COC Spring 2016 Program by Canadian Opera Company

PROGRAM SPRING 2016

CARMEN

MAOMETTO II

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39782A (05/2015)

CONTENTS 4

WHAT’S PLAYING: CARMEN

CARMEN FULL CIRCLE: DIRECTOR JOEL IVANY

WHAT’S PLAYING: MAOMETTO II

SERIOUSLY... ROSSINI’S MAOMETTO II

GET TO KNOW... LUCA PISARONI

TOWARDS A NEW ERA OF LOWER TICKET PRICES

28 30

BACKSTAGE AND BEYOND

31 35 38

BIOGRAPHIES: CARMEN

SETTING FOOD TO MUSIC At Hilton’s Tundra

SHIFTING INTO HIGH GEAR Mercedes-Benz at the COC

BIOGRAPHIES: MAOMETTO II THE SCENIC TOUR Of the COC’s Scene Shop

SUPPORT OUR ORCHESTRA With the Season-End Campaign

MANY THANKS Acknowledging our many supporters

PATRON INFORMATION AND POLICIES

GO SCENT FREE In consideration of patrons with allergies, please avoid wearing perfumed beauty products and fragrances!

COC Program is published three times a year by the Canadian Opera Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written consent is prohibited. Contents copyright Canadian Opera Company. Direct all advertising inquiries to cdunlop@mirvishmedia.com. Program edited by Claudine Domingue, Director of Public Relations; Kristin McKinnon, Publicist and Publications Co-ordinator; and, Gianna Wichelow, Senior Manager, Creative and Publications. Layout by Gianna Wichelow. All information is correct at time of printing. Photo credits are on page 53.

A MESSAGE FROM GENERAL DIRECTOR ALEXANDER NEEF As we bring our 2015/2016 season to a close, we can look back on a year to be proud of, both on and off the stage. The COC continued to cement its reputation as a centre for artistic excellence and a go-to destination for some of the world’s top operatic talent. This past fall, the world premiere of Pyramus and Thisbe was a landmark production for the COC, while La Traviata met with rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. Our Siegfried featured one of the strongest casts you’re likely to hear anywhere in the world, and Claus Guth’s take on The Marriage of Figaro had audiences laughing and talking! The unparalleled artistic achievement continues this spring. Our production of Bizet’s beloved Carmen returns with a fresh look from director Joel Ivany, currently taking the Canadian opera scene by storm with his innovative “transladaptations” of classic operas. You can read more about Joel’s journey from supernumerary to director on page 10. We close our season with what is likely the Canadian premiere of Rossini’s rarely performed Maometto II, an opera which disappeared from the repertoire in its original form until Santa Fe Opera premiered this production in 2012. Toronto audiences can count themselves among the lucky few in the world to see this work performed using Rossini’s original score. International star, bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni makes his COC debut as Maometto, and shows off his lighter side on page 24. There’s no doubt that the COC features some of the world’s best operatic talent on stage, but the company also boasts exceptional work behind the scenes. As we move forward with COC365, the company’s new strategic plan and guiding vision for the next five years, we’ll bring you closer to the work that goes on yearround at the COC. We start with a visit to our very active Scene Shop, which you can read about on page 38.

We’re also proud of our new initiative, Opera Access for New Canadians, which aims to make dress rehearsals and select performances accessible to new Canadian citizens and newcomers to Canada, including immigrants and refugees. Starting this spring we’re joining the Institute for Canadian Citizenship’s Cultural Access Pass, through which 40 free tickets will be set aside to every COC dress rehearsal and given to new Canadian citizens registered with the CAP program. As we move into our 2016/2017 season, the COC continues to hold itself to the highest artistic standard. You’ll experience favourites like Tosca and The Magic Flute, star-powered new productions of Norma and Ariodante, the final chapter of Wagner’s Ring Cycle with Götterdämmerung, and a new production of the iconic Canadian opera Louis Riel, to commemorate Canada’s 150th birthday festivities. We also mark the 10th anniversary of the Four Seasons Centre! If you haven’t already, we invite you to renew or purchase a subscription at one of our desks at intermission or following the performance, and celebrate 16/17 with us. CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

CARMEN BY GEORGES BIZET

PRODUCTION SPONSOR Opéra comique in Four Acts w Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella by Prosper Mérimée w First performance: Opéra-Comique, Paris, March 3, 1875 w COC Revival COC PRODUCTION Last performed by the COC in 2010 April 12, 17, 20, 23, 28, 30, May 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 2016 Sung in French with English SURTITLES™ THE CAST

(in order of vocal appearance)

Moralès, an officer................................................... Peter Barrett^ Micaëla, a peasant girl........................................... Simone Osborne1 ^ Karine Boucher2†* Don José, a corporal.............................................. Russell Thomas1 David Pomeroy2^ Zuniga, the captain................................................. Alain Coulombe^ Carmen, gypsy girl.................................................. Anita Rachvelishvili3 Clémentine Margaine4D Frasquita, a gypsy................................................... Sasha Djihanian^ Mercédès, a gypsy.................................................. Charlotte Burrage^ Escamillo, a toreador............................................. Christian Van Horn1 Zachary Nelson2 Le Dancaïre, a smuggler....................................... Iain MacNeil† Le Remendado, a smuggler................................ Jean-Philippe Fortier-Lazure†** Conductor.................................................................. Paolo Carignani Director....................................................................... Joel Ivany Assistant Director................................................... Brenna CornerD Set Designer.............................................................. Michael Yeargan Costume Designer.................................................. François St-Aubin Lighting Designer................................................... Jason Hand Set & Costume Design Co-ordinator............... Camellia Koo Chorus Master.......................................................... Sandra Horst^*** Stage Manager......................................................... Stephanie Marrs SURTITLES™ Producer.......................................... Gunta Dreifelds Performance time is approximately three hours including one intermission * Karine Boucher’s performance is generously sponsored by Colleen Sexsmith ** Jean-Philippe Fortier-Lazure’s performance is generously sponsored by Margaret Harriett Cameron and the late Gary Smith *** Sandra Horst and the COC Chorus are generously underwritten by Tim and Frances Price April 12, 17, 23, 30, May 4, 6, 13, 15 April 20, 28, May 8, 10, 12 3 April 12, 17, 23, 30, May 4, 6, 13 4 April 20, 28, May 8, 10, 12, 15 D COC Debut † Current member of the COC Ensemble Studio ^ Graduate of COC Ensemble Studio 1

Program information is correct at time of printing. All casting is subject to change.

GO SCENT FREE: In consideration of patrons with allergies, please avoid wearing perfumed beauty products and fragrances. 4

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Don José (Brian Hymel) arrests Carmen (Rinat Shaham) in the COC’s 2010 production. CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Did you know Carmen has been played in Toronto longer than pro hockey? It’s true! Carmen had its world premiere in 1875 in Paris. Only four years later, on March 5, 1879 it premiered in Toronto, garnering favourable reviews, including this tidbit from the Evening Telegram: “It is as a whole, however, fairly endowed with sprightly passages and pleasing melody… Many passages are interspersed throughout in which the rhythm is most graceful and others are of dashing liveliness.” The Toronto Professional Hockey Club, the city’s first professional ice hockey team, was founded 27 years after Carmen’s premiere, in 1906.

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Director’s Notes

Synopsis

I am honoured to be making my mainstage directing debut at the Canadian Opera Company. This is my home company and the company that gave me my first opportunity.

ACT I Micaëla, a young peasant girl, is searching for her beloved, the corporal Don José. During the changing of the guard, a group of women take a break from their work at a cigar factory. One of them, Carmen, has many admirers but she tries to attract the attention of Don José who remains indifferent to her, despite the flower she has tossed at him. A short time later, the beautiful Carmen is arrested following a fracas with another factory worker, and Don José is assigned to arrest her. Falling under her spell, the corporal allows her to escape, landing him in jail for two months.

Why Carmen and why now? Carmen is not a new opera. It has stood the test of time to emerge as one of the bestloved works in the operatic canon. I can’t help but feel that this piece was the entertainment of the time. Everything about this show is spectacle, busyness and excitement: the chorus is on stage practically the entire length of the opera which gives us plenty to look at and take in, and the numerous memorable melodies have us humming as we leave the theatre. For me, what has allowed this piece to endure through the years, from 1875 to the present, are the real characters in real situations. Now more than ever, this piece is a reminder of the freedom that we all enjoy and also the chains that we can find ourselves bound by. We desire passion and uninhibited living, but must have certain constraints to maintain order within our lives. We see ourselves in the gentle, yet strong, spirit of Micaëla; our inhibitions are brought out through Don José; our passion is felt through Carmen; and our self-absorbed, “selfie” urges are seen through Escamillo. This opera can be like looking in a mirror. Bizet wrote a piece that is understandable, triggers our impulses, and questions morality. It can be difficult to find a likeable character, or one that we truly want to be. Instead, he’s painted characters that embody several different aspects that we are simultaneously drawn to but can also disassociate from. This isn’t just another Carmen. This is our Carmen. This is our moment to come together, learn something new about this opera (even for those who have seen it many times), and learn something new about each other. As Philip Glass said, “If you don’t need a new technique, then what you’re saying probably isn’t new.” I hope you will, as I do, see this production for what it is: a stunning piece of music theatre that we can all find ourselves in. Joel Ivany

Left: Carmen (Rinat Shaham) sings her seductive Habanera, basking in the admiration of the local men in the COC’s 2010 production.

ACT II Carmen and her friends have gathered at a tavern, when a passing parade celebrates the victorious bullfighter, Escamillo. Zuniga, Don José’s lieutenant who is in love with Carmen too, tells Carmen that Don José has been released from jail. Don José soon arrives at the tavern and Carmen demands that he give up his commission and follow her into the mountains with the smugglers. Meanwhile, Zuniga has caught up with Don José and tries to convince the corporal to come home with him. Don José, torn between duty and desire and jealous of Zuniga’s affection for Carmen, picks a fight with Zuniga. In the end, he has no choice but to desert his company and flee into the mountains with Carmen and the band of smugglers. INTERMISSION ACT III As the smugglers move through the mountains, Carmen becomes less and less tolerant of her lover’s possessive and controlling behaviour. Escamillo, who has also followed them in search of Carmen, arrives. A fight ensues between Don José and Escamillo but is interrupted by Micaëla who has come to tell Don José that his mother is dying. Micaëla and Don José leave together. ACT IV On the day of the great bullfight, Carmen and Escamillo swear their love to each other. A haggard Don José appears at the arena and begs, then demands, Carmen to return to him, but she refuses, throwing down the ring he had once given her. Don José, in despair, charges at Carmen, stabbing her. She dies as the crowd cheers the toreador in the corrida.

To learn more about Carmen, read Eric Domville’s article, “Love, Sex, Spirit,” on our blog at coc.ca/Parlando. This originally appeared in our 2010 house program.

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Canadian Opera Company Orchestra VIOLIN I Marie Bérard, Concertmaster The Concertmaster’s chair has been endowed in perpetuity by Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Aaron Schwebel, Associate Concertmaster Jamie Kruspe, Assistant Concertmaster Anne Armstrong Sandra Baron, (leave of absence) Bethany Bergman Nancy Kershaw Dominique Laplante Yakov Lerner Jayne Maddison Neria Mayer Ashley Vandiver* Joanna Zabrowarna VIOLIN II Paul Zevenhuizen, Principal Csaba Koczó, Assistant Principal James Aylesworth Elizabeth Johnston Boris Kupesic* Renée London* Aya Miyagawa Louise Tardif Marianne Urke Joanna Zabrowarna

VIOLA Keith Hamm, Principal Joshua Greenlaw, Assistant Principal (leave of absence) Sheila Jaffé, Acting Assistant Principal Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuck* Emily Eng* Nicholaos Papadakis* Angela Rudden* Beverley Spotton Yosef Tamir CELLO Bryan Epperson, Principal (leave of absence) Alastair Eng, Acting Principal Paul Widner, Assistant Principal Elaine Thompson, Acting Assistant Principal Maurizio Baccante Peter Cosbey* Olga Laktionova BASS Alan Molitz, Principal (leave of absence) Robert Speer, Assistant Principal Tom Hazlitt, Acting Assistant Principal Paul Langley Eric Lee* Robert Wolanski* FLUTE Douglas Stewart, Principal Shelley Brown

PICCOLO Shelley Brown Douglas Stewart

PERCUSSION Trevor Tureski, Principal Chung Ling Lo* John Thompson*

OBOE Mark Rogers, Principal Lesley Young

HARP Sarah Davidson, Principal

ENGLISH HORN Lesley Young

Banda

CLARINET James T. Shields, Principal Colleen Cook

TRUMPET Robert Grim Robert Weymouth

BASSOON Eric Hall, Principal Elizabeth Gowen

TROMBONE Charles Benaroya Ian Cowie

HORN Mikhailo Babiak, Principal Janet Anderson Bardhyl Gjevori Gary Pattison

BASS TROMBONE Herbert Poole

TRUMPET Robert Grim, Principal Robert Weymouth TROMBONE Charles Benaroya, Principal Ian Cowie BASS TROMBONE Herbert Poole

LIBRARIAN Wayne Vogan ASSISTANT MUSIC LIBRARIAN Ondrej Golias STAGE LIBRARIAN Paul Langley PERSONNEL MANAGER Ian Cowie *extra musician

TIMPANI Michael Perry, Principal

Canadian Opera Company Chorus SOPRANOS Lindsay Barrett Christina Bell Stacie Carmona Margaret Evans Meghan Fleet Alexandra Lennox-Pomeroy Ingrid Martin Eve Rachel McLeod Victoria Pinnington Jennifer Robinson Teresa van der Hoeven Carrie Wiebe

TENORS Vanya Abrahams Stephen Bell Sam Chung Sean Clark Stephen Erickson William Ford Ryan Harper John Kriter Jason Lamont James Leatch Stephen McClare Derrick Paul Miller Eric Olsen

MEZZO-SOPRANOS Marianne Bindig Susan Black Sandra Boyes Wendy Hatala Foley Erica Iris Huang Lilian Kilianski Kathryn Knapp Laura McAlpine Anne McWatt Karen Olinyk Lisa Spain Vilma Indra Vitols

BARITONES/BASSES Grant Allert Kenneth Baker Peter Barnes Sung Chung Bruno Cormier Michael Downie Jason Nedecky Michael Sproule Jan Vaculik Peter Wiens Marcus Wilson Gene Wu Michael York

Canadian Children’s Opera Company Teri Dunn, Music Director

Ken Hall, Managing Director

Dean Burry, Artistic Director

Members of the Canadian Children’s Opera Company appear in all Canadian Opera Company productions requiring children’s voices. Founded in 1968, the CCOC is the only permanent children’s opera company in Canada, providing musical and dramatic training to hundreds of participants each year. It specializes in the development and performance of operatic and choral repertoire for children. Isobel Arseneau Alexandra Bernstein Lucas Drube Annika Faric Arianna Forgione

Samantha Fu Alia Ginevra Sophie Habkirk Julianna Harsfai Jacqueline Kirby

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Laudomia Lo Greco Beatrice Nusink Frances Quilty Madelaine Ringo-Stauble Connor Ross

Serene Sakhnini Finleigh Smart Alastair Thorburn-Vitols Claudia Winfield-Hicks Nathalie Winfield-Hicks

MUSIC STAFF Esther Gonthier (Head Coach) Jordan de Souza Michael Shannon Jennifer Szeto (Ensemble Studio Intern Coach) DICTION COACH Rosemarie Landry ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR Derek Bate

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS Mike Lewandowski Kate Porter APPRENTICE STAGE MANAGER Adriana Dimitri ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER Davida Tkach

UNDERSTUDIES Zuniga Moralès Frasquita Mercédès Le Dancaïre Le Remendado

Bruno Cormier Jason Nedecky Lindsay Barrett Erica Iris Huang Jan Vaculik Charles Sy

FIGHT DIRECTOR Anita Nittoly

Don José (Brian Hymel) and Carmen (Rinat Shaham) in the COC’s 2010 production.

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

CARMEN FULL CIRCLE

IN CONVERSATION WITH DIRECTOR JOEL IVANY BY GIANNA WICHELOW This spring’s Carmen marks the closing of a circle for Joel Ivany, the acclaimed Canadian director and founder of Against the Grain Theatre collective. In 2005, when the COC premiered the production that audiences are seeing again this season, Joel was building his directing career after studying theatre and music theatre. His friend Brent Krysa was assistant director for the 2005 Carmen, and he advised Joel to take a closer look at the world of

opera, to see if it appealed to him. So Joel joined the roster of supernumeraries (extras) for that production, and was hooked. Eleven years later, he returns to direct it. “It was exciting because Carmen was my first real experience of live opera—and I was in it! I saw everything, including how an opera director works. I saw how people treated each other, as groups and individuals—and supers. And that had an impact: for me, whether it’s Carmen herself or the one kid who is on stage for a moment and doesn’t sing, they’re all an important part of the show.” At that time, the COC was performing in the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. The following year the company moved into its own home, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Since then Joel has been assistant director on many productions in the COC’s opera house. “I love this space so much; it’s such a beautiful hall. I’ve had the opportunity to explore every part of it from every angle. I know the sightlines, and how the stage looks and sounds from all parts of the auditorium. I’ve experienced how the space has been utilized in different productions, whether it was Iphigenia in Tauris, where a singer was positioned above the curved ceiling of the auditorium, or the proscenium-high videos for Tristan und Isolde. Now, during this rehearsal process, I’m asking myself how we can bring the audience into Carmen in a way that hasn’t been done with Carmen, or this production, or in the Four Seasons Centre before. “

“I love this space so much; it’s such a beautiful hall. I’ve had the opportunity to explore every part of it from every angle.”

