaken from within the constraints of convention, which has kept audiences on the edge of their seats ever since the opera’s 1853 premiere. n Gianmarco Segato is the Manager, Adult Programs at the Canadian Opera Company.
The COC presents Il Trovatore. (l – r) Ines Salazar as Leonora and Vladimir Galouzine as Manrico (Opéra de Marseille, 2003). Photo: Christian Dresse
FOR FURTHER INSIGHTS INTO IL TROVATORE, PLEASE READ JON KAPLAN’S INTERVIEW WITH OUR STELLAR SOLOISTS “IL TROVATORE’S STAR QUARTET” IN THE FALL ISSUE OF PRELUDE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT COC.CA/PUBLICATIONS.
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
OUR STARS ON
IL TROVATOR Ramón Vargas (Manrico) “Verdi was careful with creating character through music. He’s a god for the opera – the best composer. Always taking care with how he expresses emotion through music. The oom-pah-pah you hear in his music is a beating heart and you have to express that. Although many audience members look forward to the high note in ‘Di quella pira,’ most of the role is written lyrically, almost in a bel canto style.” Riccardo Massi (Manrico) “Verdi is the greatest singing teacher for the lirico spinto voice. I would prefer to be singing Verdi at this stage of my career at least 80% of the time. To do so would be my vocal utopia.”
Elza van den Heever (Leonora) “I enjoy singing Verdi because he writes so well for the voice. Technically, if you’ve done your homework you don’t fret on stage because Verdi understands what the singer needs to fulfil and serve the music. He makes no unrealistic demands on the instrument. “The last act is the most challenging; the voice is exposed and you must be able to float the high notes and sound vulnerable. I like being vulnerable on stage; I like dying on stage. I feel it’s a privilege to be able to open one’s soul and express it in front of 2,000 people. As a human being, to be allowed to share a real emotion on stage and cry, in a strange way feels good. A relief and a release.”
Elena Manistina (Azucena) “Azucena is the most dramatic character in the opera. There is a real struggle in her of two opposing feelings; love and revenge. She feels a crazy, all-consuming love for the son she raised and also hatred for the Duke’s son and his entire bloodline. The music of Azucena: you must listen to it, feel it, not just with your ears, but with heart. There are so many colours, so much passion, so many emotions… it’s Verdi!” Russell Braun (Conte di Luna) “The story itself is an exaggeration, almost an excuse to delve into the extreme psychological states of the characters. It’s not the plot that’s compelling but rather the characters. “The Conte di Luna – there’s lots of atrocious, vindictive and violent behaviour but he doesn’t need to behave violently since he has power. He is the tragic combination of a man who has an obsessive love for Leonora and an abundance of power. Somebody asked me how I could play such an evil character – I answered that I have to make him human and also generate the possibility of sympathy for him. Certainly I have to have sympathy or I can’t perform the role.” QUOTES TAKEN FROM INTERVIEWS BY JON KAPLAN, SENIOR THEATRE WRITER, NOW MAGAZINE FOR THE FALL ISSUE OF PRELUDE. PLEASE READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE ONLINE AT COC.CA/PUBLICATIONS.
Catch up with blogs and enjoy COC Radio at coc.ca.
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A FRESH FLEDERMAUS ! ALDEN AND DEBUS DISCUSS STRAUSS’S GEM BY SUZANNE VANSTONE
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
Die Fledermaus has not been seen by COC audiences since 1991, so we are very excited to bring a new production of Johann Strauss II’s intoxicating concoction to our stage. Although this is a piece chock full of madcap antics, mistaken identities and charming waltzes, it is also infused with dark humour and human foibles. Our creative and musical team explores all these aspects to offer a fresh perspective on Strauss’s popular operetta. COC Music Director Johannes Debus and director Christopher Alden take inspiration from each other.
Opposite page: Preliminary costume sketch of Dr. Falke by costume designer Constance Hoffman for the COC’s new production of Die Fledermaus, 2012.
Photo: Dario Acosta
CHRISTOPHER ALDEN
Top: Preliminary maquette for Act II by set designer Allen Moyer for the COC’s new production of Die Fledermaus, 2012. Photo: COC
Director Christopher Alden (The Flying Dutchman, Rigoletto) emphasizes, “Fledermaus will be fun! It’s a famous, beloved piece and not just because of the totally brilliant and inspired music or that it’s a frivolous New Year’s Eve entertainment, but it’s a wonderful story with great characters and situations that resonate with audiences down through the ages. It has a lot to say about society, relationships and marriage. “It has an amusing and resonant libretto and at the centre of it is a husband and wife (Eisenstein and Rosalinde), who both have their own separate fantasies that involve other people but also, as part of the plot, they woo each other in disguise and there is an erotic frisson to that. Their relationship reveals things that so many people sitting in the audience, happily married people, have experienced. It addresses it in a kind of crazy, wacky way, but also a rather potent way.” (Continued on page 22)
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AleXAnder neef, General director
IL TROVATORE by Giuseppe Verdi Opera in four Acts. libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, based on a play by Antonio García Gutíerrez first performance: Teatro Apollo, rome, January 19, 1853 Production of Opéra de Marseille last performed by the COC in 2005 September 29, October 2, 5, 10, 13, 19, 21, 25, 28, 31, 2012 Sung in Italian with english SUrTITleSTM
The CasT (in order of vocal appearance)
Ferrando, captain of the guard Inez, confidante of Leonora Leonora, lady-in-waiting to the Princess of Aragon Conte di Luna, a young nobleman Manrico, supposed son of Azucena, rebel under Prince Urgel Azucena, a gypsy woman from Biscay Ruiz, a soldier in Manrico’s service Old Gypsy Messenger Conductor: Director: Set Designer: Costume Designer: Lighting Designer: Chorus Master: Stage Manager: SURTITLESTM Producer:
Dmitry Belosselskiy Rihab Chaieb†* Elza van den Heever Russell Braun** Ramón Vargas*** (September 29, October 2, 5, 10, 13, 19, 21, 25) Riccardo Massi (October 28, 31) Elena Manistina Edgar Ernesto Ramírez Robert Gleadow^**** Owen McCausland†***** Marco Guidarini Charles Roubaud Jean-Noël Lavesvre Katia Duflot Marc Delamézière Sandra Horst Stephanie Marrs Gunta Dreifelds
Performance time is approximately two hours and 30 minutes, with one 25-minute intermission.
*Ms Chaieb’s performance is generously sponsored by Katalin schäfer. **Mr. Braun’s performance is generously sponsored by earlaine Collins. ***Mr. Vargas’ performance is generously sponsored by Colleen sexsmith. ****Mr. Gleadow’s performance is generously sponsored by Melanie Whitehead. *****Mr. McCausland’s performance is generously sponsored by Peter and hélène hunt. † Current member of the COC ensemble Studio ^Graduate of the COC ensemble Studio
Program information is correct at time of printing. All casting is subject to change.
Please visit coc.ca for additional information
1
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
SYNOPSIS
Il Trovatore “Mi vendica!” (“Avenge my death!”) This cry, screamed through the flames by Azucena’s mother as she burns to death, binds Azucena to a promise which ultimately leads to the tragic death of Manrico. At the centre of the opera is the gypsy Azucena, torn between her love for adopted son Manrico and her promise to avenge her own mother’s death. And, caught in an inextricable web of family ties, military duty and an illicit love, Manrico is, in spite of himself, in the middle of two separate vengeances: one with the Conte di Luna, his rival in love and war (and unbeknownst to him, his brother), and that of Azucena, the woman he has called mother his entire life. For our hero Manrico, this is a fatal combination. Used as both an instrument of revenge and object of redemption, Azucena sets his fate in accordance with her own obsession. Charles Roubaud
ACT I Conte di Luna’s soldiers listen to Ferrando, their captain, who tells them that the Conte’s father once burned an old Gypsy woman at the stake for witchcraft. In revenge, the Gypsy’s daughter, Azucena, stole the Conte’s infant brother, García. The remains of a child were found in the burning embers of the pyre, but the gypsy’s daughter was never found. Not believing that his child has died, the old Conte on his deathbed asks his son to continue the search for his brother and the woman who stole him. Leonora confides to her companion, Inez, that she has fallen in love with an unknown troubadour who has serenaded her. Inez has doubts about the stranger, but Leonora cannot forget him. After the two women enter the palace, Conte di Luna appears, intent on courting Leonora. He is interrupted by the mysterious troubadour’s song. The troubadour reveals his identity as Manrico, the leader of the rebel forces and challenges the Conte to a duel. ACT II As day breaks, the Gypsies awake and begin to work. Azucena relives the events of her mother’s death at the execution pyre and her final plea to her daughter to avenge her. Azucena tells of how in the ensuing confusion, she threw her own son into the fire instead of the Conte’s brother. Manrico, who has always believed Azucena to be his mother, is puzzled by what he has heard. After regaining her senses, Azucena convinces him that he is indeed her son.
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
A messenger brings news that Leonora, thinking Manrico is dead, plans to join a convent. Despite Azucena’s protests, Manrico rushes off to find Leonora. At the convent, the Conte waits with his men to kidnap Leonora. Manrico arrives with his own soldiers just in time to prevent the abduction and escapes with Leonora. INTERMISSION
his mistake when she collapses. Just as Leonora tells Manrico with her dying breath that she has chosen to die rather than live without him, Conte di Luna enters. Enraged, the Conte orders Manrico to be executed. Azucena awakens to Manrico’s cries and witnesses the killing. The Gypsy reveals to the Conte that Manrico was his brother, and cries out, “Mother, you are avenged!”
