Début de saison triomphal et critiques unanimes

Pagliacci de Ruggero Leoncavallo / et GIANNI SCHICCHI de Giacomo Puccini
NOUVELLES PRODUCTIONS

Montréal — Les critiques sont unanimes : début de saison triomphal pour le doublé qui lance la 30e saison de l’Opéra de Montréal et qui réunit une distribution largement québécoise.

Grand spectacle d’ouverture à l’Opéra de Montréal, avec ce diptyque Paillasse-Giannie Schicchi D’une rare intelligence et d’une impressionnante cohésion. […] Impossible de ne pas placer au-dessus du lot l’équipe scénique… […]Alain Gauthier devient ainsi la valeur sûre de l’Opéra […] Magnifique équipe menée par l’excellent Schicchi de Gregory Dahl.

-Le Devoir, Christophe Huss

Double triomphe à l’Opéra de Montréal. Le programme double qui ouvre la 30e saison de l’Opéra de Montréal est l’une des grandes réussites de notre compagnie lyrique. […] Voici, de la part d’Alain Gauthier, de la grande mise en scène […] Marc Hervieux fut le héros de la prima, poussant sa voix de stentor au maximum pour exprimer tout le désespoir du mari trompé […] Dahl fut brillant et amusant dans le rôle-titre de Gianni Schicchi […]

-La Presse, Claude Gingras

Doublé remarquable. La compagnie ouvrait sa 30e saison samedi à la sale WIlfrid-Pelletier en présentant une affiche double admirable et solide, pleinement tragique, pleinement drôle et tout à fait représentative du genre… […]

-The Gazette, Arthur Kaptainis

À chaud, donc je vous dirai d’abord que je suis émerveillé, soufflé, même, par la performance du ténor Marc Hervieux. Quel bonheur, quel privilège de le voir se frotter avec autant de bonheur à l’un des plus grands rôles du répertoire, dans lequel Caruso et Pavarotti ont excellé avant lui! Le Canio de Marc Hervieux est proprement terrifiant! Il rend à merveille toute la jalousie et la violence de ce «pagliacci», membre d’une troupe de comédiens ambulants, qui assassinera sa femme, Nedda, (la soprano Marie-Josée Lord révèle son grand talent de comédienne) et l’amant de cette dernière. Bonjour frissons! […] Quelle joie de constater que la distribution est presque entièrement québécoise. Le Québec produit de grandes voix. L’Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal a permis l’émergence d’une solide relève, de toute évidence. Ce soir, particulièrement, cela saute aux yeux.
L’actualité, Pierre Cayouette

Les gens qui passent près de moi sont unanimes, le public est conquis, heureux de voir tant de chanteurs d’ici réunis dans un tel spectacle. On sent le plaisir partout, ce soir. Et tout le monde réclame d'autres spectacles aussi colorés et excitants. Chapeau à toute l'équipe!
Espace classique, Radio-Canada, Françoise Davoine

Dans une mise en scène remarquable d’Alain Gauthier, secondé avec brio par Olivier Landreville aux décors, Joyce Gauthier aux costumes, Claude Accolas aux éclairages, ce spectacle présente multiples facettes des arts de la scène et ce, avec excellence. C’est aussi l’occasion de découvrir nos talents d’ici avec une distribution de haut niveau telle que Marc Hervieux, Marie-Josée Lord, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Marianne Fiset, Étienne Dupuis et Pascal Charbonneau.

Il est encore temps de se procurer des billets pour les quatre dernières représentations.

Billets À la Pièce
Billetterie de la Place des Arts : 514-842-2112 • 1 866 842-2112
À partir de 46 $ et en vente dès le 5 août 2009.

Visitez operademontreal.com pour obtenir plus de renseignements sur les productions, les événements spéciaux et les programmes éducatifs, les formules d’abonnement, le prix des billets simples et de groupe, les forfaits PRIMA et corporatifs.

Opera Kitchener presents Cosi Fan Tutte

OPERA KITCHENER presents

"COSI FAN TUTTE" by W.A. Mozart

Saturday October 3^rd, 2009 – 7:30pm

Sunday October 4^th, 2009 – 3:00pm

Faithfulness and fickleness, deception and disguises, all wrapped up in a comedic bow tied together with the sublime music of Mozart!

OPERA KITCHENER will open its 2009/2010 Season with W.A.Mozart's brilliant comedy "COSI FAN TUTTE", often translated as "All Women are Like That"; the title itself disclosing the atmosphere of this popular opera.

The opera begins with a bet; the consummate bachelor Don Alfonso wagers against his friends Ferrando and Guglielmo that their respected fiancés would not remain faithful if they were to leave them even for a short duration. Naturally, the men take up the offer and thus ensues the hilarious onslaught of tricks and disguises to see if the women, Fiordiligi and Dorabella, remain true. Who will prevail?

This highly performed opera is renowned for not necessary for its transcendent solo arias but rather for the intricate ensemble singing; the familiar duets, trios, sextets etc, are almost too beautiful to support the silliness of a comedic plot that instigates continuous laughter.

