Opera.ca News
Reflections on the Banff Opera Colloquium
It has now been just over three weeks since the Banff Opera Colloquium and looking back over a weekend that was ten months in the planning , I could not be more proud of the work that was accomplished there, nor happier about the attendance and participation of the many people who contributed to its success.
Using a framework of adaptive resilience introduced by keynote speaker Mark Robinson, we created a resilience baseline for the sector, and engaged in discussions on both macro (sector- wide) and micro (individual) characteristics that would lead to greater resilience. Key outcomes of the Colloquium were a collective realization of the need to collaborate to solve problems, and to create a national dialogue on issues of shared importance, including audience development, advocacy, and co-production.
A full report on the Colloquium will be published and made available at the Annual General Meeting.
Opera.ca Annual General Meeting – Teleconference October 18, 2011
As with last year, Opera.ca’s Annual General Meeting will be held via teleconference on October 18, 2011 at 1pm EST. An official notice will be sent out to all voting members one month before the meeting and the AGM package will be sent out a week in advance of the meeting . At this year’s AGM, we will approve and bring into effect, Opera.ca’s new strategic plan, Relevance and Resilience 2012-2015.
Advocacy
Arts Day on the Hill – Call for Participants!
The Canadian Arts Coalition is moving forward with plans for the third Arts Day on Parliament Hill, Tuesday October 25th, 2011. Opera.ca encourages participation by artists, board members of arts organizations and arts managers who believe in the Coalition’s recommendations and can speak convincingly about the value that the arts bring to Canadian communities.
To learn more about how to get involved, visit: canadianartscoalition.com
Culture Days
Culture Days is now right around the corner - September 30, October 1 and 2, 2011 - and the following tools and promotional items are available to help you plan your days or promote your event.
• “In Conversation” video series, is presented by Culture Days’ National Broadcast Partner, CBC and showcases leaders in the Canadian arts and culture sector and the organizations they represent.
• So many places to go and things to see and do, why not organize it all with your own Bright Spots Schedule? The on-line scheduling tool can be used to create a customized schedule of activities happening over the Culture Days event weekend.
• Promote your activity with a Customized Web Banner on your blog or web site! You can automatically generate a customized banner that will include your activity name and a link to your activity page on the Culture Days web site. Or make use of the free Culture Days video “bumpers”, which can be downloaded here.
Focus on Canadian Opera Creation
Queen of Puddings Music Theatre will present a concert version of Ana Sokolovic’s Svadba – Wedding on October 12 at 12:00pm at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts as part of the Free Concert Series. Svadba – Wedding follows the story of girlfriends preparing a bride-to-be on the night before her wedding in a ravishing and cathartic Balkan rite of passage. It features Laura Albino, Carla Huhtanen, Andrea Ludwig, Shannon Mercer, Krisztina Szabó and Jacqueline Woodley.
Svadba – Wedding received a development grant from the Canadian Opera Creation Fund.
And don’t forget that the deadline for this year’s COCF full applications is: October 3, 2011
Member News
Despite many successes in the 2010/11 season, including the world premiere of Lillian Alling (Estacio/Murrell) and the opening of The Michael & Inna O’Brian Centre for Vancouver Opera, it was announced at Vancouver Opera’s AGM this August that the company experienced disappointing returns in both earned and contributed revenue and, consequently, a significant operating loss for the year. After offsetting the loss with a working capital reserve that had been built up over more than a decade of strong performance, the company holds an accumulated deficit of $831,000 on a budget of $9.7-million.
Vancouver Opera has also announced the naming of The Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall at the O’Brian Centre for Vancouver Opera after the receipt of a $500,000 gift from philanthropist and dedicated supporter of the arts Martha Lou Henley.
People
Opera.ca bids adieu to long serving Membership Coordinator Sandra Cina who departs at the end of September to pursue a new opportunity at Mississauga Arts Council. We wish Sandra all the best in her new position!
Taking over the membership portfolio, we welcome incoming Membership Coordinator Krista Wodelet. Krista will be splitting her time between Opera.ca, Orchestras Canada and her burgeoning career as a bassoonist.
Tapestry New Opera has announced the following artists as this season’s participants in this season’s LibLab: Composers Elisabeth Mehl Greene, Katya Pine, Darren Russo, Jana Skarecky and Christiaan Venter and writers Sharon Bajer, Nick Carpenter, Sheldon Rosen, Anusree Roy and Norman Yeung.
Of Note
Imagine Canada has released its fourth report from the Sector Monitor survey program that was launched at the end of 2009. The survey finds that “while demand for the products and services of sector organizations remains high, there are signs that sector leaders are beginning to see a slackening of the ever-increasing demand. The immediacy of financial challenges for some organizations has receded and organizational stress had declined significantly from the high seen just one year ago. However, this positive shift is not uniform across the sector. While foundations report increased revenues, operating charities continue to report stagnant revenues and ever-increasing expenditures.” Find the report here.
The Canada Council for the Arts has announced that composer Cassandra Miller is the winner of the 2011 Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music for Bel Canto, a song inspired by a lazy afternoon lunch with friends in the Greek mountains. The work was created for a mezzo-soprano and two simultaneous ensembles.
Auditions
Chants Libres - 6-9 October 2011
Alexandra
Coloratura Soprano
Baritone
Bass
Tenor
Canadian Opera Creation Fund: Full applications: October 3, 2011
John Hobday Awards in Arts Management: September 30, 2011
National Opera Directors Recognition Award: Nominations: October 21, 2011