Canadian Opera Company
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Opera Company (COC) is an opera company in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. It is the largest opera company in Canada and the third largest producer of opera in North America. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
and Herman Geiger-Torel
founded the organization in 1950 as the Royal Conservatory Opera Company. Geiger-Torel became the COC's artistic director in 1956 and its general director in 1960. The company was renamed the Canadian Opera Association in 1960, and the Canadian Opera Company in 1977. Geiger-Torel retired from the general directorship in 1976. Lotfi Mansouri
was the COC's general director from 1976 to 1988. In 1983, the COC introduced surtitles
(supertitles) to their productions, the first company to use them in an opera house. Productions included Joan Sutherland
's first performance of Donizetti's Anna Bolena
.
Brian Dickie served as the COC's general director from 1988 to 1993. Dickie named Richard Bradshaw
the COC's chief conductor and head of music in 1989. Elaine Calder was the COC's general director from 1994 to 1997. In 1998, Bradshaw was named general director. During his tenure, Bradshaw secured funding for the COC's new permanent home, the Four Seasons Centre.
, with designs by Michael Levine and 4 different directors: Michael Levine (Das Rheingold
), Atom Egoyan
(Die Walküre
), François Girard
(Siegfried
), and Tim Albery
(Götterdämmerung
). In 2006 Bradshaw's contract, as general director, was renewed for another 10 years. Bradshaw died of sudden heart attack on August 15, 2007.
In June 2008, Alexander Neef was named the COC's general director; he formally assumed the position in October 2008. In October 2008, Johannes Debus made his debut with COC as a conductor in a production of Prokofiev's War and Peace
, where he earned critical acclaim. In January 2009, the COC announced the appointment of Johannes Debus as the company's music director. Pianist and vocal coach Sandra Horst
currently serves as the company's chorus master.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the largest opera company in Canada and the third largest producer of opera in North America. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
History
For 40 years until April 2006, the COC had performed at the O'Keefe Centre (subsequently renamed twice). Nicholas GoldschmidtNicholas Goldschmidt
Nicholas Goldschmidt, was a Canadian conductor, administrator, teacher, performer, music festival entrepreneur and artistic director...
and Herman Geiger-Torel
Herman Geiger-Torel
Herman Geiger-Torel, was a Canadian opera director.In 1969, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.-External links:* at The Canadian Encyclopedia...
founded the organization in 1950 as the Royal Conservatory Opera Company. Geiger-Torel became the COC's artistic director in 1956 and its general director in 1960. The company was renamed the Canadian Opera Association in 1960, and the Canadian Opera Company in 1977. Geiger-Torel retired from the general directorship in 1976. Lotfi Mansouri
Lotfi Mansouri
Lotfollah “Lotfi” Mansouri is an Iranian-born opera director and manager. He was an opera director from about 1960 onwards, and is most well known for being the General Director of the Canadian Opera Company and of the San Francisco Opera from 1988 through 2001...
was the COC's general director from 1976 to 1988. In 1983, the COC introduced surtitles
Surtitles
Surtitles, also known as supertitles, are translated or transcribed lyrics/dialogue projected above a stage or displayed on a screen, commonly used in opera or other musical performances. The word "surtitle" comes from the French language "sur", meaning "over" or "on", and the English language word...
(supertitles) to their productions, the first company to use them in an opera house. Productions included Joan Sutherland
Joan Sutherland
Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, OM, AC, DBE was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano noted for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s....
's first performance of Donizetti's Anna Bolena
Anna Bolena
Anna Bolena is a tragedia lirica, or opera, in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto after Ippolito Pindemonte's Enrico VIII ossia Anna Bolena and Alessandro Pepoli's Anna Bolena, both telling of the life of Anne Boleyn...
.
Richard Bradshaw
Richard James Bradshaw, O.Ont was a British opera conductor and the General Director of the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto....
the COC's chief conductor and head of music in 1989. Elaine Calder was the COC's general director from 1994 to 1997. In 1998, Bradshaw was named general director. During his tenure, Bradshaw secured funding for the COC's new permanent home, the Four Seasons Centre.
Wagner's ring cycle
The COC's first performances in the new opera house were of Wagner's Der Ring des NibelungenDer Ring des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen is a cycle of four epic operas by the German composer Richard Wagner . The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied...
, with designs by Michael Levine and 4 different directors: Michael Levine (Das Rheingold
Das Rheingold
is the first of the four operas that constitute Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen . It was originally written as an introduction to the tripartite Ring, but the cycle is now generally regarded as consisting of four individual operas.Das Rheingold received its premiere at the National Theatre...
), Atom Egoyan
Atom Egoyan
Atom Egoyan, OC is a critically acclaimed Armenian-Canadian stage director and film director. Egoyan made his career breakthrough with Exotica...
(Die Walküre
Die Walküre
Die Walküre , WWV 86B, is the second of the four operas that form the cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner...
), François Girard
François Girard
François Girard is a French-Canadian director and screenwriter particularly noted for his innovative film Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould. Born in Quebec, Girard's career began on the Montreal art video circuit...
(Siegfried
Siegfried (opera)
Siegfried is the third of the four operas that constitute Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner. It received its premiere at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 16 August 1876, as part of the first complete performance of The Ring...
), and Tim Albery
Tim Albery
Tim Bronson Reginald Albery is an English stage director, best known for his productions of opera.-Life and career:Albery was born in Harpenden, the son of the impresario Donald Albery and grandson of the producer Sir Bronson Albery...
(Götterdämmerung
Götterdämmerung
is the last in Richard Wagner's cycle of four operas titled Der Ring des Nibelungen...
). In 2006 Bradshaw's contract, as general director, was renewed for another 10 years. Bradshaw died of sudden heart attack on August 15, 2007.
In June 2008, Alexander Neef was named the COC's general director; he formally assumed the position in October 2008. In October 2008, Johannes Debus made his debut with COC as a conductor in a production of Prokofiev's War and Peace
War and Peace (Prokofiev)
War and Peace is an opera in two parts , sometimes arranged as five acts, by Sergei Prokofiev to a Russian libretto by the composer and Mira Mendelson, based on the novel War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy...
, where he earned critical acclaim. In January 2009, the COC announced the appointment of Johannes Debus as the company's music director. Pianist and vocal coach Sandra Horst
Sandra Horst
Sandra Horst is a Canadian pianist, vocal coach, and choral conductor. She is currently the chorus master at the Canadian Opera Company. She was recently profiled in the July 2009 issue of Opera News. She graduated with honors from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano...
currently serves as the company's chorus master.