As we open the Nancy and Ed Jackman Performance Centre this week, we are proud to announce Tapestry Opera's expanded commitment to artists and collectives doing important work in the realm of new Canadian opera. This year, Artistic Residencies with Cultureland, led by artistic director and composer Afarin Mansouri and OperaQ, led by founders Camille Rogers and Ryan McDonald, will take place in our beautiful new digs at 877 Yonge St.

It's important to us that not only the work that we do but that the work that other inspired producers and creators do, can flourish!

Cultureland

As an opera collective, Cultureland aims to make new opera more accessible and to build cultural awareness and closeness by offering socially impactful new operatic productions and educational initiatives with a primary focus on equity-deserving Middle Eastern culture and communities.

"Our residency at Tapestry Opera is a transformative step for Cultureland: a safe space where voices meet, cultures intertwine, and new stories come to life through music. As a forerunner in breaking norms and bringing innovative musical storytelling to the world, Tapestry Opera provides the perfect home for us to grow, experiment, and expand our vision, where we can weave Middle Eastern poetry, music, and narratives into a dynamic artistic landscape, bridging traditions and reimagining storytelling without borders.” - Dr Afarin Mansouri - Founder, Artistic Director, Cultureland

Quest - Celebrating cultural connections for change

Quest is an operatic experience presented by Cultureland Opera Collective, celebrating our first-year residency at Tapestry Opera. This performance features scenes from Cultureland’s new and developing operas, exploring themes of identity, migration, love, and transformation.

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OperaQ

OperaQ is a Toronto-based independent opera company dedicated to amplifying queer and trans voices to offer unique perspectives on traditional narratives. The company is run as a project-based collective, allowing queer artists the autonomy to explore and share their own unique experiences of queerness.

“OperaQ is thrilled to be in residency with Tapestry Opera at the Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre! We’ve already spent some time in the beautiful ABCRA Rehearsal Studio, workshopping our current project, “La Maupin,” we look forward to rehearsing and eventually recording this piece and future exciting projects in the Performance Hall. As any performing artist will know, space is at a premium in Toronto, so this residency offers invaluable support to our creative processes!” - Camille Rogers - Co-Founder, OperaQ.