Tapestry Opera

Author: clay

  • Roster Announcement: 30 Years of LIBLAB

    Roster Announcement: 30 Years of LIBLAB

    Tapestry Opera Marks 30 Years of LIBLAB with 2025 Roster Announcement, Debut at Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre

    TORONTO, ON – June 27, 2025 – Tapestry Opera, Canada’s leader in the development of new opera, is proud to announce the roster of talented composers and librettists selected for its 2025 Composer-Librettist Laboratory (LIBLAB). This marks the 30th anniversary of the acclaimed program, a cornerstone of new opera creation in Canada.

    From July 15 to 25, 2025, the intensive program will take place at Tapestry Opera’s new creative hub, the Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre. This year’s LIBLAB will bring together four librettists (top row, left to right): Rachel Gray, Sarah Henstra, Pierre-André Doucet, and Christene Adina Browne. They will collaborate with four composers (bottom row, left to right): Rebecca Gray, Saman Shahi, Roydon Tse, and Prokhor Protasoff.

    Three Decades of Fostering Operatic Excellence
    Since its inception in 1995, LIBLAB has been the creative hotbed at the heart of Tapestry Opera’s commitment to new work. It addresses a critical need in the growing field of opera by providing a unique platform for writers and composers to forge creative partnerships and refine their collaborative skills. This focus on practical, hands-on development is essential for companies venturing into new opera, ensuring the creation of successful and impactful works.

    “For 30 years, LIBLAB has been an unparalleled incubator for operatic talent, fostering the collaborations that lead to groundbreaking new works,” says Michael Hidetoshi Mori, Tapestry’s Artistic Director. “We’re thrilled to welcome this exceptional group of artists to our new home at the Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre, and we look forward to seeing the innovative projects that emerge from this milestone year.”

    How LIBLAB Ignites New Opera
    LIBLAB is a 10-day intensive program where four composers and four writers engage in a cycle of collaborative discovery. The artists create sixteen 5-minute scenes, with each scene written, composed, and performed within a tight 48-hour cycle. This process is repeated four times, allowing each writer to work with every composer, maximizing creative interaction and diverse perspectives.

    Guiding the participants throughout the process are composer James Rolfe and director Michael Hidetoshi Mori. They will be supported by some of Canada’s most versatile contemporary performers, including soprano Reilly Nelson, mezzo-soprano Adanya Dunn, tenor Keith Klassen, baritone Jorell Williams, and collaborative pianists Jennifer Tung and Hyejin Kwon.

    A Legacy of Groundbreaking Works

    To date, 134 artists have graduated from LIBLAB, with over 50 creative teams emerging to create new works for the stage, both for Tapestry Opera and for other companies nationally and internationally. This esteemed alumni network continues to shape the operatic landscape.

    Notable operas that have emerged from relationships fostered at LIBLAB include:

    • 10 Days in a Madhouse, (Rene Orth and Hannah Moscovitch): co-commissioned and co-produced by Opera Philadelphia and Tapestry Opera, premiered at Opera Philadelphia in September 202, and was the second Canadian recipient of the prestigious Music Critics Association of North America’s Best New Opera Award.
    • Of the Sea (Ian Cusson and Kanika Ambrose): Co-commissioned and co-produced with Obsidian Theatre Company in partnership with TO Live. This first Canadian large-scale Black opera premiered at the Bluma Appel Theatre in 2023.
    • R.U.R. A Torrent of Light (Nicole Lizée and Nicolas Billon): Produced in collaboration with OCAD University and developed with support from the National Arts Centre’s National Creation Fund, this opera took home 6 Dora Mavor Moore Awards in 2022, including Outstanding Production and Outstanding New Opera, and was the first Canadian recipient of the prestigious Music Critics Association of North America’s Best New Opera Award 
    • Rocking Horse Winner (Gareth Williams and Anna Chatterton): premiered in 2016 to great acclaim, winning 5 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, including Best Production and Best Performer. It was returned to the stage in association with Crow’s Theatre in 2023.
    • Iron Road (Mark Brownell and Chan Ka Nin): Premiered at the Elgin Theatre in 2001 and inspired the 2009 TV miniseries by the same name
    • Sanctuary Song (Marjorie Chan and Abigail Richardson-Schulte): Co-commissioned by Theatre Direct and presented by the Luminato Festival in 2008, and remounted by Tapestry Opera in 2025.

