EMI Classics Issue Six Operas from the Metropolitan Opera's Acclaimed Live in HD Series

EMI CLASSICS TO ISSUE SIX OPERAS FROM THE METROPOLITAN OPERA'S ACCLAIMED

LIVE IN HD SERIES JUST IN TIME FOR THE NEW 'THEATRE BROADCAST' SEASON

Canadian release date: September 16, 2008

Engelbert Humperdinck: Hansel and Gretel

Giuseppe Verdi: Macbeth

Tan Dun: The First Emperor (World Premiere)

Giacomo Puccini: La Bohème

Benjamin Britten: Peter Grimes

Giacomo Puccini: Manon Lescaut

EMI Classics will issue six operas on DVD produced by the Metropolitan Opera for its highly acclaimed series The Met: Live in HD. This September, five productions from the Met's 2007-08 season will be released, as well as the 2006 world premiere production of Tan Dun's The First Emperor. The releases further extend the reach of The Met: Live in HD, the groundbreaking series of live operas transmitted to movie theatres, arts centres and universities all over the world; next season, the series will expand to reach 800 venues and 28 countries. The 2008/2009 Met Live HD series broadcasts in Canada commence on September 22nd (for more information on this go to: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/news/press/detail.aspx?id=3810).

The operas include new productions of Hansel and Gretel, Macbeth, and Peter Grimes; the world premiere production of The First Emperor; La Bohème and Manon Lescaut.

The Met's critically acclaimed high-definition productions are directed by top creative talent from the film and television fields, who capture the intensity of live opera using cutting-edge technology, including vertical and dolly-tracked robotic cameras. During the intermissions, the cameras go backstage for interviews with performers and others involved in the production. The shows are hosted by such stars as Renée Fleming, Natalie Dessay, and the late Beverly Sills.

The audio is mixed with Dolby surround-sound encoding supervised by DTS. Each accompanying DVD booklet has notes and a synopsis in English. Each title also includes an electronic booklet in PDF form, which can be accessed from any computer equipped with a DVD-ROM drive and Adobe Acrobat 6.0. This booklet contains notes and cast biographies in English, French, and German.

Engelbert Humperdinck: Hansel and Gretel
New Production
Sung in English with optional subtitles in French, German, Italian, and Spanish

The combination of the timeless Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Humperdinck's enchanting score, Richard Jones's intriguing new production, and a new English-language translation by David Pountney make this Hansel and Gretel appealing to audiences of all ages.

Hansel and Gretel are charmingly performed by Alice Coote and Christine Schäfer. The children's parents are played by Rosalind Plowright and Alan Held. The Witch, written for mezzo-soprano, is sometimes sung by a tenor, in this production Philip Langridge in what was described by The New York Times as "a casting coup".

"In the pit, the brilliant young Russian conductor Vladimir Jurowski …. conveys the lyricism of this 1893 opera while never letting us forget that Humperdinck was a Wagner protégé who filled this score with rich chromatic harmony and thick, dark orchestral colorings. … [Mr. Jurowski] conducts a resonant and radiant performance." (The New York Times)

Describing the high-definition production shown in cinemas, The New York Times said, "All three acts are set in strange kitchens: the drab 1950s kitchen of Hansel and Gretel's impoverished family; an Expressionistic kitchen-dining room with leafy wallpaper to symbolize the forest where the siblings become lost; and an industrial-size, stainless-steel kitchen where the Witch bakes her child victims into gingerbread. … The sophisticated camera work … was especially impressive … Subtleties of acting that barely register in the house came through movingly on screen."

In 1923, Hansel and Gretel became the first complete opera to be broadcast on radio from Covent Garden; eight years later it was the first to be broadcast from the Met.

Backstage at the Met Bonus Material: Renée Fleming interviews the Met's Technical Director Joe Clark; Christine Schäfer and Alice Coote are interviewed live during intermission; and the feature The World of John Macfarlane, shows how set and costume designer John Macfarlane brought Hansel and Gretel to life.

