About Tapestry

Tapestry New Opera is an international home for creators, developers and performers of new opera:  all collaborators in telling stories that surprise, thrill and move audiences.

Tapestry’s development process is an illustration of the uniquely collaborative art form that is new opera. Writers and composers, directors and designers, singers and musicians all play a valuable role in the shaping of the new work – both musically and dramatically. Unlike traditional opera, the characters have never before been realized on stage; the notes have never been played or sung. Composers interact with their singers and musicians, actors pose questions to the writers. Both creative and performing artists inspire the best from each other, from the first germ of an idea up to opening night. They are guided through this process by Tapestry’s Managing Artistic Director Wayne Strongman, who has premiered over 30 new works of opera/music theatre by Canadian writers and composers.

Tapestry’s partnerships extend beyond our borders. Our deepening relationship with the Manhattan School of Music bore fruit when Elijah’s Kite, an opera for young people by James Rolfe and Camyar Chai, became one of only a handful of Canadian operas ever to premiere in New York City. In 2009, Tapestry became one of the first recipients of the INCUBATE award at the Toronto Arts Council and 2 composers and 1 writers from the UK (via Scottish Opera’s 5:15 programme) as part of the first International LibLab, with scenes presented atOpera Briefs.