The cast, chorus and orchestra is comprised of mainly performers from the Waterloo Region, as well as Stratford and London residents, including the lead roles Bethany Horst (Fiordiligi), Jennifer Elisabetta Fina (Dorabella), Jeremy Ludwig (Guglielmo), Emilio Fina (Ferrando) and William Lewans (Don Alfonso).

Sung in Italian with English surtitles, this production will be fully staged and accompanied by orchestra at OPERA KITCHENER's new abode, the HUMANITIES THEATRE, located at 200 University Avenue West in Waterloo.

OPERA KITCHENER is owned and operated by husband and wife team Emilio and Jennifer Fina. Their mandate is to present traditional, fully-staged professional operatic productions on a yearly basis, to provide the experience only opera can bestow to the public with affordable ticket prices and to employ the talents of resident musicians and artists of the community.

OPERA KITCHENER's "COSI FAN TUTTE" – an opera by W.A.Mozart –

Saturday October 3^rd, 2009 at 7:30pm

Sunday October 4^th, 2009 at 3:00pm

Humanities Theatre, University of Waterloo

200 University Avenue West, Waterloo Ontario

Fully staged with sets, costumes, orchestra, chorus and soloists

Sung in Italian with English Surtitles

For Tickets call the Humanities Theatre Box Office at 519.888.4908

Visit us at www.operakitchener.com for more information on this performance or our upcoming 2009/2010 season.

Choristes recherchés

Choristes recherchés

pour Carmina Burana et Cavalleria Rusticana

Montréal, le 21 juillet 2009 - Le Chœur philharmonique du Nouveau Monde (CPNM) est à la recherche de choristes motivés pour sa prochaine saison – septembre 2009 à mai 2010 - qui annonce une cuvée exceptionnelle axée sur la qualité. Au programme, l'énergique Carmina Burana, de Carl Orff, l'opéra Cavalleria Rusticana, de Pietro Mascagni et le grand classique Requiem, de W.A. Mozart, pour ceux et celles qui l'ont déjà chanté, que le CPNM présentera pour la 10^e année consécutive à la Basilique Notre-Dame en novembre. Une tournée en Italie et en Bulgarie, ouverte à tous mais optionnelle, est prévue pour l'été 2010. Une voix juste, une bonne oreille et un engagement pour la saison complète sont les pré-requis. L'amour de la musique est essentiel, lire la musique est un atout. Les pratiques se tiennent à l'École Vincent-d'Indy (Outremont) les mardis de 19h15 à 22h, à partir du 1^er septembre 2009. Les auditions auront lieu à l'École Vincent d'Indy les mardis, 25 août, 1^er et 8 septembre.

Michel Brousseau est directeur artistique et chef du Chœur et de l'Orchestre philharmonique du Nouveau Monde, des Chanteurs de Sainte-Thérèse, du Chœur classique d'Ottawa et du Chœur Tremblant. Il a fait sa marque sur plusieurs grandes scènes au Canada, aux États-Unis et en Europe. www.michelbrousseau.com

Renseignements et rendez-vous pour les auditions :

Suzanne Tardif (514) 271-5540

suzanne.tardif@micc.gouv.qc.ca

Édyth Chaput (514) 761-4210

edyth_chaput@hotmail.com

www.cpnm.ca

Mercury Opera presents Il Tabarro on the Edmonton Queen Riverboat

Mercury Opera presents

IL TABARRO

Rollin' on the river with the small but hot opera company

All aboard the Edmonton Queen Riverboat as Mercury Opera presents Puccini's one act opera Il Tabarro. This shocking story of a passionate and tragic love-triangle sets sail on the August 13^th and 15^th at 7.30pm. Admission, which is $75, includes a riverboat cruise, hors d'hoeuvres, as well as a cash bar, followed by Mercury Opera's intimate and stunning performance of Il Tabarro. Tickets for are on sale now at TIX On The Square, call 780-420-1757 or visit www.tixonthesquare.ca

Il Tabarro (The Cloak), the first in Puccini's Il Trittico, a triptych of one-act operas, is the brooding tale of a barge owner, Michele, and his younger wife, Giorgetta. Traditionally set in 1910 Paris, Mercury Opera's production takes its audience to the banks of sultry New Orleans, where Giorgetta and Luigi, a stevedore, reveal their secret mutual love. As Michele reflects on his marriage's happier days and attempts to uncover his wife's seducer, Luigi plots to kill Michele and flee with Giorgetta.

Mercury Opera's production of Il Tabarro features Georgian baritone Zurab Ninua in his debut as Michele, Edmonton-native and soprano Darcia Parada as Giorgetta, and American tenor Christian Šebek as Luigi, as well as Boris Derow, Roland Burks and Lilia Krieger as Tinca, Talpa and Frugola, respectively. The cast includes Mark Gowda, Dan Rowley, Michael Otto, Adam Arnold, Paul Chachia, Russ Bergen, Matt Kinsman, Jonathan Vanderzyde, Connor Meeker, Claire Meeker, Joseph Chambrinho, Jessy Mossop, Michelle Diederichs, Regina Landek, Amanda Clark, Sanja Szakanji, and Nansee Hughes.

