COC's October Listings

OPERA

Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

10 performances: October 8, 11, 15, 20, 23, 28 and 31, 2008 at 7:30 p.m., October 5 and 26

at 2 p.m., and October 18 at 4:30 p.m.

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

145 Queen St. W. (at University Avenue)

The COC’s 2008/09 season opens with a revival of Mozart’s timeless masterpiece Don Giovanni, a comic drama in its most perfect form. It’s a wry and insightful portrait of literature’s most famous womanizer, his victims and nemeses. Every page of Mozart’s score seethes with music of passion, wit and elegance.

The production features a largely Canadian cast led by baritone Brett Polegato as the notorious lover and COC favourite Robert Pomakov as Leporello, Don Giovanni’s faithful servant. COC Ensemble Studio graduate Jessica Muirhead returns to sing Donna Anna, a victim of Don Giovanni’s forced advances and tenor Gordon Gietz sings the role of Donna Anna’s fiancé, Don Ottavio. American soprano Julie Makerov is Donna Elvira, one of Don Giovanni’s conquests, while former Ensemble soprano Virginia Hatfield is Zerlina, a peasant girl who becomes Don Giovanni’s latest exploit.

Tickets for Don Giovanni go on sale August 25, 2008. Single tickets are $60 – $290 (specially priced $20 tickets for young people under the age of 30 go on sale September 27, 2008) and are available online at www.coc.ca, by calling COC Ticket Services at 416-363-8231, or in person at the

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Box Office, 145 Queen St. W., Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Don Giovanni Production Sponsor: RBC Financial Group

War and Peace by Sergei Prokofiev

8 performances: October 10, 14, 16, 22, and 29, 2008 at 7 p.m., October 19 at 2 p.m. and

October 25 at 4:30 p.m.

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

145 Queen St. W. (at University Ave.)

The fall season continues with the COC premiere and the first fully-staged Canadian production of Prokofiev’s powerful drama, War and Peace. A co-production with English National Opera, this masterpiece follows the Russian people and their hard-won victory over Napoleon’s devastating military force. From the ballroom to the battlefield, stirring choruses and a huge ensemble cast bring Tolstoy’s novel to epic, heart-breaking life.

With over 60 named roles, this production features a cast that is truly international. One of the most sought-after lyric baritones on the international stage today, Canada’s Russell Braun makes his role debut as Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. Russian soprano Elena Semenova makes her COC debut singing the role of Andrei’s fiancée, Countess Natasha Rostov. Prince Anatole Kuragin is sung by Moscow-born tenor Oleg Balashov, while Russian bass Mikhail Kit makes his company debut as Field Marshal Kutuzov. Mezzo-soprano Larisa Kostyuk sings the role of Prince Anatole’s sister, Countess Hélène Bezukhova, and COC favourite Mikhail Agafonov returns as Hélène’s husband Count Pierre Bezukhov. COC Ensemble Studio graduate Lauren Segal is Sonya, Natasha’s loyal cousin. Canadian Judith Forst returns to the COC as Marya Dmitrievna Akhrosimova, while baritone Vassily Gerello sings Napoleon. Gregory Dahl sings the roles of Balaga and General Yermolov, and Canadian mezzo-soprano Jean Stilwell is Madame Peronskaya.

Tickets for War and Peace go on sale August 25, 2008. Single tickets are $60 – $290 (specially priced $20 tickets for young people under the age of 30 go on sale September 27, 2008) and are available online at www.coc.ca, by calling COC Ticket Services at 416-363-8231, or in person at the

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Box Office, 145 Queen St. W., Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

FREE CONCERT SERIES IN THE

RICHARD BRADSHAW AMPHITHEATRE

October 1 – October 30, 2008

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

145 Queen St. W. (at University Ave.)

The Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre includes concerts, performances and presentations by young artists, Canadian and international opera stars and COC staff. This is an exciting opportunity for Torontonians to experience the artistic excellence and cultural diversity of the city. All performances are free to the public.

