City Opera of Vancouver
Encyclopedia
City Opera of Vancouver is a professional chamber opera company founded in 2005. It was the lead company in efforts to restore Vancouver's Pantages Theatre
, built by Alexander Pantages
in 1907. The 650 seat building was considered to be the oldest remaining vaudeville
theatre in Canada. It was listed on Heritage Canada
's 2009 Top Ten Most Endangered Places List and the Vancouver Heritage Register as a heritage building. Regardless of these efforts, and widespread community support in favour of its preservation, Vancouver City Council twice voted to refuse restoration and, beginning in 2011, the structure was demolished. City Opera Vancouver now uses other proscenium houses in Metro Vancouver.
, and be set at Vancouver in March 1913, the last week of Johnson's life. The libretto will be by Margaret Atwood
, and the music by Christos Hatzis. It will be premiered in late 2011, and recorded by Naxos
.
, to great success. In February 2009 and 2010, City Opera participated in Vancouver's new HomeGround Festival, featuring artists from every discipline. In May 2009, City Opera produced the first in a series of New Canadian Chamber Opera workshops. This event, with twelve guest artists and recorded on DVD, workshopped the new chamber opera Sea Change, with music by Constantine Caravasillis of Toronto, and libretto by Nora Kelly.
, with the VSO led by conductor Bramwell Tovey
. The series will continue with the release of 6 to 8 new CDs every year.
, UBC Professor of Theatre Robert Eberle, and Colin Miles of the Canadian Music Centre
. City Opera's honorary patron is Evgeny Kissin
.
's masterwork, 'The Emperor of Atlantis' ('Der Kaiser von Atlantis
'). It was attended and addressed by the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, the Honourable Steven Point. Subsequent remarks and analysis were provided by Dr Jaap Hamburger, a child of Auschwitz survivors. This chamber opera, professionally produced, was undertaken in partnership with the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. It was written at Theresienstadt in 1944, and has been recorded by Decca. All five performances sold out.
's Curlew River
. The first, drawn from the 15th C Japanese Nöh
play, starred Butoh artist Denise Fujiwara as Madwoman in a choreography by Natsu Nakajima. The second starred tenor Isaiah Bell as Madwoman, together with John Minágro, Sam Marcacinni, Joel Klein, and members of the Vancouver Cantata Singers
. It was directed by John Wright of Blackbird Theatre, with scenography by Robert Gardiner of UBC Theatre and Film. In the course of preparing this production, City Opera pioneered the use of Skype with its out-of-town artists.
It was widely reviewed: "almost unbearably beautiful" -- Globe and Mail; "magnificent" -- Opera Canada
; "magical, very enriching, captivating, mesmerizing" -- Joy Coghill; "I almost hesitate to write for fear my words of praise will be inadequate to describe last night's production. I think I should just say it was one of the most powerful, moving experiences I have ever had in the theatre, and I so admire City Opera Vancouver for its vision and courage in staging a presentation that bridged such an enormous cultural gap so successfully." -- Rosemary Cunningham, author, 'Bravo! The History of Opera in British Columbia'; "A powerful telling of the story" -- The Georgia Straight
; "What a fantastic show. A delight to see, a delight to hear." -- George Zukerman
; "Tenor Isaiah Bell as the Madwoman was breathtaking. He sustained an intensity of emotion which never toppled into hysteria. His restrained gestures, like the Madwoman’s simple, haunting curlew motif in the music, slowly built suppressed tension and let Britten’s music work its magic." -- Review Vancouver
of Los Angeles, in collaboration with its Explore organization, awarded City Opera $250,000 US to create a chamber opera based on an original story about the war in Iraq. That story was written by USMC Sergeant Christian Ellis. The new opera will be created over a period of two years, with its workshops held in Vancouver. The librettist is Heather Raffo
, of New York City, and the composer Tobin Stokes of Vancouver.
and libretto by Annie Proulx, it will be given in 2015. Its large-scale form, first commissioned by Gerard Mortier
at New York City Opera
, will be presented at Madrid's Teatro Real in 2014. One year later, re-scored by Wuorinen for chamber forces in the orchestra but otherwise identical to the Madrid version, it will be presented in Vancouver.