ACT III A Gypsy woman has been captured roaming outside Conte di Luna’s army camp. Ferrando recognizes her as Azucena. The Conte is delighted to learn that his prisoner is Manrico’s mother and he orders her to be burned alive. Inside the fortress of Castellor, Leonora and Manrico are about to be married. Ruiz, Manrico’s friend, arrives with the news that Azucena has been captured and is about to be burned at the stake. Manrico hurries off to save her. ACT IV Having lost the battle with Conte di Luna, Manrico languishes in prison together with Azucena. Leonora, determined to save the troubadour’s life at any cost, promises herself to the Conte in exchange for Manrico’s freedom. The Conte agrees to the bargain, and as he arranges for Manrico’s release, Leonora swallows a deadly poison. Manrico tries to comfort Azucena, reminiscing over their peaceful days in the mountains. Leonora enters, telling Manrico that he is free, but he suspects the price of his freedom and curses her. He realizes Please visit coc.ca for additional information
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SynOPSIS
MUsiC sTaff
assisTanT sTaGe ManaGeRs
Rachel Andrist (Head Coach) Jenna Douglas (Ensemble Studio Intern Coach) Anne Larlee
Mike Lewandowski Kristin McCollum assisTanT LiGhTinG DesiGneRs
iTaLian LanGUaGe COaCh
Wendy Greenwood Jareth Li
Manuela Scarci UnDeRsTUDies assisTanT COnDUCTOR
Andrea Del Bianco assisTanT DiReCTOR
Marilyn Gronsdal
Ferrando Inez Leonora Conte di Luna Old Gypsy Messenger
Neil Craighead Sasha Djihanian Ileana Montalbetti James Westman Neil Craighead Christopher Enns
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
ARTISTS’ BIOGRAPHIES DMITRY BELOSSELSKIY ferrando
Bass Dmitry Belosselskiy is making his COC debut. Also this season he makes his debut as Oroveso in Norma (Washington National Opera), his title role debut as Attila (Theater an der Wien), as well as appearing as Zaccaria in Nabucco (Teatro alla Scala, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma) and Filippo II in Don Carlo (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino). Future seasons include Zaccaria on tour in Japan; Rigoletto and Ernani (Houston Grand Opera); several returns to the Metropolitan Opera; and, debuts at Wiener Staatsoper, Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, Chorégies d’Orange Festival and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Mr. Belosselskiy remains a principal artist with the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. RUSSELL BRAUN Conte di Luna
Canadian baritone Russell Braun was last with the COC as Jaufré Rudel in Love from Afar. Other COC roles include Orestes in Iphigenia in Tauris, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky in War and Peace, Pelléas in Pelléas et Mélisande, Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor and the title role in Billy Budd. Recent appearances include Lescaut in Manon at La Scala, Milan; Valentin in Faust, Chou En-lai in Nixon in China and Olivier in Capriccio with Metropolitan Opera; and, the Traveller in Britten’s Death in Venice at the Theater an der Wien. Upcoming engagements include the title role in Don Giovanni with Madrid’s Teatro Real.
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
RIHAB CHAIEB inez
Tunisian-born mezzosoprano Rihab Chaieb, a COC Ensemble Studio member, recently appeared with the COC as La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi and Ino/Juno in Semele (Ensemble Studio performance). Other COC credits include Tisbe in La Cenerentola, Second Secretary to Mao in Nixon in China, the Third Lady in The Magic Flute (Ensemble Studio performance) and the French Mother in Death in Venice. This past summer Ms Chaieb was a Steans Institute Artist at the Ravinia Festival, coaching with Kevin Murphy, Malcolm Martineau, Denise Massé and Dame Kiri te Kanawa. This season she also appears with the COC as Soeur Mathilde in Dialogues des Carmélites and Sesto in La clemenza di Tito (Ensemble Studio performance). ROBERT GLEADOW Old Gypsy
A graduate of the COC Ensemble Studio, Canadian Robert Gleadow last appeared with the COC as the Speaker in Die Zauberflöte. Other COC credits include Colline in La Bohème, Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the title role in Le nozze di Figaro. Roles include Angelotti in Tosca and Colline (Royal Opera House Covent Garden); Figaro (Opéra de Montréal); Speaker (Théâtre des Champs-Élysées); Guglielmo in Così fan tutte and Leporello in Don Giovanni (Glyndebourne Opera and Peralada Festival); Colline (Dallas Opera); and, Talbot in Maria Stuarda (Houston Grand Opera). This season Mr. Gleadow also appears with the COC as Publio in La clemenza di Tito and the Steersman in Tristan und Isolde.
ArTISTS’ bIOGrAPhIeS
ELENA MANISTINA azucena
Russian mezzo-soprano Elena Manistina is making her COC debut. She trained at the Music School of Saratov and the Moscow State Conservatory P. I. Tchaikovsky. Ms Manistina made her debut as Marfa in Mussorgsky’s Khovanshchina in Saratov. Other roles include Ulrica in Un ballo in maschera and the Countess in Pique Dame for the Washington Opera. As well as her ongoing regular appearances at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, future appearances include Il Trovatore with Bayerische Staatsoper, Opéra national de Bordeaux, Teatro Municipale de Santiago in Chile and Opéra de Marseille, and, Un ballo in maschera at Théâtre du Capitole Toulouse. Ms Manistina was the first prize winner of Plácido Domingo’s Operalia Competition in 2002. RICCARDO MASSI Manrico
Italian tenor Riccardo Massi is making his COC debut. Recent appearances include Radames in Aida (Metropolitan Opera); Cavaradossi in Tosca (Bayerische Staatsoper, Théâtre des Champs Élysées, Deutsche Oper, Berlin State Opera, Opera d’Avignon, Teatro Regio in Turin, Theatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro); Enzo Grimaldo in La Gioconda (Concertgebouw, Amsterdam); Pollione in Norma (Rome Opera); Jacopo in I due Foscari (Trieste); and, Arrigo in La battaglia di Legnano (Teatro dell’Opera di Roma). Upcoming are his debuts as Riccardo in Un ballo in maschera (Basel Opera), Calaf in Turandot (Royal Swedish Opera), Don Alvaro in La forza del destino (Australian Opera), as well as Tosca (Royal Opera House Covent Garden). Please visit coc.ca for additional information
OWEN McCAUSLAND Messenger
Tenor Owen McCausland, a native of New Brunswick, is a first-year member of the COC Ensemble Studio. He recently understudied the role of Spalanzani in the COC’s The Tales of Hoffmann. Other operatic credits include Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi (Opera on the Avalon), Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni (Centre for Opera Studies in Italy), Juan in Don Quichotte (Opera Nova Scotia), Spoletta in Tosca (Maritime Concert Opera) and Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas (Dalhousie Opera Workshop). Mr. McCausland studied music at Dalhousie University and is a multi-year winner at the New Brunswick Competitive Festival of Music. EDGAR ERNESTO RAMÍREZ Ruiz
Mexican-American tenor Edgar Ernesto Ramírez is making his COC debut. Recent engagements include Alfredo in La Traviata (Sarasota Opera); Arturo in I Puritani (Opera in Concert); Ramiro in La Cenerentola (Wildbad Belcanto Opera Festival); Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore (Opéra d’Angers-Nantes and Festival Folies d’O, Montpellier); Javier in Luisa Fernanda (Toronto Operetta Theatre); Leicester in Maria Stuarda (Pacific Opera Victoria); and, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (Grand Rapids Michigan). Upcoming engagements include Nadir in Les pêcheurs de perles (Opera Hamilton), Rinaldo in Rossini’s Armida (Opera in Concert) and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (Winnipeg Symphony).
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ArTISTS’ bIOGrAPhIeS
ELZA VAN DEN HEEVER Leonora
South African soprano Elza van den Heever is making her COC debut. Recent credits include Armida in Rinaldo (Lyric Opera of Chicago) and the title role in Alcina (Opéra national de Bordeaux). Other highlights include Verdi’s Requiem (Frankfurt); Don Carlos, Anna Bolena, La clemenza di Tito, Les contes d’Hoffmann, Otello (Oper Frankfurt); Der Freischütz (Theater an der Wien); Lohengrin (Bayerische Staatsoper); Così fan tutte (Paris Opera, Dallas Opera); Donna Anna in Don Giovanni (San Francisco Opera); and, the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos (Opéra national de Bordeaux). Future engagements include Elisabetta in Maria Stuarda (Metropolitan Opera debut); and, Elettra in Idomeneo, Elisabetta (concert) and La Duchesse Hélène in Les vêpres siciliennes (Oper Frankfurt). Ms van den Heever is a Grammy Award recipient and winner of the 2008 International Wagner Competition. RAMÓN VARGAS Manrico
Tenor Ramón Vargas is making his COC mainstage and role debuts as Manrico. Born in Mexico, he appears in all the world’s leading opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, Teatro alla Scala, Deutsche Oper Berlin, San Francisco Opera, Paris Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Bavarian State Opera, as well as the Salzburg Festival. His repertoire includes the title roles in La clemenza di Tito, Idomeneo, Don Carlos, Les contes d’Hoffmann, Werther, Rodolfo (La Bohème), Gustavo (Un ballo in maschera), Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore), Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor) and Lensky (Eugene Onegin). Also this season Mr. Vargas 8
Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
appears at the Met and Torino as Don Carlos; Wiener Staatsoper and Munich as Adorno (Simon Boccanegra); Zurich Opera as Gustavo; as well as performing concerts in Vienna, Moscow and other European centres.
MARCO GUIDARINI Conductor
Italian conductor Marco Guidarini last appeared with the COC conducting Simon Boccanegra. He made his operatic debut conducting Falstaff at Opéra national de Lyon as assistant to Sir John Eliot Gardiner, and went on to conduct at the opera houses of New York (Metropolitan), Los Angeles, Dallas, Minneapolis, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Nice, Montpellier, Marseille, Palermo, Barcelona, Seville, Bologna, Genoa, Naples, Milan (Teatro alla Scala) Berlin (Deutsche Oper), Munich (Bayerische Staatsoper), Leipzig, Stockholm and Copenhagen; with Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, English National Opera; and, at many international festivals. Between 2001 and 2009 Mr. Guidarini was music director of the Opéra and Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice. Recent highlights have included La Traviata for Dallas Opera and Don Pasquale with San Diego Opera. CHARLES ROUBAUD Director
In 1986, French director Charles Roubaud’s debut with Massenet’s Don Quichotte for Opéra de Marseille led to engagements in many other French theatres, as well as with the Royal Opera of Wallonie, Belgium Opera and San Francisco Opera. Since then engagements have included such opera houses as Marseille, Toulouse, Monte Carlo, Bordeaux, Paris, Chorégies d’Orange,
Don’t sit in the dark. Join the conversation online. When the curtain goes down and the audience heads home, the real conversations start. Discover behindthe-scenes content from your favourite operas on our blog Parlando, immerse yourself in podcasts and interviews on COC Radio and connect with COC artists and performers through social media. Extend your experience after you’ve enjoyed the show.
