The Toronto Operetta Theatre Presents THE COUSIN FROM NOWHERE, 5/1-4

The Toronto Operetta Theatre closes its 2013-2014 season with the Canadian Premiere of THE COUSIN FROM NOWHERE (Der Vetter aus Dingsda), written in 1921 by the German composerEduard Künneke when Berlin was hopping mad and crazed by world music. Conducted by Jürgen Petrenko, the performances are fully staged with orchestra at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts on May 1, 2, 3, 4 (mat). "Our COUSIN FROM NOWHERE performances will be the icing on the cake for our current season," said TOT General Director Guillermo Silva-Marin. "It's a very special work, a chamber operetta really, written by a Berliner who incorporated American and Latin dance rhythms into a lyric framework." The performances are supported by a generous grant from the Canada Council for the Arts.

The idealism of young love drives the melodic invention of Künneke's early 'twenties' operetta and his almost Broadway pit band orchestration makes it unique. Dedicated to supporting Canada's wealth of vocal talent, TOT has assembled a stellar cast featuring artists both established and emerging. Tenor Christopher Mayell, last season's outrageous Brazilian in LA VIE PARISIENNE is mistaken as the long lost 'cousin', and causes hearts to flutter under a silvery moon. Soprano Lucia Cesaroni returns after a stunning run as Maria in Vancouver Opera's WEST SIDE STORY. She is now our Julia, smitten by the idea of 'one true love'. TOT fans will remember her as a scintillatingAdele in DIE FLEDERMAUS. Also starring are TOT favourites Elizabeth Beeler as Wimpel and Stefan Fehr asEgon, with Michael Nyby as Uncle Josef, Charlotte Knight as Hanna making their TOT debuts. Emerging artistsKeenan Viau and Gregory Finney complete the cast. As stage director, Silva-Marin brings his light comic touch to this tale of young love with its joys and woes, leavened by musical numbers styled as a 'One Step', 'Boston Waltz' 'Tango' and 'Fast Fox'.

TOT is supported by Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto and Ontario Arts Councils, the Jackman Foundation, Bedolfe Foundation, and The Dalglish Family Foundation. TOT is also supported by Gluskin Sheff, HotHouse Café, and media sponsors Deutsche Presse, Epoch Times, MZ Media and NTD Television. The St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts is wheelchair accessible and close to public transit and municipal parking. Call the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts at 416-366-7723, 1-800-708-6754 or online at www.stlc.com