Joel Ivany

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

At the heart of Carmen is a crime of passion that could happen anywhere and any time. Joel approaches this cautiously but with great enthusiasm. He asks, “Why do you need to tell the story? Why tell the story over and over again? Why is it important? How can it be told differently?” Joel has been working with two casts so the plot, of course, remains the same but, with different performers, the way the story is told is altered. “We have two incredibly different but talented Carmens so that’s a great start, but with the way rehearsals are scheduled we didn’t start off with everyone in the same room, and we have real time to work with the two groups

SPOT THE DIRECTOR! The young photographer in the Act II crowd in the COC’s 2005 Carmen was to become the director of the 2016 production.

individually. The other important factor is that everyone in this cast has done this opera more times than I have so they have more experience with these characters than I do, which is pretty great! I’ll learn a lot from them and hopefully I’ll bring an angle that’s new to them. They also haven’t worked with each other and that will bring added excitement to the process. It’ll also be wonderful to work with some of the same people from 2005: Alain Coulombe is back as Zuniga and Mike Lewandowski is back as part of the stage management team. Some of the same choristers and supers will be there, so it’s going to be fun!” After his initial experience as a super, Joel knew he wanted to direct opera. He went on to complete two formative years at the University of Toronto Opera School studying opera directing with Michael Albano. From there, not having immediate access to a large company and the infrastructure that provided, he thought to himself, “‘If

I want a company, why not just start one?’ It kind of exploded from there. When we were forming Against the Grain [AtG] in 2010, there was maybe one other indie opera group in Toronto at the time. And now there are something like 10 or 12. Thankfully I had other opportunities to work with other directors elsewhere and I kept AtG going, but assistant directing gave me directing and administrative skills and I got to experience productions on a big level. It made me less nervous about handling large productions, and gave me a lot more confidence to make AtG what it is today.” AtG had an immediate resonance for Toronto opera lovers with its first productions, such as a bold, pared-down La Bohème performed in a bar, and a startling The Turn of the Screw in an attic space at the University of Toronto. What makes Joel’s work consistently intriguing and illuminating is what his approach attempts to reveal and unearth: “I

try and attack everything and ask, ‘What new thing can be said about this? Everything has been done this way, so—within the parameters that we have—what can we do differently, to say something new?’ Other people will always do it the way most people want it done. Does it mean that my way is THE way? No, it’s just something different.” One of Joel’s great hopes is that there will be more opportunities for opera artists to work in Canada. His own career is country-wide now. He will return to Vancouver Opera in 2017 to direct Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking. And, once again this summer, he is program director for Banff’s Open Space: Opera in the 21st Century. A partnership between Banff, AtG and the COC, the program is a performance-based collaborative training experience for emerging opera professionals and brings in faculty members such as Russell Braun, Paul Curran and Judith Forst, as well as staff CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

from the COC. Having these resources available allows the faculty to work with young artists, and “dream and plan without having to worry about raising funds at the same time!” But before then, AtG remounts A Little Too Cozy in Toronto this May. As he did for the other two Mozart/Da Ponte operas, Joel developed the production last year at Banff, taking the score and basic idea of Così fan tutte and writing a new libretto around a modern-day wedding reality TV show. “It’s taking place in Studio 42 at the CBC Building. We all get to go to a live studio experience in one of the city’s coolest venues.” As for the future: “There’s been so much greatness before us, like developing all

these companies across the west. We need to find people who love this art form enough to understand that they’ll have a few rough years, but if they can commit to it, they’ll be investing in something very worthwhile. You plant seeds and bear fruit later. We see that with AtG. I can’t wait to find the next person who says, ‘Joel did this,’ but they do it better than me. Where is that person now? Are they in theatre or accounting? What is it that’s going to change them to follow that dream? Young directors need as much experience as they can get in small companies and big companies.”

be exhausted. They put everything into it, the singing and acting was so physical. To witness that is huge—it just grips you. That duet is so beautiful and strong and the performers have to be so powerful in their focus, their intention, and their musicality. With our Carmen there will be some audience members who are experiencing this opera—or any opera—for the first time, and that’s one of the reasons it has to be excellent because it could stick with them, change their life, you never know. Standing in the wings as a super, seeing that final duet every night… that stuck with me.”

In 2005, Joel would watch from the wings each night as the singers walked off the stage at the end of the final, devastating duet. “They would

Gianna Wichelow is Senior Communications Manager, Creative and Publications at the COC.

The COC has two great artists playing Carmen this spring. We asked them to share their feelings about this fascinating character. ANITA RACHVELISHVILI: “I’ve performed the role of Carmen for over five

years and I feel a real understanding for her. To me Carmen is not just a woman who goes from man to man. She’s a very strong woman, but a lonely one, who is trying to find her happiness as we all do. When I perform, I try to just BE Carmen, to bring to the audience who she is and how she struggles to live a difficult life.”

…AND A HAIR-RAISING STORY… “A few months ago I had a very bad accident on stage during the first act of Carmen. In the scene when Manuelita and I fight, she caught my hand with the Spanish navaja (folding knife). I was bleeding for the rest of the performance, but saying, ‘Well now I really have something to remember!’ After the performance I went to hospital where I got five stitches.”

CLÉMENTINE MARGAINE: “I love the freedom of this character, her

passion and her sense of humour. I love that she’s living for herself and not to please others. I love that she’ll do anything—even dying—just to keep her freedom. How modern is this character?”

…AND HOW SHE STARTS A PERFORMANCE DAY…

“To get into the character of Carmen before a performance I always start the day by dancing, even if the production doesn’t require it. Carmen has to be aware of her body and of the impact of the body on the others. She’s an animal so you have to make your body and your mind awake.” 12

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

A passion for the arts KPMG is proud to sponsor the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Carmen. kpmg.ca

© 2016 KPMG LLP, a Canadian limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. The KPMG name and logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of KPMG International. 11957

MAOMETTO II BY GIOACHINO ROSSINI

Luca Pisaroni in the title role of Maometto II in the COC’s production, when it debuted at Santa Fe Opera in 2012.

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

PRODUCTION SPONSOR

Opera in Two Acts w Libretto by Cesare della Valle

Critical Edition edited by Hans Schellevis. Used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, sole U.S. and Canadian agent for Bärenreiter-Verlag, publisher and copyright owner

First performance: Teatro San Carlo, Naples, 1820 Production created by Santa Fe Opera COC PRODUCTION w COC PREMIERE April 29, May 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, 14, 2016 Sung in Italian with English SURTITLES™ THE CAST

(in order of vocal appearance)

Paolo Erisso, head of the Venetians................. Bruce SledgeD Condulmiero, Venetian noble............................. Charles Sy†** Calbo, Venetian General....................................... Elizabeth DeShong Anna, Paolo’s daughter......................................... Leah CrocettoD Maometto II............................................................... Luca PisaroniD* Selimo, Maometto’s confidant............................ Aaron Sheppard†*** Conductor.................................................................. Harry Bicket Director....................................................................... David Alden Assistant Director................................................... Marilyn Gronsdal^ Set and Costume Designer................................. Jon Morrell Lighting Designer................................................... Duane SchulerD Choreographer......................................................... David LaeraD Chorus Master.......................................................... Sandra Horst^**** Stage Manager......................................................... Jenifer Kowal SURTITLES™ Producer.......................................... Gunta Dreifelds Performance time is approximately three hours and 20 minutes, including one intermission * Luca Pisaroni’s performance is generously sponsored by Françoise Sutton ** Charles Sy’s performance is generously sponsored by Catherine Fauquier *** Aaron Sheppard’s performance is generously sponsored by Tony & Anne Arrell **** Sandra Horst and the COC Chorus are generously underwritten by Tim and Frances Price COC Debut † Current member of the COC Ensemble Studio ^ Graduate of COC Ensemble Studio D

Program information is correct at time of printing. All casting is subject to change.

GO SCENT FREE: In consideration of patrons with allergies, please avoid wearing perfumed beauty products and fragrances.

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Leah Crocetto as Anna and Luca Pisaroni in the title role of Maometto II in the COCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production, when it debuted at Santa Fe Opera in 2012.

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Director’s Notes

Synopsis

We know Rossini best from his comedies—the familiar works such as The Barber of Seville—and from his image as the great genius who made his fortune young, retired from composing opera at the age of 40 and lived out his long life in Paris as bon vivant and observer of all things cultural. The shock comes when we look at his more serious works and realize he was not only one of the music theater’s greatest comic geniuses, but also a supreme innovator of serious drama. Great singers of the last century such as Callas, Sutherland and Horne revealed these forgotten tragedies as living, passionate theatre. Especially surprising and intriguing are the works Rossini wrote for Naples, usually created for his wife, the diva Isabella Colbran—brilliant, idiomatic, experimental operas, many still virtually unknown today. Among them is Maometto II.

ACT I Maometto Secondo, Sultan of the Ottomans, has captured Constantinople and ended the Byzantine Empire. He now plans to invade Western Europe by taking Negroponte, the Venetian-held gateway between the Eastern and Western Mediterranean regions. The head of the Venetians in Negroponte is Paolo Erisso whose daughter Anna is betrothed to the young Venetian nobleman, Calbo. Erisso must decide whether to lead his forces in what looks to be a futile stand against Maometto or, surrender and seek the most peaceful settlement possible. Anna has been romantically involved with a man she believes to be Uberto, a nobleman from Corinth. Erisso tells her she must have fallen for an imposter as the real Uberto was with him in Venice. The Muslims invade the city and take Erisso and Calbo as prisoners. When Maometto arrives, he and Anna recognize each other from their encounter in Corinth when he was under the guise of Uberto. Horrified, Anna threatens suicide unless Maometto releases his prisoners. Still smitten with her, he relents while Erisso rejects his daughter for having fallen in love with his enemy.

There is something intense and dangerous about Maometto II that I find absolutely contemporary and modern. It is not a typical recitative-aria opera seria of the period, but an unusually through-composed and unpredictably paced drama. Throughout the first act until the entrance of Maometto, the buildup of dramatic tension leaves no chance for the audience to stop and applaud. This is unusual in any opera up until Wagner. Mozart had tried something similar in his masterpiece Idomeneo, but returned to “number operas,” perhaps persuaded by disgruntled singers to restore their missed applause (or perhaps missing it himself). This structure forces the listener to focus on the drama without reducing the virtuosity of Rossini’s glorious music. It also highlights character: as the tension builds, we are made to fear the arrival of Maometto—the scourge from the dark land, the dangerous conqueror. But when we finally encounter him late in Act I he is more impressive, cultivated and rounded than the Venetians we have come to know earlier in the act. The role of Anna (the Colbran role) is equally modern— not only in her importance, but in her growth through the opera. She starts out as a young girl and daughter caught in a terrible war in a very male society where women are marginalized and brutalized, and where men make all the decisions. She is dominated on one side by her father, the overbearing Venetian general Erisso, and on the other by Maometto, far more evolved than her father but equally powerful. But as the opera progresses, she gathers this whole mess (personal, political) into her own hands— ultimately taking a heroic, self-sacrificing initiative to save her people.

ACT II Maometto wants to marry Anna but she refuses. He leaves to prepare a final assault on Negroponte, giving his imperial seal to Anna in order to guarantee her safety. With it, his soldiers will obey her command. Erisso and Calbo have sought refuge at the tomb of Anna’s mother where Erisso rails against his daughter’s betrayal. She arrives and to prove her loyalty, gives their enemy’s seal to her father, begging him to marry her to Calbo which he does in front of her mother’s tomb. Erisso and Calbo manage to defeat the invaders against all odds but Maometto’s soldiers are now calling for Anna’s death since she inspired the last minute surge of Venetian strength. Maometto comes back to confront Anna and seek revenge. She tells him that she gave the seal to her father, married Calbo and then stabs herself, dying on her mother’s tomb.

Perhaps the most modern of all is the conflict between eastern and western cultures at the heart of the opera. Which side captures our sympathies? That must remain an open question… something for each listener to decide. David Alden (Santa Fe Opera, 2012) CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Canadian Opera Company Orchestra VIOLIN I Marie Bérard, Concertmaster The Concertmaster’s chair has been endowed in perpetuity by Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Aaron Schwebel, Associate Concertmaster Jamie Kruspe, Assistant Concertmaster Anne Armstrong Sandra Baron (leave of absence) Bethany Bergman Elizabeth Johnston Nancy Kershaw Dominique Laplante Yakov Lerner Jayne Maddison Neria Mayer VIOLIN II Paul Zevenhuizen, Principal Csaba Koczó, Assistant Principal James Aylesworth Hiroko Kagawa* Aya Miyagawa Louise Tardif Marianne Urke (leave of absence) Ashley Vandiver* Joanna Zabrowarna VIOLA Keith Hamm, Principal Joshua Greenlaw, Assistant Principal (leave of absence) Sheila Jaffé, Acting Assistant Principal Carolyn Blackwell* Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuck* Beverley Spotton Yosef Tamir

CELLO Bryan Epperson, Principal Alastair Eng, Associate Principal Paul Widner, Assistant Principal Maurizio Baccante Olga Laktionova Elaine Thompson BASS Alan Molitz, Principal (leave of absence) Robert Speer, Assistant Principal Tom Hazlitt, Acting Assistant Principal Paul Langley Robert Wolanski* FLUTE Douglas Stewart, Principal Shelley Brown PICCOLO Shelley Brown Douglas Stewart OBOE Mark Rogers, Principal Lesley Young CLARINET James T. Shields, Principal Colleen Cook BASSOON Eric Hall, Principal Elizabeth Gowen HORN Mikhailo Babiak, Principal Janet Anderson Bardhyl Gjevori Gary Pattison

TRUMPET Robert Grim, Principal Andrew Dubelsten* Robert Weymouth (leave of absence) TROMBONE Charles Benaroya, Principal Ian Cowie BASS TROMBONE Megan Hodge* OPHICLEIDE Herbert Poole TIMPANI Michael Perry, Principal PERCUSSION Trevor Tureski, Principal Chung Ling Lo* John Thompson* HARP Sarah Davidson, Principal

Banda PICCOLO Maria Pelletier*

BASSOON William Cannaway* HORN Michele Gagnon* David Quackenbush* Scott Wevers* TRUMPET Michael Fedyshyn* Brendan Cassin* CIMBASSO Scott Irvine, Principal PERCUSSION Trevor Tureski Chung Ling Lo* LIBRARIAN Wayne Vogan ASSISTANT MUSIC LIBRARIAN Ondrej Golias STAGE LIBRARIAN Paul Langley PERSONNEL MANAGER Ian Cowie * extra musician

Eb CLARINET Max Christie* CLARINET Margaret Gillie* James Ormston* Michele Verheul*

Canadian Opera Company Chorus SOPRANOS Lindsay Barrett Stacie Carmona Margaret Evans Alexandra Lennox-Pomeroy Ingrid Martin Eve Rachel McLeod Victoria Pinnington Jennifer Robinson Teresa van der Hoeven

MEZZO-SOPRANOS Marianne Bindig Susan Black Sandra Boyes Wendy Hatala Foley Erica Iris Huang Lilian Kilianski Anne McWatt Karen Olinyk Vilma Indra Vitols

TENORS Vanya Abrahams Stephen Bell Sam Chung Sean Clark Stephen Erickson John Kriter Jason Lamont James Leatch Stephen McClare Eric Olsen

MUSIC STAFF Ben Malensek (Head Coach) Stephen B. Hargreaves Hyejin Kwon (Ensemble Studio Intern Coach)

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS Gerry Egan Tiffany Fraser

UNDERSTUDIES Maometto II Michael Anthony McGee Anna Aviva Fortunata Condulmiero Stephen Bell Selimo Jean-Philippe Fortier-Lazure

ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR Stephen B. Hargreaves

ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER Davida Tkach

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

DANCERS Jak Barradell Liana Bellissimo Matt Marr Breanna Willis

BARITONES/BASSES Kenneth Baker Sung Chung Bruno Cormier Michael Downie Jason Nedecky Michael Sproule Jan Vaculik Marcus Wilson Gene Wu Michael York

NOW OPEN — A CITY TRANSFORMED: IMAGES OF ISTANBUL THEN AND NOW The city we now know as Istanbul has been an important cultural and economic hub for centuries. Under its many guises, this magnificent place has witnessed a succession of empires and astounding urban growth. Experience the many faces of this city through the historical collection of Ömer Koç and contemporary photographs by Murat Germen—then enrich your knowledge through our special programming, including illustrated talks and an evening of Turkish music! agakhanmuseum.org

Right: Detail of Muta-morphosis — Istanbul, Historical Peninsula #1 Murat Germen, 2013 ~ Lambda C-print ~ Photo courtesy of the artist

Luca Pisaroni (centre) in the title role of Maometto II in the COC’s production, when it debuted at Santa Fe Opera in 2012.

