Opera at Banff Centre is a performance-based, collaborative training experience for emerging opera professionals that truly challenges the conventions of opera performance, production, and design. The focus is to develop young opera professionals with the skills and experience to take them to the next level of their careers and beyond.
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This program nurtured my mind, body and soul due to to its location in the mountains, incredible faculty and chosen participants, as well projects that allowed me to grow, play and thrive. I feel I know myself more as an artist and person. I would return in a heartbeat, and I know I'll take my findings from this program into the rest of my career.
Amanda Testini, Opera in the 21st Century, 2022
Amiel Gladstone is a West Coast based writer and director.
Recent opera includes Rattenbury and Tosca for Pacific Opera Victoria, Dark Sisters and Lucia di Lammermoor for Vancouver Opera, as well as several operas for young folks for Vancouver Opera In Schools.
As a director, his productions have been both site specific in unusual venues and in traditional theatres, with companies such as the Alberta Theatre Projects, Arts Club, Belfry, Caravan Farm Theatre, Factory Theatre, Firehall, the Guild in Whitehorse, Musical Stage Co, Theatre Replacement, Theatre Conspiracy, Theatre SKAM, Vancouver Playhouse, and the PuSh Festival.
As a playwright, his plays have been produced by Alberta Theatre Projects, Belfry Theatre, Touchstone Theatre, Caravan Farm Theatre, the National Arts Centre, Solo Collective, Western Edge Theatre, Theatre SKAM, as well as internationally in the United States, France, and Romania.
Ally Schuurman (she/they) is a performance art advocate, artist, and administrator originally from unceeded Coast Salish Territory. Prior to joining Banff Centre, her work in arts education spanned 15 years, multiple disciplines, and culminated in leading the successful expansion of the student services department at Arts Umbrella.
When they’re not facilitating learning environments for artists, they’re directing, curating, and taking in works of new Canadian theatre. She has been the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Vancouver Fringe Festival Society since 2022.
For questions about the department and what we offer, please contact:
Email: arts_info@banffcentre.ca
Phone: 403.762.6180
