+++
author = ["authors/jenna.md"]
categories = "Editorial"
date = "2014-08-28T09:00:00-04:00"
lastmod = "2015-04-16T16:01:00-04:00"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1429214474257/xd92vqnc9k2b8klx.jpg.jpg"
primary_image_credit = "Photo by Sam Javanrouh"
publishDate = "2014-08-28T09:00:00-04:00"
related_companies = ["scene/companies/canadian-opera-company-ensemble-studio.md"]
short_description = "This fall at the Canadian Opera Company, the stars come out. First to open on October 3rd will be that great last work of Giuseppe Verdi&#039;s, Falstaff. It&#039;s a co-pro with The Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), Teatro alla Scala, the Metropolitan Opera and Dutch National Opera; and because it&#039;s by Robert Carsen, it means we&#039;ll see stark visuals and a stripped-bare style of storytelling."
slug = "coming-up-on-the-big-stage"
title = "Coming up on the big stage"
+++

[This fall at the Canadian Opera Company](http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1415Season.aspx), the stars come out. First to open on October 3rd will be that great last work of Giuseppe Verdi's, _Falstaff_. It's a co-pro with The Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), Teatro alla Scala, the Metropolitan Opera and Dutch National Opera; and because it's by [Robert Carsen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Carsen), it means we'll see stark visuals and a stripped-bare style of storytelling. Canadian bass-baritone [Gerald Finley ](https://twitter.com/GeraldFinley)will be in town to sing the title role; I'm personally super curious to hear him as the notoriously comedic Sir John Falstaff, since it's a step in a different direction from his usual offerings of Mozart and John Adams roles. I'm just excited to hear him sing live. Fellow Canadians [Russell Braun](http://www.russellbraun.com/), [Simone Osborne](https://twitter.com/SimoneOsborne), [Marie-Nicole Lemieux](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie-Nicole_Lemieux) and [Lauren Segal](http://www.laurensegal.com/) will join Gerald onstage for what I'm sure will be some spectacular singing from Canada's best. [_Falstaff_](http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1415Season/Falstaff.aspx) will be conducted by the COC's Musical Director, Johannes Debus; it plays for seven performances from October 3rd-November 1st at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto. [Click here ](http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1415Season/Falstaff.aspx)for details and tickets.

Next up is the opera experience to end them all, Puccini's [_Madama Butterfly_](http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1415Season/MadamaButterfly.aspx). The production by [Brian Macdonald](http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/brian-macdonald/) has its premiere in 1990, and this will be its fifth revival (fun fact: this production was the first one I saw at the Canadian Opera Company, in 2003). This time, two casts take on the twelve performances of _Butterfly_, including [Patricia Racette](http://patriciaracette.com/) in the title role. Patricia has been busy with the role of Madama Butterfly this year, just coming off a run of the show at San Francisco Opera. American soprano [Kelly Kaduce](http://www.barrettvantage.com/artist.php?id=kkaduce) will also sing the role of Butterfly; she's also no stranger to Cio-Cio San, having sung the role in Santa Fe, Portland, and soon, Toronto. Tenors [Stefano Secco](http://www.stefanosecco.com/) and [Andrea Carè](http://www.xn--andreacar-83a.com/) will sing the role of everybody's favourite Puccini villain, Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, and American mezzo-soprano [Elizabeth DeShong](http://www.elizabethdeshong.com/) will sing Suzuki. Sharing the role of Sharpless is Canadian baritone [Gregory Dahl ](http://www.gregorydahl.com/)and the spectacular [Dwayne Croft](http://imgartists.com/artist/dwayne_croft). _Madama Butterfly _will be conducted by German maestro Patrick Lange; it has a comfy run of twelve shows, October 10th-31st at the Four Seasons Centre. You totally have time to see it twice, once for each cast. [Click here](http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1415Season/MadamaButterfly.aspx) for details and tickets.

Have a fun fall at the opera, y'all!