    About Tapestry Opera
    Tapestry Opera is Canada’s leading company for the creation and development of new opera. With a focus on innovative storytelling and collaborative processes, Tapestry Opera champions Canadian artists and brings groundbreaking new works to stages across the country and around the world.

    For more information about Tapestry Opera, please visit tapestryopera.com/about/about-us/. For more details on LIBLAB, visit tapestryopera.com/programs/liblab/.

    For further media information, artist interviews, or an invitation to the LIBLAB’s final reading recital, please contact:

    Clay Jones, Manager, Marketing and Communications, Tapestry Opera 416-537-6066 #104 cjones@tapestryopera.com

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  • HOW TO MAKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DESIRABLE BY USING ARTS

    HOW TO MAKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DESIRABLE BY USING ARTS

    The Green Line team visited 877 Yonge St. to learn how St. Clare’s Housing, Nightwood Theatre and Tapestry Opera are using the arts to combat stigma around affordable housing.

    THE GREEN LINE ORIGINAL STORY

    READ THE GREEN LINE ORIGINAL STORY HERE

    Andrea Adams, executive director of St. Clare’s Housing, says her organization is working to fight the “not in my backyard” (NIMBY) attitude towards affordable housing that some residents in Yorkville have since it’s one of Toronto’s most affluent neighbourhoods, where luxury and designer stores dot most streets.

    (For the uninitiated, NIMBYism is when people hold negative attitudes or stereotypes about the people who live in affordable housing or use emergency shelters, according to the Ontario Human Rights Commission.)

    In response, St. Clare’s, a charity that provides affordable mixed-income housing in downtown Toronto, launched a performance arts space in the basement level of 877 Yonge St., one of its buildings, to make affordable housing more desirable to locals.

  • ‘What the future of arts needs,’ Inside Toronto’s new artist-driven creative space

    ‘What the future of arts needs,’ Inside Toronto’s new artist-driven creative space

    Lede image: The newly opened Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre (left) stands as a beacon for Toronto’s arts scene. Pictured on the right: Andrea Donaldson, Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre, and Naz Afsahi, Managing Director of Nightwood Theatre, who helped bring the vision to life. (Courtesy: Dahlia Katz)

    For Toronto’s independent artists, it’s become a difficult task to find an affordable, accessible space to rehearse, create and perform. But, a new venue is changing the game; The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre has opened its doors downtown offering an accessible space, created with artists in mind. 

    The performance centre, located at 877 Yonge St., is tucked into the lower level of a St. Clare’s housing building and the centre isn’t just another performance venue – it’s a much-needed space for emerging, independent and equity-deserving artists navigating a city where creative real estate is hard to find.

    Read the full article on Now Toronto

    The collaborative effort between Tapestry Opera, Nightwood Theatre, and St. Clare’s Housing was created not only to offer a stable home for artists but to foster deeper ties between the arts and Toronto’s broader communities.

    With rents climbing and rehearsal spaces dwindling, the centre arrives at a perfect time for artists.

  • Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre Sets a New Stage for the Toronto Artistic Community

    Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre Sets a New Stage for the Toronto Artistic Community

    Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre Sets a New Stage for the Toronto Artistic Community

    The newly launched arts facility and theatre, developed in partnership with Tapestry Opera, Nightwood Theatre, and St. Clare’s Housing Society, aims to support the city’s vibrant arts scene.

    In the Performance Hall – L-R:  Naz Afsahi, Managing Director, Nightwood Theatre Andrea Donaldson,  Artistic Director, Nightwood Theatre Jaime Martino, Executive Director, Tapestry Opera Michael Hidetoshi Mori, Artistic and General Director, Tapestry Opera
    Photo by Dahlia Katz

     TORONTO, March 17, 2025 – The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre opens its doors today, introducing a much-needed accessible, affordable, and innovative arts venue to Toronto’s creative landscape. 