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/pages/City-Opera-Vancouver/297764267658?ref=ts
BLOG: http://cityoperavancouver.com/blog/
Pantages Theatre (Vancouver)
The Pantages Theatre in Vancouver, BC's Downtown Eastside neighbourhood, was built by Alexander Pantages in 1907 and was considered the oldest remaining vaudeville theatre in Canada. It was listed on Heritage Canada's 2009 Top Ten Most Endangered Places List and the Vancouver Heritage Register as a...
, built by Alexander Pantages
Alexander Pantages
Alexander Pantages was an American vaudeville and early motion picture producer and impresario who created a large and powerful circuit of theatres across the western United States and Canada.-Early life:...
in 1907. The 650 seat building was considered to be the oldest remaining vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
theatre in Canada. It was listed on Heritage Canada
Heritage Canada
The Heritage Canada Foundation , also known as Heritage Canada , is a registered charity with the mandate to encourage the protection and promotion of the built, natural, historic, and scenic heritage of Canada...
's 2009 Top Ten Most Endangered Places List and the Vancouver Heritage Register as a heritage building. Regardless of these efforts, and widespread community support in favour of its preservation, Vancouver City Council twice voted to refuse restoration and, beginning in 2011, the structure was demolished. City Opera Vancouver now uses other proscenium houses in Metro Vancouver.
Pauline
City Opera's repertoire base reaches from Monteverdi through to the music of our own time. On 11 March 2008, via satellite from Toronto and Vancouver, City Opera announced the commissioning of the chamber opera 'Pauline'. It will star Judith Forst in the role of Pauline JohnsonPauline Johnson
Emily Pauline Johnson , commonly known as E. Pauline Johnson or just Pauline Johnson, was a Canadian writer and performer popular in the late 19th century...
, and be set at Vancouver in March 1913, the last week of Johnson's life. The libretto will be by Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Eleanor Atwood, is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist. She is among the most-honoured authors of fiction in recent history; she is a winner of the Arthur C...
, and the music by Christos Hatzis. It will be premiered in late 2011, and recorded by Naxos
Naxos Records
Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
.
New Initiatives
City Opera has to date offered several lecture-demos, and recitals featuring City Opera artists, at a number of neighbourhood and service institutions. These events have been given in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 across Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, at Roedde House in the west end, at Italian Day 2010 on Commercial Drive, and in both years of the Fearless and the Homeground festivals. In November 2010 they begin a new opera recital series in Richmond, B.C. They have been broadcast widely across Vancouver Shaw Cable television systems. In October 2007 City Opera produced Canada's first Sing-Along Carmina BuranaCarmina Burana
Carmina Burana , Latin for "Songs from Beuern" , is the name given to a manuscript of 254 poems and dramatic texts mostly from the 11th or 12th century, although some are from the 13th century. The pieces were written principally in Medieval Latin; a few in Middle High German, and some with traces...
, to great success. In February 2009 and 2010, City Opera participated in Vancouver's new HomeGround Festival, featuring artists from every discipline. In May 2009, City Opera produced the first in a series of New Canadian Chamber Opera workshops. This event, with twelve guest artists and recorded on DVD, workshopped the new chamber opera Sea Change, with music by Constantine Caravasillis of Toronto, and libretto by Nora Kelly.
