Today : world première of Brian Current's 'Missing' in Vancouver

Today, the City Opera Vancouver presents the world première performance of Missing, a chamber opera composed by Brian Current with a libretto by Marie Clements.

It is the composer's third opera after Inventory (2006) and Airline Icarus (revised version, 2010).

Set in Vancouver and along the Highway of Tears, this music drama is being created to give voice to the story of Canada’s missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls, and to show that each and every one of these missing people is honored. (reproduced from the City Opera Vancouver website)

The cast includes soprano Melody Courage (Native Girl), oprano Caitlin Wood (Ava), mezzo Marion Newman (Dr. Wilson), mezzo Rose-Ellen Nichols (Native Mother), mezzo Heather Molloy (Jess) and tenor Kaden Forsberg (Devon). Timothy Long conducts and Peter Hinton directs.

The orchestra consists of 1 flute, 1 clarinet, 2 percussionists, 1 electric piano, violin, cello and electronics.

The performance takes place at the York Theater and should last about 90 minutes. Further performances will follow in Victoria (BC) at the Baumann Centre for Opera in the second half of November.

Today : world première of Neil Weisensel's opera 'Stickboy' in Vancouver

Today, the new opera in three acts, composed by Neil Weisensel, Stickboy, with a libretto by Shane Koyczan after his own book, will be performed in at the Playhouse in Vancouver.

(photo by Tim Matheson)

According to the Vancouver Opera website, the opera, about a bullied kid who becomes a bully,

confronts the uncomfortable reality of a society struggling with its own fear and insecurity, a society that seeks conformity and uniformity at the expense of those who are different.

The cast consists of Sunny Shams (Boy), Megan Latham (Grandmother), Willy Miles-Grenzberg (Old Man / Principal / Grandpa / Gym Teacher), Heather Pawsey (Secretary / Teacher / Principal) and Alan Macdonald (Janitor / Chris / Jeff / Dick). There is a small chorus. Leslie Dala conducts and Rachel Peake directs.

It is Weisensel's seventh opera, after Gisela in her Bathtub (1991), City Workers in Love (1992), The Bachelor Farmers of the Apocalypse (1993), Merry Christmas Stephen Leacock (1997), The Master's Stroke (2001) and Secret Service (2013).

The performance should last about 105 minutes including one intermission. The audience is advised that the production includes coarse language and the depiction of violence.

Received in the mail this Tuesday morning

This Tuesday morning, I have received the following articles in the mail :

- Cincinnati, Opera : 2014 season program book ;
- Fort Worth, Opera : 2015 Festival brochure ;
- Hannover, Bühnen : July 2014 magazine ;
- Kansas City, Lyric Opera : 2014-2015 season brochure ;
- Napoli, Teatro di San Carlo : 2014-2015 season brochure ;
- Seattle, Opera : 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 season brochures, August 2013 Ring brochure, 5 'encore arts programs' (Ring, La Fille du régiment, Rigoletto, The Consul, Les Contes d'Hoffmann) ;
- Vancouver, Opera : 2014-2015 season brochure.

World première of 'Pauline' by Tobin Stokes in Vancouver

Yesterday, Friday 23rd, was the first performance of the opera Pauline by composer Tobin Stokes on the first libretto ever by Margaret Atwood. It took place at the York Theatre.

The opera is about Pauline Johnson (1861-1913), child of a Mohawk chief and a Quaker Englishwoman; torn by loyalty and ambition. She lived her last years in Vancouver and died a terrible death of breast cancer, treated by crude surgery and morphine.

Pauline is set at Vancouver in March 1913. Haunted by failure, torn by her dual identity as both Mohawk and white, Pauline Johnson fights to confront her past before the end, as her doctor tries to control the pain and her sister tries to control the story that will be told.

It is the composer's fifth opera, after The Vinedressers (2001), Nootka (2010), Rattenbury (2012) and Fallujah (2014). He is already working on another lyrical work, Swollen Tongues, a LGBT comedy in the Restoration era.

The cast included Rose-Ellen Nichols, Sarah Vardy, Adam Fisher, John Minagro, Cathleen Gingrich, Edward Moran, Diane Speirs and Eleonora Higginson. It was directed by Norman Armour.