Giuseppe Verdi: Macbeth
New Production
Sung in Italian with optional subtitles in English, French, German, and Spanish

Željko Lučić, Maria Guleghina, John Relyea, and Dimitri Pittas star in a new production of Verdi's haunting early operatic masterpiece. Longtime Met Music Director James Levine conducts.

This is the Met's first production in 20 years of the first of Verdi's three operas based on Shakespeare's plays. It is "a stylistically eclectic, grimly effective and, at times, intriguingly playful production" (The New York Times) by the English director Adrian Noble, in his Met debut. Noble, former Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and set and costume designer Mark Thompson "mixed modern and melodramatic elements into this nearly black-and-white, modern-dress staging." (The New York Times)

At the time of its composition, Verdi's Macbeth was unique. Not only was it considered both musically and dramatically bold, but it was the first opera that could truly be described as Shakespearean. It was the first that altered operatic conventions to serve the play rather than converting the play into traditional operatic formulas. The Met performs Verdi's revised 1865 Paris version, minus the ballet he was obligated to write for that production.

After 33 highly successful years in charge of the company's musical forces, a relationship unique in the musical world today, the Met's Music Director James Levine conducts Verdi's haunting score with the intensity that this chilling work demands: "[Levine] conducts "Macbeth" as a … supreme musical drama. … Without diminishing the architectonic shape of the work, he is keenly sensitive to the vocal needs of the cast, ready in an instant to adjust the pacing, to coax the singer and orchestra musicians into beautifully coordinated execution of a lyrical phrase. The orchestra sounded terrific. In ruminative passages the string tone was … velvety and nuanced … [but] when red-blooded Verdian orchestral sound was called for, Mr. Levine summoned plenty of it. " (The New York Times)

Backstage at the Met Bonus Material: Met General Manager Peter Gelb interviews Music Director James Levine; Zeljko Lučić, Maria Guleghina (Macbeth and Lady Macbeth) and director Adrian Noble are also interviewed; and a video blog shot during the rehearsal process is also included.

Tan Dun: The First Emperor
Met Commission/New Production
Sung in English with optional subtitles in French, German, Italian, and Spanish

"A majestic imperial Chinese saga...[Domingo] sang with stamina and burnished power." New York Times

Legendary tenor Plácido Domingo stars in this visually stunning opera by Academy Award-winning composer Tan Dun (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) to a libretto by the composer and Ha Jin, based on Historical Records by Sima Qian (c.145–85 BCE) and on Wei Lu's screenplay, The Emperor's Shadow. The opera was commissioned by the Met in the mid-1990s and the spectacular production, which premiered in December 2006, was one of the most highly anticipated cultural events of the season.

The opera tells of Emperor Qin's quest for a national anthem for his new country and his ill-fated decision to force his childhood friend, a talented composer, to write it. Tragedy results following the composer's love affair with the emperor's crippled daughter. As Emperor Qin, Plácido Domingo leads an all-star ensemble in this epic story, which is ideally suited to the opera stage.

The First Emperor combines the expressive power of traditional ancient Chinese singing with the long musical lines of Italian opera. This juxtaposition of musical cultures illustrates Tan Dun's musical style, which merges East and West and ancient and modern sensibilities.

One of just six composers to conduct their own works at the Met, Tan Dun led all the performances of the first run of the opera.

The production was directed by the revered Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou (Hero, Raise the Red Lantern, and director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics), who worked closely with Tan Dun while he composed the music.

The costumes were designed by Emi Wada, who won an Oscar for her work in the 1986 movie Ran. Over the course of a year and a half, Wada designed more than 600 striking and colourful costumes.

Backstage at the Met Bonus Material: Beverly Sills interviews Plácido Domingo, and a documentary film, Tan Dun's The First Emperor: In Rehearsal at the Met gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process.

Giacomo Puccini: Manon Lescaut
Sung in Italian with optional subtitles in English, French, German and Spanish

The performance captured on this DVD marks the first on the Met stage in 18 years of the Met's classic production of Puccini's Manon Lescaut. Finnish soprano Karita Mattila performs the title role, conducted by James Levine. Chevalier des Grieux is played by Marcello Giordani, Manon's brother by Dwayne Croft and Geronte by Dale Travis.