TWITTER @CanadianOpera (twitter.com/CanadianOpera) FACEBOOK facebook.com/canadianoperacompany PINTEREST pinterest.com/canadianopera PARLANDO coc.ca/Parlando COC RADIO coc.ca/COCRadio
ArTISTS’ bIOGrAPhIeS
Parma Teatro Regio, Venice Teatro la Fenice, Arena di Verona, Kennedy Center, Mariinsky Theater, Royal Opera House Covent Garden and La Maestranza Sevilla, as well as the Spoleto and Masada festivals. Mr. Roubaud is the recipient of the Music Critics Prize, France (1993) and the Best Show of the Year, Russia (2002) for his production of Die Frau ohne Schatten. JEAN-NOËL LAVESVRE set Designer
Painter and sculptor Jean-Noël Lavesvre began his career as a set and costume designer with a production of La Traviata at Opéra de Marseille in 1984, followed by Tannhäuser and Die Walküre, amongst others. Set design credits include Manon and Lakmé (l’Opéra-Comique, Paris); Mozart by Sacha Guitry and Le rossignol (Grand-Théâtre de Metz); Le roi d’Ys (Festival Carpentras); Tannhäuser and Il Trovatore (Chorégies d’Orange), Don Giovanni (Festival de Semur-en-Auxois); and, Faust for the inauguration of the new Shanghai Opera. With director Charles Roubaud, he has also collaborated on Don Quichotte, Prince Igor, Ariadne auf Naxos (Mariinsky Theatre) and Il Trovatore (Spoleto Festival). KATIA DUFLOT Costume Designer
Born in Paris, Katia Duflot began designing for Opéra de Marseille in 1986 with a production of Verdi’s Macbeth and most recently for Il Trovatore, The Merry Widow, Manon, Lucia di Lammermoor and The Saint of Bleecker Street. Other collaborations include La Bohème with Angela Gheorghiu and Vittorio Grigolo (Seoul); Aida, Turandot, Norma, Don Carlo, Nabucco, Il Trovatore, Carmen and Tosca (Chorégies d’Orange); Rigoletto (Arena di Verona); Turandot, La Traviata, Samson 10
Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
et Dalila, Ariadne auf Naxos (Mariinsky Theatre); Lakmé, La Cenerentola (Spoleto Festival); Nabucco (Basel, Hamburg, Teatro Regio di Parma, Opéra de Monte Carlo, and Stade de France); Die Walküre, Elektra (Opéra de Marseille); Carmen (Slovenian National Opera); Manon and I Capuletti ed i Montecchi (Opera d’Avignon); and, Le Cid in Marseille. MARC DELAMÉZIÈRE Lighting Designer
French lighting designer Marc Delamézière is making his COC debut. He has designed internationally for theatre including Festival d’Avignon, Théâtre Nationaux de Paris and the Hebbel Theatre in Berlin; art exhibitions at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris; and, operatic credits include Carmen with Shanghai Opera, Donizetti’s Pia de’ Tolomei with Teatro La Fenice, and Boris Godunov, Tosca, Norma, Le nozze di Figaro, Madama Butterfly, Don Pasquale, Idomeneo, Manon, Turandot, Die Walküre and Pelléas et Mélisande. Upcoming productions include Elektra and Massenet’s Cléopâtre with Opéra de Marseille and Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opéra de Tours. SANDRA HORST Chorus Master
Sandra Horst’s recent COC credits include Semele and The Tales of Hoffmann. She also conducted Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims for the COC. Director of musical studies at the University of Toronto’s Opera Division, she recently conducted Poulenc’s La voix humaine and Les mamelles de Tirésias. Ms Horst formerly served as chorus master for Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Edmonton Opera; a judge for the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions; and, music staff of the Juilliard Opera Center, Chautauqua Institution,
THIS FALL AT THE OPERA SHOP
Mad for Hats! This fall, the Opera Shop features David Dunkley’s magnificent, hand-crafted KC Hats (and fascinators) inspired by Die Fledermaus. An award-winning, internationally recognized milliner, David elevates headwear to new artistic heights through his commitment to traditional hatmaking techniques and with his flair for distinctive design.
TRUNK SHOWS Nancy Ciccone (jewellery): Friday, October 12 David Dunkley Millinery from KC Hats: Sunday, October 14 Jenny Greco (jewellery): Sunday, October 28
We recommend the following recordings from Universal Classics: Il Trovatore Maestro Giulini’s careful study of Verdi’s original autograph score is what makes this recording so special. Plácido Domingo, then at the peak of his career, offers heroic singing in the role of Manrico, including his exciting rendition of the fiery showstopper, “Di quella pira.” Widely reviewed as the first choice among modern Il Trovatore recordings. $36.75 including tax
Die Fledermaus Austrian director Otto Schenk’s traditional production of this beloved operetta delivers the requisite sparkly, bubbly fun. Legendary German conductor Carlos Kleiber makes one of his rare forays onto the podium leading a starry cast of Bavarian State Opera soloists. $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.
ArTISTS’ bIOGrAPhIeS
Boston Lyric Opera, and Banff Centre for the Arts. She was one of the 100 Alumni of Achievement honoured by Wilfrid Laurier University. This season she is also chorus master for Die Fledermaus, Tristan und Isolde, La clemenza di Tito, Lucia di Lammermoor and Dialogues des Carmélites. STEPHANIE MARRS stage Manager
Stephanie Marrs, with the COC since 1991, recently stage managed The Tales of Hoffmann and Iphigenia in Tauris. Other COC credits include: Death in Venice, The Magic Flute, Orfeo ed Euridice, Idomeneo, Simon Boccanegra, Rusalka, Don Giovanni, Pelléas et Mélisande, Elektra, Siegfried as part of the complete Ring Cycle, Norma, Rodelinda, Tancredi, Lucia di Lammermoor, Rigoletto, Tosca and Madama Butterfly. She has stage managed for Nightwood Theatre, Crow’s Theatre, Opera York, Opera Atelier and the Canadian Children’s Opera Company. Ms Marrs has assistant stage managed for the COC on numerous shows and been involved with Opéra national de Lyon, Edmonton Opera, Canadian Stage, Luminato Festival, Just for Laughs Toronto Festival and the C.O.S.I. program in Sulmona, Italy. ANDREA DEL BIANCO assistant Conductor
Andrea Del Bianco was born in Recanati, Italy. He graduated in piano and harpsichord at the Conservatory “G. Rossini” in Pesaro. Mr. Del Bianco has performed as a pianist, vocal coach, harpsichordist and assistant conductor with Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Oper Frankfurt, Royal Opera House in Muscat (Oman), Arena Sferisterio in Macerata, Teatro delle Muse in Ancona, Festival dei due Mondi in Spoleto, Tiroler Please visit coc.ca for additional information
Festspiele in Erl (Austria); alongside conductors including Bruno Bartoletti, Gustav Kuhn, Bruno Campanella, Donato Renzetti, Patrick Fournillier, Daniele Callegari, Johannes Debus, Massimo de Bernart; and, with artists including Mariella Devia, Nicola Martinucci, Fiorenza Cedolins, Ruggero Raimondi, Désirée Rancatore, Sonia Ganassi, Francesco Meli, Dimitra Theodossiou, Lucio Gallo, Giorgio Surian, Alberto Mastromarino and Marianne Cornetti. MARILYN GRONSDAL assistant Director
Marilyn Gronsdal was the assistant director for last season’s Rigoletto, Love from Afar and A Florentine Tragedy/ Gianni Schicchi. Other credits with the COC include director of La Bohème, associate director of Eugene Onegin and assistant director on several productions that have been presented elsewhere, including Oedipus Rex with Symphony of Psalms (Edinburgh), La Traviata (New Zealand), Siegfried (Opéra national de Lyon) and The Nightingale and Other Short Fables (New York). Ms Gronsdal was the production assistant director for the COC’s Ring Cycle. She recently directed Don Pasquale for Saskatoon Opera. Following Il Trovatore, Ms Gronsdal will be remounting the COC production of Der fliegende Holländer in Montreal.