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

SERIOUSLY... ROSSINI’S MAOMETTO II BY GIANMARCO SEGATO

Opera notoriously relegates huge swathes of its historic legacy to the proverbial dustbin while at the same time stuffing even its most celebrated composers into extremely reputationlimiting pigeonholes. Despite having achieved the highest degree of popularity and name recognition, Gioachino Rossini probably suffers more than most when judged by these criteria. To this day he is mostly known for his comic operas—The Barber of Seville (1816), La Cenerentola (Cinderella, 1817) and The Italian Girl in Algiers (1813). It might therefore come as a surprise that the greater part of Rossini’s output was opera seria (serious opera treating subjects 20

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

drawn from poetry, prose and the stage), particularly during his stay in Naples from 1815 to 1822 where he premiered his dramas Armida (1817), Ermione (1819) and Maometto II (1820). These works were highly experimental and with them, Rossini took significant artistic risk largely due to some felicitous historical and geographic circumstances: Naples dominated Italian music during the late 18th and early 19th centuries and its audiences were among the most highly cultivated in Europe. They were accustomed to hearing operas from the “outside” since French, German and Austrian works figured much more prominently in Naples than in most

other opera houses in Italy. Rossini was therefore able to break free of the formulae that would have been nonnegotiable elsewhere—a good example being the virtual stranglehold held by the neoclassical poet Metastasio whose ubiquitous opera seria librettos dictated happy endings at all cost! Rossini rejected this artificial conceit, giving his serious, Neapolitan operas the more dramatically appropriate, tragic endings they deserved. Beyond these dramaturgical tweaks, Rossini further pushed the envelope by imbuing his serious works with a truly progressive musical structure. British conductor Harry Bicket (Orfeo

Above: a scene from Maometto II at Santa Fe Opera in 2012.

ed Euridice, 2011; Hercules, 2014), who returns to the COC to lead these performances, singles out Maometto II’s “breadth and grandeur… which is unusual; one thinks of Rossini as a brilliant comic writer, excelling in perfectly judged arias and lean, taut finales. What you have in Maometto II are massive structural arcs which push the musical and dramatic conventions of the day (many of which were codified by Rossini himself) to their limits. For example, the famous Act I terzettone [literally, “big, fat trio!”] is 25 minutes long, and includes two of the characters disappearing to battle, cannon fire, chorus interjections, and a prayer for the women’s chorus. This was absolutely groundbreaking for its day; one gets the sense that Rossini wanted to see how far he could push the audience’s expectations.” Rossini’s experimentation also extended to his handling of the demanding principal roles, especially the title character Maometto, based on the historical Mehmet II (14321481) who captured Constantinople in 1453 thus ending the Byzantine Empire. For the COC, he will be sung by Italian bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni in his company debut—a rare instance when a low-voiced male gets to sing the title role. Rossini skillfully delays Maometto’s entrance—a tactic Pisaroni hails as “brilliant because we hear everyone talking about him for 45 minutes as this horrendous human being without pity… but once we eventually meet him you realize he has a human side nobody is aware of–his love for Anna [daughter of his enemy, Paolo Erisso, Governor of Venice] is sincere and he’s actually crushed between what he’s supposed to do as a commander of the army and his private life.” Musically, Pisaroni couldn’t ask for a grander entrance: a tripartite, tour-de-force solo that opens with a cantabile (slower, free-form, song-like) movement “Sorgete, sorgete” (“Arise, arise”) in which Maometto exhorts his followers to battle. A change in tempo is signaled by a transitional tempo di mezzo choral section that links to

the spectacular, concluding cabaletta (flashier, quicker movement) “Del mondo al vincitor” where Maometto vows to conquer the universe. For Pisaroni, his entrance music poses the ultimate challenge: “It has everything: top notes; coloratura; long phrases… [the role] is without question the most difficult I’ve ever sung… the range goes from high G to a low F so it’s more than two octaves—but I love challenges!” In addition to the requisite vocal pyrotechnics, the role’s other big hurdles are its reams of recitativo accompagnato (sung dialogue accompanied by full orchestra) which Pisaroni is especially keen to re-visit for the first time since debuting as Maometto in the same 2012 Santa Fe Opera production being revived at the COC this spring. It was thanks to the superlative Neapolitan orchestras Rossini had at his disposal that he was able to do away with recitativo secco (literally, “dry recitative”—sung dialogue accompanied by harpsichord) and opt for the more dramatically colourful possibilities offered by a full orchestra. In preparation for his COC performances, Pisaroni says he’ll be paying particular attention to the “something like 20 pages of recitativo” that follow his demanding entrance aria: “I want to make sure that [it is] dramatically effective and has a direction… obviously that’s an incredible amount of work because you need to keep up the tension. A lot is going on; a lot gets said and you need to keep the audience interested. So, I work on details [using vocal] colour to project the idea that it’s simply a conversation the audience can follow.” It was these types of seamlesslyintegrated conversational passages that paved the way for the future of Italian opera—think of Verdi and his brilliant, long-form dialogue between Germont and Violetta in La Traviata, or the intensely moving father/ daughter recognition scene in Simon Boccanegra—all derived from his predecessor’s experimentation with conventional forms. COC favourite, American mezzo-soprano Elizabeth

DeShong (La Cenerentola, 2011; Madama Butterfly, 2014), returns in the trouser role of Calbo—the Venetian noble who is Maometto’s rival in love for Anna. She singles out this more ensemble-based approach in Maometto II as one of its most compelling features: “Rossini spends the most time musically on numbers that include the most characters and how they relate to each other. It’s not so much about single moments for a single character; it’s about how they impact each other—I think he chose to focus on the humanity of the piece as opposed to the political and cultural aspects that could come in and distract from that.” That is not to say lovers of bel canto vocal virtuosity won’t be satisfied as DeShong makes abundantly clear: “Calbo’s [epic Act II] aria, in particular, requires impeccable agility and the ability to easily access the outer extremes of one’s vocal range in rapid succession. The vocalism required to make this opera a success cannot be overestimated. Every element of each singer’s technique and musicality is put to the test in the most extreme ways.” For all his experimentation however, Rossini paid a price: Maometto II fared poorly in other Italian cities and even in relatively adventurous Naples. It seemed excessive and was not a huge success. A more crowd-pleasing, happy ending was provided for its short 1822 Venetian revival; it was seen again in Vienna (1823), Milan (1824) and Lisbon (1826) but then dropped out of the repertoire entirely. It regained life in Paris in 1826 as Le siège de Corinthe in an extensive revision with a French libretto, becoming Rossini’s first foray into the newly emerging genre of grand opéra (operas in five acts, including massive crowd scenes and a requisite ballet). Until its 2012 revival by Santa Fe Opera, Maometto II had not been performed in its original form since its premiere at Naples’ Teatro di San Carlo on December 3, 1820. For those Santa Fe performances, a brand new Critical Edition was prepared by Dutch scholar Hans Schellevis and edited by musicologist CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Phillip Gossett. Rossini had a penchant for writing down successive revisions directly into the autograph score resulting in many textual problems which the Critical Edition managed to clean up—this is the version that will be used in Toronto. Drawing on his vast experience with early opera, conductor Harry Bicket plans to look at the score “forward through the lens of the Classical period rather than backwards from, say, Verdi. Of course, the orchestra is bigger than a Mozart orchestra… but Rossini handles this larger orchestra in an almost ‘pointillist’ way, perhaps delicately adding a dash of woodwind colour to a particularly tender moment, or giving the clarinet an ‘aria’ of its own in the second act. In the big choral ensembles he brings out the big guns, especially to evoke the ‘other’ world of the Muslim invaders.”

Until its 2012 revival by Santa Fe Opera, Maometto II had not been performed in its original form since its premiere at Naples’ Teatro di San Carlo on December 3, 1820. Historically grounded in the East/West conflict of the 15th-century Crusades, director David Alden dubs Maometto II, a “siege opera” but stresses it is much more about war in general, rather than any specific cultural clash. “When I first started to think about Maometto II in preparation for the Santa Fe production, I was worried that the East versus West theme might be controversial (not in a good way) in our current, charged international climate. I did not want to present a clichéd, Hollywood ‘50s-style epic of noble Christians versus exotic and villainous Muslim hordes. But after some study and thought I realized that, if anything, the balance is tilted in favour of the cultured, dangerous but sympathetic Maometto over the fundamentalist and hard-headed Christian leader Erisso. In this tense drama… many questions are raised but not many easy answers given–the only certainty is that a very unusual and challenging night of bel canto awaits the audience.” Maometto’s love interest, Anna, will be sung by American soprano Leah Crocetto who like Pisaroni, also starred in the 2012 Santa Fe production. She calls Alden’s concept “genius…he knows the music forwards and backwards… it is a miraculous process to work with him. David’s artistic vision is very classical in nature. He paints a beautiful picture of what, I believe, was absolutely intended by Rossini. David also does not settle for mediocrity. He pushes his actors to be the best... it is quite a collaboration.” With Maometto II, Rossini seemed to realize he had stretched his art as far as the dramatic and musical strictures of the times would allow. Given the gradual stylistic retrenchment to which he subjected the piece with his subsequent revisions, he had clearly pushed his public to its limits. This spring, COC audiences will have the unique opportunity to hear this dramatic masterpiece as Rossini intended, in its raw, original form and to be overwhelmed by the same audacity that made it the talk of 1820s Naples! Gianmarco Segato is Adult Programs Manager at the COC.

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CANADIAN CANADIANOPERA OPERACOMPANY COMPANY2015/2016 2015/2016

DAVID ALDEN ON ROSSINI’S SERIOUS OPERAS: “In the last decades, artists have started to bring Rossini’s longforgotten dramatic works back to the stage. Starting, of course, with Maria Callas, and continuing with Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne, Montserrat Caballé, Rockwell Blake, Samuel Ramey, and many other virtuosi, we now have performers who have the technique to sing this challenging and extremely florid and dramatic music, and… who take these long-forgotten and often disparaged works seriously. A whole hidden and glorious high-point of 19thcentury music drama is back after lying forgotten for more than a century and it is capable of thrilling audiences.” HARRY BICKET ON THE COC CAST: “Maometto II is only done if you have a cast that can sing it and they are rare! The COC has put together a dream team of singers and the opportunity to hear this rarity sung so well in a deeply theatrical production is one which only comes round once every 20 years or so.” LUCA PISARONI ON DAVID ALDEN: “No role is the same from the beginning to the end for him… there is always a development dramatically. I love David because there is no white and black—it’s all the colours in between and that’s what makes it exciting.” LEAH CROCETTO ON THE ROLE OF ANNA: “What makes it difficult is its length—Anna starts and ends the opera and only stops singing for about 15 minutes while Maometto performs his big scena. Her music was composed with such care— Rossini obviously loved [his then wife and muse, the Spanish soprano] Isabella Colbran very dearly as he composed this piece for her at the height of her career.” ELIZABETH DESHONG ON DISCOVERING MAOMETTO II: “ My first thought upon hearing it was, ‘Wow, Rossini is a composer that should never be underestimated!’ While I have spent much time with Rossini’s La Cenerentola, The Barber of Seville, and Semiramide, I was still unprepared for Maometto II’s depth of orchestration, intense drama, and sheer rhythmic and tonal force. It wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination to suppose that Verdi may have drawn specific inspiration from Maometto II.”

Jumping rope, Downton Abbey, and two furry best friends!

GET TO KNOW... LUCA PISARONI Tristan (on the chair, following the score) and Lenny hang out with Luca during a warm up.

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

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TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEUR PHILIP DECK IS LEADING THE CANADIAN OPERA FOUNDATION

TOWARDS A NEW ERA OF LOWER TICKET PRICES BY NIKITA GOURSKI

“Opera is as popular as ever, but fewer people can afford the rising cost,” says Philip Deck (left), the new chair of the Canadian Opera Foundation’s (COF) Board of Directors. He points to the consistent experience of the COC with ticketing options such as rush tickets, Value subscriptions, and more, where lower prices always find a surge in demand. Lower prices also bring younger and more diverse audiences. “The long-term challenge facing the COC is how to fund the low ticket prices that attract new audiences when production costs keep rising at more than the rate of inflation.” That’s where the COF comes in, providing a stable and permanent source of revenue which, in the long run, can be marshalled to reduce ticket prices and increase accessibility. While the company has many well developed fundraising platforms in place to help cover the expenses of staging new productions and bringing in artists, the role of the Foundation, as Deck sees it, is to offer a way to permanently reduce ticket prices. Armed with a newly expanded mandate and supported by a roster of Canada’s leading investment professionals, the COF Board is building on its strong record of investment success and asset growth and taking advantage of available matching dollars from the federal government. “The combination of matching funds with solid non-taxable returns offers leverage that even the savviest investor would be hard-pressed to beat” says Deck. The COF is already a major part of the COC’s support base. With over $36 million in assets, it already generates over $1 million per year in funding to the COC to offset what would otherwise be higher ticket prices. 26

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Deck sees the growth of the COF as a natural extension of the capital campaign that built the Four Seasons Centre. “The FSCPA is a visible, permanent legacy to the donors that gave us the best opera house in the world. The Foundation is creating a way for new donors to create permanent legacies that will make our opera accessible to everyone.” And visibility of Foundation donors is part of the new initiatives says Deck: “We need to include Foundation donors better into our recognition and benefits programs and people will see the results over the next 12 months.” But the Foundation is not just for large donors: “Even modest-sized annual gifts have a tremendous amount of leverage,” he emphasizes, “because they get matched to a large extent by the Department of Canadian Heritage and then supplemented by tax-free investment returns. Even modest annual contributions can really add up over time. And then they generate benefits forever.” The COF distributes a portion of those earnings to the COC annually, while the rest of the income and principal is reinvested to generate further returns. In making that vision a reality, Philip Deck is chairing a Board that includes major COC donors, as well as leading investment management professionals, law, and accounting experts. He is thrilled about working with his board and the COC in mobilizing existing and new donors: “We help donors build a permanent legacy in support of the COC; we give them an account statement every year so they can see how their gift is growing, and how much support it gives the COC.” Nikita Gourski is Development Communications Officer at the COC.

To learn more about making a gift to lower our ticket prices, please contact Janet Stubbs at JanetS@coc.ca or 416-306-2327.

p O

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For

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nt e c i f E x p e r i enc e t h e m a g n i ! t c A ! r world of ope a ose p m o C S i n g O per a ! m us i c ! D e s i g n s e t s Grades 7 to 12 an d c o stu m e s !

perform d n a Create a n o r i g i na l o p e r a ! M ak e f r i e n d s !

Details at

July 2016

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts 145 Queen St. W. Toronto

coc.ca/Camps

or 416-363-8231

Program Supporter: J.P. Bickell Foundation

Photo: COC

BACKSTAGE AND BEYOND! Here is a look at some of our recent activities, many shared with our wonderful COC donors, including parties, galas, and backstage meet-and-greets with artists. 2

The 2016/2017 Season Announcement was attended by a packed house of subscribers eager to see what the COC had in store for them. It also featured a closing performance by soprano Christine Goerke (who was appearing as Brünnhilde in Siegfried) who sang Ortrud’s Curse from Lohengrin. Christine and the COC Orchestra, led by Johannes Debus, brought the festivities to a stunningly exciting conclusion!

on opening night. The five players were Glenn Gould School (GGS) cellist Drew Comstock, GGS violinists Hua-Chu Huang and Yada Lee, GGS bassist Doug Ohashi, and University of Toronto Faculty of Music’s violist Meagan Turner. They were mentored by players from the COC Orchestra: violinists Marie Bérard, Anne Armstrong, and James Aylesworth, violist Keith Hamm, cellist Paul Widner, and bassist Alan Molitz. Pictured (left to right): Bérard, Huang, Lee, Aylesworth, Hamm, Turner, Comstock and Widner.

COC Music Director Johannes Debus (far right) did double duty this winter conducting both Siegfried and The Marriage of Figaro, but took time out to attend the Working Rehearsal Dinner for Siegfried with its director François Girard (left) and Alexander Neef (middle).

The Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre continued this winter with a performance by Ensemble Studio tenor Jean-Philippe Fortier-Lazure and (4) members of the COC Orchestra and the Orchestra Academy, the latter returning for its third year. The Academy welcomed five student musicians to its annual three-week intensive training program, part of which involved rehearsing Siegfried and playing with the COC Orchestra

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo stepped in at the last minute to perform a recital as part of our Free Concert Series, and a few weeks later won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in New York. This fall Emily will join the COC Ensemble Studio. Ensemble Studio soprano Karine Boucher celebrated the Ensemble Studio performance of The Marriage of Figaro (in which she sang The Countess) with Golden Circle member Sue Mortimer.

Participants of the winter edition of Youth Opera Lab discovered the world of sets, wigs and makeup with a focus on The Marriage of Figaro, and experienced the magical vista from the stage of the Four Seasons Centre.

The COC’s 2016/2017 Season Announcement was toasted by Ensemble Studio tenor Charles Sy and Golden Circle member Lisa Balfour Bowen.

The cast of The Marriage of Figaro celebrated at the opening night party in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, and (10) soprano Erin Wall (The Countess) joined her husband Roberto Mauro (COC’s director of music and artistic admininstration) with COC General Director Alexander Neef.

As part of the COC’s efforts to increase accessibility of its performances and dress rehearsals to newcomers to Canada, the COC welcomed the Abdallah family and their sponsors from the Ripple Refugee Project to a performance of The Marriage of Figaro.

