Who We Are
Tapestry is dedicated to the creation, development and performance of new opera through its unique and highly collaborative work process. Under the leadership of Founding and Managing Artistic Director Wayne Strongman, Tapestry engages artists and audiences on subjects relevant to contemporary society. Beginning with writers and composers, Tapestry provides guidance, direction and resources for the creation of new opera, from idea to stage. In the Tapestry New Work Studio we encourage exploration and discovery in a complex and inclusive art form, and promote dialogue among creative artists, directors, performers, designers, funders and audiences.
Founded as an eight-voice ensemble in 1979, the Tapestry Singers toured extensively and presented an annual series of staged contemporary vaudevilles. The performing company transformed into Tapestry Music Theatre in 1986, marking the end of the resident ensemble and reflecting a growing emphasis on new work development and production. In 1999, in its 20th anniversary season, the company evolved further to Tapestry new opera works, acknowledging the art form that most consumed the creative artists with whom we were working. The company’s increasingly collaborative nature, with partners inside and beyond our new work studio, is reflected by its current operating name, Tapestry.
In 2003, the company moved to its first permanent home, with offices adjacent to our New Work Studio at the Distillery Historic District. The Ernest Balmer Studio was named for our past Vice-President and lead individual donor. The New Work Studio Company was introduced in 2007 as a resource to develop new work and to interpret the new vocabulary that is contemporary opera to our audiences. Over a 28 year history, Tapestry productions have premiered to critical and popular acclaim and toured extensively, including:
Nigredo Hotel
(Nic Gotham/Ann-Marie MacDonald); Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria
Still the Night
(Theresa Tova); Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Winnipeg
Elsewhereless
(Rodney Sharman/Atom Egoyan); Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver
Iron Road
(Chan Ka Nin/Mark Brownell); bilingual Cantonese-English; Toronto
Facing South
(Linda Catlin Smith/Don Hannah); Toronto
Constantinople
(Christos Hatzis): a co-production with The Gryphon Trio, Music Toronto and Banff Centre; National Tours; Covent Garden
Elijah’s Kite
(James Rolfe/Camyar Chai) premiered at the Manhattan School of Music; Canadian premiere at Rideau Hall
The annual Composer-Librettist Laboratory (LIBLAB), begun in 1996, is a white hot introduction of four writers to four composers to discover the collaborative art form of opera: we receive over 40 applications from around the world each year. Scenes developed at the LIBLAB are given modest production values in the programme Opera Briefs. The next step for creative teams to develop their craft is to develop a fifteen minute work in the New Work Studio with full access to workshop development process and the collaborative process of full production. Now in its fourth iteration, Opera to Go, the unique production of short operas, has become integral to Tapestry’s annual programming. Having completed their Tapestry “curriculum studies”, successful teams are supported through intensive development and ultimate production of a full length work. Often the first step is a one-act opera of one hour’s duration, developed and produced by Tapestry with a partner organization.
Through the INside Opera Education Programme, Tapestry offers creative workshops for students to discover their own stories and engage in the creation of opera.
Tapestry is a leader in the arts community: an active member of Opera.ca and OPERA America, and a proud founding member of Creative Trust: Working Capital for the Arts. Tapestry is also a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) and the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), and employs professional artists who are members of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association and musicians who are members of the American Federation of Musicians.
Photo: Jessica Lloyd & Keith Klassen in Netsuke
from Opera to Go 2006. (c) Michael Cooper