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. 13
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 nancy Kershaw, Acting Assistant Concertmaster Anne Armstrong Sandra baron bethany bergman Christine Chesebrough* Pamela hinman* dominique laplante yakov lerner Jayne Maddison neria Mayer VIOLIN II Paul Zevenhuizen, Principal Csaba Koczó, Assistant Principal James Aylesworth elizabeth Johnston hiroko Kagawa* renée london* Aya Miyagawa louise Tardif Marianne Urke Joanna Zabrowarna
VIOLA Keith hamm, 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
OBOE Mark rogers, Principal lesley young
PERCUSSION Trevor Tureski, Principal Timothy borton*
CLARINET James T. Shields, Principal Colleen Cook
HARP Sarah davidson, Principal
BASSOON eric hall, Principal elizabeth Gowen
BACKSTAGE
HORN Joan Watson, Principal Janet Anderson bardhyl Gjevori Gary Pattison
HARP Sarah davidson, Principal PERCUSSION Trevor Tureski John Thompson*
TRUMPET robert Grim, Principal robert Weymouth*
BASS Alan Molitz, Principal robert Speer, Assistant Principal Tom hazlitt Paul langley robert Wolanski*
BASS TROMBONE herbert Poole
FLUTE douglas Stewart, Principal
CIMBASSO Scott Irvine, Principal
PICCOLO Shelley brown
TIMPANI Michael Perry, Principal
TROMBONE Charles benaroya, Principal Ian Cowie
ORGAN Wayne Vogan LIBRARIAN Wayne Vogan ASSISTANT MUSIC LIBRARIANS Susan ball (interim) Capella Sherwood, on leave of absence STAGE LIBRARIAN Paul langley PERSONNEL MANAGER Ian Cowie * extra musician
CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY CHORUS SOPRANOS lindsay barrett Mary bella Stacie Carmona Margaret evans Meghan fleet laura Klassen Alexandra lennox-Pomeroy Ingrid Martin eve rachel Mcleod Katie Murphy Jennifer robinson Catherine Tait Teresa van der hoeven Carrie Wiebe MEZZO-SOPRANOS Marianne bindig Susan black Wendy hatala foley Sonya Gosse lilian Kilianski Kathryn Knapp 14
Jessica lloyd Courtney V. Murias Karen Olinyk lisa Spain Sarah Christina Steinert Vilma Indra Vitols Paula Wickberg Cindy Won TENORS Vanya Abrahams Craig Ashton Stephen bell Taras Chmil Stephen erickson nicolas Groenewegen ryan harper John Kriter Jason lamont James leatch Joseph levesque Stephen McClare eric Olsen
Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
J. bud roach Taylor White BARITONES & BASSES Grant Allert Kenneth baker James baldwin Peter barnes Matthew Cassils bruno Cormier lawrence Cotton Michael downie Keith lam Constantine Meglis Jason nedecky bruce Schaef Michael Sproule Jan Vaculik Peter Wiens 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. Mark Appel Mr. h. Anthony (Tony) Arrell Ms nora Aufreiter Mr. barry Avrich
Mr. robert brouwer Ms Marcia lewis brown Mr. Stewart burton Mr. George S. dembroski Mr. William fearn (ex officio) Mr. david C. ferguson Mr. Adam froman 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 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 Michele leighton Symons Ms Sandra Simpson Mr. Philip S. W. 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 Maureen Rudzik, President Quinte Opera Guild Dorothy Temple, President Sudbury Opera Guild Mike Humphris, President Western new york Opera Guild Dorothy K. Piepke, President
CANADIAN OPERA FOUNDATION Mr. William fearn, Chair Mr. derek brown Mr. J. rob Collins Mr. Philip C. deck (ex officio) Mr. david forster Mr. Michael Gough Mr. George hamilton, Treasurer Mr. roy d. hogg, fCA Mr. Ken Jesudian 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
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ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF AleXAnder neef, General director Robert Lamb Managing Director Johannes Debus Music Director EXECUTIVE OFFICE Executive Assistants to the General Director Marguerite schabas (on leave) Laura aylan-Parker ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATION Roberto Mauro Artistic Administrator MUSIC sandra Gavinchuk Music Administrator sandra horst Chorus Master Wayne Vogan Music Librarian & Coach
Birthe Joergensen Archivist – Joan Baillie Archives
alison Potter Head of Properties
Karen hancock Barb nowakowski
ian Cowie Orchestra Personnel Manager
Core Crew scott Clarke Terry hurley Paul Otis Chuck Theil
Additional Costumes by arana enterprises Christopher Read industry Costumes
Assistant Librarian Capella sherwood (on leave) susan Ball (interim)
alex naylor Scene Shop Co-ordinator
COC Ensemble Studio Mireille asselin ambur Braid Rihab Chaieb Timothy Cheung neil Craighead sasha Djihanian Jenna Douglas Christopher enns Owen McCausland Cameron McPhail Claire de sévigné Production Assistants Debbie Courchene Dana Paul PROGRAMMING
elizabeth Upchurch Head of the Ensemble Studio & Coach Derek Bate Resident Conductor Music Staff Rachel andrist stephen B. hargreaves John hess anne Larlee Ben Malensek Christopher Mokrzewski Kevin Murphy Miloš Repický eric Weimer Olwyn Lewis Company Manager Kathryn Garnett Scheduling Manager Michael Barrs (on leave) Assistant Scheduling Manager
Boots by handmade shoes
andrew Walker Assistant Scene Shop Carpenter
Marilyn Rodwell Wardrobe Mistress
Richard Gordon Head Scenic Artist Katherine Lilly Assistant Head Scenic Artist scott Williamson Rehearsal Head Technician Guy nokes Properties Supervisor
PRODUCTION
stephanie Tjelios Resident Properties Builder/Co-ordinator
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 Joel Thoman Assistant Electrician
Dana Paul Interim Assistant Scheduling Manager
Paul Watkinson Head Carpenter
Karen Olinyk Administrative Assistant, Music
Mike Gelfand Assistant Carpenter Rupert Baker Head Flyman
Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
Rafe Macpherson Wardrobe Assistant sharon Ryman Wig & Make-up Supervisor Cori ferguson Head of Wig & Make-up Crew shawna Green Production Co-ordinator Gunta Dreifelds SURTITLES™ Producer Zane Kaneps SURTITLES™ Editor
Kathy frost Properties Buyer/ Co-ordinator
Olwyn Lewis SURTITLES™ Assistant
Tracy Taylor Properties Builder/ Co-ordinator
Supernumeraries Co-ordinators analee stein elizabeth Walker
Properties Builders Carolyn Choo Wulf
DEVELOPMENT
sandra Corazza Costume Supervisor
Christie Darville Director of Development
Cassandra spence Costume Co-ordinator
ali Kashani Associate Director, Development
Costume Assistants Lina Marques Cara-Joy Purkis sue furlong Resident Tailor Assisted by nancy allen Meghan Chapman Gulay Cokgezen Karen Donaldson helen flower sharon Gashgarian
FSCPA – Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
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Paint and Dye by Chrome Yellow
David Retzleff Head Scene Shop Carpenter
nina Draganić Director of Programming – Free Concert Series
Lee Milliken Production Manager
Millinery by Kaz Chopican
Dawn Marie schlegel Associate Director, Development Leeanne Rorabeck Senior Development Officer, Individual Giving natalie sandassie Senior Development Officer, Annual Programs
Paige Phillips Individual Giving Co-ordinator
Jennifer Pugsley Media Relations Manager
andrea Lauzon Government & Board Relations Officer
Cecily Carver Associate Manager, Digital Marketing
stephen Radbourn Donor Relations Officer
eldon earle Marketing Co-ordinator
aisha Talarico Development Officer, Friends of the COC
Michelle hwu Retail Co-ordinator
Kevin sean Pook Individual Giving Co-ordinator, Friends of the COC francesco Corsaro Senior Development Officer, Foundation & Corporate Programs
Danielle D’Ornellas Digital Marketing Assistant John Kriter Volunteer and Creative Assistant Kristin McKinnon Assistant Publicist
Ticket Services Representatives alanna Brousseau Karen Brown Terry Bursey ellen Casey ernest Cayemen holly Coish anna Kay eldridge Peter Genoway Keith Lam ian McDonnell Mary Porter Mitch Yolevsky CaLL CenTRe Richard Paradiso Call Centre Manager
Maintenance Assistants Ryszard Gad (COC) Branislav Peterman (COC) Julian Peters (COC) Tymen de Vries (fsCPa) James esposito (fsCPa) Piotr Wiench (fsCPa) Security Officers George Balyasin Joel Grannum Tammy hill natalia Juzyc Usman Khalid Kathleen Minor heather Reid
Call Centre Representatives adriano sobretodo Jr. Margaret Terry Mauro Victoriano
Building Operators Dan Bisca Dan Popescu adrian Tudoran
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
Paula Da Costa Resident Supervisor – Eurest Service
adriana formusa Development Officer, Individual & Corporate Programs
Claire Morley Communications Assistant
nikita Gourski Development Communications Officer
eDUCaTiOn anD OUTReaCh Katherine semcesen Associate Director, Education
Tracy Briggs Manager, Special Events
Carly anderson Manager, Child and Youth Programs
General Accountants florence huang Zoran Orlić (fsCPa)
Christine Tizzard Development Officer, Special Events & Ensemble Circle
Gianmarco segato Adult Programs Manager
Payroll Accountants Jovana Bojovic Jeanny Won
Vanessa smith Manager, School Programs
steven sherwood Manager, IT Services
Jefferson Guzman Associate Director, Patron Services
Tony sandy IT Services Assistant
Kim hutchinson-Barber Assistant Manager, Front of House
Victor Widjaja Donation Database Officer Olena Moldovan Donation Database Officer 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 Gianna Wichelow Senior Communications Manager, Creative
TiCKeT seRViCes alan Moffat Patron Relationship Manager andrea salin Associate Manager, Ticket Services
Lindy Cowan, Ca Director of Finance and Administration Ray Gooden, fCa (U.K.) Finance Manager
Katarina Božović Receptionist/ Switchboard Branka hrsum Mailroom Clerk/ Courier
nikki Tremblay Assistant Ticket Services Manager
BUILDING SERVICES
David nimmo Group Sales Co-ordinator
Joe Waldherr Associate Director, Facilities Management
Lillian fung Ticket Services Supervisor
Piro Milo Assistant Building Services Manager
Ticket Services Supervisors erin Cook Lilian fung Victor Widjaja
Security Supervisors Videsh Dookhu Dave samuels
Please visit coc.ca for additional information
FOUR SEASONS CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS alfred Caron Director, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts elizabeth Jones Associate Director, Business Development
Brigitte Lang Assistant Manager, Food & Beverage Patron Services Supervisors Kelly Bailey stuart Constable enrique Covarrubias Cortes Jamieson eakin Melissa Lapczynski adam Orr Brynn Pearson Rebecca Riddell ashley Westlake Kimberly Wu Carianne hill Patron Services Lead
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!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 one 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. The estate of 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
The estate of horst dantz and don Quick
Anonymous (2)
roger d. Moore
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: 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‡ Peter M. deeb $500,000 – $999,999 The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen foundation The Slaight family foundation estate of dr. larry M. Agranove $100,000 – $499,999 Peter A. Allen Mark & Gail Appel Anne & Tony Arrell Paul bernards david G. broadhurst lisa balfour bowen & Walter M. bowen Jean davidson & Paul Spafford Philip deck & Kimberley bozak George S. dembroski Judy & Wilmot Matthews Trina & don McQueen donald O’born Tim & frances Price Colleen Sexsmith Sandra l. Simpson Jack Whiteside Anonymous‡ (1) $25,000 – $99,999 earlaine Collins ethel harris & the late Milton e. harris estate of betty M. Kalmanasch Patrick & barbara Keenan Marjorie & roy linden
Jill & Geoff Matus roger d. Moore The estate of Sam rea Katalin Schäfer The Stratton Trust William & Phyllis Waters Anonymous (1) UP TO $24,999 laurie & fareed Ali Cecily & robert bradshaw Marcia lewis brown John Chiu in memory of yvonne Chiu, CM estate of Meryl Cole ninalee Craig Catherine fauquier Peter & hélène hunt noëlle Grace Jane Greene hon. henry n. r. Jackman‡ J. hans Kluge Jo lander Sue Mortimer robert Sherrin dr. david Stanley-Porter & dr. Colin McGregor Mailer Carol Swallow Ms Kristine Vikmanis & Mr. denton Creighton Samara Walbohm Melanie Whitehead brian Wilks Anonymous (2) The commitments listed above were made as of August 30, 2012.