Part of the winter was spent getting ready for spring, and at the COC’s busy Scene Shop, head carpenter Dave Retzleff is seen with a piece of the set for Maometto II. You can read more of what goes on at the Scene Shop on pages 38 and 39.

In the midst of a really busy and exciting season, there is always time to pause and celebrate... and eat cake! The Ensemble Studio performance of Figaro provided an opportunity for the company to mark Alexander Neef’s birthday, so a double celebration was enjoyed by all!

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Shifting into High Gear SPOTLIGHTING MERCEDES-BENZ’S SUPPORT OF THE COC BY NIKITA GOURSKI

When the Canadian Opera Company began looking for a new official automotive sponsor in 2013, MercedesBenz Canada immediately stood out as a most compelling potential partner. In fact, the storied automaker was already a COC supporter, having made annual gifts since the late 1990s as part of its broader mandate of corporate citizenship. But in 2013, Mercedes-Benz and the COC worked out an agreement which included prominent vehicle displays at the opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, as well as exciting exposure opportunities for the luxury auto brand. “Our respective reputations for excellence and innovation made this a natural association between the two companies,” said COC General Director Alexander Neef when the partnership was unveiled two and a half years ago. There is no question that the initial fit and continuing success of the partnership stems from a set of shared values, with both Mercedes-Benz and the COC embodying leadership and overall excellence in their respective fields—whether that means engineering a 4-litre V8 Biturbo engine that delivers 503 horsepower for the new 2017 Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Coupe, or mounting a production of Wagner’s Siegfried hailed for its “otherworldly

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

perfection” (Globe and Mail)— both companies have a relentless commitment to benchmark-setting quality. “We’re very proud to be supporting one of Canada’s most exciting cultural institutions and contributing to the thriving arts scene both in Toronto and in Canada,” says JoAnne Caza, Director of Communications and Public Relations at Mercedes-Benz Canada. “We’ve been very impressed with the COC’s mainstage programming. From the outset, it was quite evident that both parties had similar values and a passionately progressive vision.”

emerging Canadian opera singers, and enthusiastically came on board as the pace-setting Platinum Sponsor for the COC’s first-ever Centre Stage: Ensemble Studio Competition Gala in 2013. Its support was critical in transforming what was a comparatively modest public competition into a nationally significant event, moving from the 230-seat Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre into the 2000-seat R. Fraser Elliott Hall; incorporating orchestral accompaniment under the baton of Maestro Johannes Debus; and generally shining a much brighter spotlight on the opera talent being nurtured in this country.

Beyond the opportunity for brand alignment, however, an intriguing element for Mercedes-Benz has been the prospect of getting involved with the COC’s renowned Ensemble Studio training program. Ms. Caza notes that Mercedes-Benz has been highly invested in pan-Canadian projects like Mercedes-Benz Start Up, which supports up-and-coming fashion designers, as well as the Customer Experience Innovation Retail Competition, which is giving young technology start-ups the opportunity to implement some of their innovative ideas in Mercedes-Benz dealerships.

Mercedes-Benz has maintained its Platinum Sponsorship of Centre Stage since 2013 and is poised to return in this foundational role on Thursday, November 3 for Centre Stage 2016. At the same time, its ongoing support ensures that the COC can continue to innovate and deliver live opera of the highest international quality: from reviving beloved COC productions to offering invigorating new interpretations of canonical repertoire, to developing a new slate of Canadian commissions, giving voice to our composers, our librettists, and our stories.

Mercedes-Benz saw the value in developing a national platform for the discovery and celebration of

Nikita Gourski is Development Communications Officer at the COC.

BIOGRAPHIES: CARMEN

PETER BARRETT

DEREK BATE

KARINE BOUCHER

CHARLOTTE BURRAGE PAOLO CARIGNANI

Moralès

Assistant Conductor

Micaëla

Mercédès

Baritone (Corner Brook, NL)

(Toronto, ON)

COC DEBUT Mandarin, Turandot, 2003

COC DEBUT Conductor, Carmen, 1979

RECENT Jason, M’Dea Undone (Tapestry Opera) Dr. Falke, Die Fledermaus (Metropolitan Opera/Met)

RECENT Siegfried (COC) Pyramus and Thisbe with Lamento d’Arianna and Il combattimento di Clorinda e Tancredi (COC) Bluebeard’s Castle/Erwartung (COC) Conductor, The Student Prince (Toronto Operetta Theatre)

UPCOMING Morales, Carmen (Met) Mercutio, Romèo et Juliette (Met)

Soprano (Quebec City, QC)

Mezzo-soprano (Toronto, ON)

(Milan, Italy)

COC DEBUT Kate Pinkerton, Madama Butterfly, 2014

COC DEBUT Dorabella, Così fan tutte (Ensemble Studio performance), 2014

COC DEBUT Tosca, 2012

RECENT Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro (COC Ensemble Studio performance) Berta, The Barber of Seville (COC) Mimì, La Bohème (Jeunesses Musicales du Canada)

RECENT Suzuki, Madama Butterfly (Saskatoon Opera) Rosina, The Barber of Seville (COC Ensemble Studio performance) Grimgerde, Die Walküre (COC)

JEAN-PHILIPPE FORTIER-LAZURE

UPCOMING Norma, Götterdämmerung, Louis Riel (COC)

BRENNA CORNER

ALAIN COULOMBE

SASHA DJIHANIAN

Assistant Director

Zuniga

Frasquita

(High River, AB) COC DEBUT

RECENT Madama Butterfly and Dark Sisters (Vancouver Opera) Béatrice et Bénédict (Fraser Lyric Opera) UPCOMING La Bohème (Glimmerglass Festival) Hansel and Gretel (Vancouver Opera)

Bass (Toronto, ON)

COC DEBUT Angelotti, Tosca, 1998 RECENT Der Doktor, Wozzeck (Teatro alla Scala/TAS) Archangel Uriel/Third Man at the Airport, CO2 (TAS) Un Vieil Hébreu, Samson et Dalila (Opéra de Montréal/ODM) Géneral Audebert, Silent Night (Calgary Opera) UPCOMING Il Commendatore, Don Giovanni (Salzburg Festival and ODM) Geronte di Ravoir, Manon Lescaut (Dutch National Opera)

Soprano (Montreal, QC)

COC DEBUT Annio, La clemenza di Tito (Ensemble Studio performance), 2013 RECENT Barbarina, The Marriage of Figaro (COC) Zerlina, Don Giovanni (COC) Pedro, Don Quichotte (COC) Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro (Opera Lyra) UPCOMING Fiordiligi, Così fan tutte (Opéra de Massy and Opéra de Reims)

Tenor (Kitchener-Waterloo, ON)

Le Remendado

COC DEBUT Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville (Ensemble Studio Performance), 2015 RECENT Don Curzio, The Marriage of Figaro (COC) Don Basilio, The Marriage of Figaro (COC Ensemble Studio performance) Giuseppe, La Traviata (COC) Pelléas, Pelléas et Mélisande (Nova Scotia Opera Company)

Conductor

RECENT Norma (Bayerische Staatsoper) La Bohème, Tosca and Turandot (Metropolitan Opera) I vespri siciliani (Royal Danish Opera) UPCOMING Turandot and Amleto (Bregenz Festival) Otello (New National Theatre Tokyo)

JASON HAND (Toronto, ON)

Lighting Designer COC DEBUT Associate Lighting Designer, Iphigenia in Tauris, 2006 RECENT A Little Too Cozy (Banff Centre/Against the Grain) The Marriage of Figaro (Opera Lyra) M’Dea Undone (Tapestry New Opera) Macbeth (Minnesota Opera) UPCOMING The Rape of Lucretia (Banff Centre)

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

SANDRA HORST

JOEL IVANY

CAMELLIA KOO

IAIN MACNEIL

Chorus Master

Director

Set & Costume Design Co-ordinator

Le Dancaïre

(Toronto, ON)

COC DEBUT Norma, 1998

COC DEBUT Assistant Director, La Bohème, 2009

RECENT The Marriage of Figaro (COC) La Traviata (COC) Pyramus and Thisbe with Lamento d’Arianna and Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda (COC) Conductor, The Machine Stops and Paul Bunyan (UofT Opera)

RECENT Mozart’s Requiem, (Toronto Symphony Orchestra/TSO) Marilyn Forever (Adelaide Festival of Arts, Australia) Program Director, Opera (The Banff Centre) #UncleJohn (Ottawa International Chamber Festival)

UPCOMING Norma and Ariodante (COC)

UPCOMING A Little Too Cozy (Against the Grain Theatre) Dead Man Walking (Vancouver Opera) The Seven Deadly Sins (TSO)

(Toronto, ON)

COC DEBUT Set & Costume Designer, The Bremen Town Musicians (COC’s Glencore Ensemble Studio School Tour), 2014 RECENT Set Designer, Carmen (Edmonton Opera) Set & Costume Designer, Wormwood (Tarragon Theatre) Set & Costume Designer, Lady From the Sea (Shaw Festival)

Baritone (Brockville, ON)

COC DEBUT Commissioner, Madama Butterfly, 2014 RECENT Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro (COC Ensemble Studio performance) Marquis d’Obigny, La Traviata (COC) Dr. Bartolo, The Barber of Seville (COC Ensemble Studio performance) Fiorello, The Barber of Seville (COC)

CLÉMENTINE MARGAINE

Mezzo-soprano (Narbonne, France)

Carmen

COC DEBUT RECENT Carmen, Carmen (Berlin, Munich, Rome, Dallas, Washington, Naples) Charlotte, Werther (Teatro Colón) Dalila, Samson et Dalila (Deutsche Oper Berlin/DOB) Marguerite, Damnation de Faust (DOB)

UPCOMING Set & Costume Designer, The Rape of Lucretia (Banff Centre) Set & Costume Designer, Simon Boccanegra (Pacific Opera Victoria)

UPCOMING Tarquinius, The Rape of Lucretia (Banff Centre) Soloist, Songs of Travel (Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre)

UPCOMING Carmen, Carmen (Metropolitan Opera, Opera Australia and Opéra national de Paris) Sara, Roberto Devereux (Bayerische Staatsoper) Dulcinée, Don Quichotte (Lyric Opera of Chicago)

STEPHANIE MARRS

ZACHARY NELSON

SIMONE OSBORNE

DAVID POMEROY

ANITA RACHVELISHVILI

Stage Manager

Escamillo

Micaëla

Don José

Carmen

(Toronto, ON)

Baritone (Annapolis, MD, USA)

COC DEBUT Madama Butterfly, 2003

COC DEBUT Masetto, Don Giovanni, 2015

RECENT Assistant Stage Manager, Siegfried (COC) Stage Manager, La Traviata, Madama Butterfly and Hercules (COC) Stage Manager, Apocalypsis (Luminato Fesitval) Stage Manager, Panamania (Pan Am Games 2015 Arts and Culture Festival)

RECENT Escamillo, Carmen (Salzburger Landestheater and Palm Beach Opera) Figaro, The Barber of Seville (Sächsische Staatsoper/SS) Marcello, La Bohème (SS)

UPCOMING Escamillo, Carmen (San Francisco Opera) Donner, Das Rheingold (Lyric Opera of Chicago)

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Soprano (Vancouver, BC)

COC DEBUT Ilia, Idomeneo (Ensemble Studio performance), 2010 RECENT Gilda, Rigoletto (Vancouver Opera) Soloist, The Metropolitan Opera’s Rising Stars Concert Series (national tour) UPCOMING Marguerite Riel, Louis Riel (COC) Soloist, Mozart’s Exsultate jubilate and Barber’s Knoxville (Utah Symphony)

Tenor (St. John’s, NL)

Mezzo-soprano (Tbilisi, Georgia)

COC DEBUT Faust, Faust, 2007

COC DEBUT Carmen, Carmen, 2010

RECENT Paul, Die Tote Stadt (Calgary Opera and Oper Frankfurt) Arrigo, I vespri siciliani (Royal Danish Opera)

RECENT Marfa, Khovanshchina (Dutch National Opera) Carmen, Carmen (Metropolitan Opera; Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/ROH; and Teatro alla Scala/TAS) Amneris, Aida (TAS,Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Teatro Regio di Torino)

UPCOMING Soloist, Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 (Calgary Philharmonic) Soloist,Verdi’s Requiem (Vancouver Symphony) Calaf, Turandot (Edmonton and Calgary Opera) Soloist, Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass (Warsaw Philharmonic)

UPCOMING Amneris, Aida (Opéra national de Paris/ONP) Dalila, Samson et Dalila (ONP) Azucena, Il Trovatore (ROH)

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FRANÇOIS ST-AUBIN

RUSSELL THOMAS

Costume Designer

Don José

(Montreal, QC) COC DEBUT Carmen, 2006

RECENT Director of Set & Costume Design (National Theatre School of Canada) Ring Cycle (Metropolitan Opera) The Count of Monte Cristo, Don Juan, and An Ideal Husband (Stratford Festival)

Tenor (Miami, FL, USA)

COC DEBUT Hoffmann, The Tales of Hoffmann, 2012

CHRISTIAN VAN HORN Bass-baritone (Rockville Centre, NY, USA)

Escamillo

COC DEBUT Angelotti, Tosca, 2012

RECENT Stiffelio, Stiffelio (Oper Frankfurt) Pollione, Norma (Los Angeles Opera/ LAO) Turiddu, Cavalleria rusticana (Deutsche Oper Berlin)

RECENT Frère Laurent, Roméo et Juliette (Lyric Opera of Chicago/LOC) Colline, La Bohème (Metropolitan Opera/Met) Alidoro, La Cenerentola (LOC)

UPCOMING Pollione, Norma (COC and Lyric Opera of Chicago) Cavaradossi, Tosca (LAO) Florestan, Fidelio (Cincinnati Opera) Ismaele, Nabucco (Metropolitan Opera)

UPCOMING Colline, La Bohème (Met) Il Prefetto, Linda di Chamounix (Teatro dell’Opera di Roma) Narbal, Les Troyens (LOC) Escamillo, Carmen (LOC) Oroveso, Norma (Dallas Opera)

MICHAEL YEARGAN (Milford, CT, USA)

Set Designer COC DEBUT Carmen, 2006

RECENT L’elisir d’amore and The Barber of Seville (Metropolitan Opera) Roméo et Juliette (Lyric Opera of Chicago) Luisa Miller (San Francisco Opera/ SFO) La Traviata (Opera Australia) UPCOMING Ring Cycle (Washington National Opera) Aida and Rigoletto (SFO) Madama Butterfly (Dallas Opera)

BIOGRAPHIES: MAOMETTO II

DAVID ALDEN

HARRY BICKET

Director

Conductor

(New York, NY, USA)

(London, UK)

COC DEBUT The Abduction from the Seraglio, 1980

COC DEBUT Rodelinda, 2005

RECENT Peter Grimes (Deutsche Oper Berlin) La gazza ladra (Oper Frankfurt) Alcina (Teatro Real Madrid)

RECENT Orlando (The English Concert) The Marriage of Figaro and Rusalka (Houston Grand Opera) La finta giardiniera (Santa Fe Opera/ SFO)

UPCOMING Jenůfa (English National Opera)

UPCOMING Carmen (Lyric Opera of Chicago) Roméo et Juliette (SFO)

LEAH CROCETTO

Soprano (San Francisco, CA, USA)

Anna

COC DEBUT RECENT Semiramide, Semiramide (Opéra National de Bordeaux) Liù, Turandot (Metropolitan Opera) Luisa Miller, Luisa Miller (San Francisco Opera/SFO) Elisabetta, Don Carlos (Opera Philadelphia) UPCOMING Donna Anna, Don Giovanni (Santa Fe Opera) Aida, Aida (SFO)

ELIZABETH DESHONG

MARILYN GRONSDAL

Calbo

Assistant Director

Mezzo-soprano (Selinsgrove, PA, USA)

(Toronto, ON)

COC DEBUT Hermia, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2009

COC DEBUT Director, La Bohème, 2009

RECENT Fenena, Nabucco (Lyric Opera of Chicago/LOC) Wardrobe Mistress/Schoolboy/Page, Lulu (Metropolitan Opera/Met) Hermia, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Féstival d’Aix-en-Provence) Rosina, The Barber of Seville (Los Angeles Opera)

RECENT Associate Director, Siegfried (COC) Assistant Director, Pyramus and Thisbe with Lamento d’Arianna and Il combattimento di Clorinda e Tancredi (COC) Co-director, Madama Butterfly (Saskatoon Opera) Assistant Director, Bluebeard’s Castle/ Erwartung (COC)

UPCOMING Isabella, The Italian Girl in Algiers (Met) Adalgisa, Norma (LOC) Hermia, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Glyndebourne Festival)

UPCOMING Assistant Director, Norma (COC)

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

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STEPHEN B. HARGREAVES (Montréal, QC)

Assistant Conductor COC DEBUT Nixon in China, 2011 RECENT Principal Coach (Opera McGill/OM) Conductor, Speed Dating & Buoso’s Ghost (OM) Conductor, Orpheus and Euridice of Ricky Ian Gordon (Chicago Opera Theater) Soloist, Variations on 1930 (Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre recital and CD release) Soloist, Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 (Grand Forks Symphony) Conductor and re-orchestration, #UncleJohn (The Banff Centre)

