Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Tapestry Opera has doubled down on its commitment to ensuring opera is alive and well in Toronto. Using funds awarded last year by OPERA America’s Building Opera Audiences grant, Tapestry has worked with the 10 other companies of Indie Opera T.O to launch indieoperatoronto.ca, marking a new era for independent producers in the city.
This website will promote Indie Opera T.O’s member companies to a digitally savvy demographic, inspired by a model successfully pioneered by the New York Opera Alliance. These 11 young companies are united by a goal to support one another as advocates of innovative opera and chamber music experiences, who are together building a new-generation opera scene. They include Against the Grain Theatre, Essential Opera, FAWN Chamber Creative, Liederwölfe, Loose TEA Music Theatre, MYOpera, Opera 5, re:Naissance, Tapestry Opera, The Bicycle Opera Project and Urbanvessel.
The Building Opera Audiences program, made possible by the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation, supports the efforts of North American opera companies to build informed, enthusiastic audiences for opera through innovative marketing projects. Tapestry Opera was one of nine organizations in the U.S. and Canada to receive funding totaling $300,000 USD. More than 50 applications totaling over $2.3 million in requests were received by OPERA America, demonstrating how vital audience development programs are to opera organizations today.
“Tapestry is very excited to work with 10 other companies to engage and expand new opera audiences in Toronto,” says Michael Hidetoshi Mori, Artistic Director of Tapestry Opera and Founder of Indie Opera T.O. “The young leaders of these companies are already the most dynamic innovators in promotion and presentation on tight budgets, and through this new platform their reach will be broadened significantly. On behalf of Indie Opera T.O and Tapestry Opera, I thank OPERA America for recognizing a need for change, and for empowering the independent opera scene as a vital innovator for opera in the 21st century."
“This is a huge moment for indie opera in Toronto,” say sisters Kate and Stephanie Applin, the Artistic and General Directors of MYOpera. “There is a real demand for opera in Toronto, but it can be hard to find out about all the great companies that are doing amazing, innovative things. Indie Opera T.O helps companies like ours expand our audience. Instead of these 11 companies competing for slices of a limited ‘opera pie’, Indie Opera T.O helps make the pie bigger for us all."
“The fact that so many companies are able to consistently produce in this city shows an impressively viable market for opera in Toronto,” says Opera 5 General Director, Rachel Krehm. “There is a real and growing interest in our art form, and that is something that Indie Opera T.O will nurture and build upon. The youthful energy of this movement is quickly establishing Toronto as an industry leader when it comes to attracting the next generation of opera audiences.”
The Building Opera Audiences grant program is made possible through the generosity of the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation.
About Tapestry Opera
Tapestry Opera is a Toronto-based company that creates and produces opera from the heart of here and now. For over 36 years, the company has presented award-winning works by preeminent artists, brought to life by some of the most talented and versatile performers of the contemporary stage. As Canada’s leader in opera development, Tapestry Opera is committed to cultivating new creators and performers to serve the evolution of the art form and build a lasting Canadian repertoire. Tapestry Opera alumni include Ann-Marie MacDonald, Atom Egoyan, James Rolfe, Marjorie Chan, and Nic Gotham.
2016-08-29
Toronto: Eleven Toronto opera companies join together to form a new website