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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**** Arthur & Susan Scace**** Colleen Sexsmith** Sandra l. Simpson** SILVER, $25,000 – $49,999 Andrew Peller limited* Mark & Gail Appel*** Paul bernards*** barbara black The black family foundation 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**** Philip & linda Armstrong* Ms nora Aufreiter 19
A scene from the COC's The Nightinglale and Other Short Fables, 2009. Photo: Michael Cooper
Make the most of your opera experience! 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.
Melissa & barry Avrich 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.**** Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Christ**** 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* david & Kristin ferguson**** George fierheller**** lloyd & Gladys fogler*** four Seasons hotels & resorts** Adam & Sharin froman* roger & Kevin Garland** Michael & lora Gibbens* Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin*** ethel harris & the late Milton harris**** dr. W. P. hayman & dr. M. l. Myers*** William & nona heaslip foundation**** douglas e. hodgson**** Michael & linda hutcheon**** Intact financial Corporation William Ip & Kathleen latimer* Trinity Jackman 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**** delia M. Moog*** Jonathan Morgan & Shurla Gittens** Sue Mortimer**** nicholas & rosemary Mutton* Mrs. & Mr. Christl & Karl niemuller** donald O’born** Peter M. Partridge**** Ian & Michelle Pearce Tim & frances Price**** Ms r. raso**** david roffey & Karen Walsh*** barrie rose & family*** John A. rothschild**
Philip & Maria Smith** Stephen & Jane Smith**** Marion & Gerald Soloway** david e. Spiro*** david Stanley-Porter**** ryerson & Michele Symons riki Turofsky & Charles Petersen* 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. Avie bennett**** Mr. roland bertin dr. david & Constance briant**** Marilyn Cook* Mrs. A. ephraim diamond & family**** Andrew fleming** The hon. William C. Graham & Mrs. Catherine Graham**** rainer hackert**** Maggie hayes** bernhard & hannelore Kaeser**** J. hans Kluge** Murray & Marvelle Koffler**** Mr. Gurney Kranz**** Anne lewitt** Jerry & Joan lozinski**** John Macfarlane* The hon. barbara Mcdougall*** Mrs. louise O’Shea**** rogan foundation françoise Sutton** dr. david Shaw* Carol Swallow*** PATRON, $3,750 – $7,499 Clive & barbara Allen**** Mr. Peter A. Allen* Sue Armstrong*** ron Atkinson & bruce blandford*** Mona h. bandeen, C. M.** Karen & bill barnett* l. h. bartelink in memory of Oskar & Irmgard Gaube**
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dr. Thomas h. beechy**** Mr. doug & Mrs. Alison bell Mr. & Mrs. eric belli-bivar*** dr. Catherine bergeron** Tom bogart & Kathy Tamaki* William & Anna Maria braithwaite* dr. Jane brissenden & dr. Janet roscoe**** Mrs. donna brock*** Margaret & derek brown**** Murray & Judy bryant*** Joe & laurissa Canavan Cesaroni Management limited*** Paul G. Cherry & dean C. noack**** frank Ciccolini**** The rt. hon. Adrienne Clarkson Mr. & Mrs. William J. Corcoran** lindy Cowan† & Chris hatley*** Mrs. ninalee Craig*** norman Curtis**** Jill denham & Stephen Marshall* dr. Jeanne deinum**** Carol derk & david Giles** bernard & francine dorval** Peter & Anne dotsikas** Vreni & Marc ducommun*** ron dyck & Walter Stewart*** bud & leigh eisenberg*** Joseph fantl & Moira bartram** Kimberley fobert & robert lamb†*** The fraser elliott foundation**** dr. & Mrs. Wm. O. Geisler** The hon. Alastair W. Gillespie**** ben & Sarah Glatt**** Peter & Shelagh Godsoe* rose & roger Goldstein*** Michael & Anne Gough**** ronald & birgitte Granofsky**** douglas & ruth Grant* John & Judith Grant** Al & Malka Green** John Groves**** Gudrun hackert*** hampton Securities ltd. Scott & ellen hand** Mr. & Mrs. William b. harris*** hon. & Mrs. Paul hellyer**** Ava Marion hillier** Prof. Michiel horn & Cornelia Schuh**** Scott Irvine† & Joan Watson†** The Jackman foundation*** Victoria Jackman*** dr. Peter Janetos* Mr. robert C. Jefferies**** dr. Joshua Josephson & Ms elaine lewis**** lorraine Kaake**** Patrick & barbara Keenan**** dr. Joel Keenleyside**** Jim & diane King**
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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*** Vincent & helene lobraico* Angelo & Grace locilento** Tom C. logan* Jonathan & dorothea lovat dickson* Mrs. J. l. Malcolm* dr. & Mrs. M. A. Manuel* hon. Margaret & Mr. Wallace McCain*** Paul & Jean McGrath**** Kathleen Mclaughlin & Tim Costigan* June Mclean**** Mr. Ulrich Menzefricke**** dr. Thomas & Mrs. Catherine h. Millar dr. Judith A. Miller*** bruce & Vladka Mitchell* Professor david J. Murray*** eileen Patricia newell*** 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*** Margrit & Tony rahilly**** Mrs. Gabrielle richards** rob & Penny richards*** Margaret A. riggin* Gordon robison & david Grant* Joseph l. rosenmiller** Maxwell l. rotstein & nancy-Gay rotstein**** Annie & Ian Sale Judy & hy Sarick**** Sam & esther Sarick**** helen & John Scott** dr. ralph Shaw & June Shaw**** Allan & helaine Shiff**** david & hilary Short*** Judy & hume Smith*** dr. harley Smyth & Carolyn McIntire Smyth* dr. John Stanley & dr. helmut reichenbächer** drs. Wayne Stanley & Marina Pretorius* doreen l. Stanton**** dr. richard & Jane Stoneman* Wendy J. Thompson and the late Samuel A. rea****
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Kathryn J. Thornton**** Anthea Thorp**** Vincent Tovell, O.C.*** Ian Turner** dita Vadron & James Catty* rosalind & dory Vanderhoof hugh & Colleen Washington* William r. Waters**** ruth Watts-Gransden**** dr. Virginia Wesson** eric Wetlaufer dr. Jack Williams & dr. dorothy Pringle** Mr. & Mrs. richard Wookey*** linda young* Tricia younger* The youssef-Warren foundation*** helen Ziegler*** Sharon Zuckerman**** helen & Walter Zwig**** Anonymous (4) MEMBER, $2,250 – $3,749 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** 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*** Schuyler bankes & family*** lindy barrow** dr. frank bartoszek & Mr. daniel O’brien**** Julia bass & david hamilton*** Alice & Tom bastedo** Mr. danny battista dr. Gail beck, O. Ont. & Mr. Andrew fenus Mr. & Mrs. Peter & Sondra beck* Ms Marie bérard†*** nani & Austin beutel**** dody bienenstock* John & Mandy birch* Anneliese and Walter blackwell**** lynn blaser & John van Ogtrop**** Ian & Janet blue** John & Ila bossons*
Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
Mr. W. bowen & Ms S. Gavinchuk†*** Mrs. Carolyn bradley-hall & Mr. William bradley*** Mrs. richard bradshaw*** Sylvia brander**** Peter brieger & beverley hamblin* brian bucknall & Mary Jane Mossman**** Alice burton*** Thomas J. burton* Maureen Callahan & douglas Gray** Margaret harriett Cameron**** della h. Campbell**** Sharon & howard Campbell* brian & ellen Carr**** Gail Carson**** Wendy M. Cecil**** dr. & Mrs. Albert Cheskes** John d. Church dr. howard M. Clarke*** edward Cole & Adrienne hood** brian Collins & Amanda demers* Tony & elizabeth Comper* Murray & Katherine Corlett**** harold & Anita Corrigan*** dr. lesley S. Corrin**** Gay & derek Cowbourne** ruth & John Crow*** Andreas Curkovic Mary beth Currie & Jeff rintoul Carrol Anne Curry*** Ms lindsay dale-harris & Mr. rupert field-Marsham**** dr. & Mrs. Michael & Ute davis** brian J. dawson** Michael & honor de Pencier*** Mrs. rosario de Wit-farro*** Mrs. leonard G. (Anne) delicaet & Mrs. Kendra Anne delicaetAlmasi**** Mary-Kathleen delicaet & John young Perry & rae dellio*** Angelo & Carol delZotto*** Mr. & Mrs. elvio delZotto** 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* Marko duic**** h. I. dunlop*** Judy dunn* Mr. Albert d. dunn* William & Gwenda echard**** Jean edwards* Wendy & elliot eisen**** Mr. & Mrs. John J. elder**** Genia & Stan elkind****
robert elliott & Paul Wilson* Christoph emmrich & Srilata raman dr. & Mrs. John evans*** Virginia evans* fabris Inc.* George A. farkass* Gail & bob farquharson Catherine fauquier*** bill fearn & Claudia rogers*** Mr. & Mrs. fraser M. fell**** lee K. ferrier*** William & rosemary fillmore** dr. Sidney M. fireman** Mrs. lois fleming**** J. e. fordyce**** david & elizabeth forster** robert & Julia foster** Margaret & david fountain**** Mr. Michael A. french** robert fung** John & rita Gagliano* rev. Ivars Gaide & rev. dr. Anita Gaide*** Ann Gawman*** dr. barry A. Gayle**** Martin & Mindy Gerskup*& The honourable Irving Gerstein & Mrs. Gail Gerstein* 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* dr. noëlle Grace & The Shohet family*** Jane Greene* Mr. finn Greflund & Mrs. M. Ortner* Mr. Carmen & Mrs. Vittoria Guglietti** ellen & Simon Gulden**** James & Joyce Gutmann**** Mr. & Mrs. henry hackenspiel**** dan hagler & family** Ms francess G. halpenny**** Mr. Adrian J. hamel George & Irene hamilton**** John & ruth hannigan* beverly hargraft** Paul & Margaret harricks* Michael harris & Carol rak* Valerie & brian harris**** Paul & natalie hartman* Mr. harquail & dr. Sigfridsson* 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*** Mr. Tom higgins*** 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.** dr. Melvyn l. Iscove*** elliott Jacobson & Judy Malkin* Mr. hamid Jahanzad & Ms rosaria Giorgi lynne Jeffrey*** Paul Jaggard & ruth Caswell laurence Jewell* The norman & Margaret Jewison Charitable foundation**** Mrs. e. Patricia Johnson** Ms elizabeth Johnson** dr. Albert & bette Johnston* Joyce Johnston*** Joseph & Maureen Katchen Inta Kierans**** Peter Kingsmill* ellen & hermann Kircher**** Mr. douglas Klaassen** 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**** robert & Judith lawrie 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**** Janet & Sid lindsay** dr. Vance logan*** A. benson lorriman**** douglas l. ludwig & Karen J. rice**
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dr. robert G. luton**** Ms Jane loughborough* Mary lu & bruce Macdonald**** James & Connie Macdougall**** Mr. Jed MacKay**** dr. & Mrs. richard Mackenzie**** Mrs. r. MacMillan**** Macro Properties ltd.** Susan & Scott Maidment** dr. Colin McGregor Mailer**** r. Manke**** Mr. & Mrs. r. Gordon Marantz**** 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**** ronan McGrath & Sarah Perry* darcy & Joyce McKeough* don Mclean & diane Martello Guy & Joanne Mclean**** M. e. Mcleod**** Jean M. Mcnab**** Mark & Andrea McQueen**** Shawn Mcreynolds & elaine Kierans* Mr. Ian McWalter* dr. don Melady & Mr. rowley Mossop** eileen Mercier**** 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* Anne Moore**** Mr. robert Morassutti**** ruth Morawetz & Ken Judd*** Alice Janet Morgan*** Ada & hugh G. Morris* Ms rosalind Morrow* drs. Christopher & Pippa Moss*** Gael Mourant & Caroline hubberstey Mr. noel Mowat** Mr. Joseph Mulder* ethel Myers**** david & Mary neelands*** dr. Shirley C. neuman* dr. John & Pamela newall**** dr. emilie newell* dr. Steven nitzkin*** Simon & Marlene nyilassy*
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A scene from the COC's Gianni Schicchi, 2012. 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.