SANDRA HORST

JENIFER KOWAL

DAVID LAERA

JON MORRELL

Chorus Master

Stage Manager

Choreographer

Set and Costume Designer

(Toronto, ON) COC DEBUT Norma, 1998

(Thornhill, ON)

COC DEBUT Assistant Stage Manager, Falstaff, 1992 RECENT The Marriage of Figaro (COC) AtG’S Messiah (Against the Grain Theatre) Pyramus and Thisbe with Lamento d’Arianna and Il combattimento di Clorinda e Tancredi (COC) Bluebeard’s Castle/Erwartung (COC) UPCOMING Norma and Tosca (COC)

(Dusseldorf, Germany) COC DEBUT RECENT Choreographer, Khovanshchina (Opera Vlaanderen) Assistant Choreographer and Dancer, Alcina (Teatro Real Madrid) Dancer, Rinaldo (Theater Dortmund) Dancer, Der Rosenkavalier (Oper Frankfurt/OF) UPCOMING Choreographer/Dancer, Pierrot Lunaire/Anna Toll (OF)

(London, UK)

COC DEBUT Costume Designer, Aida, 2010 RECENT Otello (English National Opera/ENO and Swedish Royal Opera) Costume Designer, Tannhäuser (Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Chicago Lyric Opera) La finta giardiniera (Santa Fe Opera) UPCOMING Costume Designer, Jenůfa (ENO) Otello (Teatro Real, Madrid)

UPCOMING Conductor, Tosca (Union Avenue Opera, St. Louis, MO)

LUCA PISARONI

DUANE SCHULER

AARON SHEPPARD

BRUCE SLEDGE

CHARLES SY

Maometto

Lighting Designer

Selimo

Paolo Erisso

Condulmiero

Bass-baritone (Busseto, Italy) COC DEBUT RECENT Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro (Metropolitan Opera/Met, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Salzburg Festival/SF) Leporello, Don Giovanni (Staatsoper im Schiller Theater) UPCOMING Leporello, Don Giovanni (SF) Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro (Wiener Staatsoper) Giorgio, I Puritani, (Met) Méphistophélès, Faust (Houston Grand Opera)

(Seattle, WA, USA)

COC DEBUT The Italian Girl in Algiers, 2003 RECENT Der Rosenkavalier (Deutsche Oper Berlin and Lyric Opera of Chicago) Don Pasquale and La donna del lago (Metropolitan Opera/Met) The Marriage of Figaro (Seattle Opera) UPCOMING Béatrice et Benedict (Glyndebourne) Don Pasquale and The Makropulos Case (San Francisco Opera) Cendrillon (Met)

Tenor (St. John’s, NL)

COC DEBUT Don Curzio, The Marriage of Figaro (COC Ensemble Studio performance) RECENT Soloist, Lord Nelson Mass (Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra) Soloist, Mozart’s Requiem (Guelph Symphony Orchestra) Kronprinz, Silent Night (Opéra de Montréal) UPCOMING Fernando, A Little Too Cozy (Against the Grain Theatre) Charlie Whitten, Ours (Opera on the Avalon)

Tenor (Orange, CA, USA) COC DEBUT RECENT Duke of Mantua, Rigoletto (Vancouver Opera and Santa Fe Opera/SFO) Roberto, Earl of Leicester, Maria Stuarda (Royal Swedish Opera) Monseigner Popescu, The Impresario (SFO) Fisherman, Le Rossignol (SFO)

Tenor (Toronto, ON) COC DEBUT Gastone, La Traviata, 2015 RECENT Adolfo, La Rondine (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis) Mr. Owen, Postcard from Morocco (UofT Opera) Tamino, Die Zauberflöte (Hawaii Performing Arts Festival)

UPCOMING Macduff, Macbeth (Welsh National Opera/WNO) Lorenzo, The Merchant of Venice (WNO)

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

THE SCENIC TOUR A VISIT TO THE COC’S SCENE SHOP WITH KRISTIN McKINNON The COC Scene Shop is not much to look at on first-glance. It’s a cavernous, former melon warehouse tucked away at the end of a residential street in Toronto’s west end. But it’s here that a dedicated crew of painters, carpenters, welders and metalworkers are busy throughout the year building sets from the ground up, or tweaking and repairing ones that need some freshening up. On a recent visit, the Scene Shop was bursting with set pieces from three different productions: Fort Worth Opera’s JFK, the National Ballet of Canada’s Le Petit Prince, and the COC’s own Maometto II. With so much talent and expertise concentrated in one place (some crewmembers have been with the COC for

From classical colonnades to a ‘60s-era bathtub, you never know what you might bump into at the Scene Shop on any given day. “It’s nice to have variety,” says Head Scene Shop Carpenter Dave Retzleff, who started at the COC in 2003 as a welder for the company’s then-new production of Die Walküre. Right: Dave shows off the set maquette for Fort Worth Opera’s JFK, designed by Thaddeus Strassberger.

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

10 or even 30 years!), it’s no wonder that opera, ballet and theatre companies from around the world seek out the COC for their own set-building needs. Presenting world-class opera requires a world-class team, both on and off the stage, so the COC is lucky to have such a wealth of set-building talent right here at home. The Scene Shop may just be one cog in the big COC wheel, but it is essential in bringing any COC production to the stage. Kristin McKinnon is Publicist and Publications Co-ordinator at the COC.

It’s up to the Scene Shop crew to transform drawings and miniatures into full-size sets in “the fastest, easiest and smartest way” according to Assistant Head Scenic Painter Katherine Lilley. She works with Head Scenic Painter Rick Gordon to decide the right colour, texture and shine for every set piece.

Sometimes unexpected hiccups occur and a little extra ‘magic’ is required. “Rigoletto [COC, 2012] had these huge rugs but once they were on stage, [the production team] realized that they weren’t big enough, so we ended up painting an extra fringe around the rug,” says Katherine. Below: the final product!

Below: Katherine puts the finishing paint touches on a stone wall for the set of the COC’s current production of Maometto II.

The set for Pyramus and Thisbe this past fall, was a favourite for Katherine. “As an artist, it was an amazing experience—the set was huge and covered the entire space,” she says. Inspired by the abstract paintings of Mark Rothko, Paul Steinberg’s design gave the scenic painters a rare opportunity. “We don’t often get to work on sets that use so much colour. It was very ‘painterly’. We used gallons and gallons of acrylic paint. It was really beautiful.” Top left: the set maquette. Bottom left: the finished set as it appeared in performance last fall.

Testing for leaks? Dave and Katherine discuss the construction of a bathtub for Fort Worth Opera’s JFK.

On opening night both Katherine and Dave agree that it can be difficult to sit back and relax. “It’s hard not to look for all the seams,” says Dave. Katherine adds: “Sometimes I get preoccupied with things I would have done differently and forget a show is going on!” But sometimes they can forget scrutinizing the set for a moment and appreciate their craftsmanship. For Dave that was 2015’s La Traviata. “I could actually sit back and enjoy this one!”

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

programs are on hand for diners to brush up on the opera’s synopsis; and since the Hilton provides a home to many of the COC’s visiting artists, it’s not unusual to see an opera singer pre- or post-performance at Tundra. “It’s a whole continuous experience, coming here and then going to the performance,” Chef Prendergast says. In creating the culinary portion of that experience, the Toronto-born chef is driven by a commitment to local and sustainable food. As one example, he brings up Tundra’s Ocean Wise certification, which ensures that all of the restaurant’s seafood meets stringent guidelines in terms of how, where, and when it was caught or farmed. “That’s very important to us: being responsible to the customer, to the species, and to the ocean.” By working with local producers and vendors, Chef Prendergast’s menus are necessarily seasonal. He works with three other Tundra sous-chefs on designing those menus, usually starting out by drafting ideas on paper, then moving into the kitchen. “Once they’re on the plate we tweak them, checking the nuances of the flavour. We really dissect them and remake them again and again, and do several tastings,” before an item is finally added to the menu.

SETTING MUSIC TO FOOD PRIX-FIXE MENUS SHOWCASE THE SEASON AT TUNDRA BY NIKITA GOURSKI Most chefs wouldn’t know the running time of Wagner’s Siegfried, but if you’re Kevin Prendergast—Executive Chef at Hilton’s award-winning restaurant Tundra—that information is precisely the sort of thing you keep in mind when designing a special menu for your opera-going clients. “We’ve been doing an opera prix-fixe dinner menu since the doors [of the FSCPA] opened,” he says. “We create menus that help people enjoy dinner before they enjoy the show.” Gathering as much information as possible about a COC production can aid that process for Chef and his team, whether that means knowing the set designer’s inspiration or being mindful of an early start time to accommodate and shape a dining experience. In fact, Tundra’s dining room is replete with evidence of their partnership with the COC: artwork from the production is often integrated into the prix-fixe menu cards; COC house 40

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Showcasing local food also means getting creative with Canada’s limited growing season and constantly thinking up ways of extending the abundance of spring and summer into the winter. “For instance, in the spring, wild ramps come in. So this year we took that and made ramp kimchi for our short-rib dish. So here’s a Korean dish, made out of local Canadian product. Even though we serve it in the winter, it’s pulled together with ingredients that came from the spring.” As Chef Prendergast puts the finishing touches on his 2016 spring menu—moving away from braising towards more sautéing, leaving behind flavours like duck and bison, and embracing lighter profiles and a greater variety of fresh produce—he is excited to share his creations with the hundreds of diners who’ll stop in at Tundra on their way to Carmen and Maometto II. “We have a true partnership,” Chef Prendergast notes. “We feed the body, the COC feeds the soul.” Nikita Gourski is Development Communications Officer at the COC.

To make a reservation for Tundra’s opera prix-fixe dinner call 416-860-6800, e-mail Tundra at Toronto@Hilton.com or search Tundra on OpenTable.com

SUPPORT THE FUTURE OF OUR ORCHESTRA! A lead donor is matching all gifts made before June 30, 2016 to the COC’s Season-End Matching Campaign. Your gift will once again support the critically acclaimed work of the COC Orchestra under Maestro Johannes Debus, including the tremendously important Orchestra Academy initiative. Introduced in the COC’s 2013/2014 season, the Orchestra Academy training program allows student instrumentalists to immerse themselves in a professional opera orchestra environment, learn from the best, and even to

perform alongside the COC’s players. This year’s participants performed at our 2016/2017 Season Launch Celebration; at the opening night of Wagner’s Siegfried; and as part of the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre on January 21. Moreover, they experienced masterclasses and private sessions with production personnel, visiting music staff, and leading opera singers, including a session with the incredible Wagnerian soprano Christine Goerke. All gifts—big or small—will be matched, helping the COC Orchestra continue to attain the highest levels of performance excellence, while sharing its knowledge, artistry, and skill with the next generation of players.

DONATE NOW AND DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT! 416-847-4949 coc.ca/Match CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Your paradise doesn’t include waiting in line.

Until May 27, you could get a Welcome Bonus2 of up to 55,000 Aeroplan Miles. Plus, TD will donate 25,000 Miles to the Canadian Opera Company.3

Your experience is our priority. When you travel, the last thing on your mind is the first thing on ours. The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card gives you the speed and convenience you deserve. As Primary Cardholder, you and your companions can enjoy priority check-in and priority boarding1 on Air Canada® flights. So get more of an elevated travel experience.

Visit tdaeroplan.com/privilege/opera or 1-866-827-0385 Conditions apply. All Air Canada benefits are fulfilled by Air Canada, or its designated affiliates or other third parties, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its affiliates are not responsible for fulfilling these benefits. Priority travel services (the complimentary first checked bag, priority check-in and priority boarding) are applicable whenever the Primary Cardholder travels on a flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada rouge or under the Air Canada express banner. Flights operated by other airlines are not eligible. To access these benefits, the Primary Cardholder must include their Aeroplan Number on their reservation at time of booking, or redeem their Aeroplan flight reward (defined as a Fixed Mileage Flight Rewards, formerly called ClassicFlight Reward, or Market Fare Flight Reward) with miles from their Aeroplan account. Please allow two (2) weeks from receiving your credit card for all Air Canada benefits to be activated. To access Air Canada benefits, you may be required to show your TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card to the Air Canada agent. Additional conditions apply and are outlined on aircanada.com/tdbenefits. 2 Welcome Bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan Miles will be awarded to the Aeroplan Member account associated with the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card Account (“Account”) only after the first Purchase is made on the Account. To receive the additional 25,000 Aeroplan Miles, you must: (a) apply for an Account between March 1, 2016, and May 27, 2016; and (b) make $1,000 in Purchases on your Account, including your first Purchase, within 90 days of Account approval. To receive the additional 5,000 Aeroplan Miles, you must: (a) apply for an Account and add an Authorized User between March 1, 2016, and May 27, 2016; (b) Authorized User must call and activate their Card by July 15, 2016. You can have a maximum of three (3) Authorized Users on your Account but you will only receive 1 (one) 5,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles offer. Annual Fee for each Authorized User Card added to the Account will apply. The Primary Cardholder is responsible for all charges to the Account, including those made by any Authorized User. If you have opened an Account in the last 6 months, you will not be eligible for these offers. We reserve the right to limit the number of Accounts opened by and the number of miles awarded to any one person. Your Account must be in good standing at the time bonus miles are awarded. Please allow 8 weeks after the conditions for each offer are fulfilled for the miles to be credited to your Aeroplan Member account. Offer may be changed, withdrawn or extended at any time and cannot be combined with any other offer unless otherwise specified. These miles are not eligible for Aeroplan status. 3 The Toronto-Dominion Bank will donate 25,000 Aeroplan Miles to the Canadian Opera Company for each TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Account (“Account”) application submitted through this website link between March 1, 2016, and May 27, 2016, which is approved. Account must also remain open, active and in good standing for 90 days after Account approval. The Toronto-Dominion Bank does not receive any tax benefits for miles donated to the COC. All trade-marks are property of their respective owners. ® The Air Canada logo, Air Canada, Air Canada express, and Air Canada rouge are registered trademarks of Air Canada, used under license. ® The Aeroplan logo and Aeroplan are registered trade-marks of Aimia Canada Inc. ® The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank. 1

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Photo: Dexter Quinto, 2015. Headpiece by David Dunkley Fine Millinery, www.DavidDunkley.me. Jacket by Erdem, available at The Room, Hudson’s Bay. Creative: BT/A Advertising

COC Board of Directors OFFICERS Ms. Colleen Sexsmith, Chair Mr. Justin Linden, Vice-Chair Mr. Paul A. Bernards, Treasurer Mr. John H. Macfarlane, Secretary Mr. Alexander Neef, General Director (ex officio) Mr. Robert Lamb, Managing Director (ex officio)

Ms. Marcia Lewis Brown Ms. Helen Burstyn Mr. Philip C. Deck Mr. Peter M. Deeb Mr. George S. Dembroski Mr. William Fearn Mr. David Ferguson (ex officio) Mr. Michael Gibbens Mr. Peter Hinman Dr. Linda Hutcheon Ms. Carolyn Jarvis Mr. Jeff Lloyd Mr. Timothy Loftgard

MEMBERS Mr. Tony Arrell Ms. Nora Aufreiter

Ms. Anne Maggisano Ms. Judy Matthews Mr. Jonathan Morgan Ms. Frances Price Mr. J. Allen Smith Mr. Philip S. W. Smith Mr. Paul B. Spafford Ms. Kristine (Kris) Vikmanis Mr. Graham Watchorn Mr. John H. (Jack) Whiteside Ms. Yael Woodward Amaral

Canadian Opera Foundation Directors Mr. Tony Arrell Mr. Jonathan Bloomberg Mr. J. Rob Collins

Mr. Philip C. Deck, Chair Mr. Gary Grad Mr. Christopher Hoffmann

Ms. Colleen Sexsmith Mr. David Spiro, Secretary

Credits and Acknowledgments

COC Opera Guilds

The Canadian Opera Company would like to thank all those who volunteer both on a daily basis and for special events with the company.

Brantford Opera Guild ~ David M. Cullen, President Kingston Opera Guild ~ Grace Orzech, President London Opera Guild ~ Ernest H. Redekop, President Muskoka Opera Guild ~ Dr. Hans Heeneman, President Northumberland Opera Guild ~ Thais Donald, President Oakville Opera Guild ~ Maureen (Mo) Crossman, President Sudbury Opera Guild ~ Dianne Moore, President Western New York Opera Guild ~ Dorothy K. Piepke, President

Michael Cooper, Official Photographer Musical excerpts provided by Universal Classics

For more information, visit coc.ca/Guilds. The COC is a member of Opera America, Opera.ca and TAPA. The COC operates in agreement with Canadian Actorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Equity Association. The COC operates in agreement with I.A.T.S.E., Local #58, Local #822, Local #828.

Supernumeraries CARMEN: Liz Allemang John Allemang Angela Bell Robert Bell Matt Bernstein Stephen Bodiam Marie Braico Richard Brown

Jacqueline Doig Mark Garlin Shawna Green Doug Hamilton Graham Leather Colleen Mathieu Andrew McIntosh Nancy Mellow Lee Perenack

MAOMETTO II: Polo Izquieredo Ward Jardine

Dan Lord Jordan Thomas

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Risa Prenick Analee Stein Bob Stein Patrick Stepien-Scanlon Kim Twohig Susana Velasquez Nicole Vezeau Peter Wismath

SUPPORTING TORONTOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GROWING ARTS C O M M U N I T Y T O D AY, A N D F O R E V E R

As Naming Donor of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, we are proud to be a lifelong friend of the fine arts experience for the patrons here and from around the world.

