Stage Door News
Stage Door News
From its inception in 1978, the VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert Chorus has been one of the pre-imminent choral ensembles in Toronto. Robert Cooper, C.M. was the founder and throughout the last four decades has led the choir in dozens of operas, himself conducting the Gala Russian Programme, CENDRILLON, SAMSON ET DALILA, DER FREISCHÜTZ, LE CID and HAMLET. For the choir’s 40th Anniversary, VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert celebrates this amazing ensemble with CHORUS FIRE and features two former chorus members as soloists: Isabel Bayrakdarian and Russell Braun, now international opera stars. They will be onstage with the choir as soloists in a stirring program of choral highlights drawn from the company’s vast repertoire. “We are proud of our choral tradition,” commented General Director Silva-Marin, “and are delighted to pay tribute to the choral art with this special presentation.” On Sunday, October 29 at 2:30 pm, opera fans and choral aficionados can look forward to a feast drawn from such works as LA CLEMENZA DI TITO, MIGNON, LA VIDA BREVE, HAMLET, WERTHER, STREET SCENE and NABUCCO with Narmina Afandiyeva as pianist and Elena La Comadre as special Dance guest, all under the direction of Robert Cooper.
The season continues on Sunday, November 26 with RODELINDA by George Frideric Handel with Larry Beckwith conducting the orchestra and cast. One of Handel’s best-known operas, RODELINDA requires dazzling bravura displays from its principal artists and a stellar cast has been assembled. VOICEBOX: Opera in Concerts welcomes soprano Christina Raphaëlle Haldane, tenor Charles Sy, Alexander Dobson and returning countertenor David Trudgen.
Saverio Mercadante’s I DUE FIGARO follows on Sunday, February 4. The score was rediscovered in 2009 and VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert presents its North American Premiere. Debuting Beste Kalender, recipient of the first Stuart Hamilton Memorial Award for Emerging Artists, stars, joined by debutantes Ilana Zarankin and Holly Chaplin, with Nicholas Borg. Narmina Afandiyeva is Pianist and Music Director with Robert Cooper and the OIC Chorus.
The season concludes with the World Premiere of Victor Davies’ opera, THE ECSTASY OF RITA JOE on Saturday, March 24 at 8 pm and Sunday, March 25 at 2:30 pm. The work is based on the iconic play by George Ryga and features a cast of Indigenous artists starring Marion Newman, Everett Morrison, Michelle Lafferty and Evan Korbut, who also receives one of this year’s Stuart Hamilton Awards for Emerging Artists. Robert Cooper conducts the cast, chorus and orchestra.
Opera in Concert is supported by the Jackman Foundation, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council and Classical 96.3 FM. Subscriptions and single tickets are available from the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 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 performances, except the opening performance of the world premiere of THE ECSTASY OF RITA JOE, are on Sunday afternoons at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts at 2:30 pm.
2017-09-28
Toronto: Voicebox:Opera in Concert launches its 2017/18 season October 29 with "Chorus Fire"