dr. James & Mrs. Valda Oestreicher** Janice Oliver** benson Orenstein*** Martin & Myrna Ossip* Julia & liza Overs*** Mr. Al Pace dr. & Mrs. n. Pairaudeau**** Isabel Pargana & raimondo Maltese* Mrs. Margaret Ann Pattison**** John & Carol Peterson** M. J. Phillips**** June C. Pinkney**** Johann C. Pinto robin b. Pitcher*** Wanda Plachta*** Georgia Prassas**** dr. Mark Quigley*** C. edward rathé**** Stephen ralls & bruce Ubukata*** The Carol & Morton rapp foundation**** Kenneth f. read**** Grant l. reuber*** Carolyn ricketts*** Ms nada ristich emily & fred rizner** Clara robert* Sidney robinson & linda Currie**** dr. Michael & Mary romeo**** John & hannah rosen* Ken & helen rotenberg** rainer & Sharyn rothfuss**** drs. Orest & Maureen rudzik**** david A. ruston*** Ms Sharon Cookie Sandler**** Mallory Morris Sartz & ohn Sartz**** Stewart & dianne Saxe**** dr. & Mrs. bruce Schaef**** beverly & fred Schaeffer**** Katalin Schäfer*** 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** William Siegel & Margaret Swaine** In memory of dr. bernard Slatt* Jay Smith & laura rapp* Kenneth & Catherine Smith*** Ms Muriel Smith & Mr. eric Ojala**** 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*** Jim Stewart & deborah Swail* James h. Stonehouse* Janet Stubbs Sunny Crunch foods ltd. eric Tang & dr. James Miller** Mr. Arthur Paul Tarasuk* Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Taylor*** Judith Teller foundation**** Tesari Charitable foundation** John Todd & Jenny Ginder**** elizabeth Tory**** diana Tremain**** Sandra & Guy Upjohn*** 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 dr. O. r. Waler* elizabeth & Michael Walker*** Peter Webb & Joan york**** dr. bogomila Welsh* Ms eleanor Westney* Melanie Whitehead** Ms Anne-Marie Widner & Mr. Paul Szymanski*** Mr. brian Wilks* elizabeth Wilson & Ian Montagnes**** Jeffrey Stewart Wilson* dr. Jackson Wu & dr. Viviana Chang Morden yolles**** dr. howard & Sybil young**** George Zeman* Susan Zorzi** Anonymous (21) FRIENDS OF THE COC SUSTAINING FRIENDS $1,600 – $2,249 In memory of M. baptista*** Iivi Campbell**** Ms Sylvia d'Addario** Jayne & Ted dawson**** Jean & bill heaslip**** Mr. A. Mafrici**** Mrs. Annette Oelbaum* Clarence & Mary Pace** dr. roger d. Pearce*** dr. norbert V. Perera**** Go Sato**** dr. & Mrs. bernie & bobbie Silverman** david Smukler & Patricia Kern* Mr. Alex Tosheff Mr. & Mrs. Vernon & beryl Turner*** Gordon Waugh***
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Ms June yee** Anonymous (2) ASSOCIATE FRIENDS $1,100 – $1,599 Ms I. M. Allen**** howard A back Michael & Janet barnard** Michael benedict & Martha lowrie**** don biderman**** dr. Wendy C. Chan Patricia Clarke** Cogeco data Services Mr. John A. Crocker & Mrs. Mary Crocker*** elaine & Michael davies**** Mr. darren day** Prometheum Institute*** dr. domville** Mr. Steven d. donohoe**** r. dalton fowler**** John h. Galloway**** dr. Gabriela Gohla Aviva & Andrew Goldenberg** Mr. henry Gooderham** Suzy Greenspan** lawrence & beatrice herman*** Mr. david holdsworth & Ms nicole Senecal* Mr. Josef hrdina* donald hughes*** James hughes** Ms elisa Kearney Ms Suanne Kelman & dr. Allan J. fox* Ms K. Margot Khan Mr. & Mrs. I. P. & O. M. Komarnicky*** Mr. & Mrs. Owen & Margie Kurin* duncan & Sondra lear P. Anne Mackay**** Mrs. Janet Maggiacomo* brian Miron & Monica Vegelj* Mr. Sean O'neill*** barbara & Peter Pauly* Ms Alexandra Petrenko Ms Victoria Pinnington** Mr. & Mrs. Porporo* dr. Peter ray*** dorothy & robert ross*** Ms elisabeth Scarff**** A. K. Sigurjonsson*** C. Anderson Silber* The Sorbara Group**** norma and George Steiner**** Jane & Ted Stephenson**** Ms Peg Thoen* Wendy Thorburn* dr. M. lynne Thurling & dr. John Treilhard*** bill MacKenzie & Alan Westbrook*** Janet White** ron Williams* Anonymous (5)
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Christopher Enns as Jupiter in the COC Ensemble Studio performance of Semele, 2012. Photo: Michael Cooper
Ensemble Studio The Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio is the country’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, Isabel Bayrakdarian, John Fanning, Wendy Nielsen, David Pomeroy, Joseph Kaiser, Lauren Segal and Krisztina Szabó. For more information about supporting the COC Ensemble Studio, please call 416-847-4949 or visit coc.ca.
