Canadian Opera Company Announces Revamped Fall Season

By Francisco Salazar

The Canadian Opera Company has announced a reimagined fall season of physically distanced programming, called “Opera Everywhere.”

The season will be comprised of digital and in-person events including live concerts, interactive learning opportunities, and deep dives into opera’s past and future, all designed with community-building in mind.

In a press statement, COC General Director Alexander Neef said, “As we look beyond our traditional programming, we envision a new cultural reality where opera is everywhere and the stage is for everyone.  This fall, we are deepening our commitment to the communities around us and providing traditionally underrepresented artists with priority access to our new digital platforms in order to better share and amplify their voices. This is a transformative moment for the performing arts. Digital innovation is connecting us with audiences around the world – and this innovation is here to stay, long after our return to usual programming.”

The COC’s fall programs can largely be experienced from anywhere in the world and were shaped using feedback from an extensive audience survey.

The company’s new offerings will be rooted in three programming sections. “From the Opera House” features the best in music through new concerts, all staged at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. These events are meant to reconnect audiences with the experience and emotion of live performance and are available for a limited time.

“COC in Conversation” will provide opportunities for knowledge-exchange through panels, a new podcast, and lecture-recitals that explore the past, present, and future of opera. Finally, “Opera for Toronto” curates initiatives with a strong local focus, showcasing Canadian talent through collaborations with local artists and organizations.

The programs will include Free Concert Series Festival beginning November 2020. The Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre will take on a digital festival format.

“The Key Change: A Canadian Opera Company Podcast,” which will launch Oct. 27, 2020, is co-hosted by classical singer and culture critic Robyn Grant-Moran alongside COC Director/Dramaturg-in-Residence Julie McIsaac. The episodes will be bi-weekly episodes and will explore the operagoing experience from a variety of perspectives, with special guests from the opera field and beyond.

In October 2020, the COC will launch “MindBodyMusic” with music therapist Dr. SarahRose Black and COC Music Director Johannes Debus. Both will team up with special guest experts from both the arts and sciences for a panel discussion that explores the relationship between psychology, physiology and musical experience.

In November 2020 “Solo Spotlights” with the COC Orchestra will begin featuring musicians of the COC Orchestra and hosted by COC Music Director Johannes Debus.

“Opera Makers – A New Community Program” will launch on Sept. 22, 2020 while “Opera Makers (Original Digital Series) for Culture Days” will be showcased from Sept. 25 through Oct. 25, 2020.

“Songs of Hope: From Our Homes to Yours for Culture Days” will be presented from Sept. 25 – 27, 2020 while in January 2021, “COC x AGO: Hello from the Other Side” will begin.

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