Manon Lescaut, the French tale of a beautiful young woman destroyed by her conflicting desires for love and luxury, was Puccini's first successful opera and the work that thrust him into the international spotlight as Italy's foremost opera composer.

Mattila's performance is a career highlight, with The New York Times calling her interpretation "riveting". The soprano waited for her voice to gain maturity and richness before singing her first Manon Lescaut in 1999, when she was nearly 40. She now returns to the work, attracting James Levine to conduct it for the first time since 1981.

After 33 highly successful years in charge of the company's musical forces, a relationship unique in the musical world today, the Met's Music Director James Levine leads a fresh and intelligent performance. "Conceptually Mr. Levine seemed on the same page with his star soprano. He drew Italianate ardor and pliant lyricism from the Met orchestra yet conveyed the rhythmic intricacy, harmonic boldness and symphonic sweep of the music as well." (The New York Times)

"Ever willowy and ever inventive, Karita Mattila enacted the heroine's progress from gawky innocent to greedy charmer to tragic victim brilliantly. … Marcello Giordani partnered her as golden-age Des Grieux, handsome and urgent in demeanour, suave in passages of introspection, glorious in outbursts of passion. … The strong secondary cast included Dwayne Croft, a gratifyingly crafty Lescaut, Dale Travis, a stern Geronte who resisted buffo temptation, and Sean Panikkar, a sweet and sprightly Edmondo. … [Levine] let the melodies soar." (Financial Times)

Backstage at the Met Bonus Material: Renée Fleming interviews Karita Mattila, Marcello Giordani, animal trainers and handlers Nancy and Paul Novograd, and the Met's Technical Director Joe Clark.

Benjamin Britten: Peter Grimes
New Production
ICPN: 5099921741494 (1 DVD)
Sung in English with optional subtitles in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish

"The more vicious the society, the more vicious the individual." - Benjamin Britten, commenting on Peter Grimes after its premiere in 1945

Anthony Dean Griffey and Patricia Racette are gripping in this new Met production of Benjamin Britten's most celebrated opera, Peter Grimes. The multi-award-winning director is John Doyle, whose production of Sweeney Todd won the 2006 Tony Award® for Best Direction of a Musical. The Financial Times described Doyle's direction of Peter Grimes as "an impeccable fusion of music and drama."

Peter Grimes, Britten's haunting seaside tale and his second opera, is widely regarded as one of the masterpieces of postwar opera, and its premiere 63 years ago marked a turning point in the history of British opera. This "true operatic masterpiece of the 20th century" (The New York Times) is the first opera by an English composer to enter and remain in the international repertory. Peter Grimes is based on a poem entitled The Borough, by turn-of-the-19th-century writer George Crabbe set in an isolated English fishing village in the 1830s.

Much of the emotional drive of the opera comes from the four Sea Interludes – calm, storm, at dawn and by moonlight. Among the most brilliantly evocative music that Britten ever wrote, they help to establish the constant, overpowering presence of the sea as the opera's dominant force.

Anthony Dean Griffey is "the leading Peter Grimes today" (Washington Post), and [his] "fascinating performance should not be missed" (Associated Press). Patricia Racette, as Ellen Orford, the schoolmistress who tries and fails to rescue Grimes from his anger and self-pity, is "sublime" (The Guardian). "The voice was vibrant, liquid, and exciting" (New York Sun). "A powerful cast, led by tenor Anthony Dean Griffey," writes the San Francisco Chronicle, "found the pathos and terror in Britten's score."

Donald Runnicles, Music Director of the San Francisco Opera, "drew an inspired performance from the Met Orchestra, full of passion and commitment yet free of bombast. Without slackening the dramatic tension, he found ways of drawing out both the music's austere lyricism and its violent extremes." (Boston Globe)

Backstage at the Met Bonus Material: Natalie Dessay interviews Anthony Dean Griffey and Patricia Racette (Peter Grimes and Ellen Orford), conductor Donald Runnicles, chorus master Donald Palumbo, and members of the creative team, including director John Doyle, costume designer Ann Hould-Ward, and set designer Scott Pask. There is also a live BBC segment from Benjamin Britten's hometown of Aldeburgh.