Date	Series	Artist
October 1, 2008 12 – 1 p.m.	World Music Series	Tabla player Vineet Vyas and dancer/choreographer Bageshree Vaze present A Tapestry of Indian Rhythm. The dynamic duo, along with guest artists (harmonium and sitar), bring alive the grandeur of the ancient Indian arts of Kathak dance and the tabla, the “talking” drums of North India.
October 2, 2008 12 – 1 p.m.	Dance Series	ProArteDanza presents Up Close and Intimate, a sneak preview of the ProArteDanza 2008 season. The program features works influenced by the best of both classical ballet and contemporary dance.
October 7, 2008 12 – 1 p.m.	Vocal Series	The COC Ensemble Studio and pianist Liz Upchurch present The Rake Punished: Highlights from Don Giovanni.
October 8, 2008 12 – 1 p.m.	Vocal Series	Queen of Puddings Music Theatre presents The All-Canadian Classical Cabaret Show. Two singers and a pianist delve into the weird and wonderful world of Cabaret from a distinctly Canadian perspective.
October 9, 2008 12 – 1 p.m.	Piano Virtuoso Series	Pianist Lucas Porter performs Prokofiev’s Piano Sonatas No. 3 and 4. Both sonatas create a contrast between the lyrical and “scherzando-motoric” style. The symphonic third sonata is a work of great passion and drama, while the fourth is extremely lyrical and introverted.
October 14, 2008 12 – 1 p.m.	Piano Virtuoso Series	Canadian Pianist Joel Hastings presents Expressions of Melody and Virtuosity, a scintillating program of pieces not usually heard on the piano. The recital includes three delightful sonatas by Scarlatti, Resphigi’s Ancient Airs and Dances, a Schubert love song, and Franz Liszt’s transcription of Wagner’s Tannhäuser overture.
October 16, 2008 12 – 1 p.m.	Dance Series	Opera Atelier presents Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio. Tenors Frédéric Antoun and COC Ensemble Studio graduate Lawrence Wiliford are joined by sopranos Amanda Pabyan and Carla Huhtanen, bass Bustav Andreassen and baritone Curtis Sullivan with artists from Atelier Ballet.
October 21, 2008 12 – 1 p.m.	Chamber Music Series	Three distinguished musicians, Kathleen Rudolph, Theresa Rudolph-Koczó and Rita Constanzi, join forces to present music for the delightful trio of flute, viola and harp, featuring Debussy’s seminal Sonate pour flûte, alto, et harpe.
October 23, 2008 12 – 1 p.m.	Piano Virtuoso Series	Acclaimed contemporary specialist Réa Rebecca Beaumont presents In Search Of..., an eclectic program of works for solo piano that exemplifies global connectedness and explores a universal theme: mankind’s innate desire to search.
October 28, 2008 12 – 1 p.m.	Dance Series	¡ARTE FLAMENCO! Spanish Dance Company presents Flamenco Dance Theatre, the merging of drama, dance, cante and guitar in order to tell a captivating story.
October 30, 2008 12 – 1 p.m.	Vocal Series	Riveting Russian mezzo-soprano Larisa Kostyuk presents Russian Romances, a rich and romantic program of songs from her native Russia, featuring the mesmerizing ballad-lament from Rimsky-Korsakov’s rarely-heard opera, The Tsar’s Bride.

EDUCATION & OUTREACH

The Opera Exchange

In collaboration with the Munk Centre for International Studies at the University of Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company presents The Opera Exchange: Multidisciplinary Approaches to Opera. Monster Opera: Prokofiev’s War and Peace is the first instalment of three symposia that provide an in-depth and entertaining look at opera. Participants have the opportunity to listen to a series of lectures on War and Peace from an astonishing array of academic specialists, followed by panel discussions with members of the COC’s creative teams.

The Opera Exchange

Monster Opera: Prokofiev’s War and Peace

Saturday, October 18, 2008

9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

$25 per participant

($15 for U of T Faculty and $5 for students)

Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, The Faculty of Music

80 Queen’s Park (at Museum subway station)

Order online at www.coc.ca or call COC Ticket Services at 416-306-2377

Tour the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

The COC invites the public to experience behind-the-scenes views into the workings of an opera company by touring the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Public tours provide the opportunity for attendees to learn more about the opera house, its history, architecture and innovative acoustic design. Each hour-long tour is led by trained docents and includes background information and access to the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room, the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre and

R. Fraser Elliott Hall. Public tours are $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and free for children 12 and under. Public tours take place Saturday mornings at 11:45 a.m. and 12 p.m. (with some exceptions). Please call for availability and book your tour at 416-306-2377, or visit the COC website at www.coc.ca.

EVENTS

Operanation V – La Vie Bohème
October 24, 2008 – 9 p.m.

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

145 Queen St. W. (at University Avenue)

The Canadian Opera Company’s fifth annual fundraiser Operanation, takes place on Friday, October 24, 2008. This elegant affair is the premier event for young urban professionals, melding the inspirational venue of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts with the must-attend arts fundraiser of the fall social season. This year’s French theme, La Vie Bohème welcomes guests to incredible sights and sounds as life and art come together in the style of Bohemian Paris. La Vie Bohème embraces the free-spirit and artistry of Parisian culture, ensuring an unforgettable evening of pleasure for all. Students from the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts bring dramatic flair to the occasion as they mill through the crowd playing the parts of 19th-century French performers, while painters and sketch artists are also on hand to capture artistic renderings of guests. Attendees can enjoy live operatic performances, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction and a raffle for a lavish vacation.