    The joint initiative between Tapestry Opera, Nightwood Theatre, and St. Clare’s Housing was designed to provide a new home for artists while strengthening the connection between the arts and the broader Toronto community. It’s an exciting and necessary addition to the city, as rising living costs and increasing scarcity of performance and rehearsal spaces have created significant challenges for young, emerging, and independent artists. Situated in the lower level of a St. Clare’s Housing building at 877 Yonge St., the Centre will become a vibrant and vital cultural hub, offering an inclusive, state-of-the-art facility and gathering place within walking distance of five diverse neighbourhoods and two central TTC subway stations. 

    The partnership between leading arts organizations Nightwood Theatre and Tapestry Opera began in 2002 when both companies moved into the new Artscape Distillery District Studios. As two of the first theatrical residents, both companies helped revitalize the Distillery District’s artistic impact and cement its status as a popular Toronto landmark. 

    After 20 years of growth and artistic achievement, Nightwood Theatre, Tapestry Opera, and over 70 artists and arts organizations were forced to vacate the Distillery space. This closure removed office space for both teams and three significant studio spaces from the performing arts community. Determined to find a solution, these two organizations partnered with St. Clare’s Housing to transform a social housing space into a dynamic cultural hub. 

    “Finding a home and a sense of belonging is vital in these challenging times, not only for Nightwood Theatre and Tapestry Opera but for the many artists and audiences that will walk through the doors at The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre,” says Andrea Donaldson, Artistic Director, Nightwood Theatre. “We need spaces in Toronto that intentionally reach out for people to gather, that allow for creative dreaming, bold action, and courageous expression.” “As tenants of St. Clare’s—Canada’s largest developer of supportive not-for-profit mixed-income housing—we share their belief that everyone deserves a home and, furthermore, that everyone deserves access to creativity and cultural experiences,” adds Nightwood’s Managing Director Naz Afsahi. “Nightwood, Tapestry, and St. Clare’s are proving that collaboration means we can achieve more together than on our own.” 

    Designed by Hilditch Architects, with guidance from Theatrical Project Manager Remington North, the Centre is a striking addition that revitalizes a central stretch of Yonge Street. The new facility incorporates state-of-the-art technology that dramatically reduces energy consumption, giving new life to under-used spaces at a fraction of the energy of a new build. Accessibility is a cornerstone of The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre’s mission, ensuring that as many people as possible can be welcomed into the space and community. 

    The Centre will host performances and programming from its resident companies, continuing Tapestry and Nightwood’s respective award-winning legacies of showcasing original, progressive works and supporting the next generation of talent. Artistic programming will include a variety of multidisciplinary performances, artist residencies, and workshops. Emerging and established artists will have opportunities to develop and showcase new work, while community members can engage through interactive programming, educational initiatives, and mentorship opportunities. The venue will serve as a home for diverse storytelling, featuring theatre, opera, dance, and interdisciplinary performances that push artistic boundaries. Residencies and artist-focused programs will be available, including a focus on equity-deserving artists, ensuring accessibility and representation within the space. 

    Beginning with a Launch Concert with Tapestry and Friends on March 22, the season will go on to include Where the Spirits Sit, a workshop production from Nightwood Theatre, running April 3 – 5 and featuring the songwriting and storytelling of multi-disciplinary artist Tamara Podemski; Sanctuary Song, a one-hour, all-ages original opera, running from May 9 – 25; Nightwood’s staging of Enormity, Girl, and the Earthquake in Her Lungs, a physical ensemble piece running from September 16 – October 5, and more. Tapestry Opera is also thrilled to announce inaugural residencies with Cultureland and Opera Q for 2025-2026, as well as the continuation of LIBLAB, an opera creation intensive from July 15 – 25. 