ENJOY THE PERFORMANCE

fourseasons.com

Administration and Staff ALEXANDER NEEF, General Director

Managing Director Robert Lamb Music Director Johannes Debus EXECUTIVE OFFICE Executive Assistant to the General Director Marguerite Schabas MUSIC AND ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATION Director of Music & Artistic Administration Roberto Mauro Contracts Manager Karen Olinyk Company Manager Olwyn Lewis Chorus Master Sandra Horst Assistant to the Music Director Derek Bate Scheduling Manager Kathryn Garnett Production Assistants Caitlyn Albanese Kaitlyn Smith Orchestra Personnel Manager Ian Cowie Music Librarian, Coach Wayne Vogan Assistant Librarian Ondrej Golias Music Staff Jordan de Souza (Carmen) Esther Gonthier (Carmen) Stephen B. Hargreaves (Maometto II) Ben Malensek (Maometto II) Michael Shannon (Carmen) COC ENSEMBLE STUDIO AND ORCHESTRA ACADEMY Director, COC Ensemble Studio and Orchestra Academy Nina Draganic Head of the Ensemble Studio & Coach Elizabeth Upchurch

PRODUCTION Director of Production Peter W. Lamb Production Manager Lee Milliken Technical Director Chuck Giles Lighting Co-ordinator Daniele Guevara Assistant Technical Directors Mara Bredovskis Autumn Coppaway Melynda Jurgenson Head Electrician Janice Fraser Assistant Electrician Joel Thoman Head of Sound Bob Shindle Assistant Sound Craig Kadoke Head Carpenter Paul Watkinson Assistant Carpenter David Middleton Head Flyman David Alexander Head of Properties Daniel Graham Core Crew Scott Clarke Doug Closs Terry Hurley Paul Otis Scene Shop Co-ordinator Amy Cummings Head Scene Shop Carpenter David Retzleff Assistant Scene Shop Carpenter Andrew Walker Head Scenic Artist Richard Gordon Assistant Head Scenic Artist Katherine Lilley Rehearsal Head Technician Scott Williamson

Head Vocal Consultant Wendy Nielsen

Properties Supervisor Guy Nokes

COC Ensemble Studio Gordon Bintner Karine Boucher Jean-Philippe Fortier-Lazure Aviva Fortunata Andrew Haji Hyejin Kwon Iain MacNeil Aaron Sheppard Charles Sy Jennifer Szeto

Resident Properties Builder/ Co-ordinator Stephanie Tjelios Resident Properties Buyer/ Co-ordinator Kathy Frost Properties Builder/Co-ordinator Tracy Taylor Properties Builder Wulf Costume Supervisor Sandra Corazza

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Costume Co-ordinators Chloe Anderson Cassandra Spence

Senior Development Officer, Stewardship Emma Noakes

Costume Assistants Natassia Brunato Christina Del Monte

Senior Development Officer, Annual Programs & Patron Engagement Natalie Sandassie

Resident Tailor Sue Furlong Assisted by Johanna Edwards Barbara Nowakowski Rosalie Bond Rebecca Zimmerman Additional Costumes by Industry Costumes Martino Nyugen Christine Audet Additional hats by Muir Cap and Regalia Additional Painting and Dyeing by Marjory Fielding Head of Wardrobe Nancy Hawkins Wardrobe Assistant Leslie Brown Wig & Make-up Supervisor Sharon Ryman Head of Wig & Make-up Crew Cori Ferguson Production Co-ordinator Shawna Green SURTITLES™ Producer Gunta Dreifelds SURTITLES™ Editor Zane Kaneps SURTITLES™ Assistants Olwyn Lewis John Sharpe Supernumeraries Co-ordinators Analee Stein Elizabeth Walker ADVANCEMENT Chief Advancement Officer Christie Darville Executive Assistant to the Chief Advancement Officer Elizabeth Scott Manager, Government Relations Amy Mushinski Foundation Development Janet Stubbs

Co-ordinators, Annual Programs & Patron Engagement Brianna Chase Eileen Hanratty Senior Development Officer, Friends of the COC Victor Widjaja Individual Giving Co-ordinator, Friends of the COC Soojin Ahn Senior Development Officer, Institutional Gifts Francesco Corsaro Senior Development Officer, Partnerships Sarah Heim Development Communications Officer Nikita Gourski Advancement Operations Officers John Kriter Sophie Malek COMMUNICATIONS Chief Communications Officer Steve Kelley Director of Public Relations Claudine Domingue Senior Manager, Creative & Publications Gianna Wichelow Media Relations Manager Jennifer Pugsley Associate Manager, Digital Marketing Meighan Szigeti Assistant Manager, Marketing & Customer Service Eldon Earle Digital Marketing Co-ordinator Kiersten Hay Publicist and Publications Co-ordinator Kristin McKinnon EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

Director of Development Stephen Gilles

Associate Director, Education & Outreach Katherine Semcesen

Senior Manager, Advancement Operations Peter Hussell

Program Manager, Free Concert Series Claire Morley

Senior Manager, Events & Engagement Tracy Abergel

Adult Programs Manager Gianmarco Segato

Senior Development Officer, Events & Engagement Erin Koth Development Officer, Events & Engagement Alexandra Folkes

School Programs Manager Vanessa Smith Children & Youth Programs Co-ordinator Amber Yared

TICKET SERVICES Ticket Services Manager Andrea Salin Assistant Ticket Services Manager Nikki Tremblay

FOUR SEASONS CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS Director, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Alfred Caron

Group Sales Co-ordinator David Nimmo

Associate Director, Business Development Elizabeth Jones

Ticket Services Supervisor Lillian Fung

Business & Events Co-ordinator Shannon Churm

Ticket Services Supervisor Maureen Gualtieri

Administrator Jennifer Toulmin

Ticket Services Representatives James Baldwin Ernest Cayemen Nick Davis Aurelie Dufour Anna Kay Eldridge Peter Genoway Cat Haywood Karla Kampars Manda Kennedy Keith Lam Megan Miles Kevin Morris Rafael Renderos Paulina Saliba Kat Smiley Darcy Stoop

Patron Services Manager, Front of House Julia Somerville

CALL CENTRE Call Centre Manager Richard Paradiso Call Centre Representatives Dona Arbabzadeh Catherine Belyea Atanas Bozdarov Frank Bushe Taisa Dackiw Keith Fernandes Dennis Lam Paul Maly Margaret Terry FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Director of Finance & Administration Lindy Cowan, CPA, CA Human Resources Manager Lorraine Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, CHRP Finance Manager Amalie Vanderzwet, CPA, CA General Accountants Florence Huang Zoran Orlic (FSCPA) Accounting Clerk Vera Brjozovskaia Payroll Accountants Jovana Bojovic Jeanny Won Manager, IT Services Steven Sherwood

Patron Services Manager, Food & Beverage Brigitte Lang Assistant Manager, Patron Services Kim Hutchinson-Barber Patron Services Supervisors Karol Carstensen Stuart Constable Jamieson Eakin Christine Groom Lori MacDonald Melissa McDonnell Evan Steingarten Sophia Wiens Rosemary Williams Kimberly Wu Patron Services Leads Grace Cacciatore Alana Sambey Amelia Smart Kate Werneburg BUILDING SERVICES Associate Director, Facilities Management Joe Waldherr Assistant Manager, Operations Christian Coulter Maintenance Assistants Ryszard Gad (COC) Branislav Peterman (COC) Julian Peters (COC) James Esposito (FSCPA) Enrique Covarrubias Cortes (FSCPA) Piotr Wiench (FSCPA) Security Supervisor Dave Samuels Security Officers George Balyasin Abdi Gulleed Natalia Juzyc Usman Khalid Nicholas Martin Kathleen Minor Heather Reid

Database Reporting Specialist Brad Staples

Building Operators Dan Bisca Dan Popescu Adrian Tudoran

IT Services Assistant Tony Sandy

Eurest Services Supervisor Paula Da Costa

Archivist, Joan Baillie Archives Birthe Joergensen

Eurest Services Team Jennifer Barros Malaku Godana Nash Lim Jimmy Pacheco Sugey Torres

Receptionist/Switchboard Katarina BoĹžovic Mailroom Clerk/Courier Branka Hrsum

GREAT OPERA needs GREAT SUPPORTERS Thank you to our many generous members, as well as corporate, foundation, and government partners for making everything we do possible. Your support ensures that we can continue bringing the transformative experience of opera to our audience in Toronto and across the country.

Become a supporter today to go behind the scenes with our artists, enjoy exclusive benefits, access tickets ahead of the general public, and much more.

416-363-5801 coc.ca/Support CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Life Trustees Council

The Life Trustees Council salutes the leaders of the COC community whose efforts have been integral to the company’s artistic evolution and transformative history of accomplishment. Earlaine Collins J. Rob Collins David Ferguson (Chair)

Jerry and Geraldine Heffernan Ben Heppner Henry N. R. Jackman

Adrianne Pieczonka Arthur R. A. Scace, C. M. David Stanley-Porter

E. Louise Morgan Society

TThe 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. Tony and Anne Arrell The Estate of Dr. Larry M. Agranove ARIAS: Canadian Opera Student Development Fund The Gerard & Earlaine Collins Foundation The late John A. Cook The Estate of Horst Dantz and Don Quick Jerry and Geraldine Heffernan

Kolter Communities The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation Roger D. Moore E. Louise Morgan Tim & Frances Price Colleen Sexsmith Joey & Toby Tanenbaum Anonymous (3)

Major Gifts and Special Projects The COC offers its sincere thanks to the individuals listed below for their extraordinary support. PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS Demonstrating their leadership and generosity, these donors have underwritten the COC’s mainstage productions.

ENSEMBLE STUDIO SUPPORTERS Encouraging the next generation of artists, these donors support the COC Ensemble Studio.

$500,000 + Jerry & Geraldine Heffernan The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation Colleen Sexsmith

$1,000,000 Peter M. Deeb

$100,000 – $499,999 Mark & Gail Appel Paul Bernards Sarah Billinghurst Solomon & Howard Solomon David Roffey & Karen Walsh

$25,000 – $99,999 Ethel Harris & the late Milton E. Harris Hal Jackman Foundation Barbara Keenan Roy and Marjorie Linden Roger D. Moore The Stratton Trust W. Garfield Weston Foundation

PERFORMANCE AND ARTIST SPONSORS The following donors extend their generous support to individual artists and productions $100,000 + George & Kathy Dembroski Jack Whiteside $25,000 – $99,999 Earlaine Collins Robert Sherrin Françoise Sutton Anonymous (1) Up to $24,999 Peter & Hélène Hunt Kristine Vikmanis & Denton Creighton

$100,000 + The Slaight Family Foundation

Up to $24,999 ARIAS: Canadian Opera Student Development Fund In honour of Walter and Anneliese Blackwell Marcia Lewis Brown Margaret Harriett Cameron and the late Gary Smith Earlaine Collins Ninalee Craig Catherine Fauquier Patrick Hodgson Family Foundation Alexandra Jonsson Jo Lander Tom C. Logan Dr. & Mrs. Donald C. McGillivray Colleen Sexsmith Dr. David Shaw

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

June Shaw and the late Dr. Ralph Shaw Jack Whiteside Brian Wilks Anonymous (2) GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORTERS Providing general program support is critical to the COC’s artistic mission. $1,000,000+ Tim & Frances Price Anonymous (1) $100,000+ Anne & Tony Arrell $25,000 – $50,000 Simon Nyilassy Up to $24,999 Bruce C. Bailey James & Christine Nicol Gretchen & Donald Ross

Up to $24,999 June McLean Anonymous (1) LEGACY AND BEQUEST GIFTS The COC honours the memory of the following patrons whose vision and generosity has provided lasting support. Estate of Horst Dantz and Don Quick‡ Estate of Marion Gertrude Farr‡ Estate of Egon Homburger‡ Estate of Eluned J. MacMillan Estate of Vida Peene Estate of J.M. (Doc) Savage‡ Estate of Helen Allen Stacey Estate of Jeanie Irwin Walker Estate of Marion Caroline Wilson‡ Anonymous‡ ‡ designates funds directed to the COC’s Endowment

ENDOWMENT SUPPORT Making a gift to the Endowment ensures the longterm stability for the COC and its artists.

MEMORIAL AND HONORARY DONATIONS The COC expresses its sincere appreciation to all donors who have made memorial and honorary donations.

$100,000 + Hon. Henry N. R. Jackman

In Memory of

$25,000 – $99,999 The Bennett Family Foundation Dr. Rodney C. Ellis John B. Lawson C.M., Q.C. Michael W. & Wanda Plachta Endowment Fund Janet Stubbs

Tony Andrejicka Richard Bradshaw George Brough Clarice Carson Norman Coxall Shelagh and Nicholas Goldschmidt Dr. Wilfred Stephan Goodman C. Roy Horney

Anthony C. J. Humphreys Patricia Johnson William G. Mitchell Marjorie Pepper Emily Rankin John Henry Rogers

Individual Giving Annual Support GOLDEN CIRCLE GOLD, $50,000 + Anne & Tony Arrell**** Cecily & Robert Bradshaw* David G. Broadhurst** In memory of Gerard H. Collins**** Jerry & Geraldine Heffernan**** The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation**** Colleen Sexsmith*** Anonymous (1) SILVER, $25,000 – $49,999 Mark & Gail Appel*** Paul Bernards*** Barbara Black** Philip Deck & Kimberley Bozak*** Michael Gibbens & Julie Lassonde* Suzy Greenspan & Family Rennie & Bill Humphries**** Ronald Kimel & Vanessa LaPerriere**** Susan Loube & William Acton** James & Christine Nicol Jack Whiteside*** Anonymous (1) BRONZE, $12,500 – $24,999 Dr. & Mrs. Hans G. Abromeit**** Ms Nora Aufreiter* Mr. Philip J. Boswell**** Walter M. & Lisa Balfour Bowen**** Susanne Boyce & Brendan Mullen**** Marcia Lewis Brown* Helen Burstyn & Family Stewart & Gina Burton* Wendy M. Cecil**** Dr. John Chiu in memory of Yvonne Chiu, C.M.**** Stephen Clarke & Elizabeth Black** The Max Clarkson Family Foundation**** J. Rob Collins & Janet Cottrelle**** Sydney & Florence Cooper** Ninalee Craig*** Mr. & Mrs. Leslie Dan*** Jean Davidson & Paul Spafford**** David & Kristin Ferguson**** George Fierheller**** Lloyd & Gladys Fogler*** Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts*** Robert Fung** The Hon. William C. Graham & Mrs. Catherine Graham**** Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin*** Ethel Harris & the late Milton Harris**** William & Nona Heaslip Foundation**** Mr. Peter Hinman & Ms Kristi Stangeland Douglas E. Hodgson**** Michael & Linda Hutcheon**** Bernhard & Hannelore Kaeser**** Justin S. Linden* Jeff Lloyd & Barbara Henders* Bobby & Gordon MacNeill** Ms. Anne Maggisano Judy & Wilmot Matthews* Hon. Margaret Norrie McCain***

Clara Rosenbaum Martin Ruckpaul L. Bruce Schaef Darco Seifert Jon Vickers Joan Watson

John & Esther McNeil**** Don McQueen & Trina McQueen, O.C. ** John McVicker & B. W. Thomas**** Delia M. Moog*** Jonathan Morgan & Shurla Gittens** Sue Mortimer in memory of Clive Bennett Mortimer**** Donald O’Born*** Peter M. Partridge**** Mr. Tim & Mrs. Frances Price**** Ms R. Raso**** David Roffey & Karen Walsh**** Barrie D. Rose & Family*** J. Allen Smith & Katherine Megue-Smith Philip & Maria Smith** Stephen & Jane Smith**** Marion & Gerald Soloway** David E. Spiro*** Françoise Sutton*** Ryerson & Michele Symons Kiersten Taylor & Tim Loftsgard Riki Turofsky & Charles Petersen** Ms Kristine Vikmanis & Mr. Denton Creighton**** The Youssef-Warren Foundation****

PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL TRUSTEE, $7,500 – $12,499 à la Carte Kitchen Inc. Margaret Atwood & Graeme Gibson*** Marilyn Cook* Bud & Leigh Eisenberg*** Andrew Fleming** Peter & Shelagh Godsoe** Chris Hoffmann & Joan Eakin** J. Hans Kluge** Paul Lee & Jill Maynard**** Anne Lewitt** Jerry & Joan Lozinski**** Mr. & Mrs. J. S. A. MacDonald**** Kathleen McLaughlin & Tim Costigan* Dr. Judith A. Miller*** Alan & Gwendoline Pyatt Annie & Ian Sale* Dr. David Shaw** Carol Swallow*** PATRON, $3,750 – $7,499 Miguel Amaral & Yael Woodward Amaral Sue Armstrong**** Ron Atkinson & Bruce Blandford**** Mona H. Bandeen, C. M. ** Henk Bartelink in memory of Oskar & Irmgard Gaube*** Dr. Frank Bartoszek & Mr. Daniel O’Brien**** Dr. Thomas H. Beechy**** Mr. & Mrs. Eric Belli-Bivar*** Dr. Catherine Bergeron*** Tom Bogart & Kathy Tamaki** Dr. David & Constance Briant**** Dr. Jane Brissenden & Dr. Janet Roscoe**** Mrs. Donna Brock*** Alice Burton*** Margaret Harriett Cameron**** Sharon & Howard Campbell** Cesaroni Management Limited*** Frank Ciccolini Jr.**** The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson* Mr. & Mrs. William J. Corcoran*** Bram & Beth Costin

