Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Toronto’s opera fans are used to surprises from VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert and the 2015-2016 season promises to be the most adventurous yet! ISIS AND OSIRIS, a new work by award winning composer Peter Anthony Togni to a libretto by Sharon Singer; PRINCE IGOR, Borodin’s sprawling Russian epic and Salieri’s FALSTAFF, based on ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ are the operas chosen for this season by General Director Guillermo Silva-Marin. “Once again” remarked Silva-Marin, “our patrons will enjoy a unique lineup of works for the lyric stage”.
The season opens on Sunday, November 22, 2015 with Borodin’s masterpiece, PRINCE IGOR. The grandly conceived work depicts Igor’s heroic defense of the homeland, which has come under attack by the fearsome Polovtsi. Geoffrey Sirett sings the title role and he is joined by debuting Natalya Matyusheva, Deanna Pauletto and Andrey Andreychik. Also in the cast are Adam Fisher and Giles Tomkins. The esteemed VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert Chorus under Robert Cooper will give voice to the justly famed Polovtsian bacchanal in the second act, all under the guidance of pianist and music director Narmina Afandiyeva.
On Sunday, February 7, 2016, Kevin Mallon helms the Canadian Premiere of Salieri’s FALSTAFF. Known mainly as Mozart’s rival, Salieri was one of the most popular opera composers of his day and FALSTAFF is recognized as one of the very first operas based on a work by William Shakespeare. The cast includes Allison Angelo and Colin Ainsworth joining the Aradia Ensemble and VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert Chorus.
The season closes on April 1 and 3, 2016 with two performances of the World Premiere of ISIS AND OSIRIS by Peter Anthony Togni to a libretto by Sharon Singer. In development for three years, Togni and Singer breathe life into the ancient Egyptian myth of the creation of the world, a world where darkness and light, love, betrayal, envy and selfless devotion are vividly dramatized by Togni’s unique sound palette. Robert Cooper conducts the orchestra, chorus and cast which include Lucia Cesaroni, Julie Nesrallah, Ernesto Ramirez and Michael Nyby.
Opera in Concert is supported by the Jackman Foundation, Nancy’s Very Own Foundation, Strategic Charitable Giving Foundation, and Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council. Single tickets are available from the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts Box Office, 27 Front St. East, by phone 416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754 or online at www.stlc.com. The theatre is wheelchair accessible and close to public transit and municipal parking. All Sunday performances are at 2:30 pm at the St. Lawrence Centre. The premiere of ISIS and OSIRIS is on Friday night, April 1, 2016 at 8 pm.
Illustration: Isis (seated) with Osiris (in white) from the Egyptian Book of the Dead (c. 1375bc).
2015-09-17
Toronto: VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert presents the New, the Revisited and the Totally Unknown