    “Creating new performing arts spaces that are affordable for artists and independent companies became a high priority for us,” says Tapestry Opera Artistic Director Michael Hidetoshi Mori, “and it is thrilling to see that dream realized. At the same time, we are thrilled to provide a new venue where locals and all Torontonians can experience some of Toronto’s most dynamic music, theatre, opera, and dance artists!” Jaime Martino, Executive Director, adds that the “partnership with Nightwood and St. Clare’s have made this ambitious venture possible, and proven the value of working together and thinking outside the box in these changing times.” 

    The new facility will provide a vital space for artists to create, collaborate, and inspire audiences for generations to come. 

    Learn more at jackmanperformance.ca. Images of the space can be found here for download. 

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    For all press inquiries, please contact: 
    Jaime Eisen 
    jaime@jaimeeisen.com 
    647.224.9674 

    ABOUT THE NANCY & ED JACKMAN PERFORMANCE CENTRE 

    The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre is a vibrant cultural arts centre formed through a unique partnership between Tapestry Opera, Nightwood Theatre, and St. Clare’s Housing. The organization creates common ground for deep relationships in performances, community gatherings, and events by bringing together tenants, neighbours, artists, and audiences. In the heart of Toronto, The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre provides an accessible and affordable space for independent creators while hosting transformative theatre, music, and opera performances. With a commitment to equity, sustainability, and inclusivity, the Centre supports emerging and equity-deserving artists through residency and subsidy programs, fosters deep community connections, and integrates state-of-the-art technology to reduce environmental impact. Learn more at jackmanperformance.ca and follow on social @jackmanperformance. 

    ABOUT TAPESTRY OPERA 

    Founded in 1979, Tapestry Opera is an award-winning Toronto-based company dedicated to creating, developing and performing original, progressive opera. We are passionate about timely, resonant stories told in innovative settings and interpreted by extraordinary artists. We create space to unite diverse art forms, creators, and communities to develop powerful, boundary-breaking opera that reflects and changes the world. We believe in embedding our values in everything we do, on and offstage, and work to create a flexible, adaptable, and accountable culture for our time and communities. Learn more at tapestryopera.com and follow on social @tapestryopera. 

    ABOUT NIGHTWOOD THEATRE 

    As Canada’s preeminent feminist theatre, Nightwood Theatre cultivates, creates, and produces extraordinary theatre by women and gender-expansive artists, liberating futures, one room at a time. Founded in 1979, Nightwood has launched and toured award-winning productions that have shaped Canada’s theatrical landscape, earning recognition from the Dora Mavor Moore, Chalmers, Trillium, and Governor General’s Awards. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Andrea Donaldson and Managing Director Naz Afsahi, Nightwood is celebrated for artistic excellence, developing emerging talent, and championing gender equity in the arts. With a commitment to bold storytelling, inclusivity, and care-centred creative spaces, Nightwood produces full-scale productions, the annual Groundswell Festival, and the acclaimed Write From The Hip playwrights program. Learn more at nightwoodtheatre.net and follow on social @nightwoodtheat. 

    ABOUT ST. CLARE’S HOUSING 

    St Clare’s is a social justice landlord and developer working in active partnerships to create sustainable, safe, affordable housing solutions. St Clare’s pursues a vision in which pragmatic, judgement-free approaches to housing are recognized as the best way to enhance neighbourhoods and create healthy communities for everyone by providing diverse and respectful environments in which once marginalized people have the opportunity to expand their agency and capacity. With over 800 units in its portfolio in seven different buildings, St. Clare’s provides deeply affordable housing with supports to thousands of people who have experienced chronic homelessness, and now have a place to call home. The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre opens its doors today, introducing a much-needed accessible, affordable, and innovative arts venue to Toronto’s creative landscape.

  • Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre at 877 Yonge St. officially opens its doors Monday.

    Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre at 877 Yonge St. officially opens its doors Monday.

    From The Toronto Star – A state-of-the-art theatre is set to open in the basement of this affordable housing complex. It’s also a sign of hope for the future.

