Canadian Opera Company to Present THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, 2/22

Toronto - The future of Canadian opera will be on full display on February 22, 2016 when the rising young stars of the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio sing the lead roles in Mozart's comedic tour-de-force, The Marriage of Figaro. This special, one-night-only performance of the COC's new production takes place at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, with all tickets accessibly priced at $25 and $55. The Marriage of Figaro is sung in Italian with English SURTITLES™.

The Ensemble Studio performance is an opportunity to showcase artists of the COC Ensemble Studio, Canada's premier training program for young opera professionals, in the starring roles of a COC mainstage production. It's an important step in the young singers' careers, with many making role debuts. Ensemble Studio artists perform with the full COC Orchestra and Chorus, under the direction of COC Music Director Johannes Debus. This year, the singers work with the same creative team as the mainstage cast for The Marriage of Figaro in a new COC production from one of the most sought-after and critically acclaimed directors of his generation, Claus Guth.

The Marriage of Figaro is a witty farce that finds Figaro and Susanna's wedding in jeopardy due to the wandering eye of their employer, the Count. The ensuing intrigue and mistaken identities lead all the characters to experience intense human passions as they're torn between morality, desire and impulse. This production draws visual and thematic inspiration from the films of Ingmar Bergman and the plays of Ibsen and Strindberg, while fusing stylized gesture and choreography with Mozart's masterful score to deliver a "shattering, unforgettable" (The Guardian) account of the elemental forces of human nature at play.

The title role is sung by second-year Ensemble Studio baritone, Iain MacNeil. In a recent appearance on the COC mainstage, singing Dr. Bartolo in the Ensemble Studio performance of The Barber of Seville, he was hailed as "remarkable" (La Scena Musicale) and "accomplished beyond his years" (Barczablog). His fiancée Susanna is sung by soprano Karine Boucher, who is noted for her "genuine flair for comedy" (La Scena Musicale) and "knockout stage presence" (Musical Toronto).

Bass-baritone Gordon Bintner, praised for "firm technique, remarkable musicality, abundant theatrical flair and a princely stage presence" (Musical Toronto), sings the role of the philandering Count Almaviva. The long-suffering Countess is portrayed by soprano Aviva Fortunata, who was a Song Prize finalist in the 2015 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition and was praised for her "brilliant, dramatic tone and natural style of acting" (National Post) in the COC's The Barber of Seville.

Jean-Philippe Fortier-Lazure brings his "sweet, soft-grained tenor," described as "a joy" (La Scena Musicale), to the role of the gossiping music teacher Don Basilio, while first-year Ensemble Studio tenor Aaron Sheppard makes his COC mainstage debut as Don Curzio.

Joining the Ensemble Studio cast members are graduates of the program, Jacqueline Woodley as Cherubino, Sasha Djihanian as Barbarina, and baritone Doug MacNaughton as Antonio, along with acclaimed Canadian bass Robert Pomakov as Bartolo, mezzo-soprano Megan Latham as Marcellina, and German actor Uli Kirsch as Cherubim, a silent character introduced by Guth and often seen manipulating the other characters.

The Ensemble Studio performance is part of the mainstage production of The Marriage of Figaro, which runs from February 4 - 27, 2016 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The production is directed by Claus Guth, with costumes and sets by Christian Schmidt, and lighting by Olaf Winter.

ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE STUDIO

The COC Ensemble Studio is Canada's premier training program for young opera professionals. Since the inception of the program in 1980, over 215 young professional Canadian singers, opera coaches, stage directors and conductors have acquired their first major professional operatic experience through the Ensemble Studio. Former members include Ben Heppner, Isabel Bayrakdarian, John Fanning, Wendy Nielsen, Joseph Kaiser, David Pomeroy, Allyson McHardy, and Krisztina Szabó.

The members of the Ensemble Studio are the COC's resident artists and important ambassadors for the company. They receive a blend of advanced study and practical experience through an individually tailored, multi-year program, involving understudying and performing mainstage roles, intensive vocal coaching, language and acting studies, and career skills development, as well as participation in masterclasses with internationally renowned opera professionals.

TICKET INFORMATION

Single tickets for the Ensemble Studio performance of The Marriage of Figaro are $25and $55 per person and are available online at coc.ca, by calling COC Ticket Services at 416-363-8231, or in person at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Box Office, located at 145 Queen St. W., Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Standing Room tickets are available for $12 at 11 a.m. the morning of the performance, in person only at the Four Seasons Centre Box Office. Limit of two tickets per person. Subject to availability.

About the Canadian Opera Company
Based in Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the largest in North America. The COC enjoys a loyal audience support-base and one of the highest attendance and subscription rates in North America. Under its leadership team of General Director Alexander Neef and Music Director Johannes Debus, the COC is increasingly capturing the opera world's attention. The COC maintains its international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation by creating new productions within its diverse repertoire, collaborating with leading opera companies and festivals, and attracting the world's foremost Canadian and international artists. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, hailed internationally as one of the finest in the world. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, the Four Seasons Centre opened in 2006. For more information on the COC, visit its award-winning website, coc.ca.