New Work Development

Under the artistic leadership of General Director & CEO W.R. (Bob) McPhee, Calgary Opera has shown a strong commitment to developing new works, building new productions, and developing the next generation of Canadian artists. Over the past nine seasons, Calgary Opera has presented four world premieres, with a fifth in this upcoming season, three Canadian premieres, and many company premieres.

On the horizon, in the winter of 2012, Calgary Opera will present Moby-Dick, a new opera from composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Sheer that premiered in Dallas on April 30, 2010.  This new opera creation has been made possible by the five co-commissioning opera companies, Dallas Opera, San Diego Opera, San Francisco Opera and the State Opera of South Australia. 

Moby-Dick Reviews:

New York Times

The Star (Toronto)

The Dallas News

The fourth workshop for The Inventor took place at the Arrata Opera Centre June 16 - 27, 2009.

This past season, Calgary Opera presented The Inventor, a new full-length opera by Bramwell Tovey and John Murrell premiered in the winter of 2011. Calgary Opera's fifth commission and third full-length opera, The Inventor, tells the story of Sandy Keith, the black sheep nephew of the famous Nova Scotian brewer Alexander Keith.  Sandy Keith lived many lives, that of a brewer, politician, good Samaritan, conman, husband to two different women, and… a terrorist?  The Inventor explores these mysteries of Sandy Keith’s life, relating the story of a quintessential conman in words and music as lively and intriguing as Keith and the times in which he lived. The Inventor was the centrepiece of the 2010-2011 season.

World Premieres to Date

Jon-Paul Décosse and Lauren Segal in the 2004 School Tour of Turtle Wakes. Photo by Trudie Lee.

Calgary Opera’s first commission was Turtle Wakes, a one-act opera for young audiences by Allan Gordon Bell and Rick McNair, which had its world premiere in Calgary in February 2001. The production of Turtle Wakes was revived in February 2005 for a public performance and a subsequent four-week tour of Calgary and southern Alberta schools and communities.

Laura Whalen in the title role of Filumena (2003). Photo by Trudie Lee.

Filumena was Calgary Opera’s second commission and first full-length mainstage opera. Co-commissioned by Calgary Opera and The Banff Centre, Filumena featured an all-Canadian cast and production team. The opera received its world premiere in Calgary in January 2003, followed by a remount at the 2003 Banff Summer Arts Festival. Since then Filumena has been staged at Alberta Scene at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa (2005), The Banff Centre (2005), and Edmonton Opera (2005) as the opening production of the newly renovated Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. The Calgary Opera production was broadcast twice on CBC Radio Two's Saturday Afternoon at the Opera and the Edmonton Opera production was broadcast on CBC television’s Opening Night.

Laura Whalen & Marc Hervieux in the world premiere of Frobisher (2007). Photo by Trudie Lee.

During the 2006-2007 season, Calgary Opera presented the world premiere of another full-length opera by John Estacio and John Murrell: Frobisher, which was co-commissioned and co-produced by Calgary Opera and The Banff Centre. Frobisher had its world premiere on January 27, 31 and February 2 as the centerpiece of the Calgary Opera 2006-2007 season.

Calgary Opera’s fourth commission and second one-act opera for young audiences is Hannaraptor. Set against the backdrop of the Alberta Badlands, it tells the story of a girl whose determination to protect a beloved dinosaur skeleton propels her into a life-and-death struggle. Hannaraptor received its world premiere on April 5, 2008, performed by the singers in the Emerging Artist Development Program followed by four weeks of school performances in Calgary and southern Alberta.

Christopher Mayell and Whitney Leigh Sloan in the world premiere of Hannaraptor (2008). Photo by Trudie Lee.

Calgary Opera is also a partner with The Dallas Opera, San Diego Opera, and San Francisco Opera in the new co-commission and co-production of a brand new work based on a landmark of the 19th century American fiction: Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer. Moby-Dick had its world premiere in Dallas on April 30, 2010 in the Inaugural Season in the much-anticipated Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts. Calgary Opera will present its Canadian premiere in January 2012.

With the company setting its sights on presenting its fifth commission over the next four seasons, Calgary Opera is taking a leadership role in commissioning and producing new works. No major Canadian opera company has produced as many new commissions in so short a time period. The presentation and creation of new repertoire is vital to the future of opera and it is equally important to keep looking for the next Verdi or Puccini of our time.

“Calgary Opera has become the Canadian leader in presenting Canadian and World premieres of new opera.” – Joseph So, La Scena Musicale