Against the Grain Theatre has announced that it will be entering a new phase. After 13 years under Joel Ivany, the company will commence the search for a new Artistic Director and has three operas in development. In the meantime, General Director Robin Whiffen and Interim General Director Amy Lynn Strilchuk will lead the company’s numerous projects. “Our board of {…}
Photo credit: Theatre of Sound Gerald Finley will perform the title role of Bluebeard in Against the Grain Theatre’s upcoming performance of Bartók’s “Bluebeard’s Castle.” Mezzo-soprano Charlotte Hellekant will join Finley as Judith. They will present the modern retelling which the Theatre of Sound first produced. This version depicts the love between a long-married couple and their struggles with the {…}
Against the Grain Theatre has announced that Robin Whiffen has been named as the company’s first General Director. Effective immediately, Whiffen will continue to work with Founder and Artistic Director Joel Ivany to further the company’s vision. Since joining AtG in 2019, Whiffen has been crucial in developing several digital opera productions such as their award-winning “Messiah/Complex,” as well as {…}
OPERA America announced Against the Grain Theatre’s “MESSIAH/COMPLEX” as the Noteworthy Projects winner in the first-ever Awards for Digital Excellence in Opera. The new award recognizes the “best work created for digital platforms by individual producers and organizations across the U.S. and Canada.” There are four categories which include Artistic Creation, Education/Enrichment Material, University/Conservatory Projects, and Noteworthy Projects. The 2022 {…}
(Credit: Riddle Films) Canadian baritone Elliot Madore will share the story of his experience as a biracial person through the new film, “Identity: A Song Cycle.” In June of 2020, Madore’s Instagram post that read, “Being mixed-race has always left me justifying who I am,” Madore wrote. “I often get asked ‘What’s your background?’, replying ‘I’m black’, typically gets met {…}
Toronto’s Against the Grain Theatre has announced the upcoming run of its new opera-film, “Bound.” “Bound” features four storytellers, each of whom had challenging yet very different journeys finding their place and voice in Canada. These perceived outsiders include Dr. Nadiya Vasdani, who attended med school in the Caribbean and completed her residency in Flint, Michigan during the water crisis; {…}
Against the Grain Theatre has announced that it will be bringing back its famed recording of “Messiah/Complex” for the holiday season. The unique arrangement of the timeless masterpiece will start streaming on AtG TV on Dec. 12, 2021, and will be made available until Jan. 9, 2022. The work is co-directed by Joel Ivany and Reneltta Arluk and features 12 {…}
Against the Grain Theatre has announced a new partnership with Opera InReach to develop educational programming for AtG’s upcoming productions of the 21-22 season. The partnership will come as a result of both organizations’ commitment to equity and educational access in the arts. “We are thrilled to be working with the team at Opera InReach over the course of AtG’s {…}
On June 23, 2021, Against the Grain Theatre will present a new filmed version of Gustav Holst’s chamber opera “Sāvitri.” Based on the Hindu legend of the same name, this filmed version is set to release 100 years after the opera’s debut. The story follows an Indian princess who confronts the God of Death to save her husband, and features {…}
Toronto’s Against the Grain Theatre (AtG) has announced the commission of composer Dinuk Wijeratne and writer/poet Shauntay Grant’s “Identity: A Song Cycle.” Baritone Elliot Madore will perform the cycle that charts the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery. The song cycle will premiere as a film in 2022 with an eye toward producing a live show in the future. Madore opened up {…}
Handel’s “Messiah” is ubiquitous with the holiday season. Everywhere you look, opera companies and major choral ensembles are revving up to showcasing this towering masterpiece. Even the pandemic has not slowed down the tradition, with companies turning to unique approaches to the work as a means of sustaining the holiday spirit. Then there’s the “Messiah Complex,” a collaboration between Against {…}