A professional company recently relocated to Edmonton from New York, Mercury Opera is tiny but hot, like the planet nearest the sun. With a mission to mount and stage imaginative opera performances in a non-traditional arena, the company presents innovative multimedia productions in intimate settings, making the audience feel it's a part of the action. Proving opera doesn't have to be big to be grand, Pagliacci, Mercury Opera's Edmonton premiere, enjoyed rave reviews last summer, capturing the imaginations of critics and audiences alike during its runs inside a tent in Giovanni Caboto Park and the Edmonton International Fringe Festival.

For more information about Mercury Opera or its production of Il Tabarro, please visit www.mercuryopera.com.

Gotham Chamber Opera presents IL MONDO DELLA LUNA directed by Diane Paulus

GOTHAM CHAMBER OPERA
in partnership with the American Museum of Natural History
and in association with American Repertory Theater
presents

IL MONDO DELLA LUNA
(The World on the Moon)
An opera by Joseph Haydn
at the Hayden Planetarium, Rose Center for Earth and Space,
American Museum of Natural History

Directed by Diane Paulus
January 19 - 28, 2010

Gotham Chamber Opera, in partnership with the American Museum of Natural History and in association with American Repertory Theater, presents Il mondo della luna (The World on the Moon) by Joseph Haydn, in a new production staged by Diane Paulus, director of Hair, which received the 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Il mondo della luna will run from January 19 - 28, 2010 at the Hayden Planetarium in the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History. Tickets are $30-$125 and are available at www.ticketcentral.com or by phone at 212-279-4200.

For the first time ever, the Hayden Planetarium will be transformed into an intimate opera house using a 180-degree dome and projections courtesy of NASA. Taking advantage of breakthroughs in laser and light technology, Il mondo della luna will fuse live opera and stargazing, immersing the audience in a completely new kind of theatrical event - an out-of-this-world experience for opera lovers, science buffs, and theatergoers alike.

"This is Gotham's grandest and most audacious production in our eight-year history. The combination of Haydn, the Hayden, Diane Paulus, and our incomparable lineup of singers and designers adds up to a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Neal Goren, Artistic Director and founder of Gotham Chamber Opera.

The production will be directed by Diane Paulus, whom Opera News calls one of the top 25 names in U.S. opera. Leading the 27-piece orchestra is conductor Neal Goren. Video and production design is by Philip Bussmann, costume design is by Anka Lupes, with Andrew Eggert as associate director. Il mondo della luna features Hanan Alattar, Albina Shagimuratova, Rachel Calloway, Nicholas Coppolo, Matthew Tuell, Timothy Kuhn, and Marco Nisticò.

Gotham Chamber Opera will literally take audiences to the moon in this production, Haydn's personal favorite of all his operas. Written in 1777, it's the story of a nobleman who refuses to let his daughters marry their true loves. With the help of a fake astronomer and a sleeping potion, the daughters trick their father into believing he's been sent to the moon, where he discovers they do things differently, especially when it comes to courtship. On the moon, women are allowed to choose their own husbands.

Gotham Chamber Opera is the nation's foremost opera company dedicated to producing rarely-performed chamber operas from the Baroque era to the present. The company's mission is to present innovative, fully-staged productions of the highest quality in intimate venues.

Founded by conductor and Artistic Director Neal Goren in 2000, in its short history, Gotham Chamber Opera has presented seven U.S. premieres of 18th- and 20th-century operas, including such masterpieces as Mozart's Il Sogno di Scipione; Darius Milhaud's Les Malheurs d'Orphée; Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu's Dada opera, Les Larmes du Couteau; and Swiss composer Heinrich Sutermeister's Die schwarze Spinne. In February 2005, Gotham presented the U.S. stage premiere of Handel's Arianna in Creta. Also in 2005, Lincoln Center Festival and Spoleto Festival USA presented Gotham Chamber Opera's U.S. premiere of Ottorino Respighi's fantastical puppet opera, La bella dormente nel bosco featuring the puppetry of Basil Twist. In the spring of 2006, Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring received its first professional staging in New York in more than 30 years, and in winter 2007, Rossini's Il signor Bruschino received its first major professional New York staging in over a half century. In the 2007/2008 season, Gotham Chamber Opera celebrated dance with productions of Astor Piazzolla's tango opera María de Buenos Aires, directed by David Parsons and featuring Parsons Dance, and with a new work entitled Ariadne Unhinged, directed by Karole Armitage and featuring members of Armitage Gone! Dance. And in 2009, Mark Morris directed the U.S. stage premiere of Haydn's L'isola disabitata. In the future, Gotham Chamber Opera will present Montsalvatge's El gato con botas (Puss in Boots), staged by Tony Award-nominated director Moisés Kaufman.

