Production History
Opera to Go 2010
(A revival of some of our favourite short works)
Director: Tom Diamond
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set & Costume Design: Julia Tribe
Lighting Design: Kimberly Purtell
Cast: Xin Wang, Krisztina Szabó, Keith Klassen, Peter McGillivray
Librettists: Jill Battson, Mark Brownell, Camyar Chai, Lisa Codrington, Krista Dalby, Michael Lewis MacLennan
Composers: Chan Ka Nin, Kevin Morse, James Rolfe, Jeffrey Ryan, Andrew Staniland, Anthony Young
5 live short operas and one short opera film – some of our favourite short works – revived as part of our 30th Anniversary celebratory season March 24-26, 2010 in the Fermenting Cellar, Distillery Historic District.
The Shadow
by Alex Poch-Goldin & Omar Daniel
(World Premiere 2009)
Director: Tom Diamond
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set & Costume Design: Camellia Koo
Lighting Design: Robert Thomson
Cast: Carla Huhtanen, Peter McGillivray, Scott Belluz, Keith Klassen & Theodore Baerg
One-act opera of intrigue, desire and deception featuring a countertenor in the title role; premiered at the Berkeley Street Theatre, Downstairs in May 2009.
Get Stuffed
by Alexis Diamond & Richard Payne
Director: Emma Tibaldo
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set & Costume Design: Beth Kates
A new opera for children that’s good enough to eat! Promoting healthy food choices, this one act opera is written for 5 singers and 2 musicians. Has toured to over 10,000 students in Ontario. Developed with Words in Motion and the Canadian Diabetes Association; world premiere in April 2009 with The Honourable Margarett Best, Minister of Health Promotion.
Opera to Go 2009
(World Premiere 2009)
Director: Tom Diamond
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set & Costume Design: Julia Tribe
Associate Set & Costume Design: Jung-Hye Kim
Lighting Design: Kimberly Purtell
Cast: Sally Dibblee, Krisztina Szabó, Keith Klassen, Peter McGillivray
Librettists: Alexis Diamond, Taylor Graham, Marcia Johnson, Sandy Pool
Composers: Glenn James, Abigail Richardson,William Rowson, Stephen Andrew Taylor
4 new works commissioned in 2007/08 and premiered in Toronto March 27-29, 2009 at the Enwave Theatre, Harbourfront Centre; 3 Dora Award nominations for Outstanding New Opera/Musical and 1 for Music Direction.
Sanctuary Song
by Agibail Richardson & Marjorie Chan
(World Premiere 2008)
Director: Lynda Hill
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set & Costume Design: Kelly Wolf
Lighting Design: Andrea Lundy
Video Design: Luisa Quintavalle
Choreography: Viv Moore
Cast: Xin Wang, Alvin Crawford, Sharmila Dey, Frank Cox-O’Connell
An opera for all ages commissioned by Theatre Direct, developed in partnership with Tapestry and presented as part of Luminato, Toronto’s Festival of Arts & Creativity. Winner of Outstanding New Opera/Musical at the 2009 Dora-Mavor Moore Awards.
The Perfect Match (film)
by Krista Dalby & Anthony Young (premiered at Opera to Go, 2008)
Director: Tom Diamond
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Design: Julia Tribe /
Producers: Wayne Strongman, Susan Worthington, Isabel Gomez-Moriana
Cast: Keith Klassen & Peter McGillivray (voice) / Marty Stelnick & Todd Doldersum (puppeteers)
5-minute operatic film produced with funding from Bravo!FACT
Screened at St. Louis, Santa Barbara and Miami Short Film Festival where it was nominated for Best Experimental Film.
Watch The Perfect Match here.
Opera to Go 2008
(World Premiere 2008)
Director: Tom Diamond
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set & Costume Design: Julia Tribe
Lighting Design: Elizabeth Asselstine
Cast: Carla Huhtanen, Keith Klassen, Jessica Lloyd, Calvin Powell
Librettists: Leanna Brodie, Dave Carley, Anna Chatterton, Lisa Codrington, Krista Dalby
Composers: Craig Galbraith, Kevin Morse, David Ogborn, Andrew Staniland, Anthony Young
7 new works commissioned in 2006/07, including a Bravo!FACT film
Presented in Association with Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage
Elijah’s Kite
by James Rolfe & Camyar Chai
(Ontario Tour, Oct 2007 & April 2008)
Director: Michael Clipperton
Music Director: Susan Suchard
Set & Costume Design: Julia Tribe
Cast: Jessica Lloyd, Neema Bickersteth, Jennifer Rasor, James McLennan/Cory Knight, Calvin Powell
Recorded for Broadcast on CBC Radio 2
Produced by Pacific Opera Victoria’s Young Company for touring on Vancouver Island in May 2008
Nigredo Hotel
by Nic Gotham & Ann-Marie MacDonald
(Remount, 2006)
Director: Banuta Rubess
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set Design: Jerrard Smith
Costume Design: Diana Smith
Lighting Design: Paul Mathiesen
Cast: Alexander Dobson & Patricia O’Callaghan
Algoma Fall Festival, Sault Ste. Marie, Nov 2, 2006
Elijah’s Kite
by James Rolfe & Camyar Chai
(Canadian Première & Tour, Oct/Nov 2006)
Director: Michael Clipperton
Music Director: Alexander Cann
Set & Costume Design: Julia Tribe
Cast: Jessica Lloyd, Neema Bickersteth; Jennifer Rasor; James McLennan; Giles Tomkins
Canadian Premiere at Rideau Hall, Ottawa, Oct 30, 2006
Five week tour to schools & theatres in Ontario
