Toronto City Opera Unveils 2024-25 Season with Mainstage Productions and Community Events

Toronto City Opera will unveil its 2024-25 Season, showcasing a diverse array of operatic works and engaging community events.

This season will feature mainstage productions of Gaetano Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore and Aaron Copland's The Tender Land, alongside the annual Viva Voce Gala Fundraiser and the return of the Macina Voice Competition.

TCO remains steadfast in its commitment to making opera accessible to everyone, offering
emerging artists opportunities to take on leading roles and involving the Toronto community as choristers in fully staged operas. "The community chorus is the heart of TCO, so I ensure there is ample chorus involvement in the operas we select," says Artistic Director Jennifer Tung. She adds, "Audiences can expect beautiful melodies from both operas, featuring exceptional Canadian emerging artist soloists."

The season kicks off with Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore at the Al Green Theatre on November 13, 16, and 17, 2024. "L'elisir is a wonderful comedic opera," says Tung. "I wanted to start the season with something light-hearted and fun." Tung will conduct the opera, with Ivan Estey Jovanovich serving as Music Director from the piano. Jessica Derventzis, known for her work with Opera 5 and TCO's The Tales of Hoffmann, will direct the production. "I am thrilled to return to TCO," explains Derventzis. "L'elisir is a special opera-fun and fanciful, featuring a travelling charlatan and a group of soldiers who turn a sleepy town upside down, all while a charming love story brews underneath." The production will showcase Donizetti's signature patter singing and vocal virtuosity, with the Toronto City Opera Chorus delivering both vocal brilliance and engaging performances, as Derventzis notes, "stretching their acting and comedic muscles!"

The season concludes with Copland's The Tender Land, an American opera set on a family
farm in 1930s Midwestern America, exploring the choices a young woman faces on the brink of graduation. "June is the perfect time to perform this work," says Tung, "as many students are nearing graduation and facing pivotal choices in their lives." Following last season's successful production of Carlyle Floyd's Susannah, TCO continues its tradition of presenting 20th-century American operas. The Tender Land will be staged on June 18, 21, and 22, 2025, at the Al Green Theatre.

Additional highlights of the season include the second annual Macina Voice Competition. This concert will showcase emerging artists competing for monetary prizes and future performance opportunities. Established in honour of TCO's founding Artistic Director Giuseppe Macina, the competition is a tribute to his legacy. "Giuseppe Macina inspired and encouraged many young artists by providing performance opportunities in annual opera productions," says Board President and long-time TCO member John Minardi. "This competition honours his contributions and continues his legacy by offering a platform for emerging talents to shine."

The competition will be held on February 23, 2025, at Church of the Redeemer. Later this season, TCO will host the annual Viva Voce Gala Fundraiser at the Donalda Club on May 4th, 2025, featuring dazzling performances by emerging opera stars. Proceeds will support TCO's efforts to make opera accessible to the community.

Toronto City Opera is also pleased to announce the expansion of its leadership team with the addition of Nicholas Borg as Administrative Director and Alexander Cappellazzo as
Development and Customer Relations Manager. Nicholas has previously served as Managing Director for the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto and Administrative Assistant for UofT Opera, while maintaining a performing career across Canada. Alexander Cappellazzo, founder of the Diapente Renaissance Vocal Quintet and Apocryphonia Concert Series, performs regularly with opera companies and choirs across Ontario. "I look forward to working with the talented and dedicated team at Toronto City Opera," says Borg. "I believe that opera is an art form for everyone, and I am excited to contribute to TCO's mission of bringing more opera to Toronto."

For tickets and more information, please visit torontocityopera.com.

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