CONTRIBUTING FRIENDS $700 – $1,099 Carol A. Albright**** dr. doron Almagor Mr. robert Atkinson dr. I. l. babb fund at the Toronto Community foundation*** Peter & leslie barton** Mrs. lynn bayer** Jeniva berger*** dr. b. derek & dr. Anne W. birt**** dr. Jennifer blake* ellen and Murray blankstein Ms Marlene bohn* dr. & Ms b. M. braude** Mary brock & brian Iler**** Mr. Thomas n. bryson** Ms Judith burrows** Theresa & John Caldwell**** betty Carlyle**** Mark Cestnik**** harold Chmara & danny hoy**** Joe T. r. Clarke**** d. M. Cook*** Valerie Cowie Mr. & Mrs. norman & louise Coxall*** Mr. neil Crawford Professor K. G. davey, OC** Mr. Stuart davidson don deboer & brent Vickar*** Mr. Michael disney* Maureen & Jack ditkofsky dr. Christine dunbar* howard & Kathrine eckler** Peter & Shashi eden** Mr. ray eleid Ms eleanor l. ellins**** Mr. larry enkin ** Joe & helen feldmann** brian A. ferguson*** richard & Gail flack** Tom flemming**** Mr. Morris flicht**** Mrs. & Mr. Jennifer & francis flower*** dr. & Mrs. A. Mervyn fox**** linda & Ken foxcroft* douglas G. Gardner*** Gordon & Pamela Gibson**** elinor Gill ratcliffe C.M., O.n.l., lld (hc) Alison Girling and Paul Schabas* Mr. Alexander Globe ricardo Gomez-Insausti* dr. Wilfred S. Goodman**** Mr. dave Gordon* Mrs. Marion A. Green**** dr. & Mrs. Voldemars Gulens**** Gisele hall* Mr. James hamilton* Philo handler** dr. & Mrs. brian & Cynthia hands****
Mr. & Mrs. e. roy harrison**** Ms leslie hart* Mr. & Mrs. h. C. hatch*** Sandra hausman** In memory of Pauline hinch* Mr. & Mrs. n. hodges**** Gerry hogaboam*** richard & Susan horner**** dr. Ivan & Mrs. diana hronsky**** Pierre hurtubise**** Ms Catherine hutt* Mr. Sumant Inamdar** Mr. Jai Jayaraman Mr. Kazik Jedrzejczak**** frances e. Johnson**** douglas & dorothy Joyce**** heidi & Khalid Khokhar*** Mai Kirch**** Mr. Martin Kirr & Ms Suzanne McCuaig dr. & Mrs. l. A. Kitchell**** Mr. Christopher J. Kowal Mr. & Mrs. Armin Kratel**** Mr. Jonathan Krehm* horace & elizabeth Krever**** Gediminas P. Kurpis**** Mr. James r. lake**** harry lane** M. J. horsfall large** Giles le riche & rosemary Polczer** Claus & heather lenk* Mr. yakov lerner Mrs. Mary liitoja**** dr. francois loubert* dr. deidre lynch* Craig & Karen * Ms dzidra M. Martinaitis* Kathy Marton* Mary McClymont**** Mary McGowan*** Jil McIntosh** Mr. bruce McKeown*** Mr. & Mrs. Martin & deborah McKneally** Georgina Mclennan**** Sylvia McPhee**** Mr. Jeffrey Mesina Suzanne Mess*** dr. Alan C. Middleton** Murray & ruth Miskin frank & Anne Moir** Mr. Carl Morey*** Terry & dom Morris** david northcote & Suzanne betcke** Jean O'Grady** Ms Cristina Oke** Karen Olinyk† eileen and ralph Overend* Mr. Martti Paloheimo* Mr. Joseph & Mrs. letizia Paradiso*** david Peachey & Georgia henderson** dr. A. Angus Peller* Mrs. dorothy K. Piepke****
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ed & beth Price** Margaret ramsden**** dr. Shelley rechner**** Marat ressin Mr. Jason roberts** Mr. david e. roman**** Mrs. Gertrude rosenthal**** M. Sanvido**** William & Meredith Saunderson**** barbara Sawaszkiewicz**** Patti & richard Schabas** The derick brenninkmeyer Charitable foundation henry & Mary Seldon*** Anci Shafran**** Ms linda Sheppard* Cheryl Shook** d. bruce Sinclair** Joan Sinclair & John McConnell** fern Sitzer**** brit & Sally Smith** Mr. Warren Sorensen & Mr. Gregory Williams**** John Spears**** Tony Stapells** dr. & Mrs. W. K. Stavraky*** Scott Steele & Jan Korman* helga & Klaus Stegemann*** robert & nancy Stephenson* hamish Stewart & Susan Taylor**** Marta Stewart**** Paul & Maria Szasz**** Ms Michelle Tan* Mrs. yoka Terbrugge dr. r. Paul Thompson* dr. Claude Tousignant** david & diana Trent**** Mrs. norene Turvolgyi**** Tobias & Jeanne van dalen* dr. nancy f. Vogan**** Mr. Wayne Vogan†**** dr. Peter Voore*** Angela & Michael Vuchnich**** rick & Virginia Walker* Mr. John M. Welch**** James and Margaret Whitby**** Mr. and Mrs. Karl Wildi david b. & Virginia Wortman** Ms diana yenson Ms Iris Zawadowski* Anonymous (14)
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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: Isobel Allen renata Arens & elizabeth frey Mrs. rosalen Armstrong ron Atkinson & bruce blandford lindy barrow Mr. l. h. bartelink J. linden best & James G. Kerr david bowen Marnie M. bracht Gregory brandt Walter Carsen earl Clark brian Collins & Amanda demers earlaine Collins david h. Cormack Anita day & robert Mcdonald Ann de brouwer helen drake rowland d. Galbraith douglas G. Gardner Ann J. Gibson 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 Michael & linda hutcheon lynne Jeffrey Ann Kadrnka ben Kizemchuk Kathryn Kossow Mr. Gurney Kranz Jo lander
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Peggy lau Marjorie & roy linden J. bruce Macdonald Ms lenore Macdonald dr. Colin M. Mailer r. Manke Tim & Jane Marlatt Mr. Shawn Martin Margaret McKee Sylvia M. McPhee dr. Alan C. Middleton eleanor Miller Sigmund & elaine Mintz 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 Claire Shaw r. bonnie Shettler david e. Spiro dr. d. P. Stanley-Porter doreen l. Stanton lilly Offenbach-Strauss drs. W. & K. Stavraky Janet Stubbs Ann Sutton ronald Taber Vivian Treacy Mrs. l. Treutler riki Turofsky & Charles Petersen n. Suzanne Vanstone† Marie-laure Wagner hugh & Colleen Washington Marion C. Wilson Marion york Tricia younger Anonymous (43) OPERATOURS DONORS $700 + From July 2011 – August 2012
david & Jean McIntosh* John & esther Mcneil*** ruth Miller dr. robert e. Munn** Tom nanasi** Christa nimmo Mrs. Mary lou rashid Peter & lili rechnitzer brenda & fred Saunders** desmond Scott & Corinne langston* Mr. Stanley & Mrs. loretta Skinner**** Paul & Maria Szasz**** Melanie Whitehead** Ms June yee** Anonymous (3) CORPORATE MATCHING PARTNERS The Canadian Opera Company gratefully acknowledges the following organizations that have matched gifts by their employees: burgundy Asset Management limited Canadian Tire Corporation limited IbM Canada ltd. Ivanhoe Cambridge Inc Goodman & Company, Investment Counsel ltd. fM Global foundation Ketchum Canada Inc. The above Individual Support Gifts were made as of August 16, 2012. * ** *** **** † ‡
dr. eric W. Amann Andrew & Cornelia baines**** Suzanne & James bradshaw**** dr. david & Constance briant**** Ms e. burton*** nancy h. Conn Mr. Steven d. donohoe**** Mrs. & Mr. Jennifer & francis flower*** donald Gutteridge & Anne Millar Peter & helene hunt**** dr. & Mrs. W. J. Keith**** Mr. Joseph Kovacs Jr. & Mrs. edith Kovacs**** Ms Claire laVigna earl law*** Mrs. J. l. Malcolm* Judy & Wilmot Matthews
Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
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.
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Photo: Sam Javanrouh
Corporate Sponsorship The Canadian Opera Company welcomes financial support from corporations that appreciate the advantages of partnering with one of Canada’s premier performing arts companies. A variety of sponsorship opportunities can be customized to meet branding, marketing and corporate entertainment needs including production, performance, official orchestra and chorus sponsorships, as well as official supplier partnerships at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Corporate sponsorship offers exciting privileges that you and your company can enjoy all year long. For further information, please contact Christie Darville at christied@coc.ca.
MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS 2012/2013 SEASON bMO financial Group Pre-Performance Opera Chats and bMO financial Group Student dress rehearsals. Production Sponsor Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde
Presenting Sponsor of SUrTITleS™ and supporter of Wheelchair Seating, hearing-Assistive and Vision-Impaired devices
Official Automotive Sponsor of the COC at the fSCPA
Xstrata ensemble Studio School Tour
Presenting Sponsor Opera Under 30 and Operanation 9: Sweet revenge
Major Supporter, ensemble Studio
Official Canadian Wine of the COC at the fSCPA
Presenting Sponsor, After School Opera Program
Preferred hospitality Sponsor
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Production Co-sponsors donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor
Preferred Medical Services Provider
Official Media Sponsors
Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
KPMG Opera Golf Classic 2012
Preferred fragrance
digital Marketing Sponsor
201 2/2013 SPONSORS DIAMOND PERFORMANCE SPONSORS
HOSTING SPONSOR
OPENING NIGHT SPONSOR fionn MacCool’s PERFORMANCE SPONSORS delvinia fionn MacCool’s four Seasons hotels and resorts rGA life reinsurance Company of Canada PROGRAM SPONSORS Great West life, london life and Canada life, Living Opera Program Sponsor The Globe and Mail, Ticket Back Sponsor KPMG llP, Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour Performance Sponsor
CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION DONORS MaJOR GifTs
$1,000 to $1,999 Aeroplan Canada McKinsey & Company Milgram Group of Companies ltd. The Powis family foundation 2012/2013 MEDIA SPONSORS & IN-KIND SUPPORTERS CbC radio Two remenyi house of Music ltd. KPMG OPERA GOLF CLASSIC 2012 TiTLe sPOnsOR KPMG llP OPERANATION 9: SWEET REVENGE PResenTinG sPOnsOR Td bank Group ViP DinneR sPOnsOR Jackman family OffiCiaL fRaGRanCe Calvin Klein enCOUnTer eVenT sPOnsORs Chair-man Mills CTV ICOn Model Management Inc. Knot Pr Mill St. rose reisman Catering Société Perrier The Globe and Mail Toronto life Torrié espresso Quince flowers
$10,000+ Audrey S. hellyer Charitable foundation The hal Jackman fund at the Ontario Arts foundation The Mclean foundation local 58 Charitable benefit fund Anonymous (1)
FINE WINE AUCTION 2012 PResenTinG sPOnsORs Td Securities bloomberg
$5,000 to $9,999 Unit Park holdings Inc. The hope Charitable foundation Stikeman elliott
Cheese sPOnsOR Cheese boutique
sUPPORTinG sPOnsOR Thomson reuters
$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 Shinex Window Cleaning Inc
Please visit coc.ca for additional information
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GOVERNMENT SUPPORT The Canadian Opera Company gratefully acknowledges the generous support of these government agencies and departments.
OPeRaTinG sUPPORT
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $154 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country. nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien. l’an dernier, le Conseil a investi 154 millions de dollars pour mettre de l’art dans la vie des Canadiennes et des Canadiens de tout le pays.
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: department of Canadian heritage Ontario Arts Council
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, local #822, local #828.
SUPERNUMERARIES John Allemang Jacques Gamache ralph Iorio Woody Jarvis rick lobodinski
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
Jim lucas henry Mor Wayne Purchase bob Stein
A FRESH FLEDERMAUS! (Continued from page 19)
Alden says that in addition to looking at marriage, the piece is very much about Vienna in and around that era, which started him thinking of therapist Sigmund Freud. “In a dreamy way, not in a very literal way, we are setting this production from the time the opera was written in mid-19thcentury Vienna down through Freud’s Vienna and even a little bit beyond. It is about a marriage and what that couple goes through as the pendulum swings
Preliminary costume sketch of Rosalinde by costume designer Constance Hoffman for the COC’s new production of Die Fledermaus, 2012.