Giacomo Puccini: La Bohème
Sung in Italian with optional subtitles in English, French, German, and Spanish

Angela Gheorghiu and Ramón Vargas lead a magnificent cast in Franco Zeffirelli's sumptuous and iconic production of Puccini's timeless masterpiece La Bohème. "[It] just might be the best investment the Met ever made… Its magic shows no sign of diminishing." (Opera News Online)

Set in Paris around 1830, La Bohème depicts a love that blossoms between two young artists in a time that appears both bleak and turbulent that makes this story so very special.

Mimì and Rodolfo, sung by Gheorghiu and Vargas, respectively, are charming as the young couple who fall in love. Ludovic Tézier and Ainhoa Arteta sing Marcello and Musetta.

Gheorghiu, one of the leading Puccini sopranos of our time, sings the role of Mimì at the Met for the first time in twelve years. "[Gheorghiu] was superb as Mimì… distinctive and alluring. She sang with extraordinary precision, subtlety, control, nuance, and, above all, musicality" (New York Sun). "Ramón Vargas, as Rodolfo, produced a warm, buttery sound" (The New York Times). Conductor Nicola Luisotti is, "a man who knows what he is doing in this repertoire: the way he can control the orchestra to move with the singers' expressive tempo fluctuations is breathtaking, a quality which helps to show Puccini at his best" (musicalcriticism.com).

Franco Zeffirelli's stunning production is as beloved and magnificent today as the day it was first staged at the Metropolitan Opera more than 27 years ago. The April 5, 2008, broadcast of this production marked the 347th performance of Zeffirelli's La Bohème at the Met, making it the most performed production in the company's history.

Backstage at the Met Bonus Material: Renée Fleming interviews Angela Gheorghiu, Ramón Vargas and Met Technical Director Joe Clark, and a bonus feature, Zeffirelli at the Met, includes archival interviews and performance clips.

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

Bizet's "Djamileh" : Chicago Cultural Center's 10th Annual Free Summer Opera

GEORGES BIZET'S DJAMILEH

10^th Annual Chicago Cultural Center Summer Opera

The Midwest premiere of a one-act fairy tale from the composer of Carmen

Sunday, August 3, 3:30 pm

Tuesday, August 5, 7:30 pm

Thursday, August 7, 7:30 pm

Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington Street

Free admission

A little-known gem, this delightful opera follows the devoted, beautiful Djamileh in her quest to win over the blasé young nobleman Haroun. The sparkling mosaics of Preston Bradley Hall and its newly restored Tiffany stained glass dome serve as the backdrop to this tale of love in an Egyptian palace. An opening performance of music for oud and percussion explores the sounds of the Turkish nobleman's court, setting the scene for an evocative evening.

The opera is directed by Patrizia Acerra and features Katherine Pracht (mezzo-soprano), Cornelius Johnson (tenor), and Bill McMurray (baritone), with members of the New Millennium Orchestra of Chicago under the direction of Maestro Francesco Milioto. The Summer Opera Chorus, which is comprised of some of Chicago's brightest young students, is directed by Dr. Dana Brown. The set and costumes will be created by designers Carol Blanchard and Kurt Sharp. The opera is performed in English.

Admission is free but tickets are required. Tickets (limit four per person) must be obtained in person at the Storefront Theater Box Office, 66 E. Randolph Street. Hours are noon – 6 pm, Tuesday – Saturday. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door on a first come, first served basis. For more information, call 312.742.TIXS.