A.R.T. Artistic Director Diane Paulus is a director of opera and theater. Her recent theater work includes The Public Theater's revival of Hair at the Delacorte in Central Park, now transferred to Broadway (2009 Tony Award winner for Best Revival of a Musical, nominated for 8 Tony Awards including Best Director, as well as winner of a Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and Drama League Award for Best Revival of a Musical). She is the creator and director of The Donkey Show, a disco adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which ran for six years Off-Broadway, and toured internationally to London, Edinburgh, Madrid, and Evian, France. Other recent work includes Kiss Me Kate at Glimmerglass Opera; Lost Highway, based on the David Lynch film, an ENO co-production with the Young Vic in London, which received The South Bank Show Award for outstanding achievement during 2008; Another Country by James Baldwin at Riverside Church; Turandot: Rumble for the Ring at the Bay Street Theatre; The Golden Mickeys for Disney Creative Entertainment; Best of Both Worlds, a gospel/R&B adaptation of A Winter's Tale produced by Music-Theatre Group and The Women's Project; and The Karaoke Show, an adaptation of Comedy of Errors set in a karaoke bar. She directed the Obie Award-winning and Pulitzer Prize finalist Running Man by jazz composer Diedre Murray and poet Cornelius Eady for Music-Theatre Group, and Swimming with Watermelons, created in association with Project 400, the theater company she co-founded with her husband Randy Weiner. Other work Off-Broadway: Brutal Imagination, and the Obie Award-winning Eli's Comin, featuring the music and lyrics of Laura Nyro. As an opera director, her productions include Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro, Turn of the Screw, Cosi fan tutte, and all three Monteverdi operas, Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria, L'incoronazione di Poppea, and Orfeo at Chicago Opera Theater. She is a frequent collaborator with British conductor Jane Glover. In 2002, their critically acclaimed production of Orfeo was presented as part of The Monteverdi Cycle at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City. Ms. Paulus has taught at Barnard College/Columbia University, and the Yale School of Drama, and was recently appointed Professor of the Practice in Harvard University's English Department. She is a 2009 recipient of the Harvard College Women's Professional Achievement Award and Columbia University's I.A.L Diamond Award, presented each year to a Columbia University alumnus/a who has demonstrated continued commitment to and has found success in the arts. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard University with a B.A. in Social Studies, and has a M.F.A. in Directing from Columbia University's School of the Arts.

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) seeks to expand the boundaries of theater, exploring the best texts from across cultures and ages. A resident company of professional artists, teachers, technicians, and administrators, the A.R.T. provides a home for outstanding directors, a training ground for young artists, and a vital cultural resource for the community.

The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world's preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions. Since its founding in 1869, the Museum has advanced its global mission to explore and interpret human cultures and the natural world through a wide-reaching program of scientific research, education, and exhibitions. The Museum accomplishes this ambitious goal through its extensive facilities and resources. The institution houses 45 permanent exhibition halls, state-of-the-art research laboratories, one of the largest natural history libraries in the Western Hemisphere, and a permanent collection of more than 30 million specimens and cultural artifacts. With a scientific staff of more than 200, the Museum supports research divisions in Anthropology, Paleontology, Invertebrate and Vertebrate Zoology, and the Physical Sciences. The Museum shares its treasures and discoveries with approximately four million on-site visitors from around the world each year. AMNH-produced exhibitions and Space Shows can currently be seen in venues on five continents reaching an audience of millions. In addition, the Museum's Web site, www.amnh.org, extends its collections, exhibitions, and educational programs to millions more beyond the Museum's walls.

Performances of Il mondo della luna are made possible in part with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency; and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Il mondo della luna will run from January 19 - 28, 2010 at the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, with performances on Tuesday, January 19 at 7:30pm (Opening Night); Wednesday, January 20 at 8pm; Monday, January 25 at 8pm; Tuesday, January 26 at 8pm; and Thursday, January 28 at 8pm. The Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History is located in the Rose Center for Earth and Space on West 81st Street (between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue). Tickets are $30-$125 and are available through Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com. Opening Night and after-party tickets are $500 ($325 tax-deductible) and are available by calling (212) 868-4460.

For more information, visit www.gothamchamberopera.org.

Summer Series 2009

RENÉE FLEMING STARS IN DIGISCREEN’S SUMMER CINEMA SERIES WITH OPUS ARTE’S LA TRAVIATA, FROM THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE

The much-anticipated performance of opera’s megastar Renée Fleming at Covent Garden is one of the many highlights of DigiScreen’s Summer Opera/Ballet/Concert Cinema Series, which will screen at selected theatres throughout Canada in July and August. Theatres will present an opera, a ballet and a classical music concert from the great stages of London, England.

The summer series opens on July 25^th & 26th, when cinema audiences have the pleasure of experiencing, for the first time in Canada, the excitement of the BBC’s LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS from The Royal Albert Hall in London.

On August 15th, Shakespeare meets Mendelssohn meets Balanchine at Sadler’s Wells for the enchanting ballet A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM.

Saturday August 29th and August July 30th will be “Don’t miss Renée Fleming at Covent Garden!” days.

On Saturday July 25^th and 26^th, DigiScreen and the BBC present a first: Canadian audiences will finally experience the exuberance of LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS. The Proms at The Royal Albert Hall has a special place in the hearts of British people and all fans of classical music around the world. The September feast of music is the highlight of the symphonic season, which culminates with the hottest concert ticket in London, LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS! Lucky audiences are treated to the works of leading international artists and an all-embracing classical music programme, introducing new works alongside much-loved classics. Sir Roger Norrington makes his first “Last Night” appearance leading an all-star dazzling final concert.