Elijah’s Kite
by James Rolfe & Camyar Chai
(World Première, April 2006)
Director: Gordon Ostrowski
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Developed in partnership with the Manhattan School of Music (NYC) and performed by students of the MSM Opera Studio
Toured to schools in Spanish Harlem, NYC
Opera to Go 2006
(World Première, 2006)
Director: Tom Diamond
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set & Costume Design: Julia Tribe
Lighting Design: Elizabeth Asselstine
Cast: Carla Huhtanen, Keith Klassen, Jessica Lloyd & Calvin Powell
Librettists: Jill Battson, Dave Deveau, Joseph Maviglia, Colleen Murphy, Betty Jane Wylie
Composers: Rose Bolton, Darren Fung, Aaron Gervais, Richard Payne, Andrew Staniland
Six new works commissioned in 2005/2006 and premiered at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, March 1-17, 2006
Nigredo Hotel
by Nic Gotham & Ann-Marie MacDonald
(Remount, 2005)
Director: Banuta Rubess
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set Design: Jerrard Smith
Costume Design: Diana Smith
Lighting Design: Paul Mathiesen
Cast: Alexander Dobson & Patricia O’Callaghan
25th Anniversary Season – in the Fermenting Cellar, Distillery Historic District, May 5-15, 2005
Opera to Go 2004
(World Première, 2004)
Director: Banuta Rubess
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set Design: Teresa Przysbylski
Costume Design: Angela Thomas
Lighting Design: Steve Ross
Cast: Ian Funk, Martin Houtman, Tamara Hummel, Lynne McMurtry & Xin Wang
Five new works commissioned in 2003 and premiered on four stages in the Fermenting Cellar, Distillery Historic District, April 1-7, 2004
Facing South
by Linda Catlin Smith & Don Hannah
(World Première, 2003)
Director: Joanna McIntyre
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set & Costume Designer: Dany Lyne
Lighting Designer: Pierre Lavoie
Movement Design: Claudia Moore
Cast: Jean Stilwell, Sung Taek Chung, Gregory Dahl & James Martin
Staged as an “environmental” piece at a converted factory, Cherry Beach Sound
Nominated for Best Production of an Opera – 2003 Dora Mavor Moore Awards
Opera To Go 2002
4 Bite-Sized Operas
(World Première 2002)
Director: Banuta Rubess
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set & Costume Design: Ieva Jurjane
Lighting Design: Paul Mathiesen
Cast: Peter Blanchet, Rebecca Hass, Steven Pitkanen & Laura Whalen
Four new works commissioned in 2001 and premiered at the Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto, in April, 2002
Iron Road
by Mark Brownell & Chan Ka Nin
(World Première 2001)
Director: Tom Diamond
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set & Costume Design: Dany Lyne
Lighting Design: Bonnie Beecher
Choreographer: Xing Bang Fu
Principal Cast: Grace Chan, Stuart Howe, Zhuge Zeng & Zheng Zhou
Total audience of 8,110 in 9 performances in Toronto, April 2001
Nominated for 9 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, winner of Outstanding New Musical
Cast of 40 singers and dancers, orchestra of 40 players including traditional Chinese instruments
Elsewhereless
by Atom Egoyan & Rodney Sharman
(World Première 1998)
Director: Atom Egoyan
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set & Costume Design: Philip Barker
Lighting Design: Paul Mathiesen
Cast: Benoit Boutet, Willy Grenzberg, Fides Krucker, Marcus Nance & Curtis Sullivan
Total audience across three cities: 9,202
Nominated for 6 Dora Mavor Moore Awards
Passion
by Stephen Sondheim
(Canadian Première 1997)
Director: Jordan Merkur
Set & Costume Design: Astrid Jansen
Lighting Design: Paul Mathiesen
Produced in partnership with the Canadian Stage Company to an audience of 22,000 people over the course of a 4 week run at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts
Nominated for one Dora Mavor Moore Award
Still The Night
by Theresa Tova (World Première 1996)
Director: Tom Diamond
Music Director: Alan Moon
Set & Costume Design: Mary Kerr
Lighting Design: Elizabeth Asselstine
Seen by over 35,000 people in six cities nationally
The play was nominated for a 1999 Governor General’s Award for Literature
Played to 6,000 people in a held-over Toronto run
Canadian tour for 1998/99 included Calgary, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Toronto, Ottawa & Montreal
Winner of 4 Dora Mavor Moore Awards including Best Production & Best New Musical
No No Miya
by Rudolph Komorous
(Toronto Première 1995)
Director: Billie Bridgman
Music Director: Wayne Strongman
Set & Costume Design: Julia Tribe
Lighting Design: Steve Ross
Cast: Judith Forst, John Fanning
Toronto Premiere featured at Today’s Japan Festival at Harbourfront
Nigredo Hotel
by Nic Gotham & Ann-Marie MacDonald
(World Première 1992)
Director: Banuta Rubess
Set & Costume Design: Jerrard Smith & Diana Smith
Lighting Design: Paul Mathiesen
Two popularly received and critically acclaimed Toronto runs & performances in Vancouver and Victoria, B.C.
Broadcast nationally on CBC Radio
Performed at the Brighten and Glasgow Festivals in Britain
Winner of 2 Dora Mavor Moore Awards
Nominated for Chalmers Best Play of the Year Award
