News

March 14, 2007

Calgary Opera Announces 2007-2008 Season

Calgary AB…  On March 14 at the Calgary Opera Centre, Calgary Opera announced its 2007-2008 season highlighted by a recital by an international opera star, a new production of an old favourite, a Canadian premiere, a school and community tour of a new opera for young audiences, and a grand opera classic to close the season. 

To open our 2007-2008 season, Glynis Leyshon (Cinderella 2006) directs an all-new production of one of the world’s most beloved opera tragedies – Verdi’s Rigoletto – designed by award-winning designer Bretta Gerecke and conducted by Timothy Vernon (Pacific Opera Victoria). Returning to Calgary are Soprano Tracy Dahl (Don Pasquale 2003) in her first Gilda, Tenor David Pomeroy (Filumena 2003) as the womanizing Duke of Mantua, and Mezzo Soprano Norine Burgess (Tales of Hoffmann 2004) as Maddalena. We are pleased to welcome acclaimed Baritone Richard Paul Fink in his Calgary Opera debut as Rigoletto. Rigoletto performs at the Jubilee Auditorium on October 10, 14 & 16, 2007.

Called “a singers’ opera in that it has memorable melodies, elements of spectacle, points of national and historical interest, including musical Americana, and time-honoured charaters and plot,” The Ballad of Baby Doeis the centerpiece of our 2007-2008 season. After premiering in 1956 at the Central City Opera House, The Ballad of Baby Doe has become an American classic. Set in a silver mining town in Colorado, circa 1880, this is a story about love, power, scandal, and financial ruin. The Canadian premiere is conducted by Hal France (Music Director Orlando Philharmonic), with stage direction by Kelly Robinson (Frobisher 2007). The all-star all-Canadian cast features Soprano Valdine Anderson (Susannah 2001) in the title role, Baritone John Fanning (Frobisher 2007), Mezzo-Soprano Elizabeth Turnbull (Frobisher 2007), Bass Baritone John Avey (Turandot 2005), Mezzo-Soprano Marcia Swanston (Eugene Onegin 1996), and the members of Calgary Opera’s 2007-2008 Emerging Artist Development Program. The Ballad of Baby Doe has its Canadian premiere in Calgary January 26, 30 & February 1, 2008.

Closing the 2007-2008 season is one of the most treasured tragic operas of all time – Puccini’s Tosca. This most heartbreaking tale of love and loss is conducted by Robert Dean (Cinderella 2006) with stage direction by Michael Cavanagh (La Traviata 2003). Making her Calgary Opera debut is Canadian Soprano Michelle Capalbo as Tosca. Returning to Calgary Opera are Tenor Marc Hervieux (Frobisher 2007) as Mario and Gaetan Laperriere (Filumena 2003) as the evil Scarpia. This is a deeply emotional opera sure to hit a chord in even the most stoic individual. Tosca performs on April 19, 23 & 25, 2008.

We are thrilled that Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has selected Calgary as one of the cities in which she will sing her Farewell Tour on September 26, 2006. The illustrious Maori Soprano has achieved worldwide celebrity status and has performed in the world’s great opera houses including Covent Garden, The Royal Alberta Hall and the Metropolitan Opera. She was also chosen to sing at the marriage of HRH the Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer. Dame Kiri was last in Calgary in 2002 when she performed to a most appreciative standing-room only crowd at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

Calgary Opera is pleased to announce the eight Canadian singers participating in the second year of the Emerging Artist Development Program. Calgary Opera welcomes Sopranos Eve-Lyn de la Haye (Toronto) and Whitney-Leigh Sloan (Vancouver, BC), Mezzo-Sopranos Erin Lawson (Toronto) and Krista de Silva (Calgary born, now residing in Montreal), Tenors Graham Thomson (London) and Christopher Mayell (London), and Baritones John Conlon (Vancouver) and Benjamin Covey (Guelph). The Emerging Artists will begin the first session of their 22-week residency at Calgary Opera next October.

In spring 2008 Calgary Opera will present the world premeire of The Hannaraptor, a new one-act opera for young audiences by Allan Gilliland and Val Brandt.  Calgary Opera’s fourth world premiere in six years, The Hannaraptor will be performed by the members of the Emerging Artist Development Program in a tour of Calgary and southern Alberta schools and communities. The Hannaraptor will be directed by Mark Bellamy, Artistic Director of Vertigo Mystery Theatre.

East Village Opera is coming to Calgary as part of One Yellow Rabbit’s 22nd Annual High Performance Rodeo Friday, January 25, 2008 at the Jubilee Auditorium, co-presented by Calgary Opera; One Yellow Rabbit; and The Students' Union, University of Calgary. The East Village Opera Company - a powerhouse five-piece band, a string quartet, and two outstanding vocalists - brings the towering emotion and timeless musicality of opera into the 21st century with its inventive, hard-hitting arrangements of the music’s “greatest hits” - including “La donna è mobile” from Rigoletto, and “Habanera” from Carmen - performed at full length and in the original languages.

For more information on the East Village Opera Company visit http://www.eastvillageoperacompany.com/ .

Subscription renewals for next season are now on sale. New subscribers can place orders in April, with seats being assigned in late June.  Single performance tickets will go on sale in the fall of 2007.

For further information, please contact: Brian O'Neill, Calgary Opera 802-3409, or boneill@calgaryopera.com.