Canadian Classics
City Opera has created a massive recording series, Canadian Classics, a survey of Canadian art music from c. 1800 to the present. It is designed in four genres: symphonic, chamber, instrumental, and vocal / choral / operatic repertoire. A National Panel of a dozen advisors has recommended worthy Canadian repertoire, and independent projects are also being considered. Naxos, the world's largest classical label, is lead partner in this long-term endeavour. Violinist Mark Fewer, pianist Rena Sharon, the Vancouver International Song Institute, clarinetist François Houle, and other distinguished artists have agreed to join the roster of Canadian Classics. Series Manager for Canadian Classics is Raymond Bisha. Canadian Classics was officially launched at the opening season gala concert of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at that city's Orpheum Theatre on 24 September 2011. The first CD released in the new series, Fugitive Colours, featured the music of Jeffrey RyanJeffrey Ryan
Jeffrey Ryan is a Canadian composer. His compositional style ranges from opera, art song, and choral music to chamber ensemble and orchestral works. Ryan has been commissioned by the Cleveland Orchestra, the Windsor Symphony, Esprit Orchestra, Tapestry New Opera Works, the Arditti Quartet, and...
, with the VSO led by conductor Bramwell Tovey
Bramwell Tovey
Bramwell Tovey, OM is an English-born Grammy Award winning conductor and composer. His musical roots are in The Salvation Army. He was educated at Ilford County High School, the Royal Academy of Music and the University of London. His formal music education was as a pianist and composer...
. The series will continue with the release of 6 to 8 new CDs every year.
Board and Advisors
City Opera Vancouver is managed by an incorporated non-profit Board of Directors, headed by President Dr Nora Kelly, and in partnership with the Community Arts Council of Vancouver. Its artistic staff includes Conductor and Artistic Director Dr Charles Barber, (MA, DMA Stanford). Dr Greg Caisley (DMA, USC) serves as Staff Pianist. The company's musical advisors are Sir Charles MackerrasCharles Mackerras
Sir Alan Charles Maclaurin Mackerras, AC, CH, CBE was an Australian conductor. He was an authority on the operas of Janáček and Mozart, and the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan...
, UBC Professor of Theatre Robert Eberle, and Colin Miles of the Canadian Music Centre
Canadian Music Centre
The Canadian Music Centre holds Canada's largest collection of Canadian concert music. The CMC exists to promote the works of its Associate Composers in Canada and around the world....
. City Opera's honorary patron is Evgeny Kissin
Evgeny Kissin
Evgeny Igorevitch Kissin is a Russian classical pianist and former child prodigy. He has been a British citizen since 2002. He is especially known for his interpretations of the works of the Romantic repertoire, particularly Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt.-Biography:Kissin was born in Moscow to...
.
Der Kaiser von Atlantis
On 1 February 2009, City Opera gave the British Columbia premiere of Viktor UllmannViktor Ullmann
Viktor Ullmann was a Silesia-born Austrian, later Czech composer, conductor and pianist of Jewish origin.- Biography :...
's masterwork, 'The Emperor of Atlantis' ('Der Kaiser von Atlantis
Der Kaiser von Atlantis
Der Kaiser von Atlantis, oder Die Tod-Verweigerung is a one-act opera by Viktor Ullmann with a libretto by Peter Kien. Both Ullmann and Kien were inmates at the Nazi concentration camp of Theresienstadt , where they collaborated on the opera, around 1943...
'). It was attended and addressed by the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, the Honourable Steven Point. Subsequent remarks and analysis were provided by Dr Jaap Hamburger, a child of Auschwitz survivors. This chamber opera, professionally produced, was undertaken in partnership with the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. It was written at Theresienstadt in 1944, and has been recorded by Decca. All five performances sold out.
Sumidagawa & Curlew River
Opening 26 May 2010, City Opera (together with co-producers UBC Drama and Film, and Blackbird Theatre) gave the Canadian event premiere of Sumidagawa together with the opera it inspired, Benjamin BrittenBenjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
's Curlew River
Curlew River
Curlew River — A Parable for Church Performance is the first of three Church Parables by Benjamin Britten. The work is based on the Japanese noh play Sumidagawa of Juro Motomasa , which Britten saw during a visit to Japan and the Far East in early 1956...