On Saturday August 15th, select theatres across Canada will present the enchanting ballet A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. Choreographed by an artistic genius, George Balanchine and performed by the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Shakespeare’s comedy of magic and love’s delusions set to the music of Felix Mendelssohn is a guaranteed audience pleaser. The Pacific Northwest Ballet displays all the vitality, brilliance and versatility of its wonderful dancers in this award–winning production of Balanchine’s first original full-length ballet. Balanchine’s pure dance magic, Shakespeare’s stage wizardry and Mendelssohn’s bewitching tunefulness make for a special experience.

For two presentations only in August (29^th and 30^th), cinema audiences will be able to enjoy beloved American soprano Renée Fleming on London’s Covent Garden stage starring in The Royal Opera’s production of Verdi’s best-loved work LA TRAVIATA. Captured live by Opus Arte in London on June 30^th, audiences will see her performance replayed in select theatres throughout Canada. Richard Eyre’s 2009 production is a revival of his highly acclaimed 1994 staging which dazzled audiences with its striking visual feast. Renée Fleming and company soar with some of the most poignantly tuneful music in all of opera.

Tickets are available at $19.95 + tax per adult, $16.95 + tax per senior and $9.95 + tax per child. For cinema locations and to purchase advance tickets throughout Canada visit www.empiretheatres.com/opusarte. For Landmark Cinemas in Alberta and BC, go to www.landmarkcinemas.com. For independent theatres in Vancouver and Waterloo, please visit www.festivalcinemas.ca, www.princesscinemas.com

About DigiScreen Corporation

DigiScreen is a digital network for the distribution and presentation of independent film and alternative content. DigiScreen launched the network in 2007 with an exclusive collaboration with Opus Arte and the Royal Opera House in London. Thanks to this collaboration, the company is able to showcase the world’s most prestigious contemporary performing arts companies in an ongoing series of spectacular operas and ballets. These productions are captured live, in High Definition, from locations such as Covent Garden (London), Palais Garnier (Paris), Teatro Real (Madrid), Liceu (Barcelona), War Memorial (San Francisco) and other great stages of the world. DigiScreen Corporation, in partnership with Opus Arte, releases 16-20 HD productions throughout the year. These HD productions are presented exclusively by DigiScreen and its partners to audiences in more than 300 cinemas across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, Japan and Australia. Presentations in South Africa and other territories will be starting shortly.

For photos, more information or to find a participating theatre near you, please visit www.digiscreen.ca or contact Blair Haynes, bhaynes@digiscreen.ca 514-847-3537 ext 4520

About The Royal Opera House

The Royal Opera House is the home of three world class performing companies - The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera, and The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. It is a focal point for England’s national and international artistic excellence, where the evolving traditions of opera and ballet are taken to the highest levels. It is a shining symbol of excellence without compromise since 1732.

About Opus Arte

Opus Arte, owned by the Royal Opera House, has been recording in High Definition for the past decade and has amassed a substantial catalogue of outstanding productions from around the world. Opus Arte led the way by being the first company to release a Classical HD-DVD, and also the first to release a Classical Blu-ray disc into the world market. Working closely with top organizations such as the BBC and TVE, Opus Arte has enabled a large number of people to share the magic of seeing an opera or ballet from the world’s top opera houses.

About BBC Worldwide

BBC Worldwide is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise the value of the BBC’s assets for the benefit of the licence payer and invest in public service programming in return for rights. The company has seven core businesses: BBC Worldwide Channels, BBC Worldwide Content & Production, BBC Worldwide Digital Media, BBC Worldwide Global Brands, BBC Worldwide Sales & Distribution, BBC Magazines and BBC Home Entertainment. In 2007/08, BBC Worldwide generated profits of £117.7million on sales of £916.3million.

For more about The Pacific Northwest Ballet, please go to: www.pnb.org

For more about The Royal Opera House, please go to: www.roh.org.uk

For more about Opus Arte, please go to: www.opusarte.co.uk

Bravo! is the proud television sponsor for the DigiScreen’s Summer Cinema Series. For more information on Bravo! please visit www.bravo.ca

GLORIOUS! PERFORMANCE BENEFITS EDMONTON OPERA

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Experience the inimitable glory of operatic self-delusion that is Florence Foster Jenkins while supporting the inimitable glory that is Edmonton Opera with Shadow Theatre's June 4^th production of Glorious! The evening begins with complimentary refreshments at 7pm, followed by a 7:30pm performance, both at the Varscona Theatre (10329 83 Avenue). Tickets, available by calling 780-424-4040 ext. 231, are $60*, and proceeds from the ticket sales benefit Edmonton Opera directly.

Peter Quilter's Glorious! tells the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, the 1940's eccentric and enthusiastic soprano whose voice left much to be desired. Possessing a voice of extraordinary volume but minimal beauty, she is determined to share her gifts with the rest of the world… Whether it wants them or not. This hilarious and heart-warming comedy takes audiences though the sonic glory of her charity recitals, extravagant balls, bizarre recording sessions and ultimate triumph at Carnegie Hall, and sets out to prove real talent may only be a secondary concern in becoming a world famous performing artist.

