Tapestry Opera announces the second year of Box Concerts, the joyful curbside concert program. The pop-up stage will tour hospitals, care homes and private residences across the GTA for 100 performances over summer and fall. 

Box Concerts returns to premiere a new one-person-show created just for this summer, featuring opera, musical theatre and brand new songs to tell a charming story of connection and belonging. 

The 2021 creative team features Canadian composer Benton Roark (TAP:EX Augmented Opera, Bandits in the Valley) and Canadian playwright Donna-Michelle St. Bernard (TAP:EX Forbidden, S.O.S. Sketch Opera Singers), who join Tapestry’s Artistic Director and Box Concerts director Michael Hidetoshi Mori. The storytelling element developed for this year’s program adds a fun and dramatic flair to the already joyful experience.

Award-winning tenor and rising Canadian opera star Asitha Tennekoon also joins the team, performing his second year as a Box Concerts soloist. 

“We were overwhelmed with the magic Box Concerts brought to Toronto communities last year” explains Mori. “We delivered 74 concerts around the city, with over 50 performed free to hospitals and care homes. This year we're delighted to be relaunching the program with the goal of reaching twice as many people, bringing the collective experiences of beauty and joy to Torontonians suffering from over a year of isolation.”

“The pandemic demanded that we find new ways to engage with artists and Canadian audiences, and Box Concerts is a prime example: working with a high-calibre artistic team on new works designed for the people of Toronto. Box Concerts are so joyful for us because creating new Canadian opera is at the heart of what we do.”

“I can’t wait to share music with communities around the city. We’re committed to sharing as much magic as possible!”

Box Concerts performs for free at care homes and hospitals across the GTA. Private residences are also able to book a Box Concert for their street; booking for the general public goes on sale May 17.

The Box Concerts set will also appear as part of Canadian Stage’s Dream in High Park program in July. For more information visit Canadian Stage’s website. 

Box Concerts runs from June 16 - September 12 2021. Private bookings for the general public go on sale May 17th, and care home bookings are on sale now. For more information on booking a subsidized or private performance visit Tapestry Opera’s website.

Photo: Asitha Tennekoon performing in one of Tapestry Opera’s Box Concerts. © 2020 Dahlia Katz.