+++
author = ["authors/jenna.md"]
categories = "Editorial"
date = "2015-04-10T22:05:00-04:00"
lastmod = "2015-04-10T22:05:00-04:00"
preamble = "<p>\n\tWith the official end of winter less than a week away, it's time to mark your calendars with some spring opera-going. Here are a few of the events I'm catching over the next couple of months.\n</p>"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1428717476073/Spring.jpg.jpg"
publishDate = "2015-03-18T10:05:00-04:00"
related_articles = ["articles/in-review-mdea-undone.md","articles/harawi-whats-that.md"]
related_companies = ["scene/companies/opera-atelier.md","scene/companies/canadian-opera-company.md","scene/companies/myopera.md"]
related_people = ["scene/people/joel-ivany.md","scene/people/christopher-mokrzewski.md","scene/people/lauren-segal.md","scene/people/joshua-hopkins.md","scene/people/meghan-lindsay.md","scene/people/alek-shrader.md","scene/people/james-mclean.md"]
short_description = "​With the official end of winter less than a week away, it&#039;s time to mark your calendars with some spring opera-going. Here are a few of the events I&#039;m catching over the next couple of months."
slug = "opera-in-spring"
title = "Opera in Spring"
+++

<p>
	<strong>Sunday, March 29</strong>: <a href="http://www.operainconcert.com/Louise.html" target="_blank">VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert</a> presents Charpentier's <em>Louise</em>, starring <a href="http://www.leslieannbradley.com/" target="_blank">Leslie Ann Bradley</a> in the title roles. <a href="http://www.michele-bogdanowicz.com/" target="_blank">Michèle Bogdanowicz</a>, <a href="http://www.keithklassen.com/" target="_blank">Keith Klassen</a>, and <a href="http://www.domoneyartists.com/Baritone/Mazerolle_Bio/mazerolle_bio.html" target="_blank">Dion Mazerolle</a> complete the cast, and <a href="https://twitter.com/petertiefenbach" target="_blank">Peter Tiefenbach</a> leads as Music Director and pianist.<em>Louise</em> isn't done that often, but I know the music is gorgeous, and Leslie Ann is certainly a singer to watch. It's a single performance only, on March 29th at 2:30pm, at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. Get details and ticket information <a href="http://www.operainconcert.com/Louise.html" target="_blank">right here</a>.<br>
</p>
<p>
	<strong>April 9-18</strong>: <a href="http://www.operaatelier.com/season/14-15-season/" target="_blank">Opera Atelier</a> continues its 2014/15 season with Gluck's <em>Orpheus et Eurydice</em>. Canadian mezzo-soprano <a href="http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/FreeConcertSeries.aspx" target="_blank">Mireille Lebel</a> sings Orpheus, her first major role with Opera Atelier; joining her are Peggy Kriha Dye as Eurydice and <a href="http://www.meghanlindsay.com/" target="_blank">Meghan Lindsay </a>as Amour. <em>Orpheus et Eurydice</em> runs for 6 performances, opening April 9th at the Elgin Theatre. Details and ticket information are <a href="http://www.operaatelier.com/season/14-15-season/" target="_blank">available here</a>.
</p>
<p>
	<strong>April 24-26</strong>: <a href="http://www.metroyouthopera.ca/" target="_blank">Metro Youth Opera</a> is putting up another fairly rare opera, Mozart's <em>Béatrice et Bénédict</em>. Rob Herriot adapts the original production by <a href="https://twitter.com/alleywo" target="_blank">Alison Wong</a>, which stars mezzo-soprano Simone McIntosh and tenor Asitha Tennekoon in the title roles. <em>Béatrice</em> runs for three performances starting April 24th, at the Aki Studio Theatre, 585 Dundas St. E. Full casting details and ticket information <a href="http://www.metroyouthopera.ca/201415-season/" target="_blank">can be fond here</a>.
</p>
<figure data-type="image"><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1428717616453/JohnRelyea-pc-ShirleySuarez.jpg"><img data-resize-src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/f5sboKJKRkRhXmuE-Rvv4SM8d193_OVxKP8NlGhd2OWyM-yEf2apUz6_CKKKv7eSviDZFx2VJZD4qatc85bH97_ZKn_8" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/f5sboKJKRkRhXmuE-Rvv4SM8d193_OVxKP8NlGhd2OWyM-yEf2apUz6_CKKKv7eSviDZFx2VJZD4qatc85bH97_ZKn_8=s1200"></a><figcaption>
John Relyea, bass. Photo: Shirley Suarez.