Florence was a New York legend: a lady who believed she was blessed with a divine voice and that it was her duty and pleasure to delight her friends and later, the public, with her arias. Sadly, her voice, though powerful, rarely stayed on pitch or hit the correct note, making her renditions discordantly appalling - yet strangely appealing.

Glorious! premiered in September 2005 in England, was at least the third play about Florence. In November 2005, it transferred to London's West End, where it ran for more than 200 performances, and was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award as Best New Comedy. More than 20 countries worldwide have produced the hit show in 13 languages. Shadow Theatre's production is directed by Wayne Paquette, stars Leona Brausen, Coralie Cairns and Darrin Hagen, featuring set and lights by April Viczko, costumes by Brian Bast, production management by Scott Peters and stage management by Elizabeth Allison.

"As a comic tribute to bullet-proof joie de vivre and boilerplate self-confidence, it's hard to fault... Glorious! is pitch perfect." --Sun Herald

"A huge hilarious surprise...delightful and heart-warming... Glorious! is aptly named."
--TheatreWire

Warning: Glorious! contains bad singing.

For information about the benefit performance of Glorious! or the 2009-2010 Edmonton Opera season, call 780-424-4040 ext. 231 or visit http://www.edmontonopera.com/.

Houston Grand Opera Announces Men's Chorus Auditions

The Houston Grand Opera Association announces chorus auditions for its 2009-2010 season. Auditions will be held at the Wortham Theater Center, 510 Preston on:

MEN ONLY

Monday, June 8, 2009 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

The Houston Grand Opera Chorus is a professional group of diverse men and women of all professions and backgrounds. Choristers rehearse weekday evenings and weekends for each repertory period. In the 2009-2010 season, a new chorister could earn $2000.00 per production.

The 2009-2010 season productions in which the chorus will participate are:

The Elixir of Love

Lohengrin

Tosca

The Queen of Spades

Xerxes

Auditions should include two arias of contrasting style, tempo, in original language, and by memory. Operatic repertoire is preferred, but standard oratorio selections will be accepted. Sight reading may be requested. The HGO will provide an accompanist, but singers are required to bring their own music.

Singers who wish to arrange an audition should contact the Houston Grand Opera Rehearsal Department at (713) 980-8679.

Website: http://www.houstongrandopera.org/

Blogs and Multimedia: www.houstongrandopera.org/intheknow

Twitter: www.twitter.com/HouGrandOpera

L'Opéra dans le métro

Le métro vous chante l'opéra italien : MÉTROPÉRA

Dernier événement de la série des événements urbains

de l'Opéra de Montréal

en partenariat avec la Société de transport de Montréal

dans les stations de métro

Le dernier événement de la série MétrOpéra présenté par l'Opéra de Montréal, en collaboration avec la Société de transport de Montréal (STM) se tiendra les 19, 20 et 21 mai 2009 de 16h30 à 17 h dans deux stations de métro de la STM. Depuis la présentation du premier métrOpéra (Mozart prend le métro, mars 2006), des centaines d'usagers du métro de Montréal se massent chaque fois pour entendre les plus beaux airs d'opéra chantés par les chanteurs professionnels de l'Atelier lyrique de l'Opéra de Montréal. Cet événement urbain se greffe à la présentation de l'opéra Lucia di Lammermoor de Gaetano Donizetti, présenté dans le cadre de la 29^e saison de l'Opéra du 23 mai au 4 juin 2009 à 20 h à la salle Wilfrid-Pelletier de la Place des Arts.

Dates et lieux des MÉTROPÉRAS

Mardi 19 mai, 16 h 30 à 17 h : station Berri-UQAM

Mercredi 20 mai, 16 h 30 à 17 h : station Place des Arts

Jeudi 21 mai, 16 h 30 à 17 h : station Berri-UQAM

Pour la STM, ce partenariat avec l'une des plus prestigieuses institutions culturelles de Montréal témoigne de sa volonté d'agrémenter les déplacements de ses clients en présentant, en collaboration avec le milieu, des événements culturels de qualité. Pour l'Opéra de Montréal, les événements métrOpéra sont en ligne avec les efforts de démocratisation de la compagnie lyrique de permettre une plus grande accessibilité de l'opéra auprès du public.

Pour en savoir davantage : www.operademontreal.com

Get Your Backstage Pass to The Metropolitan Opera's The Audition at Cineplex Entertainment Theatres

Get Your Backstage Pass to The Metropolitan Opera’s

The Audition at Cineplex Entertainment Theatres

Advance tickets now available

TORONTO, ON, May 6, 2009 (CGX.UN) – Cineplex Entertainment is pleased to present The Metropolitan Opera’s The Audition, a feature length documentary that provides a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to make it in one of the most difficult professions in the performing arts. The Audition will be shown in High Definition (HD) and digital surround sound on Saturday, June 6^th at 1 pm EST/12 pm CST/11 am MST/10 am PST and Monday, June 15^th at 7 pm local time at select Cineplex Entertainment theatres across the country.