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
in their lives between fidelity and other feelings that they can’t help – desires, fantasies and dreams that are a part of everybody’s psyche.” But Alden adds this is also a production about societal issues – inspired by Freud and his focus on both the conscious and unconscious levels. It is the balance and imbalance between the private and the public personas that determine the life of a society or civilization. Similar to the marriage pendulum, societies swing between creative and suppressive phases. “During the decades around Strauss, the Austro-Hungarian world was such a wealth of creativity and laissez-faire politics culminating in an amazing era before WWI where Vienna was a hotbed of inspiration. But that led to a more repressive era in the years leading up to WWII. We are exploring those kinds of themes in this production especially because the last act of the piece takes place in a prison.” The central protagonist in this production is Dr. Falke. In the opera, Eisenstein had abandoned a drunken Falke, dressed as a bat, in the town square. Falke awoke humiliated and in order to exact revenge on his friend some months later, he arranges for Rosalinde and Eisenstein to attend Prince Orlofsky’s party. Through disguise and deceit, Falke enjoys making the situation as uncomfortable as possible. “He is a bit like Dr. Freud trying to unlock the repressed side of people and exposing their sexuality.
A FRESH FLEDERMAUS!
Preliminary costume sketch of a female chorus member by costume designer Constance Hoffman for the COC’s new production of Die Fledermaus, 2012.
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
“Act I takes place in the Eisenstein bedroom. It has a dark, 19th-century Victorian feel – a large marriage bed surrounded by heavy wallpaper. The bed remains a fixture throughout the opera. Here Rosalinde tries to find the balance in her life between reality and desire. I was very inspired by reading Freud and how he dealt with women existing in a ‘proper’ bourgeois marriage. How does a woman find a balance between that and being her own person? When Dr. Falke enters the room the walls crack open – a crack in the repression. The old world opens up and the upstage realm starts to ooze out the dreams, desires, and fantasies that come to life in the party in Act II.” Alden has set Act II, Prince Orlofsky’s home, ahead a bit in time to a beautiful art deco, 1920s fantasy space with a gorgeous, gigantic staircase and a large, white grand piano. The party is rather like an exotic slumber party – all the guests are in erotic attire with men and women challenging gender roles. In this dreamlike atmosphere, the conscious world gives way to the libido as the characters become more embroiled. “At the end of the second act the police come in and close the party down – rather like the time between World War I and II when the more repressive element came in and started shutting down all that creativity. Then in Act III we are suddenly back in a restrictive place, the prison, where all of these decadent people are being held for questioning by the authorities. It has come full circle from where we started in Act I.”
A FRESH FLEDERMAUS!
Photo: Rider Dyce
JOHANNES DEBUS
Top: Preliminary maquette for Act I by set designer Allen Moyer for the COC’s new production of Die Fledermaus, 2012. Photo: COC
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
This is the first time that Johannes Debus is conducting Strauss’s Die Fledermaus and, like Alden, he wants to get rid of certain clichés and present the piece to our audiences in a renewed, vibrant way. “Fledermaus is wonderful – it’s a very Viennese piece and speaks the Viennese dialect. Starting with all the waltzes the entire piece is festive – be it at the ball or in the prison. We hear the music in a series of dances – it might be a waltz, a polka, a quadrille, a gavotte – all the dances that were very popular at that time.” Debus says the piece is full of traditions or habits – we all seem to know it and have heard the famous tunes, overture, and so on. But over the years the many traditions have often become a little bit perverted in style. He says, “For instance, there might be a little ritenuto (decrease of tempo) at one point in the music and musicians in Strauss’s time performed this correctly, but
A FRESH FLEDERMAUS!
10 years later it became longer, 20 years later even longer, and eventually turned into a fermata (full pause)! We want to bring it back to basics. “Often we see Fledermaus as a piece of divertissement, just some light entertainment, and yet it is the most artfully written piece. You can compare it with Le nozze di Figaro, Rosenkavalier, Lulu and so on. It has the same quality of drama and of music – we have to take it very seriously. So often you hear very bad performances where people are just shouting and it becomes vulgar. That is not the piece. There are so many nuances and so much subtlety which I would like to try to find with our cast. I am pretty sure with Christopher’s approach it will be easier for me to treat the music precisely and with great care. “Operetta is a sort of singspiel which means opera with dialogue. But operetta can be as tragic as opera, as comical as opera, as dramatic as opera. And Fledermaus is full of black humour. And certainly we see this at the ball where characters are masked. It’s a wonderful dramaturgical trick – some protagonists act more authentically with their masks on than they do in their real life. There is always this double entendre and slightly erotic component. You are allowed to act on your desires… nobody knows who you are.” Debus certainly wants the audience to enjoy and have fun with Fledermaus. But he also wants them to feel slightly uncomfortable from time to time. “Feel that double standard in society, and the abyss which lies under this delirium, represented by the constant turning of the waltzes. 28
Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
Preliminary costume sketch of Alfred by costume designer Constance Hoffman for the COC’s new production of Die Fledermaus, 2012.
A FRESH FLEDERMAUS!
In the music there seems to be a fear of emptiness and you have to fight a bit against the emptiness. It’s almost an obsession. The characters want to forget their reality and they reach this state of near-hysteria, a society dancing on the edge of ruin. “It teeters on the rim of the volcano. We know there was the stock exchange crash the year before Fledermaus was written. Vienna was the large financial centre at that time in Europe and there was a lot going on. Then the market crashed and people lost everything. Christopher connects it with Sigmund Freud which is completely right – Freud appears just a couple of years later. The music is a bit of an escape. It’s also interesting that Die Fledermaus was one of the last pieces that the Vienna Staatsoper played in 1941 before the house was bombed. And they also started playing it at the New Year’s Eve concerts during that time. It was an aid in forgetting – something narcotic, an anesthetic. “The music has such a freshness and offers so many incredibly beautiful melodies. It possesses great elegance, yet is enormously subtle, and is so well written for the orchestra. I look forward immensely to conducting this piece. It’s a great pleasure, a great delight to perform. n Suzanne Vanstone is Senior Communications Manager, Editorial at the Canadian Opera Company.
Preliminary costume sketch of a female chorus member by costume designer Constance Hoffman for the COC’s new production of Die Fledermaus, 2012.
FOR FURTHER INSIGHTS INTO DIE FLEDERMAUS, PLEASE READ SUZANNE VANSTONE’S INTERVIEWS WITH COSTUME DESIGNER CONSTANCE HOFFMAN AND SET DESIGNER ALLEN MOYER, AS WELL AS INTERVIEWS WITH SOPRANOS MIREILLE ASSELIN AND AMBUR BRAID WHO SHARE THE ROLE OF ADELE, AVAILABLE IN THE FALL ISSUE OF PRELUDE ONLINE AT COC.CA/PUBLICATIONS.
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
20
WELCOME OUR T
he 2012/2013 season is a busy and exciting one for the young artists of the COC Ensemble Studio. They take to the mainstage in several productions, including a special performance of La clemenza di Tito on February 6, 2013, with the principal roles sung entirely by Ensemble Studio members. The artists also make frequent appearances in the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, that started with a noon-hour Meet the Young Artists concert to launch the 12/13 concert season on September 18, 2012. In addition, they will once again participate in the Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour, which takes two operatic productions, The Brothers Grimm and Hansel and Gretel, to schools across Ontario and the GTA. This season we welcome four new members to the program – sopranos Sasha Djihanian and Claire de Sévigné, tenor Owen McCausland and baritone Cameron McPhail – whose path to the Ensemble Studio took a slightly different trajectory than any past Ensemble Studio members. Last year, the COC launched the Ensemble Studio Competition, holding the final round of national auditions in front of a public audience for the first time in COC history. An exclusive insiders’ experience, the Ensemble Studio Competition opened up a formerly behind-the-scenes audition
Ambur Braid as Semele and Christopher Enns as Jupiter in the COC’s Ensemble Studio performance of Semele, 2012. Photo: Michael Cooper
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
12 13 ENSEMBLE STUDIO
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WELCOME OUR 2012/2013 ENSEMBLE STUDIO
process. Ten finalists from across Canada were selected from over 160 singers in preliminary auditions in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and New York to perform in front of a sold-out audience and a panel of judges. In addition to the four cash prizes, the finalists were competing for highly coveted positions in the 12/13 Ensemble. At the inaugural competition in November 2011, the four new members were selected from the 10 finalists to join us. We are also very pleased to welcome back seven returning members of the Ensemble Studio for the 12/13 season: sopranos Mireille Asselin and Ambur Braid, mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb, bass-baritone Neil Craighead and tenor Christopher Enns, as well as coaches Timothy Cheung and Jenna Douglas. We look forward to performances with all our talented Ensemble participants and are excited to follow them throughout the coming season. n This season, the COC hosts its second annual Ensemble Studio Competition on November 29, 2012, at 5:30 p.m. in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. It is a must-see event for all who are invested in, and intrigued by, the future of opera in Canada.
The COC Ensemble Studio, underwritten in part by Peter M. Deeb and The Slaight Family Foundation, is Canada’s premier training program for young opera professionals and provides advanced instruction, hands-on experience, and career development opportunities. The Ensemble Studio is also supported by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage, RBC Foundation and other generous donors.
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 Season
Opposite page (top): (l – r) Mireille Asselin as Semele and Philippe Sly as Cadmus. Opposite page (bottom): Christopher Enns as Jupiter. Left: (l – r) Rihab Chaieb as Juno and Jacqueline Woodley as Iris. All photos are from the COC’s Ensemble Studio performance of Semele, 2012. Photos: Michael Cooper
Mireille Asselin
Ambur Braid
Rihab Chaieb
Timothy Cheung
Neil Craighead
Claire de Sévigné
Sasha Djihanian
Jenna Douglas
Christopher Enns
Owen McCausland
Cameron McPhail
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE STUDIO, PLEASE VISIT THE ENSEMBLE PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE AT COC.CA AND READ MARIA LIOUTAIA’S ARTICLE IN THE FALL ISSUE OF PRELUDE, AVAILABLE ONLINE AT COC.CA/PUBLICATIONS.
Catch up with blogs and enjoy COC Radio at coc.ca.
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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.
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Canadian Opera Company 2012/2013 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.
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