For the first time ever, the Canadian Opera Company is inviting audiences to view some of its most beloved productions through a new, limited-time series, From the Vault. Every Thursday through the spring and summer, the company is releasing one full-length archival recording of a COC performance, beginning with its 2017 staging of R. Strauss’ Arabella. This presentation was the first production of Arabella in Canadian history and starred Erin Wall, Jane Archibald, and Tomasz Konieczny, with Patrick Lange at the podium.

“Nothing can replace the energy of live performance,” says COC General Director Alexander Neef. “Rather than attempting to reproduce that experience, we wanted to offer something different: the rare opportunity to see our operas from a completely unique perspective – that of our production teams.”

Archival recordings are not typically shared with the public. Instead, they are important industry resources that document the technical and creative elements of a production. The COC’s archival videos are recorded from the back of R. Fraser Elliott Hall and serve as a reference tool as teams assess the final look and feel of various set pieces, costumes, and staging.

“We’re very grateful for the support of our theatrical unions and artistic collaborators in making these videos available,” adds Neef. “We hope our audiences enjoy this look behind the scenes as a token of our appreciation for their incredible support over the years and, especially, in recent months.”

Arabella is now available for viewing online at www.coc.ca until Wednesday, May 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET and opera lovers can sign up there to have each new video link delivered straight to their inbox.

Further programming will be announced each week at www.coc.ca and with alerts across the company’s Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.

For more virtual opera content, visit the COC’s Digital Content Hub at www.coc.ca – home to the company’s entire #OperaAtHome performance series, as well as a number of exciting online music programs and videos.

Visit the COC Vault.

Photo: Erin Wall as Arabella. © 2017 Michael Cooper.