“We are excited to offer our guests The Audition, an addition to the acclaimed MET Opera: Live in HD series that guests have enjoyed at our theatres across the country for the past three years,” said Pat Marshall, Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations, Cineplex Entertainment. “The Audition offers an exclusive backstage pass into the intense pressures the competitors face as they try to launch an opera career with the Met. Our regular Met opera guests will love the drama and excitement in this production.”

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Susan Froemke, The Audition looks at the intense pressures young opera singers face as they struggle to succeed in one of the most difficult professions in the performing arts. The feature-length documentary takes you behind the scenes at the Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Auditions, where each year thousands of hopefuls compete for a cash prize, the chance to sing on the Met stage and the opportunity to launch a major operatic career. The film covers the dramatic week leading up to the finals of the 2007 auditions, focusing on three very different tenor contestants: Michael Fabiano, a fiery 22-year-old grappling with his inner demons; Alek Shrader, a 25-year-old with movie star looks who attempts to sing nine high Cs in the fiendishly difficult aria that made Pavarotti a star and Ryan Smith, who at age 30, and with little formal training, is pursuing his dream of an operatic career. The Audition also includes a 20 minute panel discussion taped recently at The Met with Renée Fleming on the panel.

Advance tickets are now available online at www.cineplex.com/events as well as at participating theatre box offices. Admission for seniors and children ages 3 – 12 is $12.95 + tax and general admission is $14.95 + tax.

Cineplex Entertainment will present The Audition at the following select theatres across the country:

BRITISH COLUMBIA

SilverCity Coquitlam Cinemas 170 Schoolhouse Street Coquitlam, BC	SilverCity Riverport Cinemas 14211 Entertainment Way Richmond, BC
SilverCity Victoria Cinemas 3130 Tillicum Road Victoria, BC	Scotiabank Theatre Vancouver 900 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC
Galaxy Cinemas Nanaimo 213-4750 Rutherford Road Nanaimo, BC	Famous Players Orchard Plaza Cinemas 160-1876 Cooper Road Kelowna, BC
Colossus Langley Cinemas 20090 91A Avenue Langley, BC SilverCity Mission Cinemas 32555 London Avenue Mission, BC Cineplex Odeon Victoria Cinemas 780 Yates Avenue Victoria, BC Cineplex Odeon Aberdeen Mall Cinemas 700-1320 TransCanada Highway Kamloops, BC	Cineplex Odeon Park & Tilford Cinemas 200-333 Brooksbank Avenue North Vancouver, BC Famous Players 7 Cinemas 2306 Highway 6 Vernon, BC Famous Players 6 Cinemas 172-1600 Fifth Avenue Prince George, BC SilverCity Metropolis Cinemas 4700 Kingsway Avenue Burnaby, BC

ALBERTA

Cineplex Odeon Grand Prairie Cinemas 10330-109th Street Grand Prairie, AB Galaxy Cinemas Medicine Hat 3292 Dunmore Road SE Medicine Hat, AB Galaxy Cinemas Lethbridge 501-1st Avenue SW Lethbridge, AB Scotiabank Theatre Edmonton 8882-170 Street Edmonton, AB Cineplex Odeon Crowfoot Crossing Cinemas 91 Crowfoot Terrace NW Calgary, AB Cineplex Odeon Eau Claire Marketplace Cinemas 90-200 Barclay Parade SW Calgary, AB

Cineplex Odeon South Edmonton Cinemas 1525-99th Street NW Edmonton, AB Scotiabank Theatre Chinook 6455 MacLeod Trail SW Calgary, AB Galaxy Cinemas Red Deer 357-37400 Highway #2 Red Deer, AB Famous Players Westhills Cinemas 165 Stewart Green SW Calgary, AB Cineplex Odeon North Edmonton Cinemas 14231 137th Avenue NW Edmonton, AB

MANITOBA

SilverCity Polo Park Cinemas 815 St. James Street Winnipeg, MB

SilverCity St. Vital Cinemas 160-1255 St. Mary’s Road Winnipeg, MB

SASKATCHEWAN

Galaxy Cinemas Regina 420 McCarthy Boulevard N Regina, SK

Galaxy Cinemas Saskatoon 347 2nd Avenue S Saskatoon, SK

ONTARIO

Scotiabank Theatre Toronto 259 Richmond Street W Toronto, ON Cineplex Odeon Sheppard Grande Cinemas 4861 Yonge Street Toronto, ON SilverCity Fairview Mall Cinemas 1800 Sheppard Avenue E Toronto, ON Cineplex Odeon Queensway Cinemas 1025 The Queensway Etobicoke, ON Colossus Vaughan Cinemas 3555 Highway 7 W Woodbridge, ON Galaxy Cinemas Barrie 72 Commerce Park Drive Barrie, ON Galaxy Cinemas Guelph 485 Woodlawn Road W Guelph, ON SilverCity Oakville Cinemas 3531 Wyecroft Road Oakville, ON Cineplex Odeon Niagara Square Cinemas 7555 Montrose Road Niagara Falls, ON SilverCity London Cinemas 1680 Richmond Street London, ON SilverCity Ancaster Cinemas 771 Golf Link Road Ancaster, ON Galaxy Cinemas Sault Ste. Marie 293 Bay Street Sault Ste. Marie, ON SilverCity Burlington Cinemas 1250 Brant Street Burlington, ON Galaxy Cinemas Brantford 300 King George Road Brantford, ON Galaxy Cinemas Brockville 2399 Parkedale Avenue Brockville, ON Galaxy Cinemas Cambridge 355 Hespeler Road Cambridge, ON Galaxy Cinemas North Bay 300 Lakeshore Drive North Bay, ON Galaxy Cinemas St. Thomas 417 Wellington Street St. Thomas, ON Famous Players Lambton 9 Cinemas 1450 London Road Sarnia, ON Coliseum Ottawa Cinemas 3090 Carling Avenue Ottawa, ON Cineplex Odeon South Keys Cinemas 2214 Bank Street Ottawa, ON