In Honour of

Charlie Andrews Nora Aufreiter Walter and Anneliese Blackwell Walter and Lisa Bowen Earlaine Collins Rob Collins and Janet Cottrelle Ronald Cooper

Lindy Cowan† & Chris Hatley*** Brian J. Dawson*** Peter Deeb* Dr. Jeanne Deinum**** Angelo & Carol DelZotto*** Carol Derk & David Giles** Mrs. Shirley Diamond & Family**** Peter & Anne Dotsikas** Jeffrey Douglas Vreni & Marc Ducommun*** Joseph Fantl & Moira Bartram** Mr. & Mrs. Fraser M. Fell**** Ms Lindsay Dale-Harris & Mr. Rupert Field-Marsham**** Margaret & David Fountain**** Dr. & Mrs. Wm. O. Geisler*** Ann J. Gibson**** Rose & Roger Goldstein**** Michael & Anne Gough**** Dr. Noëlle Grace & The Shohet Family**** Ronald & Birgitte Granofsky**** Douglas & Ruth Grant* John & Judith Grant** Al & Malka Green** John Groves & Vera Del Vecchio**** Dr. Albert J. Haddad George & Irene Hamilton**** Scott & Ellen Hand*** Mr. Harquail & Dr. Sigfridsson* Maggie Hayes** Hon. & Mrs. Paul Hellyer**** Michiel Horn & Cornelia Schuh**** Ken Hugessen & Jennifer Connolly** Dr. Melvyn L. Iscove*** Mr. Robert C. Jefferies**** Ms Elizabeth Johnson** Dr. Joshua Josephson & Ms Elaine Lewis**** Lorraine Kaake**** The Patrick & Barbara Keenan Foundation**** James & Diane King** Dr. Elizabeth Kocmur**** Kimberley Fobert & Robert Lamb†**** Mr. Philip Lanouette** John B. Lawson, C.M. Q.C. **** Mr. J. Levitt & Ms E. Mah** Mr. Peter Levitt & Ms Mai Why*** Daniel & Janet Li** Dr. Vance Logan**** Peter H. Lunney* James & Connie MacDougall**** Mr. Jed MacKay**** Mrs. R. MacMillan **** Dr. Colin McGregor Mailer**** Mrs. J. L. Malcolm** Dr. & Mrs. M. A. Manuel** Frederick J. Marker & Anne W. Dupré Fernando Martinez-Caro Dr. & Mrs. Donald C. McGillivray**** Paul & Jean McGrath**** Ronan McGrath & Sarah Perry* June McLean**** Mr. Ian McWalter* Mr. Ulrich Menzefricke**** Bruce & Vladka Mitchell* Dr. M. L. Myers & the late Dr. W. P. Hayman*** Matt & Debbie Mysak*** Dr. Shirley C. Neuman** Eileen Patricia Newell*** Dr. Emilie Newell* Sally-Ann Noznesky**** Simon Nyilassy* E. Oliana & A. Iu*** Janice Oliver***

John Freund Julie and Michael Gibbens Ruth Watts-Gransden Anitta Lantos Justin Linden Vivian Rosenberg Mischi Schwertzer As of January 5, 2016

Keith & Brenda Ottaway*** The Ouellette Family Foundation Julia & Liza Overs**** Dr. & Mrs. William M. Park**** Douglas L. Parker**** John & Gwen Pattison** John & Carol Peterson*** June C. Pinkney**** Polk Family Charitable Fund Julian & Anna Porter Margrit & Tony Rahilly**** Mrs. Richard Gavin Reid** Douglas L. Ludwig & Karen J. Rice*** Rob & Penny Richards*** Margaret A. Riggin* Gordon Robison & David Grant* Judy & Hy Sarick**** Sam & Esther Sarick**** Helen & John Scott** June Shaw & the late Dr. Ralph Shaw**** Allan & Helaine Shiff**** David & Hilary Short*** Hume Smith**** Dr. Harley Smyth & Carolyn McIntire Smyth** Mr. Philip Somerville* Cameron Rusaw & Anne-Marie Sorrenti Dr. John Stanley & Dr. Helmut Reichenbächer*** Wayne Stanley & Marina Pretorius* David Stanley-Porter**** Doreen L. Stanton**** Janet Stubbs†** Wendy J. Thompson**** Anthea Thorp**** Ian Turner*** Sandra & Guy Upjohn*** Dita Vadron & Jim Catty ** Donald & Margaret Walter**** Hugh & Colleen Washington** William R. Waters**** Ruth Watts-Gransden**** Dr. Virginia Wesson*** Mr. Brian Wilks* Ms Lilly Wong* Mrs. Richard Wookey**** Linda Young* Helen Ziegler*** Susan Zorzi** Sharon Zuckerman**** Anonymous (4) MEMBER, $2,250 – $3,749 D. C. Adamson-Brdar**** Donna Albaum** Mr. & Mrs. Roberto & Nancy Albis*** Clive & Barbara Allen**** Mr. Thomas & Mrs. Claire Allen** Dr. D. Amato & Ms J. Hodges**** Mr. Mark Andrews Anne-Marie H. Applin*** Valerie Armstrong**** Philip Arthur & Mary Wilson* Virginia Atkin*** Mr. Jeff Axelrod & Dr. John Goodhew K.R.I. Bailey* John Bailey** James C. Baillie** Marilyn & Charles Baillie**** Andrew & Cornelia Baines**** Janice A. Baker**** Richard J. Balfour**** Alice & Tom Bastedo*** Ms Marie Bérard†*** Nani & Austin Beutel****

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Dody Bienenstock** John & Mandy Birch* Douglas Birkenshaw & Ginger Sorbara Anneliese & Walter Blackwell**** Ian & Janet Blue*** Mr. W. Bowen & Ms. S. Gavinchuk**** Mr. Stephen Bradley Mrs. Carolyn Bradley-Hall & Mr. William Bradley*** Mrs. Richard Bradshaw*** Rob & Teresa Brouwer** Brian Bucknall & Mary Jane Mossman**** Christopher & Elizabeth Buller Thomas J. Burton** Maureen Callahan & Douglas Gray** Ken & Denise Cargill** Brian & Ellen Carr**** Gail Carson**** Drs. Carol & David Cass Lee Chambers Prof. Alfred L. Chan & Mr. Michael Farewell*** Dr. & Mrs. Albert Cheskes*** Dr. Howard M. Clarke*** Edward Cole & Adrienne Hood*** Brian Collins & Amanda Demers* Tony & Elizabeth Comper* Katherine Robb Corlett**** Anita Corrigan*** Dr. Lesley S. Corrin**** Gay & Derek Cowbourne** Mary & John Crocker**** Ruth & John Crow*** Mary Beth Currie & Jeff Rintoul Carrol Anne Curry*** Dr. & Mrs. Michael & Ute Davis** Honor & Michael de Pencier**** Charles Dennis & Steve Kelley† Mr. & Mrs. A. J. Diamond* J. DiGiovanni** Olwen & Frank Dixon** James Doak & Patricia Best*** Sandra Z. Doblinger** Ms Petrina Dolby*** Dr. James & Mrs. Ellen Downey** Bernita Drenth Marko Duic and Gabriel Lau**** Mr. Albert D. Dunn* William & Gwenda Echard**** Jean Patterson Edwards** Wendy & Elliott Eisen**** Jordan Elliott & Lynne Griffin* Christoph Emmrich & Srilata Raman Dr. & Mrs. John Evans*** George A. Farkass** Darren Farwell Catherine Fauquier*** Bill Fearn & Claudia Rogers**** Lee & Shannon Ferrier**** William & Rosemary Fillmore*** Goshka Folda* J. E. Fordyce**** Robert & Julia Foster** Mrs. Ingrid Fratzl Rev. Ivars Gaide & Rev. Dr. Anita Gaide*** Judy & David Galloway Bryan Grant Ms Carol Gray Ann Gawman*** Dr. Barry A. Gayle**** Susan Gerhard** The Honourable Irving Gerstein & Mrs. Gail Gerstein** Ben & Sarah Glatt**** Dr. Eudice Goldberg* Aviva & Andrew Goldenberg** Dr. Fay Goldstep & Dr. George Freedman** Deanna A. Gontard**** Tina & Michael Gooding*** Wayne A. Gooding**** David & Wendy Flores-Gordon* Mr. Finn Greflund & Mrs. M. Ortner** Mr. Carmen & Mrs. Vittoria Guglietti** Ellen & Simon Gulden**** James & Joyce Gutmann**** Dan Hagler & Family*** Mrs. Pamela Hallisey Francess G. Halpenny****

Mr. Adrian J. Hamel Beverly Hargraft** Michael Harris & Carol Rak** Paul & Natalie Hartman* Caroline Helbronner*** Jacques & Elizabeth Helbronner*** Thea Herman & Gregory King*** William E. Hewitt*** Pamela Hoiles Richard & Donna Holbrook**** Sally Holton**** Frances Humphreys in memory of Anthony C. J. Humphreys**** Peter & Hélène Hunt**** Mr. Sumant Inamdar Eva Innes & David Medhurst* Elliott Jacobson & Judy Malkin** Lynne Jeffrey**** Dr. R.G. Perrin** Laurence Jewell** The Norman & Margaret Jewison Charitable Foundation**** In Memory of Patricia Johnson** Dr. Albert & Bette Johnston** Joyce Johnston*** Alexandra Jonsson Miriam Kagan H. L. Katarynych*** Dr. Joel Keenleyside**** David W. & Sheryl L. Kerr* Inta Kierans**** Ellen & Hermann Kircher**** Mr. Martin Kirr & Ms Suzanne McCuaig* Mr. Douglas Klaassen** Michael & Sonja Koerner*** William & Eva Krangle**** Richard T. La Prairie* Elizabeth & Goulding Lambert*** Jo Lander**** The Hon. Dennis Lane, Q.C. & Mrs. Sandra Lane**** M. J. Horsfall Large** Dr. Connie Lee*** Linda Lee & Michael Pharoah**** Neal & Dominique Lee** Dr. Richard Lee & Mr. Gary Van Haren** Alexander & Anna Leggatt*** Joy Levine*** L. Liivamagi & Dr. D. N. Cash* Marjorie & Roy Linden**** Dr. & Mrs. W. G. Lindley**** Janet & Sid Lindsay*** Anthony J. Lisanti*** Tom C. Logan* Jonathan & Dorothea Lovat Dickson** Amy & John Macfarlane** Dr. & Mrs. Richard Mackenzie**** Tom MacMillan**** Macro Properties Ltd. ** Mr. A. Mafrici**** R. Manke**** Mr. & Mrs. R. Gordon Marantz**** Roberto Mauro† & Erin Wall Mrs. Ettore Mazzoleni*** Diane McArthur Darcy & Joyce McKeough* Mr. Brent Mclaughlin Don McLean & Diane Martello* Guy & Joanne McLean**** M. E. McLeod**** Mr. Timothy McNicholas* Mark & Andrea McQueen**** Shawn McReynolds & Elaine Kierans* Dr. Don Melady & Mr. Rowley Mossop*** Eileen Mercier**** Lee Milliken† & Doug MacNaughton** Patricia & Frank Mills*** Dr. & Mrs. Steven Millward** Florence Minz Audrey & David Mirvish*** Dr. David N. Mitchell & Dr. Susan M. Till*** Mr. Donald Mitchell* Eva Mocarski** Mr. Robert Morassutti**** Alice Janet Morgan*** Ms Sylvie Morin

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Ms Rosalind Morrow** Drs. Christopher & Pippa Moss*** Gael Mourant & Caroline Hubberstey* Mr. Joseph Mulder** Marilyn & Amy Mushinski† David & Mary Neelands*** Dr. Steven Nitzkin**** Dr. James & Mrs. Valda Oestreicher*** Marwan Osseiran Eileen & Ralph Overend* Clarence & Mary Pace** Dr. & Mrs. N. Pairaudeau**** Dr. Roger D. Pearce*** Dr. A. Angus Peller* Dr. R. G. Perrin** M. J. Phillips**** Robin B. Pitcher**** Wanda Plachta**** Mr.& Mrs. Domenic Porporo** Mary Jean & Frank Potter*** Georgia Prassas**** Ms Jill Presser & Mr. John Duffy* Dr. Mark Quigley**** Stephen Ralls & Bruce Ubukata*** The Carol & Morton Rapp Foundation**** Lola Rasminsky & Bob Presner Dr. Reza Rastegar C. Edward Rathé**** Kenneth F. Read**** Grant L. Reuber**** Mrs. Gabrielle Richards** Carolyn Ricketts**** Ms Nada Ristich* Emily & Fred Rizner** Clara Robert* Steve & Richa Roder Dr. Michael & Mary Romeo**** John & Hannah Rosen* Mrs. Gertrude Rosenthal**** Ken & Helen Rotenberg** Rainer & Sharyn Rothfuss**** The Roux Family Drs. Orest & Maureen Rudzik**** David A. Ruston*** Ms Sharon Cookie Sandler**** Mallory Morris Sartz & John Sartz**** Go Sato**** Bruce Schaef**** Fred & Mary Schulz** Dr. Marianne Seger**** Carol Seifert & Bruno Tesan*** Robert & Geraldine Sharpe**** Milton & Joyce Shier**** Dr. Bernie & Mrs. Bobbie Silverman** Rod & Christina Simpson In memory of Dr. Bernard Slatt* Dr. & Mrs. Jeremy Sloan** Jay Smith & Laura Rapp* Ms Muriel Smith & Mr. Eric Ojala**** Dr. Joseph So*** John & Ellen Spears**** Martha E. Spears*** Rosemary Speirs Ms Gillian Stacey Oksana R. Stein*** John D. Stevenson**** James H. Stonehouse** William Siegel & Margaret Swaine** Eric Tang & Dr. James Miller** Peter A. Roy & Leah Taylor Roy Tesari Charitable Foundation Mr. Ronald L.W. Till**** Elizabeth Tory**** Dr. R. B. Van Winckle* Dory Vanderhoof & Rosalind Bell** Edmond & Sylvia Vanhaverbeke**** Stefan Varga & Dr. Marica Varga* Dr. Yvonne Verbeeten** Dr. Helen Vosu & Donald Milner**** Richard & Nathalie Wachsberg* Elizabeth & Michael Walker*** Peter Webb & Joan York**** Dr. Bogomila Welsh** Ms Eleanor Westney** Melanie Whitehead*** Elizabeth Wilson & Ian Montagnes**** Robert Elliott & Paul Wilson**

John Wright & Chung-Wai Chow* Dr. Jackson Wu & Dr. Viviana Chang* Mr. Takahiro Yamanaka Ms June Yee** Morden Yolles**** Walter Zwig**** Anonymous (26)

FRIENDS OF THE COC SUSTAINING FRIENDS $1,600 – $2,249 Carol & Ernest Albright**** Gail Asper & Michael Paterson Iivi Campbell**** Jayne & Ted Dawson**** Mr. Steven D. Donohoe**** Ricardo Gomez-Insausti* Mr. James Hamilton* Bill Heaslip**** Frieda and Vern Heinrichs Mr. Josef Hrdina* Dr. Paul & Mrs. Marcia Kavanagh Duncan & Sondra Lear Georgina McLennan**** Lee Parsons* Barbara & Peter Pauly** Norbert & Elizabeth Perera**** Ms Joan Sinclair** David Smukler & Patricia Kern** The Sorbara Group of Companies**** Georgina S. Steinsky Ms Peg Thoen** Vernon & Beryl Turner**** Gordon Waugh**** F. Whittaker** Carole & Bernie Zucker*** Anonymous (1) ASSOCIATE FRIENDS $1,100 – $1,599 Michael & Janet Barnard** Michael Benedict & Martha Lowrie**** Don Biderman**** Darlene & Peter Blenich* Ms Marlene Bohn* Dr. Wendy C. Chan* Geoffrey & Bilgi Chapman**** Patricia Clarke** Robert D. Cook** Mr. Neil Crawford* Mr. Stuart Davidson* Mr. Darren Day*** Mr. Rohan D’souza Dr. Christine Dunbar** Howard & Kathrine Eckler*** Lawrence Enkin** R. Dalton Fowler**** Mr. Osvaldo & Mrs. Joanne Girimonte Roy & Gail Harrison**** Ms Alison Harvison Young & Mr. Herman J. Wilton-Siegel* Sylvie Hatch**** David Holdsworth & Nicole Senécal* Richard & Susan Horner**** James Hughes*** Mr. David Hutton*** Mr. Kazik Jedrzejczak**** Ms Suanne Kelman & Dr. Allan J. Fox** Dr. & Mrs. L. A. Kitchell**** Murray & Marvelle Koffler**** Andrew & Harriet Lyons P. Anne Mackay**** Mrs. Janet Maggiacomo** Mary McClymont**** Janina Milisiewicz**** Mr. David Milovanovic & Dr. Cinda Dyer Mr. Carl Morey**** Sean O’Neill & Victoria Cowling**** Justice Michael & Susan Phelan Ms Victoria Pinnington*** Brayton Polka Mr. Andrew Prodanyk Dr. Peter Ray**** Dr. Shelley Rechner**** Robert & Dorothy Ross***