</figcaption></figure>
<p>
	<strong>April 17-May 22</strong>: The <a href="http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1415Season/BarberofSeville.aspx" target="_blank">Canadian Opera Company</a> is bringing an operatic staple to Toronto this spring, in the form of Rossini's <em>The Barber of Seville</em>. Spanish theatre troupe Els Comediants are the masterminds behind this production, which stars <a href="http://joshuahopkins.com/" target="_blank">Joshua Hopkins</a> as Figaro, <a href="http://www.serenamalfi.com/" target="_blank">Serena Malfi</a> as Rosina, and <a href="https://twitter.com/alekshrader" target="_blank">Alek Shrader</a> as Count Almaviva. Two casts share 12 performances, so <a href="http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1415Season/BarberofSeville.aspx" target="_blank">click here</a> to find out the details. Bonus: the <a href="http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1415Season/BarberofSeville/EnsembleStudioPerformance.aspx" target="_blank">COC Ensemble Studio performance</a> of <em>The Barber of Seville</em> happens on May 15th, with baritone <a href="https://twitter.com/clarencefrazer" target="_blank">Clarence Frazer</a> in the title role. It's a performance not to be missed, so <a href="http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1415Season/BarberofSeville/EnsembleStudioPerformance.aspx" target="_blank">click here to find out more</a>. For general information on <em>Barber</em>,<a href="http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1415Season/BarberofSeville.aspx" target="_blank"> click here</a>.<br>
</p>
<p>
	<strong>May 6-23</strong>: Also at the COC this spring is the iconic<a href="http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1415Season/BluebeardErwartung.aspx" target="_blank"> double-bill by Robert Lepage</a>, which pairs together two fantastically creepy pieces, Béla Bartók's <em>Bluebeard's Castle</em> and Arnold Schoenberg's <em>Erwartung</em>. Canadian bass <a href="http://www.johnrelyea.com/" target="_blank">John Relyea</a> sings Bluebeard opposite Russian mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova as Judith, and the fantastic <a href="http://www.krisztinaszabo.com/" target="_blank">Krisztina Szabó</a> stars as Woman in Schoenberg's heady melodrama. I can't wait for this one.<em>Bluebeard/Erwartung</em> runs for 7 shows, starting May 6th. <a href="http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1415Season/BluebeardErwartung.aspx" target="_blank">Click here for full casting details and ticket info</a>.
</p>
<p>
	<strong>May 26-29</strong>: <a href="https://tapestryopera.com/mdea-undone/" target="_blank">Tapestry Opera</a> closes its 35th anniversary season with the world premiere of <a href="https://tapestryopera.com/mdea-undone/" target="_blank"><em>M'dea Undone</em></a>, composed by <a href="http://www.whatjohnharrisdoes.info/Biography.html" target="_blank">John Harris</a> with a libretto by <a href="http://www.marjoriechan.com/Marjorie_Chan/Welcome.html" target="_blank">Marjorie Chan</a>. <i>M'dea</i> is a adaptation of the Greek myth of Jason and Medea, starring Canadian mezzo Lauren Segal as M'dea, opposite baritone <a href="http://zemskygreenartists.com/product/peter-barrett/" target="_blank">Peter Barrett</a> as Jason. Tenor <a href="https://tapestryopera.com/mdea-undone/#james" target="_blank">James McLean</a> sings The President, with soprano <a href="http://deanartists.com/artist/jacqueline-woodley/" target="_blank">Jacqueline Woodley</a> as Dahlia. <a href="https://tapestryopera.com/mdea-undone/#tim" target="_blank">Tim Albery</a> directs, and <a href="https://tapestryopera.com/mdea-undone/#jordan" target="_blank">Jordan de Souza</a> conducts. The piece has my curiosity piqued, no doubt. <em>M'dea Undone</em> plays for 4 shows, starting May 26th, at Evergreen Brickworks, 550 Bayview Ave. <a href="https://tapestryopera.yapsody.com/event/index/8368/mdea-undone-world-premiere" target="_blank">Click here</a> for ticket information.
</p>
<p>
	<strong>June 2-5</strong>: <a href="http://againstthegraintheatre.com/shows/deathanddesire" target="_blank">Against the Grain Theatre</a> presents <em>Death and Desire</em>, a double-bill of Schubert's <em>Die schöne Müllerin</em> and Messaien's <em>Harawi</em>. With Artistic Director <a href="http://www.joelivany.com/index/welcome.html" target="_blank">Joel Ivany</a> and Music Director and pianist <a href="http://www.christophermokrzewski.com/" target="_blank">Topher Mokrzewski</a>, <a href="http://www.colinainsworth.ca/" target="_blank">Colin Ainsworth</a> sings the Schubert, and <a href="http://www.krisztinaszabo.com/" target="_blank">Krisztina Szabó</a> takes on Messaien. The performance dates and location aren't yet announced, but there's a preview performance on May 21st as part of the <a href="http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/FreeConcertSeries.aspx" target="_blank">Free Concert Series</a> in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre at the Four Seasons Centre. <a href="http://againstthegraintheatre.com/shows/deathanddesire" target="_blank">Click here</a> for more details, and stay tuned with Against the Grain Theatre by following them on <a href="https://twitter.com/AtGTheatre" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.
</p>