Coliseum Scarborough Cinemas 300 Borough Drive Scarborough, ON The Beaches Cinemas – Alliance Cinemas 1651 Queen Street E Toronto, ON SilverCity Yonge-Eglinton Cinemas 2300 Yonge Street Toronto, ON SilverCity Richmond Hill Cinemas 8725 Yonge Street Richmond Hill, ON Coliseum Mississauga Cinemas 309 Rathburn Road W Mississauga, ON SilverCity Brampton Cinemas 50 Great Lakes Drive Brampton, ON Cineplex Odeon Oshawa Cinemas 1351 Grandview Street N Oshawa, ON Galaxy Cinemas Peterborough 320 Water Street Peterborough, ON Cineplex Odeon Gardiners Road Cinemas 636 Gardiners Road Kingston, ON Galaxy Cinemas Waterloo 550 King Street N Waterloo, ON Cineplex Odeon Devonshire Mall Cinemas 3100 Howard Avenue Windsor, ON SilverCity Sudbury Cinemas 355 Barrydowne Road Sudbury, ON SilverCity Newmarket Cinemas 18151 Yonge Street Newmarket, ON Galaxy Cinemas Cornwall 1325 Second Street E Cornwall, ON Famous Players Belleville 8 Cinemas 160 Bell Boulevard Belleville, ON Galaxy Cinemas Collingwood 6 Mountain Road Collingwood, ON Galaxy Cinemas Midland 9226 County Road 93 Midland, ON Galaxy Cinemas Orangeville 85 Fifth Avenue Orangeville, ON Galaxy Cinemas Owen Sound 1020 10th Street Owen Sound, ON SilverCity Thunder Bay Cinemas 850 North May Street Thunder Bay, ON SilverCity Gloucester Cinemas 2385 City Park Drive Gloucester, ON

QUEBEC

Starcité Montreal Cinemas 4825 ave. Pierre De Coubertin Montreal, QC Cineplex Odeon Brossard Cinemas 9350 boul. Leduc Brossard, QC Coliseum Kirkland Cinemas 3200 rue Jean Yves Kirkland, QC Galaxy Cinemas Sherbrooke 4204 rue Bertrand Rock Forest, QC Cineplex Odeon Beauport Cinemas 825 rue Clemenceau Beauport, QC Galaxy Cinemas Victoriaville 1121 Jutras Est Victoriaville, QC Galaxy Cinemas Fleur-de-Lys 4520 boul. des Récollets Trois Rivieres, QC

Scotiabank Theatre Montreal 977 rue Ste-Catherine O Montreal, QC Cineplex Odeon Ste. Foy Cinemas 1200 boul. Duplessis St. Foy, QC Colossus Laval Cinemas 2800 rue Cosmodôme Laval, QC Gatineau 9 Cinemas 120 boul. de l’Hôpital Gatineau, QC Cineplex Odeon Latin Quarter Cinemas 350 rue Emery Montreal, QC Cineplex Odeon Boucherville Cinemas 20 boul. de Montagne Boucherville, QC

OTHER LOCATIONS

Capitol Theatre 4920 - 52 Street Yellowknife, NWT Cinema St. Eustache 305 Avenue Mathers St. Eustache, QC Max Cameron Theatre 5400 Marine Avenue Powell River, BC Cinema Twin 101-1st Avenue NE Swift Current, BC Cinema Jonquierre 2445, rue St. Dominique Jonquierre, QC

Capitol Theatre 20 Queen Street Port Hope, ON Salmar Classic Theatre 360 Alexander Street Salmon Arm, BC Art Spring Theatre 100 Jackson Avenue Salt Spring Island, BC Meaford Opera House 1-12 Nelson Street E Meaford, ON

About Cineplex Entertainment LP

As the largest motion picture exhibitor in Canada, Cineplex Entertainment LP owns, leases or has a joint-venture interest in 130 theatres with 1,328 screens serving more than 63.5 million guests annually. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Cineplex Entertainment operates theatres from British Columbia to Quebec and is the largest exhibitor of digital, 3D and IMAX projection technologies in the country. Proudly Canadian and with a workforce of more than 9,000, the company operates the following top tier brands: Cineplex Odeon, Galaxy, Famous Players, Colossus, Coliseum, SilverCity, Cinema City and Scotiabank Theatres. The units of Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund, which owns approximately 99.5% of Cineplex Entertainment LP, are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol CGX.UN). For more information, visit www.cineplex.com.