Operanation V – La Vie Bohème

Friday, October 24, 2008 – 9 p.m.
$125 per person

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

145 Queen St. W. (at University Avenue)

Tickets can be purchased online at www.operanation.ca

or by calling 416-363-8231

Operanation Event Sponsor: TD Canada Trust Music

[Toronto] The Mayhem of Rossini's THE BARBER OF SEVILLE Returns to the COC Stage

Toronto, Ontario – The Canadian Opera Company’s spring run continues with Gioacchino Rossini’s opera buffa, The Barber of Seville. A comedy of mischievous mayhem and delightful absurdities, Rossini’s The Barber of Seville is eternally popular for its frothy charm and irresistible melodies. Director Michael Patrick Albano, last with the COC for the critically acclaimed Ensemble Studio production of Swoon, returns to stage this production. Peruvian conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya, music director of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, makes his company debut leading the COC Orchestra and Chorus for nine performances, while assistant conductor Steven Philcox conducts two performances. The Barber of Seville runs April 16 at 7:30 p.m., 19 at 7:30 p.m., 25 at 7:30 p.m., May 2 at 7:30 p.m., 4 at 2 p.m.,

8 at 7:30 p.m., 10 at 4:30 p.m., 13 at 7:30 p.m., 16 at 7:30 p.m., 21 at 7:30 p.m., and 23 at 7:30 p.m., 2008 and is sung in Italian with English SURTITLES™.

The Barber of Seville follows the young Count Almaviva who is in love with the charming Rosina. She is a prisoner in the home of her elderly guardian, Dr. Bartolo, who intends to marry her himself. To gain access to Rosina, Almaviva hires the services of Figaro, the irrepressible barber who spends as much time scheming as he does shaving. Last performed by the COC in 1999, this production brings together set designer John Stoddart and lighting designer Stephen Ross.

Beloved characters and sparkling arias make The Barber of Seville one of the world’s most popular and frequently performed operas. Singing the role of Rosina, the young and beautiful ward, is Albanian soprano Enkelejda Shkosa. Macedonian tenor Blagoj Nacoski, is her admirer, the ardent Count Almaviva. Ms Shkosa has sung with major opera houses around the world including Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Mr. Nacoski, who recently sang Almaviva with Polish National Opera, also appeared with Frankfurt Oper, Teatro Regio in Parma, and Zurich Opera. Both Ms Shkosa and Mr. Nacoski make their company debuts. Recently appearing with Welsh National Opera and the Metropolitan Opera, Russian baritone Rodion Pogossov makes his COC debut as the mischievous barber, Figaro. Returning to the COC are bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi as Dr. Bartolo, and bass Burak Bilgili as Don Basilio. COC Ensemble Studio bass Justin Welsh is Fiorello, Ensemble soprano Melinda Delorme is Berta, and Ensemble bass-baritone Alexander Hajek is the Notary.

The Barber of Seville, libretto by Cesare Sterbini, is based on Pierre-Augustin Beaumarchais’ satirical Le barbier de Séville, which is the first in a series of three plays. The second instalment of the series, Le mariage de Figaro, known in the opera world as Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, opened the COC’s current season. The opera premiered in Rome in 1816 under the name Almaviva, ossia l’inutile precauzione, and Rossini maintained this title for four months before he switched it back to the play’s original name. The fame of Rossini’s popular opera quickly spread, and to this day is a mainstay of the operatic repertoire.

Single tickets for The Barber of Seville are on sale and may be purchased online at www.coc.ca, by calling 416-363-8231, or in person at the Four Seasons Centre Box Office (145 Queen St. W., Toronto). Ticket prices for all performances range from $60 to $275. Special young people’s tickets for all performances throughout the season are priced from $30 to $95. These ticket prices apply to those who are 15 years of age or under, accompanied by and sitting next to an adult.

Starting Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 10 a.m., $20 tickets will be available for patrons between the ages of 16 and 29 through the Opera for a New Age program presented by TD Bank Financial Group, and can be purchased online at www.coc.ca or in person at the Four Seasons Centre Box Office (145 Queen St. W., Toronto). Student group tickets are $20 per student and may be purchased by calling 416-306-2356. Remaining Opera for a New Age tickets will be released as $20 rush seats at 11 a.m. the morning of the performance, subject to availability.

Production Sponsor of The Barber of Seville: National Bank Financial

Presenting Sponsor of SURTITLESä: Sun Life Financial

Official Automotive Sponsor of the COC at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts: Jaguar Land Rover Canada

Official Media Sponsors: CTV and The Globe and Mail

Opening Night Sponsor of the COC: Hilton Toronto

The COC Ensemble Studio is Canada’s premier training program for young opera professionals and provides advanced instruction, hands-on experience, and career development opportunities. The Ensemble Studio is supported by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage, RBC Financial Group, and other generous donors.

BMO Financial Group Pre-Performance Opera Chats

The COC offers free 20-minute introductions to the opera and its themes in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 45 minutes prior to every performance.

Canadian Opera Company Web site

The Canadian Opera Company Web site, at www.coc.ca, contains information on all productions including synopses, historical background, and production photographs.

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For more information or to request production photographs via e-mail, please contact:

Melissa Than, Publicist, tel. 416-306-2369, fax: 416-363-5584, e-mail: melissat@coc.ca
Vanessa Somarriba, Assistant Publicist, tel. 416-306-2303, fax: 416-363-5584, e-mail: vanessas@coc.ca