    By Richie AssalyCulture Reporter

    A brand new theatre venue and arts facility in Toronto is officially opening its doors on Monday, offering a beacon of hope to the city’s struggling cultural sector. 

    The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre at 877 Yonge St. describes itself as an “accessible, affordable and innovative arts space” designed “to provide a new home for artists while strengthening the connection between the arts and the broader Toronto community.”

    Built on the lower level of an affordable housing building, the 6,500-square-foot facility is a joint initiative between Tapestry Opera and Nightwood Theatre — both independent performing arts companies that were displaced from their home in the Distillery District in 2022 — alongside St. Clare’s Housing, a charitable organization that provides affordable mixed-income housing in downtown Toronto.

    Read the full article here on the Star’s website.

  • Jacqueline | Reviews

    Jacqueline | Reviews

    Reviews are in, and we couldn’t be more proud of the response.

    We are not currently short of contemporary operas focused on larger-than-life individuals, with the modern stage becoming a popular venue for biopics – especially those of “great artists.” Unlike many such pieces, however, the representation of the life of the phenomenal musician Jacqueline du Pré that we experience in Tapestry Opera’s Jacqueline is anything but a predictable biography.

    Jane Forner – Opera Canada

    Through it all, her artistry is personified by the brilliant playing and the physical presence of cellist Matt Haimovitz. I find the staging quite ingenious, with various objects such as a phonograph, an LP, and other material dropping from the top at strategic points in the storytelling. Also striking is the presence of neatly placed chairs in the background, perhaps representing an unseen audience. When du Pré’s health and mental state started to deteriorate, the chairs become chaotic, symbolizing du Pré’s disintegrating world.

    Joseph So – Ludwig Van Toronto

    Most new Canadian operas get an initial run (if they are lucky) and then disappear.  Luna Pearl Woolf and Royce Vavrek’s Jacqueline is unusual in that following it’s premiere at Tapestry Opera in Toronto in 2020 it also played in San Francisco in 2024 and is now back in Toronto for a revival at Tapestry; once again directed by Michael Mori.  

    operaramblings

     Tapestry Opera’s biographical Jacqueline is totally unlike anything I’ve seen on an opera stage before. Directed by Michael Hidetoshi Mori, with a libretto by Royce Vavrek and compositions by Luna Pearl Woolf, Jacqueline is a heartbreaking story about music, fame, passion, and illness.

    Janine Marley – A View From the Box

    Stunningly composed by Montreal-based Luna Pearl Woolf, glowing poetic libretto by Canadian Brooklynite Royce Vavrek, the dazzling, quadriptych-like portrait of du Pré, shadowed by tragedy, summoned a kaleidoscope of fresh reaction, a casting of what feels like new light on a work long-cherished in memory, more impression, perhaps, than stark illumination, but no less intense.

    Ian Ritchie – Opera Going Toronto


    Up Next!
  • Women in Musical Leadership 2025 applications open

    Women in Musical Leadership 2025 applications open

    Apply now to be part of our 2023 Women in Musical Leadership cohort

    Location: Toronto and across Canada
    Type: Part-time, July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2028
    Salary: $30,000
    Application deadline: Monday, February 10, 2025, 11:59 pm
    Start date: July 2025

    Apply now to be part of our 2025 cohort

    Women in Musical Leadership is an advanced three-year conducting program structured as a series of placements with Tapestry Opera, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and over twenty partner organizations across Canada.  The program’s goal is to allow developing conductors to focus solely on conducting so that after three years, they emerge ready for regular professional engagements.

    Conductors are given practical opportunities to assist, observe, conduct, build professional experience, and expand their networks with a range of organizations in symphonic, chamber, operatic, and contemporary repertoire. Recent opportunities for WML conductors include working with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Gustavo Gimeno in our annual masterclass, assisting mainstage productions with Vancouver Opera (Carmen), Manitoba Opera (L’Elisir d’Amore), and Pacific Opera Victoria (La Clemenza di Tito), and conducting full orchestral programs with the Calgary Philharmonic, Kamloops Symphony, and more.