PORTopera Announces Cookbook Debut During 2008 Season

portopera announces cookbook debut during the 2008 season PORTLAND, Maine – PORTopera's first cookbook, Cucina del Bel Canto, will be available during the production of Roméo et Juliette on July 24 and 26 at Portland's Merrill Auditorium. Cucina del Bel Canto includes over 500 recipes gathered from area chefs, foodies, singers and board members. "Cooking is like making music. Put all the right notes together and you have perfect harmony. Apply the same concept to Cucina del Bel Canto's many wonderful recipes and Ecco la, a great dish!," said PORTopera cookbook committee chair Angela LeBlanc. The cookbook is filled with stunning images of past PORTopera productions by photographer Martha Mickles and the book design features a useful built-in easel. The cookbook is underwritten by Selma Pluznick and the Oscar Pluznick Foundation. This limited edition print run will retail for $24.95; only 500 copies are available. A second volume will follow in the future. To pre-order copies contact Angela LeBlanc at 207-985-1975. PORTopera is in its 14th season. Tickets for the July 24 and 26 performances of Roméo et Juliette are available online at www.porttix.com, by phone, (207) 842-0800, or in person at the 20 Myrtle Street box office in Portland, Maine between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. PORTopera is Maine's only opera company performing fully staged operas with nationally and internationally acclaimed singers.

Alexander Neef Named Canadian Opera Company's New General Director

For immediate release: June 25, 2008

ALEXANDER NEEF NAMED CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY'S

NEW GENERAL DIRECTOR

Toronto, ON – Today, David C. Ferguson, President of the Canadian Opera Company (COC), proudly announced that the search for a new General Director is over. At a press conference held on stage at the company's new opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Mr. Ferguson announced that Alexander Neef, current Director of Casting at the Opéra national de Paris (ONP), has been appointed by the Board of the COC. Mr. Neef takes the helm of Canada's largest opera company on October 1, 2008.

Mr. Neef was the unanimous choice of the COC's Search Committee and was approved by the COC's Board of Directors on June 25, 2008.

Alexander Neef has an extensive background as an artistic administrator and casting director. He has worked with the Salzburg Festival, the RuhrTriennale in his native Germany, and is currently Director of Casting for Opéra national de Paris. In addition, he has spent the last year preparing Gérard Mortier's future seasons at New York City Opera.

David Ferguson, who was also the head of the Search Committee, said, "We are very fortunate to have been able to lure Alexander Neef from the Paris Opera. He has the most astounding amount of experience in his career so far, and we are absolutely certain he will make a huge, positive impact of the COC. His understanding of the history of opera coupled with a very current theatrical acumen belies his age, and his reputation among artists, managers and agents is unassailable. He is truly the perfect person for a company of this size and ambition at this point in its history."

"I am very proud to have been selected by this company and honoured by the opportunity that has been given to me," said Mr. Neef at the press conference. "The Canadian Opera Company is one of great worth and great potential for the future, and I know that bringing it to a new international standard is a very exciting and realistic goal. You should be very proud of the beautiful opera house you have built. A great house deserves a great company, and I look forward to making the most of the building and meeting the artistic standard that it sets for the company."

He continued, "One of the attractive qualities of this company is that it sets its sights very high, and, it's worthy of working with the finest people in the industry. Basically, I want to make the COC one of the best companies in the world, and, in doing so, make it even more Canadian than ever before.

"I want to thank the Search Committee for their vision for choosing me, and the members of the board for their faith in me. I also thank the company for being so generous when they have only just met me – I already feel embraced by it. My wife and I consider this move a family project and we both look forward to raising our daughter in a city and country with such artistic potential and excitement."

In his capacities as artistic administrator and/or casting director for these major companies and festivals, Mr. Neef has been instrumental in the realization of their artistic vision and international reputation. He has worked in close collaboration with many of the world's most renowned artists, including: Pina Bausch, Jiří Bĕlohlávek, Luc Bondy, Christine Brewer, Robert Carsen, Sylvain Cambreling, Patrice Chéreau, Natalie Dessay, Clifton Forbis, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Valery Gergiev, Angela Gheorghiu, Matthias Goerne, Stephen Gould, Susan Graham, Michael Haneke, Ben Heppner, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Jonas Kaufmann, Simon Keenlyside, Christoph Marthaler, Waltraud Meier, James Morris, Kent Nagano, Anna Netrebko, Seiji Ozawa, Deborah Polaski, Samuel Ramey, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Peter Sellars, Neil Shicoff, José Van Dam, Ramón Vargas, Rolando Villazón, Deborah Warner, and Robert Wilson. (Complete Biography, At a Glance info and Praises attached.)