. The first, drawn from the 15th C Japanese Nöh
Noh
, or - derived from the Sino-Japanese word for "skill" or "talent" - is a major form of classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Many characters are masked, with men playing male and female roles. Traditionally, a Noh "performance day" lasts all day and...
play, starred Butoh artist Denise Fujiwara as Madwoman in a choreography by Natsu Nakajima. The second starred tenor Isaiah Bell as Madwoman, together with John Minágro, Sam Marcacinni, Joel Klein, and members of the Vancouver Cantata Singers
Vancouver Cantata Singers
The Vancouver Cantata Singers is a semi-professional Canadian choir located in Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in 1959 by organist and conductor Hugh McLean, VCS began its life as a non-auditioned community chorus...
. It was directed by John Wright of Blackbird Theatre, with scenography by Robert Gardiner of UBC Theatre and Film. In the course of preparing this production, City Opera pioneered the use of Skype with its out-of-town artists.
It was widely reviewed: "almost unbearably beautiful" -- Globe and Mail; "magnificent" -- Opera Canada
Opera Canada
- Citations :-External links:****...
; "magical, very enriching, captivating, mesmerizing" -- Joy Coghill; "I almost hesitate to write for fear my words of praise will be inadequate to describe last night's production. I think I should just say it was one of the most powerful, moving experiences I have ever had in the theatre, and I so admire City Opera Vancouver for its vision and courage in staging a presentation that bridged such an enormous cultural gap so successfully." -- Rosemary Cunningham, author, 'Bravo! The History of Opera in British Columbia'; "A powerful telling of the story" -- The Georgia Straight
The Georgia Straight
The Georgia Straight is a free Canadian weekly news and entertainment newspaper published in Vancouver, British Columbia, by the Vancouver Free Press Publishing Corp...
; "What a fantastic show. A delight to see, a delight to hear." -- George Zukerman
George Zukerman
George Benedict Zukerman, is a Canadian bassoonist.In 1992, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 1996, he was awarded the Order of British Columbia.He is the younger brother of musicologist Joseph Kerman -References:...
; "Tenor Isaiah Bell as the Madwoman was breathtaking. He sustained an intensity of emotion which never toppled into hysteria. His restrained gestures, like the Madwoman’s simple, haunting curlew motif in the music, slowly built suppressed tension and let Britten’s music work its magic." -- Review Vancouver
Annenberg Foundation / Explore Commission
On 21 February 2011, it was announced that City Opera Vancouver was given the largest opera commission grant in Canadian history. The Annenberg FoundationAnnenberg Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation is a private foundation that provides funding and support to non-profit organizations in the United States and around the world...
of Los Angeles, in collaboration with its Explore organization, awarded City Opera $250,000 US to create a chamber opera based on an original story about the war in Iraq. That story was written by USMC Sergeant Christian Ellis. The new opera will be created over a period of two years, with its workshops held in Vancouver. The librettist is Heather Raffo
Heather Raffo
Heather Raffo is an Lucille Lortel Award-winning Iraqi American playwright and actress, best known for her leading role in the one-woman play 9 Parts of Desire.-Early life:...
, of New York City, and the composer Tobin Stokes of Vancouver.
Brokeback Mountain
The famed short story and film has been commissioned as an opera. On 28 April 2011, City Opera Vancouver announced that it has secured the rights to the world premiere of its chamber version. With music by Charles WuorinenCharles Wuorinen
Charles Peter Wuorinen is a prolific Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer born and living in New York City. His catalog of more than 250 compositions includes works for orchestra, opera, chamber music, as well as solo instrumental and vocal works...
and libretto by Annie Proulx, it will be given in 2015. Its large-scale form, first commissioned by Gerard Mortier
Gérard Mortier
Gerard Alfons August, Baron Mortier is a Belgian opera director and administrator of Flemish origin.Mortier has served as general director of La Monnaie and of the Salzburg Festival...
at New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
, will be presented at Madrid's Teatro Real in 2014. One year later, re-scored by Wuorinen for chamber forces in the orchestra but otherwise identical to the Madrid version, it will be presented in Vancouver.
City Opera Vancouver Online
WEBSITE: www.cityoperavancouver.comFACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/pages/City-Opera-Vancouver/297764267658?ref=ts
BLOG: http://cityoperavancouver.com/blog/