Opera 5 can look again on 2025 as a banner 12 months. Early within the 12 months, the Toronto indie opera firm was named as the brand new Company-in-Residence of the Canadian Opera Company for a two-year tenure that formally started on July 1, 2025, and features a collaborative creation of an opera that will probably be offered by the COC.
In June 2025, Opera 5 offered the inaugural Toronto Opera Pageant, consisting of three productions. The competition was deemed “a smashing success” by Ludwig-Van’s personal Paula Citron.
The corporate brings again the Toronto Opera Pageant in June 2026, that includes a Puccini double invoice together with a world premiere by composer Cecilia Livingston and librettist Duncan McFarlane. The casts for every present will embrace established Canadian artists together with the next-gen expertise of Opera 5’s Portfolio Artist Internship Program, knowledgeable growth initiative.
Toronto Opera Pageant 2026
The Toronto Opera Pageant will happen June 3 to 14, 2026, with performances at Theatre Passe Muraille.
Double Invoice: Giacomo Puccini’s Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi
The Puccini double invoice contrasts a tragedy and a comedy. Performances happen June 3 to 7, 2026 at Theatre Passe Muraille. The double invoice will characteristic a artistic staff with Opera 5’s Jessica Derventzis and Evan Mitchell, together with set and costumes by Carlyn Rahusaar Routledge and lighting design by Siobhan Sleath.
“Suor Angelica is a heartbreakingly lovely work, the place Puccini’s luminous orchestration illuminates themes of sacrifice, grief, and religious transcendence. Gianni Schicchi, against this, dazzles with razor-sharp wit and good comedian timing, its vigorous rating propelling the zany antics of a grasping, deceitful household — and one crafty outsider decided to outsmart them. Collectively, these operas have taken my emotional vary (and my Kleenex funds) to new heights,” feedback Jessica Derventzis, Creative Director of Opera 5 in a press release.
Puccini’s Suor Angelica, or Sister Angelica, is a one-act tragedy that revolves across the story of a younger noblewoman within the seventeenth century who’s been pressured into the remoted lifetime of a nun at a convent after the beginning of her illegitimate little one. She agonizes over her previous, and the son she’s misplaced. The intimate work is a part of Puccini’s triptych Il trittico, and options atmospheric music whereas exploring themes of religion, the judgment of society, and the love of a mom.
Common Director of Opera 5 and soprano Rachel Krehm will sing the function of Suor Angelica.
Puccini’s one-act comedian opera Gianni Schicchi, the third and remaining work of the composer’s Il trittico triptych, options an Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, and relies on an occasion that’s talked about in Dante’s Divine Comedy. Gianni Schicchi de’ Cavalcanti is a historic determine, an Italian knight who lived within the thirteenth century. He’s talked about in Dante’s Divine Comedy when Dante visits the eighth circle of hell, designed for frauds, forgers, and cheats. Dante sees one man attacking one other. The attacker is Schicchi, who has been condemned to hell for impersonating somebody referred to as Buoso Donati in an try to steal Donati’s fortune. The social satire, Puccini’s solely comedian opera, revolves round a scene in Donati’s bed room simply after his loss of life as his self-serving family members faux to grieve whereas trying to find his will.
Canadian baritone Gregory Dahl will probably be performing the function of Gianni Schicchi, with mezzo-soprano Krisztina Szabó as each the Zia Principessa and Zita.
World Premiere: Parḗlios by Canadian composer Cecilia Livingston and librettist Duncan McFarlane
Performances happen June 11 to 14, 2026 at Theatre Passe Muraille.
Cecilia Livingston and Duncan McFarlane remark, “Impressed by Olafur Eliasson’s set up The Climate Venture, Parḗlios is the newest in a collection of works we’ve created that reply to visible artwork as a place to begin for explorations of voice, motion, and staging — blurring the boundaries of style. We’re so excited to collaborate with the unimaginable musicians of TorQ Percussion Quartet to carry a startling sound palette to this new work and we sit up for sharing it with Opera 5’s audiences!”
Parḗlios is an revolutionary new opera that delves into themes of local weather change, migration, and our connections to the planet we dwell in through a mix of choir, soloists, a percussion ensemble, motion, and set up. The multidisciplinary work represents an intersection of opera, oratorio, and set up, and options TorQ Percussion Quartet. The varied, gender-expansive solid of Canadian soloists — soprano Len Crino, alto Brenden Lengsfeld, tenor Ryan Nauta, and baritone Aaron Dimoff — will probably be joined by three up to date dancers.
The manufacturing will probably be directed and choreographed by Jennifer Nichols, with music route by Evan Mitchell. The design staff will embrace Siobhan Sleath (lighting), Chris Faris (costumes), and Nathan Bruce (projections.)
Opera 5 Portfolio Artist Internship
Opera 5 has additionally introduced the third iteration of the Portfolio Artist Internship program in partnership with Opera McGill on the Schulich Faculty of Music. A complete of 13 early-career artists will participate in this system, and canopy roles within the Puccini double invoice, together with taking part in skilled growth workshops that may take them by way of the talents required for design, manufacturing, or administration. This system makes use of a mentorship mannequin, providing hands-on sensible expertise that goes past efficiency.
Keep Tuned…
Further bulletins will probably be coming down the pipe because the 12 months progresses, together with the Portfolio Artist Interns 2026, and extra solid and crew for the Toronto Opera Pageant 2026.
- Tickets will probably be accessible in 2026. Verify for updates through the Opera 5 web site [HERE].
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Anya Wassenberg is the Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. Beforehand, she was a contract author with a specialty in tradition and journey for 3 a long time, and a artistic writing teacher for Ontariolearn.