Alexander Neef begins his post on October 1, 2008. He and his wife, Eloïse Bellemont-Neef and their infant daughter, Marnie, will take up residence in Toronto at the end of September.

The Search Committee was formed in September 2007 following the unexpected death of former COC General Director Richard Bradshaw, and it engaged the services of Genovese, Vanderhoof and Associates in November 2007. A worldwide search was undertaken and Mr. Neef was appointed by unanimous board resolution on June 25, 2008.

Based in Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the largest in North America, and has an international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation. The COC currently enjoys a remarkable 99% attendance rate for its mainstage season. The company's new home, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, was designed by Diamond and Schmitt Architects Inc. and is Canada's first purpose-built opera house. The contemporary expression of a traditional five-tiered, European horseshoe-shaped auditorium was specifically designed for opera with the highest level of acoustics and provides unparalleled intimacy between the audience and the stage. Acclaimed as one of the best opera houses in the world, the Four Seasons Centre is also the performance venue for The National Ballet of Canada. The company's 2007/08 season was performed in tribute to Richard Bradshaw.

The Canadian Opera Company website, at www.coc.ca, contains further information including full biographical details, photographs, a video interview, a blog, and an archival video of the press conference.

Beyond the Mainstage

THE CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY – BEYOND THE MAINSTAGE

Toronto, Ontario – The Canadian Opera Company celebrated its second year in the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts with seven fully-staged operas and a record-breaking attendance of 99% for the 2007/08 season. Once again, the COC hosted a myriad of activities beyond the mainstage, attracting opera lovers and novices alike to fresh, new audience experiences. With diverse programming in its distinctive new home, visitors were treated to an abundance of musical offerings, from the incredibly popular Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, to guided tours of the new opera house, Education and Outreach programs, special fundraising events, as well as special, intimate performances.

The Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre returned to the Four Seasons Centre for its second year in September 2007. The series attracted nearly 20,000 audience members of all backgrounds and ages to 100 free events ranging from classical, jazz, urban, world music concerts, to contemporary dance performances and interactive workshops. The series featured 160 works by contemporary classical composers and highlighted over 70 works by Canadian composers, including 15 world premieres of pieces by Christopher Butterfield, Linda Catlin Smith, Ana Sokolovic, and others. This season, the Urban Music Series was added, offering insights into the world of rap music and hip-hop culture, culminating in a groundbreaking collaboration between the Canadian Opera Company and The Royal Conservatory of Music. Included as part of the Urban Music Series was the world premiere presentation of Hip Hopera, a new work for turntables and operatic voices, drawing from well-loved works of both genres to create a new and completely modern artistic statement.

The Free Concert Series again proved itself as an exciting opportunity for Torontonians to experience the artistic excellence and cultural diversity of the city in one of Toronto’s most dynamic spaces. It is a platform for emerging artists as well as stars of the world stage and “it’s clear that some of these performances are among the very best of any being presented in the city – free or paid” (Toronto Star). The 2008/09 series begins September 16, 2008 and the performance schedule will be available soon at www.coc.ca.

Throughout the season, the COC opened its doors to the general public for guided tours of the opera house. Nearly 2,500 people took public and private tours led by trained docents who discussed features of the world-class facility including the unique glass system used on the façades, the remarkable engineering used to build the world’s longest free-span glass staircase and the phenomenal advancements in modern engineering and acoustic design that went into creating R. Fraser Elliott Hall, the Four Seasons Centre’s horseshoe-shaped auditorium. In addition to members of the public, nearly 1,200 students participated in group tours arranged through the Education and Outreach department. Guided tours, open to the general public, continue throughout the summer and cost $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and are free for children 12 and under. A full tour schedule is available online at www.coc.ca. The COC offers tours for school groups on select dates. For more information, call COC Ticket Services at 416-363-8231.

