Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio Presents SEMELE, 5/23

The young artists of the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio take on the lead roles in their own performance of George Frideric Handel's Semele on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. All tickets are priced at $22 or $55.

Under the direction of the same artistic team as the mainstage cast, including conductor Rinaldo Alessandrini, director and set designer Zhang Huan and costume designer Han Feng, the artists of the Ensemble Studio perform Semele with the full COC Orchestra and Chorus.

Zhang's Semele draws on parallels between Greco-Roman mythology and Chinese legends, as well as Buddhist concepts of karma and reincarnation, to create a true interaction of Eastern and Western cultures. The production's centerpiece is a 450-year-old Ming Dynasty ancestral temple salvaged by Zhang from a small town in China, and used to tell this operatic tale of a love affair between the god Jupiter and the mortal princess Semele.

The title role of the flighty, narcissistic and naïve Semele is shared by two rising young sopranos: Mireille Asselin and Ambur Braid. Commanding the stage as Jupiter is tenor Christopher Enns, and mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb brings her vivacity and passion to the roles of Jupiter's jealous wife, Juno, and Semele's sister, Ino. Cast as Juno's messenger, Iris, is soprano Jacqueline Woodley. Bass-baritone Philippe Sly demonstrates his dramatic and musical versatility in the roles of Cadmus, Semele's father, and Somnus, the god of sleep. Rounding out the cast is guest artist Ryan Belongie, who sings Semele's jilted suitor, Athamas.

In addition to the special Ensemble Studio cast production of Semele on May 23, there are eight performances of the Semele mainstage production May 9 – 26, 2012 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Semele is a co-production of Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Brussels and KT Wong Foundation. Semele is sung in English with English SURTITLES™.

 Single tickets for the Ensemble Studio performance of Semele are $22 or $55 (includes applicable taxes).  Tickets are available online at coc.ca, by calling 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.

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