Amye & DeeAnn Hagler Sagar Mr. Michael Samborsky** William & Meredith Saunderson**** Dr. Anabel M. Scaranelo Ms Elisabeth Scarff**** Dr. & Mrs. W. K. Stavraky*** Mr. Paul Steep & Ms Anne McNeilly* Norma & George Steiner**** Mr. & Mrs. David G. Trent**** Dr. Peter Voore**** Ms Virginia Wai Mr. John M. Welch**** Nina & Norman Wright*** Anonymous (4) CONTRIBUTING FRIENDS $700 – $1,099 Dr. I. L. Babb Fund at the Toronto Community Foundation**** Peter & Leslie Barton** Mrs. Lynn Bayer*** Mr. N. Beilstein & Mr. A. Lee Catherine Belyea† Jeniva Berger**** Anthony Bird**** Staunton Bowen Mary Brock & Brian Iler**** James E. Brown* Ms Judith Burrows*** Ms E. Burton*** Mr. Bill Cameron** Mary Campbell**** Betty Carlyle**** Mark Cestnik & Natercia Sousa**** Harold Chmara & Danny Hoy**** Joe T. R. Clarke**** William Cowan & Elodie Fourquet** Sylvain Crozon Peter and Elly Daniels Anita Day Don DeBoer & Brent Vickar*** Mr. Michael Disney* Wendy Drahovzal Ms Eleanor L. Ellins**** Susan Elliott Joe & Helen Feldmann*** Dr. James Ferguson Bruce & Mary Fillier Russell Finch Tom Flemming**** Jennifer & Frank Flower*** Angelo Furgiuele & Family* Douglas G. Gardner**** Mr. M. Gerwin & Mrs. J. Rutledge** Alison Girling & Paul Schabas** Les & Marion Green**** Ms Julianna Greenspan Dr. & Mrs. Voldemars Gulens**** Dr. & Mrs. Brian & Cynthia Hands**** Sandra Hausman** Mrs. Hana Havlicek-Martinek* W. L. B. Heath**** Dr. Paul Cooper & Mr. David Hiebert In memory of Pauline Hinch** Dr. Ivan & Mrs. Diana Hronsky**** In loving memory of Joyce Whitney Hughes* Mr. Chris Ibey*** Xiao Jiang Douglas & Dorothy Joyce**** Lilian Kilianski† & Brian Pritchard* Mai Kirch**** June Knudsen**** Mr. & Mrs. I. P. & O. M. Komarnicky*** Adrian Kos & Olga Repryntseva Mr. Christopher J. Kowal* Dr. Milos Krajny**** Ms Eva Kukiel* Gediminas P. Kurpis**** Mr. James R. Lake**** Harry Lane*** Alan & Marti Latta**** Giles le Riche & Rosemary Polczer*** Mr. Tom Le Seelleur** Mr. Martin Leistner Claus & Heather Lenk* Yakov Lerner†* Mrs. Mary Liitoja**** Gil & Dorota Lorenson Ms Elizabeth Lorimer* Dr. Francois Loubert* Deidre Lynch & Thomas Keirstead*

David Macfarlane Mary P. MacLean*** Kathy Marton* Mary McGowan**** Jil McIntosh** Mr. Bruce McKeown**** Dr. & Mrs. Martin & Deborah McKneally** Sylvia M. McPhee**** Janis Medland* Dr. Alan C. Middleton*** Randy Mills* Kamini & Lynne Milnes* John Mogan* Frank & Anne Moir*** Peter Naylor Larry Nevard Ms Cristina Oke*** Karen Olinyk†* Mr. Vlad Ovchinnikov & Mrs. Lesia Menchynska* Joan Pape**** Mr. James C. Pappas**** Mr. Joseph & Mrs. Letizia Paradiso*** Dr. Wadermar A. Pieczonka**** Ed & Beth Price*** Robert Radke Marat Ressin Mr. Jason Roberts*** Ms Virginia Robeson** Mr. Anthony Rubin**** Patti & Richard Schabas** Front Desk Ltd./Toby Schertzer Valerie Schweritzer & Chris Reed**** Marlene Pollock Sheff* Mrs. Pamela Smith*** John Spears and Elisabeth Marsden**** Phil Spencer**** Helga & Klaus Stegemann*** Mr. Paul Straatman Pavel and Vera Straka*** Ms Grace Szczerbowski Anna Talenti**** Larry & Judy Tanenbaum**** Dr. M. Lynne Thurling & Dr. John Treilhard*** Ria Tietz**** Dr. Claude Tousignant** Dr. Nancy F. Vogan**** Mr. Wayne Vogan†**** George Vona & Lark Popov** Angela & Michael Vuchnich**** James & Margaret Whitby**** Joan Williams**** David A. Young Ms Iris Zawadowski* Yvonne Zhang Anonymous (11)

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. 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. The Canadian Opera Company gratefully acknowledges and thanks the following individuals who have included the COC in their estate planning: Marie Agay Susan Agranove & Estate of Dr. Larry M. Agranove Ken R. Alexander

Isobel Allen Ms Sandra Alston Ms Ann Andrusyszyn Callie Archer Renata Arens & Elizabeth Frey Mrs. Rosalen Armstrong Tony & Anne Arrell Ron Atkinson & Bruce Blandford Nora Aufreiter & Lawrence Pentland Mr. L. H. Bartelink J. Linden Best & James G. Kerr Mr. Philip J. Boswell David Bowen Marnie M. Bracht Gregory Brandt Ms Cindy Breslin-Carere Brian Bucknall & Mary Jane Mossman Dita Vadron & Jim Catty Mrs. Ann Christie Earl Clark Stephen Clarke & Elizabeth Black The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson Brian Collins & Amanda Demers Earlaine Collins David H. Cormack Ninalee Craig Anita Day & Robert McDonald Ann De Brouwer Helen Drake Yvonne Earle David & Kristin Ferguson Carol Fordyce Rowland D. Galbraith Douglas G. Gardner Ann J. Gibson Tina & Michael Gooding Michael & Anne Gough Donald I. F. Graham Colin Gruchy David G. Hallman George & Irene Hamilton Joan L. Harris William E. Hewitt James Hewson John R. Higgins Mr. Kim Yim Ho & Walter Frederic Thommen Douglas E. Hodgson Matt Hughes Michael & Linda Hutcheon Elaine Iannuzziello Dr. Ingrid Jarvis Lynne Jeffrey Ann Kadrnka Ben Kizemchuk Kathryn Kossow Jo Lander Peggy Lau Marjorie & Roy Linden Tom C. Logan, A.R.C.T. Ms Lenore MacDonald Dr. Colin M. Mailer R. Manke Tim & Jane Marlatt Mr. Shawn Martin Margaret McKee Sylvia M. McPhee John McVicker & B. W. Thomas Dr. Alan C. Middleton Eleanor Miller Sigmund & Elaine Mintz Donald Morse Sue Mortimer Mr. & Mrs. James D. Patterson Mervyn Pickering Gunther & Dorothy Piepke Sheila K. Piercy Dr. Zitamaria Pinto Wanda Plachta Ms Georgia Prassas K. F. Read Dr. John Reeve-Newson Florence Richler John & Norma Rogers Mrs. Margaret Russell Sharon Ryman† Cookie & Stephen Sandler Fred & Mary Schulz John & Helen Scott Colleen Sexsmith Claire Shaw

June Shaw, in memory of Dr. Ralph Shaw R. Bonnie Shettler William Siegel & Margaret Swaine Paul Spafford David E. Spiro Dr. D. P. Stanley-Porter Doreen L. Stanton Drs. W. & K. Stavraky Lilly Offenbach-Strauss Janet Stubbs† Ann Sutton Ronald Taber Susanne Tabur Mrs. Ann C. Timpson Riki Turofsky & Charles Petersen Tony & Mary van Straubenzee N. Suzanne Vanstone Marie-Laure Wagner Hugh & Colleen Washington William R. Waters Marion York Tricia Younger Anonymous (36)

Opera Tours Donors $700 +

As of February 25, 2016

James C. Baillie** Ms E. Burton*** Jennifer & Frank Flower*** Miss Ann J. Gibson**** George & Irene Hamilton**** Dr. Elizabeth Kocmur**** John B. Lawson, C.M. Q.C.**** Mrs. J. L. Malcolm** Alice Janet Morgan*** Mrs. Annette Oelbaum* Janice Oliver*** Joan Pape**** Dr. & Mrs. William M. Park**** Linda Lee & Michael Pharoah**** June C. Pinkney**** Rainer & Sharyn Rothfuss**** Mr. Michael Samborsky** Allan & Helaine Shiff**** Stephen & Jane Smith**** Melanie Whitehead*** Ms June Yee** Anonymous (1)

Corporate Matching Partners The Canadian Opera Company gratefully acknowledges the following organizations that have matched gifts by their employees:

Canadian Tire Corporation Limited IBM Canada Ltd. Ivanhoe Cambridge Inc Goodman & Company, Investment Counsel Ltd. FM Global Foundation

The above Individual Support Gifts were made as of February 25, 2016 * 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.

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

2015/2016 Corporate Sponsors and Foundation Supporters BMO Financial Group Pre-Performance Opera Chats BMO Financial Group Student Dress Rehearsals Verdi’s La Traviata generously underwritten in part by

Official Automotive Sponsor of the COC at the FSCPA

Presenting Sponsor of SURTITLESTM

Presenting Sponsor Opera Under 30, Operanation, and Centre Stage

Supporter of Ensemble Studio and Centre Stage

Preferred Credit Card TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege*

Glencore Ensemble Studio School Tour

Official Canadian Wine of the COC at the FSCPA

Production Sponsor Rossini’s Maometto II

Production Sponsor Bizet’s Carmen

Program Sponsor After School Opera Program

Preferred Hospitality Sponsor

Preferred Dry Cleaner

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT The Canadian Opera Company gratefully acknowledges the generous support through operating grants from these government agencies and departments: OPERATING SUPPORT

ENSEMBLE STUDIO

an Ontario government agency un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $153 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 $153 millions de dollars pour mettre de l’art dans la vie des Canadiennes et des Canadiens de tout le pays. \

SPECIAL PROJECT FUNDING For many programs and special initiatives undertaken each year by the Canadian Opera Company, we gratefully acknowledge project funding from: Department of Canadian Heritage 52

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Employment and Social Development Canada

$100,000 + The Peter Cundill Foundation The Slaight Family Foundation

HOSTING SPONSORS Drake One Fifty Nota Bene Restaurant

$50,000 – $99,999 Chair-man Mills Inc. The Hal Jackman Foundation at the Ontario Arts Foundation

PREFERRED PIANO PROVIDER Steinway Piano Gallery Toronto

$10,000 – $49,999 Audrey S. Hellyer Charitable Foundation Barrick Gold Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Burgundy Asset Management Limited The Chawkers Foundation Davies Ward Philips Vineberg Goldman Sachs Great-West Life Assurance Company Jackman Foundation J.P. Bickell Foundation Linden & Associates The Lloyd Carr-Harris Foundation McCarthy Tetrault The Mclean Foundation Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Shangri-la Hotel Anonymous (1) $5,000 – $9,999 The George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation The Hope Charitable Foundation Local 58 Charitable Benefit Fund Mill St. Brewery Shinex Window Cleaning Inc. Torres Coffee Unit Park Holdings Inc.

PREFERRED FLORISTS Bloom The Flower Company Quince Flowers

CENTRE STAGE: ENSEMBLE STUDIO COMPETITION GALA 2015 Platinum Supporters Peter M. Deeb Mercedes-Benz Canada RBC and RBC Foundation Opera Under 30 Sponsor TD Bank Group Competition Supporter Hal Jackman Foundation Gold Sponsors Brookfield Asset Management Philip Deck & Kimberley Bozak Linden & Associates Scotiabank

OPERANATI0N 2014 Presenting Sponsor TD Bank Group

$2,500 – $4,999 Hicks Memorial Fund at the Calgary Foundation Milgram & Company Ltd Tesari Charitable Foundation Unit Park Holdings Inc. Vida Peene Fund at the Canada Council for the Arts

Dinner Sponsor Hampton Securities

$1,000 - $2,499 D’avignon Freight Services Inc. Gill Ratcliffe Foundation Jarvis & Associates Judith Teller Foundation Loch-Sloy Holdings Limited O’Shanter Development Company Ltd The Powis Family Foundation

Partnering Sponsor Burgundy Asset Management

Preferred Fragrance REVEAL by Calvin Klein Jewellery Partner Maison Birks

Event Supporters BT/A Chairman Mills Mill St. Perrier Quince Flowers Ryan Emberley Photography 10tation Event Catering The Knot Group The Room Toronto Life Trius Wines Wellington Printworks J.P. Wiser’s ® Canadian Whisky Lot No. 40™ Canadian Whisky Pike Creek™ Canadian Whisky Jameson® Irish Whiskey The Glenlivet® Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aberlour® Single Malt Scotch Whisky Beefeater® Gin

SEASON LAUNCH CELEBRATION 2016 Lead Sponsor TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card

FINE WINE AUCTION 2016 Presenting Sponsors Graywood Group PwC Canada Michael Gibbens & Julie Lassonde Partnering Sponsors Gillam Group Inc. RR Donnelley Canada Inc. Supporting Sponsor Geoffrey Pennal of CIBC Wood Gundy Event Sponsors 10tation Event Catering The Cheese Boutique Trius Wines Waddingtons

Contributing Sponsors Bloomberg Bonnie Shore Canaccord Genuity Element Financial Corp. Torkin Manes LLP

PHOTO CREDITS COVER: R. Fraser Elliott Hall, photo: Lucia Graca, 2014. PAGE 3: Alexander Neef, photo: bohuang.ca. PAGES 4/5, 6, 9, 11: photos: Michael Cooper. PAGE 10: Photo of Joel Ivany by Nikola Novak. PAGES 14/15, 16, 19, 20: photos: Ken Howard. PAGE 24: photo courtesy of Luca Pisaroni. PAGE 25: tickets photo: COC. PAGE 26: photos: COC. PAGES 28 and 29: 1, 8: Chris Hutcheson; 2, 6, 13: Sam Gaetz; 3, 4: Karen E. Reeves; 5: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera; 7, 12: COC; 9, 10: Inna Yasinska; 11: photo courtesy of Ripple Refugee Project. PAGE 30: photo: Michael Cooper. PAGES 38 and 39: Scene Shop photos: COC; A scene from the COC’s Rigoletto (2012), photo: Michael Cooper; Pyramus and Thisbe set maquette photo: COC; Krisztina Szabó and Phillip Addis in Pyramus and Thisbe (COC 2015), photo: Gary Beechey; Quinn Kelsey and Ekaterina Siurina in La Traviata (COC, 2015), photo: Michael Cooper. PAGE 40: photo courtesy of Hilton Toronto. PAGE 41: photo collage of Johannes Debus (photo: bohuang.ca), and Drew Comstock and Meagan Turner (photo: Karen E. Reeves). PAGE 47: Alexander Neef and director Arin Arbus at the Working Rehearsal Dinner for La Traviata (2015), photo: Inna Yasinska. PAGE 54: A bar at the Four Seasons Centre, photo: Joey Lopez

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

Food and Beverage Service We are pleased to offer, for the convenience of all our patrons, a pre-order system for intermission purchases. Our pre-order system is designed to decrease your wait time at the bar during intermisison 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.

Patron Information and Policies COAT AND PARCEL CHECK To uphold the safety of the building, oversized bags and parcels may be prohibited from entering R. Fraser Elliott Hall. Patrons attending COC performances are now eligible for complimentary parcel check. Coat check is located in the Lower Lobby, where the following services are also available: booster seats, back supports, infrared hearing-assistive devices and rental of binoculars, on a first-come, first-served basis. GO SCENT FREE In consideration of patrons with allergies, please avoid wearing perfumed beauty products and fragrances. ETIQUETTE Patrons are reminded that R. Fraser Elliott Hall is an extremely lively auditorium and that all audience noise will be accentuated and 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. 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. If you’d like to get a picture inside the auditorium, do so before the performance begins. However, the design and direction of the production is restricted under intellectual property law, so patrons must have the permission of the COC to take pictures of the production’s set or the stage before or during performances. Be sure to take a look at our Facebook page for official photos of our productions! 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 may 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. 54

CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY 2015/2016

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, please e-mail lostandfound@coc.ca or call 416-342-5200 for information. TICKET SERVICES Canadian Opera Company subscriptions and individual tickets are available through COC Ticket Services ONLINE: 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 greenp.com. FOUR SEASONS CENTRE FACILITY TOURS Tours of the Four Seasons Centre include backstage access! For more information, visit fourseasonscentre.ca. BMO FINANCIAL GROUP PRE-PERFORMANCE OPERA CHATS COC Education and Outreach staff and guest speakers offer free, insightful chats about the stories, music and background of all COC productions, 45 minutes prior to each performance in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. 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 fourseasonscentre.ca or call 416-342-5233.

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