Approximately 5,000 visitors toured the Four Seasons Centre on Sunday, May 24, 2008 during Doors Open Toronto, an annual event that celebrates the heritage and architectural significance of more than 150 buildings across the city. In addition to tours of the building and attractive displays, visitors were treated to lectures by Matthew Lella, an associate with Diamond and Schmitt Architects Inc., as he discussed the building process and design of the opera house. Following the discussion, guests watched a special screening of Coptor Productions’ Raising Valhalla, a documentary depicting the dual drama of the construction of the Four Seasons Centre and the COC’s staging of the first Canadian production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle.

The COC hosts a variety of special fundraising events each year and this season saw the return of Operanation presented by TD Canada Trust Music, the Fine Wine Auction, and the Opera Golf Classic presented by BMO Capital Markets and BMO Nesbitt Burns. Operanation is an exclusive cocktail reception that brings together classic culture and young professionals from diverse career, social, and business circles, who share an enthusiasm for the arts. The exclusive event held in the crystalline Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room of the Four Seasons Centre on October 19, 2007 attracted over 1,000 guests and raised more than $80,000. On April 17, 2008, 250 wine lovers raised over $84,000 at the Annual Fine Wine Auction at Crush Wine Bar and Restaurant. The 14th annual Opera Golf Classic, held at the Scarboro Golf and Country Club on June 2, 2008, included 136 golfers and raised over $220,000.

Last fall, the COC’s Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour returned to elementary schools across Ontario with Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Dean Burry’s The Brothers Grimm. The two 45-minute performances, sung in English, concluded with a 15-minute question-and-answer period with members of the cast and crew. The annual tour exposed over 16,000 young people from Kindergarten to Grade 6 to this lively artform. The November 21, 2007 performance marked the 300th performance of Dean Burry’s The Brothers Grimm, believed now to be the most-performed Canadian opera.

The COC’s popular After School Opera Program, designed for young people ages seven to 12, celebrated its 10th anniversary this season. To commemorate this milestone, the participants performed the world premiere of Dean Burry’s The Chronicles of Unum on December 14, 2007. Written specifically for the occasion, this four-part opera was composed by Mr. Burry using the creative ideas from the program’s 80 participants. Over 250 past participants, assistants and guests of the program attended.

The COC also offers adult programs for those who are new to opera or for those who have been celebrating opera for many years. One of the more popular programs is Opera 101, a FREE series that treats young adults to a discussion with special guests and an exciting host, CBC Radio’s Brent Bambury, followed by a question-and-answer period. Over 300 enthusiasts gathered together at the culturally-eclectic Drake Hotel to get the scoop on what opera is all about. This year’s special guests included director John Caird (Don Carlos), tenor Robert Künzli and designer Astrid Janson (From the House of the Dead), as well as Assistant Conductor Derek Bate, Concertmaster Marie Bérard and tuba player Scott Irvine (Pelléas et Mélisande).

The COC and Hilton Toronto collaborated for a third time this season for its popular Appetite for Opera events which combines the cultural and culinary arts in three separate, innovative gourmet evenings designed to delight and intrigue opera novices and seasoned fans. The Hilton Toronto’s Tundra restaurant creates menus inspired by operas while COC Volunteer Speakers Bureau representative Robert Morassutti and Hilton chef Kreg Graham provide fascinating links and insights between food, wine, and opera. Nearly 250 guests explored menus inspired by Verdi’s Don Carlos, Puccini’s Tosca and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. An additional 50 guests between the ages of 16 to 29 enjoyed another COC and Hilton Toronto event, Frost Bite. As part of Toronto’s WinterCity Festival, this event provided young patrons the opportunity to enjoy a delicious Czech-inspired, prix-fixe dinner while learning about Janáček’s opera, From the House of the Dead. Following the dinner, the guests attended the opening night performance.

From free concerts for all ages, to special events and activities, the COC has exciting programming both on and beyond the mainstage. For more information, please visit www.coc.ca.

The COC Ensemble Studio is Canada’s premier training program for young opera professionals and provides advanced instruction, hands-on experience, and c