+++
author = ["authors/jenna.md"]
categories = "Editorial"
date = "2017-03-02T15:06:00+00:00"
lastmod = "2017-03-02T17:26:00+00:00"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1488468600188/KL9BI1nJhap3RsMqfNnuS0_r7mjTV-DsU-BF7UZYyBKVld4tjglzmlOeTDBorifsB9jYQFPv1H_AtPVUiBQ8T5HVhEqlIw%3Dw680-h680-c"
primary_image_credit = "Keith Klassen, Krisztina Szabó & Alexander Dobson in The Overcoat by Morris Panych & James Rolfe, 2014. Photo: Dahlia Katz."
publishDate = "2017-03-02T17:26:00+00:00"
related_articles = ["articles/in-review-rocking-horse-winner.md", "articles/in-review-mdea-undone.md"]
related_companies = ["scene/companies/tapestry-opera.md", "scene/companies/vancouver-opera.md"]
related_people = ["scene/people/michael-mori.md", "scene/people/james-rolfe.md"]
short_description = "The Overcoat: An Opera has its roots in the 1998 Canadian play by Morris Panych and Wendy Gorling. Rolfe&#039;s operatic adaptation is a co-commission with Tapestry Opera and Vancouver Opera, and a co-production between Tapestry, VO, and Canadian Stage."
slug = "cross-canada-opera-the-overcoat-comes-to-toronto-vancouver"
title = "Cross-Canada opera: The Overcoat comes to Toronto &amp; Vancouver"

+++
In Canada, four years is not a bad turnaround time between the conception of a new opera, and its first full production. In the case of James Rolfe and Morris Panych's *The Overcoat: An Opera*, its journey from [Tapestry Opera](/scene/companies/tapestry-opera/)'s 2014 LibLab culminates in a full premiere in two Canadian cities, both in March 2018. 

*The Overcoat: An Opera* has its roots in the 1998 Canadian play by Morris Panych and Wendy Gorling. Rolfe's operatic adaptation is a co-commission with Tapestry Opera and [Vancouver Opera](/scene/companies/vancouver-opera/), and a co-production between Tapestry, VO, and Canadian Stage.

"It proves that the model works!" says Tapestry Artistic Director [Michael Mori](/scene/people/michael-mori/) *The Overcoat: An Opera* is one of our most exciting projects to date, as it combines Morris' unique style of physical theatre with a masterful new score by James Rolfe. It's a great honour to partner with two major pioneers in new Canadian works: Vancouver Opera and Canadian Stage. Together we’ll bring this bold venture to life, spurred along by the original creative team and a tradition of innovation inspired by the 1998, *The Overcoat*."

We were lucky to have seen an early, miniature [presentation of *The Overcoat: An Opera*](/in-review-tapestry-briefs-booster-shots/) in 2014, and it was one of the little operatic bites that piqued our curiosity. It's also exciting that the opera will reunite the creative team from the original play, including librettist/director/creator Morris Panych, movement/creator Wendy Gorling, set designer Ken McDonald, lighting designer Alan Brodie, and costume designer Nancy Bryant.

So, congrats to the three great Canadian organizations who are coming together for a very cool project. The journey of *The Overcoat: An Opera* hopefully speaks to an accelerating pace of development for Canadian opera, and we'll be there with bells on.