Calgary Opera is a Canadian opera company based in

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

. The company has its administrative base at the Mamdani Opera Centre, a facility in the Wesley United Church, since July 2005. The company gives its seasonal mainstage productions at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. During the summer, the company presents 'Opera in the Village', the only Canadian outdoor summer opera festival.

History

The company was founded in 1972 as the Southern Alberta Opera Association. The association initially performed two opera productions per year, from 1973 to 1977. Alexander Gray was the first artistic director of the Southern Alberta Opera Association, and held the post until 1976. In 1976, the association appointed Brian Hanson as both its general manager and artistic director. During Hanson's tenure, the association expanded its season to three productions per season, beginning in 1978. Hanson described his general philosophy of programming operas for the company as "something old, something new, something light". In 1983, the Southern Alberta Opera Association officially changed its name to the Calgary Opera. The company presented further expanded seasons of four productions in 1983, 1985, 1986 and 1988. Hanson retired from his posts in 1988. David Speers, previously the assistant general manager of the company, succeeded Hanson in 1988. The company staged five operas in 1990, and four operas in 1991. Speers concluded his tenure in 1998. In 1998, W.R. ('Bob') McPhee became general director of Calgary Opera. The company staged four productions in 2001, 2002 and 2004. From July 2004 to September 2005, the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium was shuttered for renovations. The company established its Emerging Artist Development Program in 2004, and received support of $375K (CDN) from the Canada Arts Training Fund over the period from 2010 to 2013. The 'Opera in the Village' programme began during McPhee's tenure. In March 2015, the company announced a partnership with the

Calgary Stampede The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition, and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten-day event, which bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", attracts over one million visitors per year and featu ...

that is to lead to the eventual construction of a new opera centre for the company, on land provided by the Calgary Stampede. McPhee retired as the company's general director on 3 March 2017, because of health issues. Taras Kulish and Lauren Martin subsequently served as interim leaders of the company. In December 2017, the company announced the appointment of

Keith Cerny Keith Cerny is an American opera director and businessman. From 2004 to 2007 he was executive director and CFO of the San Francisco Opera and from 2010 to 2018 he was general director of the Dallas Opera. In 2018 he was appointed general director ...

as its next general director, effective January 2018. In August 2018, the company announced Cerny's departure as its general director, as of January 2019. Gordon Gerrard was the company's resident conductor and

répétiteur A (from the French verb meaning 'to repeat, to go over, to learn, to rehearse') is an accompanist, tutor or coach of ballet dancers or opera singers. A feminine form, , also appears but is comparatively rare. Opera In opera, a is the person ...

for four seasons, beginning in 2009. Christopher ('Topher') Mokrzewski succeeded Gerrard as resident conductor and repetiteur with the company in 2013. In October 2017, the company announced the appointment of Kimberley-Ann Bartczak as its next resident conductor and repetiteur. Bartczak was the first female conductor to be named to this post.

Bramwell Tovey Bramwell Tovey (11 July 1953 – 12 July 2022) was a British conductor and composer. Life and career Tovey was educated at Ilford County High School, the Royal Academy of Music and the University of London. His formal music education was as ...

was artistic director of the company from January 2019 to October 2020. Heather Kitchen is the current managing director and chief executive officer of the company. In September 2021, the company announced the appointment of Jonathan Brandani as its new artistic director.

New work

Calgary Opera has commissioned and/or presented several new operas by Canadian composers, including the following: * Allan Gordon Bell and Rick McNair: ''Turtle Wakes'' (2001; one-act opera for young audiences) *

John Estacio John Estacio (born April 8, 1966) is a contemporary Canadian composer of opera, orchestral and choral music. __TOC__ Life and career Estacio was born in Newmarket, Ontario. Raised in the farming community of the Holland Marsh, Ontario, Estacio t ...

and John Murrell: ''Filumena'' (2003) *

and John Murrell: ''Frobisher'' (2007) * Allan Gilliland and Val Brandt: ''Hannaraptor'' (2008; one-act opera for young audiences) *

and John Murrell: ''The Inventor'' (2011) * Arthur Bachmann and Clem Martini: ''What Brought Us Here'' (2012) Calgary Opera was also a co-commissioner of

Jake Heggie Jake Heggie (born March 31, 1961) is an American composer of opera, vocal, orchestral, and chamber music. He is best known for his operas and art songs as well as for his collaborations with internationally renowned performers and writers. B ...

and

Gene Scheer Gene Scheer (born April 28, 1958) is an American songwriter, librettist and lyricist. Brother to Samuel Scheer, an English teacher at Windsor High School and part-time musician. Education and early career Scheer was born in New York City. He receiv ...

's 2012 opera ''

Moby-Dick ''Moby-Dick; or, The Whale'' is an 1851 novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is the sailor Ishmael (Moby-Dick), Ishmael's narrative of the obsessive quest of Captain Ahab, Ahab, captain of the whaler, whaling ship ''Pequod (Moby- ...

'', along with the

Dallas Opera The Dallas Opera is an American opera company located in Dallas, Texas. The company performs at the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, one venue of the AT&T Performing Arts Center. History The company was founded in 1957 as the Dallas Civic ...

, the

San Francisco Opera San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) based in San Francisco, California. History Gaetano Merola (1923–1953) Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 when he ...

, the

San Diego Opera The San Diego Opera Association (SDO) is a professional opera company located in the city of San Diego, California. It incorporated in 1965, presenting operas under the name of the San Diego Opera.State Opera of South Australia State Opera South Australia (SOSA) is a professional opera company in Adelaide, South Australia, established in 1976. History State Opera South Australia was established in 1976 as a statutory corporation under the ''State Opera of South Aust ...

References

External links

Official website of Calgary Opera

Production history page of Calgary Opera
{{authority control Performing arts in Calgary Canadian opera companies Year of establishment missing