Under the artistic leadership of General Director & CEO W.R. (Bob) McPhee, Calgary Opera has shown a strong commitment to developing new works, building new productions, and developing the next generation of Canadian artists. Over the past eight seasons, Calgary Opera has presented two world premieres, two Canadian premieres, and many company premieres. During the 2006-2007 season, Calgary Opera begins the first year of the Emerging Artist Development Program, a program to help transition the trained artist to the professional opera singer. This program is the first of its kind in western Canada.
On the horizon, Calgary Opera will present two new opera commissions over the next two seasons including Frobisher by John Estacio and John Murrell in 2007, and The Hannaraptor by Allan Gilliland and Val Brandt in 2008, and will be announcing another commission of a full-length opera later this year slated, for its world premiere in 2011.
Calgary Opera’s first commission was Turtle Wakes, a one-act opera for young audiences by Allan Gordon Bell and Rick McNair, which had its world premiere in Calgary in February 2001. The production of Turtle Wakes was revived in February 2005 for a public performance and a subsequent four-week tour of Calgary and southern Alberta schools and communities.
Filumena was Calgary Opera’s second commission and first full-length mainstage opera. Co-commissioned by Calgary Opera and The Banff Centre, Filumena featured an all-Canadian cast and production team. The opera received its world premiere in Calgary in January 2003, followed by a remount at the 2003 Banff Summer Arts Festival. Since then Filumena has been staged at Alberta Scene at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa (2005), The Banff Centre (2005), and Edmonton Opera (2005). The Calgary Opera production was broadcast twice on CBC Radio Two's Saturday Afternoon at the Opera and the Edmonton Opera production was broadcast on CBC television’s Opening Night.
Calgary Opera’s fourth commission and second one-act opera for young audiences is The Hannaraptor. Set against the backdrop of the Alberta Badlands, it tells the story of a girl whose determination to protect a beloved dinosaur skeleton propels her into a life-and-death struggle. The Hannaraptor will receive its world premiere in spring 2008 by the performers of the Emerging Artist Development Program followed by four weeks of school performances in Calgary and southern Alberta.
Calgary Opera is thrilled to once again partner with The Banff Centre to co-commission and co-produce Frobisher, Calgary Opera’s third commission in the last five years. New Canadian opera commissions of full-length works are few and far between, as there are enormous risks involved and costs to undertake. But with those risks there is also enormous potential for success and the ability for a company to tell stories that relate to our audiences.
With the company setting its sights on presenting its third and fourth commissions over the next two seasons, Calgary Opera is taking a leadership role in commissioning and producing new works. No major Canadian opera company has produced as many new commissions in so short a time period. The presentation and creation of new repertoire is vital to the future of opera and it is equally important to keep looking for the next Verdi or Puccini of our time.
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