Updated September 13, 2023
Generously funded by the Government of Canada’s CanExport For Associations program, AOC will be hosting an official delegation to the Opera Europa Autumn Conference in Copenhagen/Malmö, scheduled from October 4th to 7th, 2023. This delegation was chosen from an open call to the network, which received more exciting, well-grounded proposals than ever before.
Working in collaboration with the Trade Commissioner Service and the Royal Swedish Opera, AOC will be working with our delegates to represent some of the best of Canadian opera on the global stage.
Our thanks to
- The Government of Canada
- The Embassy of Canada to the Kingdom of Denmark
- The Embassy of Canada to the Kingdom of Sweden
Introducing Our Delegates, in order of company or artist name
Canadian Opera Company (Aportia Chryptych), Sheree Spencer (Toronto, ON):
“Aportia Chryptych,” a collaborative project created by Composer: Sean Mayes with Director and Librettist HAUI and Produced by the Canadian Opera Company, in association with the Natrional Arts Centre’s National Creation Fund. Aportia Chryptych is Seeking partners for presenting and commissioning after its 2024 world premiere in Toronto.
Chants Libres, Marie-Annick Béliveau (Montréal, QC):
Chants Libres, led by Marie-Annick Béliveau, brings forth a collection of innovative projects. From the engaging blend of theatre, opera, and electroacoustic music in “AUJOURD’HUI CALLING YOU” to the exploratory “LABORATOIRE SPRINTEUSE-EURYDICE” and the emotionally resonant “HEILIGER ZORN,” They also have plans to captivate younger audiences with the immersive musical theatre for toddlers, “KOPERKUS.”
Deantha Edmunds (St. John’s, NL)
Among many other projects, Deantha Edmunds is making history with “Irngutaq,” the first opera written by an Inuk. The opera will be sung in English and Inuktitut, and it follows Lucy, an urban Inuk woman, on a journey of self-discovery through ancestral wisdom and the Northern lights. Deantha looks forward to connecting with Sami and Greenlandic artists while in the Nordic countries, to foster cross-cultural dialogue.
Edmonton Opera, Joel Ivany (Edmonton, AB)
Founded in 1963, Edmonton Opera is dedicated to producing great performances that showcase the powerful emotions of opera to our community. Each season, we challenge ourselves to present familiar favourites in imaginative new productions and feature repertoire that audiences rarely get to experience live.
les Productions du 10 avril, Nathalie Deschamps and Sylvain Cossette (Montréal, QC):
les Productions du 10 avril brings Francophone narratives and feminism to the forefront. Their touring production of Albertine en cinq temps, the opera (Michel Tremblay / Catherine Major / Collective de la Lune Rouge) will aim build on its extensive Canadian tour schedule, with additional touring spots in Europe.
Longest Night Society, Daniel Janke (Whitehorse, YK)
Longest Night Society was formed in 1995. Beginning in 2016, the society adopted a mandate to support the development of Problematic Orchestra, a semi-professional contemporary chamber orchestra based in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. This eclectic community ensemble is made up of approximately 26 musicians from a diverse musical diaspora. The ensemble presents a repertoire that crosses genres, blending the rigour of contemporary and classical music with popular music, improvisation, and a modern sensibility. Problematic Orchestra is directed by composer and writer Daniel Janke, who is also currently working in Berlin, Germany.
Opera 5, Rachel Krehm (Toronto, ON)
Opera 5 seeks out and nurtures the next generation of opera audiences through dynamic programming. We do this through educational shows for children and through our main stage theories by reaching out to people who are not established opera audiences. Our mainstage productions include commissions of new works, and exploring forgotten gems of the operatic past and fresh stagings of some of opera’s favourite works. At the heart of each production is a desire for storytelling that will spark the imagination of our audience. Our most recent web series, “Threepenny Submarine” which combines puppetry and opera is meant to introduce families to the world of opera through whimsical storytelling. Our web series Opera Cheats and Opera Cats have introduced internet audiences to opera, styles and conventions, opera plots and the music of opera.
Pacific Opera Victoria, Ian Rye (Victoria, BC):
Pacific Opera Victoria is set to expand horizons with their ambitious international market goals. Their plans include touring Indigenous Operas, such as “The Flight of the Hummingbird” and “Missing,” building global markets for Canadian Chamber Operas, and collaborating on international co-productions with renowned venues like Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. They’re also breaking new ground in media formats, with initiatives like the captivating podcast “What’s Up With Opera” and Operas for Film
re:Naissance Opera, Stephanie Wong (Vancouver, BC):
re:Naissance Opera exists to redefine the future of storytelling by placing community first, and empowering artists to co-create genre-defying performances. They are breaking boundaries with innovative creations like “Inferno,” a hip-hop opera that reimagines Dante’s Inferno with a feminist and anti-establishment twist, and “Eurydice Fragments” which combines opera and video game technologies for an immersive exploration of memories and identity.
Tapestry Opera, Jaime Martino (Toronto, ON):
Tapestry Opera is an award-winning Toronto-based company dedicated to creating, developing and producing original Canadian opera, telling resonant stories in innovative settings with extraordinary artists. Tapestry creates powerful opera that reflects and changes the world, bringing together art forms, creators, and communities to create boundary-pushing work. Founded in 1979, Tapestry is the voice of original contemporary Canadian opera.