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Biographies
KINZA TYRRELL | MUSIC DIRECTOR/PIANIST
Kinza is the Principal Répétiteur and Music Director of Vancouver Opera In Schools at Vancouver Opera. She has also been on the music faculty at the Canadian Opera Company, has worked as Conductor, Assistant Conductor and Senior Répétiteur at Opera Nuova in Edmonton and the Opera As Theatre Program at the Banff Centre, and has held conducting and teaching positions at the University of Victoria, Vancouver Summer Opera Studio, Center for Opera Studies (COSI) in Sulmona Italy, Opera Kelowna, the Vancouver International Song Institute (VISI) and the Charlie Creek Vocal Workshop in Wabash, Indiana.
A much sought after vocal coach, accompanist and répétiteur, Kinza has shared recital stages with many renowned singers, including Richard Margison, Erin Wall, Benjamin Butterfield, Daniel Taylor, and Measha Brueggergosman.
Kinza received her Doctorate in piano and vocal coaching from McGill University under the tutelage of Michael McMahon, and studied at the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Graz, the International Mozarteum Summer Academy in Salzburg, the Tanglewood Music Festival and the Merola Opera Program.
RACHEL PEAKE | DIRECTOR
Originally from Saskatchewan, Rachel is a freelance director and dramaturge of theatre and opera. From 2017 to 2020 she led the Citadel's New Play Development initiatives as Associate Artistic Director of the Citadel Theatre. In June 2017 she won the Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Direction for her work on Green Lake, produced by Solo Collective Theatre, which also received a Jessie nomination for Outstanding Production.
Rachel recently directed The Garneau Block for the Citadel Theatre and The Marriage of Figaro for Edmonton Opera. Rachel directed and dramaturged Hyperlink for The Elbow, which was nominated for Critic's Choice in Innovation at the 2018 Jessie Awards. Recent directorial credits also include La Cenerentola and The Marriage of Figaro for Vancouver Opera, A Christmas Carol for Gateway Theatre, and Angels in America: Part One for Studio 58.
Rachel interned at the Komische Oper in Berlin, at Stratford's Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Direction, at the Shaw Festival's Neil Munro Directing Internship. Rachel is a graduate of the University of Alberta and Studio 58.
MIREILLE LEBEL | WOMAN/ELLE
Berlin based, Canadian mezzo−soprano Mireille Lebel grew up in Vancouver and studied music at the University of Toronto and the University of Montreal. She was awarded major grants by the Canada Council and the Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation and furthered her artistic training as a member of the Atelier Lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal. She is now making critically successful debuts with opera companies and orchestras in Europe and North America.
The 2019/2020 season saw Mireille make role debuts as Nicklausse in Les contes d'Hoffmann in Dessau, and in the title role of Vivaldi's Arsilda at the Rudolfinum in Prague with Vaclav Luks and Collegium 1704. She made her Italian debut in the Paul-Émile Fourny production of Carmen. This season sees the release of the disc Vienna 1905-1910 with the Richter Ensemble on Passacaille where she sings Schoenberg's 2nd String Quartet. She can also be heard in recital with Early Music Vancouver and the Société d'art Vocal in Montreal. Next season's projects include a return to the role of Nerone in an unusual new production of L’incoronazione di Poppea at Columbus Opera directed and conceived by Artistic Director Peggy Kriha-Dye, as well as Idamante in Idomeneo at Opera-Theatre de Metz.
VO audiences last saw Mireille shine in the role of Siébel in the 2019 VOF production of Faust.
AMIR OFEK | SET & COSTUME DESIGNER
Amir was born and raised in Israel. He graduated from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design (BAhons Theatre Design) and Brandeis University (MFA Theatre Arts).
He designed for productions in London, Tel-Aviv, Boston, Waltham (MA) and Durham (NC) where he worked as the resident set and costume designer and guest lecturer in theatre design for Duke University Department of Theatre Studies.
Since immigrating to Vancouver, Amir has been designing productions for the Arts Club Theatre Company, Bard on the Beach, Chemainus Theatre Festival, Western Canada Theatre, The Search Party and other local independent theatre companies. Amir recently taught an advanced set design class for UBC department of Theatre and Film.
Amir garnered seven Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards nominations and awards for Outstanding Set Design for the Arts Club Theatre Company production of Boeing Boeing (2013), and Outstanding Set Design for The Search Party production of The Father (2019).
BIOGRAPHIES
THERESA TSANG | STAGE MANAGER
In her over 20 seasons with Vancouver Opera’s Stage Management Department, Theresa Tsang has helped to bring over 80 productions to the stage including Lillian Alling, Evita, Madama Butterfly, L’Elisir d’amore, and Faust. Beyond VO, Theresa has also stage managed for such companies as Pacific Opera Victoria, Banff Centre, UBC’s Opera Department, Wexford Festival Opera in Ireland, and Garsington Opera in the UK on such productions as The Tempest, Kopernikus, Louis Riel, The Skating Rink (World Premiere), Dinner at Eight (European Premiere), and The Turn of the Screw.
Theresa has also contributed to many critically acclaimed shows including the double Irish Times Theatre Award winning production of Kevin Puts’s Silent Night, and the International Opera Award winning production of Guglielmo Ratcliff, both for Wexford Festival Opera in Ireland. She has also received recognition from the Stage Management Association in London, England for her work with WFO. Theresa is a graduate of UBC’s Technical Theatre and Design Programme.
JEREMY BAXTER | LIGHTING DESIGNER
Jeremy has worked in Vancouver’s arts community for the past 25 years—mostly as a technical director and lighting designer. He is currently the Technical Director for: Théâtre La Seizième, PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, Vancouver International Children’s Festival, Vancouver Folk Music Festival, and Vancouver International Dance Festival.
He has designed lights for numerous theatre and dance productions (most recently with Théâtre La Seizième, EDAM Dance and Circadia Indigena) and has been the Lighting Designer for the UBC Opera Ensemble for 25 seasons (more than 70 opera productions at the Chan Centre Concert Hall, the Old Auditorium and other venues around BC). Jeremy is also a cofounder and artistic staff member of Some Assembly Arts Society which focuses on producing original theatre productions written and performed by youth.
PARVIN MIRHADY | HEAD OF COSTUMES
Parvin has been Head of Costumes with Vancouver Opera since 2002. In addition to her work as Head of Costumes she has been the Costume Designer and Costume Design Consultant on several of Vancouver Opera’s productions including Costume Design for the critically acclaimed Nixon in China, The Barber of Seville and Dark Sisters. Parvin has worked with UBC Opera Ensemble as Costume Designer on many productions including Pasazerka (The Passenger) and Silent Night. In addition to her work in opera and theatre Parvin has worked extensively in the film industry. She is a successful businessperson having made and designed her own line of clothing.
VANCOUVER OPERA OFFSTAGE