    Conductors are provided mentorship through a Conducting Advisory Council (comprising leading conductors in the field), and work regularly with Key Mentors JoAnn Falletta, Sarah Ioannides, Tania Miller, Rosemary Thomson, and Karen Kamensek, who help guide conductors through their time in the program. 

    This advanced program is for applicants who want to develop their careers as conductors and music directors with salaried, practical experience. Visit our Women in Musical Leadership page for more information about our partners, key mentors, conducting advisors, and the inaugural cohort. 

    How to apply

    Women in Musical Leadership is for self-identified female and non-binary conductors who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Generally, applicants will have completed advanced studies (or equivalent experience) in a primary instrument, have some previous conducting experience, and demonstrate readiness for professional opportunities and training. Applicants should be ready to take advantage of all types of conducting placements, including orchestral, opera, and new music – expertise is unnecessary. Still, readiness to learn on the job is required.

    Please apply via our application form. Potential applicants are required to supply:

    • Curriculum Vitae
    • Written artist statement
    • Repertoire list
    • Videos of the applicant conducting and at their primary instrument
    • Professional references

    There will be two rounds of evaluation. The first is by a jury committee, where candidates will be evaluated based on materials provided, level of musicality, technical skill, overall presentation, and collaborative and leadership potential.

    The jury comprises Women in Musical Leadership Conductor Advisory Committee members, including representatives from Tapestry Opera, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and other partner organizations.

    Candidates selected to move on to the second round will have a 30-minute interview conducted by phone or Zoom.
    Please read our FAQs before submitting your application. If you’re still unsure of your eligibility or have other questions regarding the WML program and application process, contact Program Manager Camille Rogers at crogers@tapestryopera.com.

    CLICK HERE TO APPLY
    Click here to find out more about WML
    Click here to read our FAQ

    Women in Musical Leadership is a project led by Tapestry Opera in partnership with Toronto Symphony Orchestra. 

  • Jaime Martino awarded Jini Stolk Creative Fellowship

    Toronto ON, November 25, 2024 — Jaime Martino, Executive Director with Tapestry Opera, has been awarded the second annual Jini Stolk Creative Fellowship. The Fellowship was created in memory of arts leader Jini Stolk and continues her legacy by supporting arts management through an award of $20,000 over two years ($10,000 per year) to an arts manager of a small to mid-sized Toronto arts organization.

    “I am delighted and so grateful to receive the second-ever Jini Stolk Creative Fellowship, and I take very seriously the trust and responsibility that this Fellowship represents,” says Jaimie Martino. “Jini cared very deeply about the way that we work together to create art, and I am inspired by her work to challenge and rework systems to make them more human-centred. I am honoured to carry on her legacy, and to use the next two years in this Fellowship as a way to continue her work to make a kinder, more inclusive sector for us all.”

    Read the full press release at The Jini Stolk Creative Fellowship.

  • THE 24/25 SEASON CELEBRATES 45 YEARS OF TAPESTRY 

    THE 24/25 SEASON CELEBRATES 45 YEARS OF TAPESTRY 

    Celebrate 45 Years Of Tapestry With Newly Built Venue, Two Of Their Most Successful Shows, And Unique On-Location Programming.

    TORONTO—Tapestry Opera celebrates 45 years of producing innovative, powerful opera that reflects and changes the world around us.

    This season, Tapestry Opera finishes construction and will launch a new performing arts facility and venue at 877 Yonge Street in the heart of downtown Toronto in partnership with Nightwood Theatre and St Clare’s Multifaith Housing Society. Tapestry celebrates its anniversary with two multi-award-winning shows, Sanctuary Song and Jacqueline, and inaugurates its new venue with a new concert series. 

    Tapestry Opera, a trailblazer in the performing arts sector, leads the way with national initiatives Women in Musical Leadership, the Canadian Opera Resource, and new Canadian opera commissions, two of which will be announced later this season. 2024-2025 will be a banner year for its commitment to innovation and driving positive change in the arts.

    24/25 Programming

    Acclaimed Production: Jacqueline
    Composed by Luna Pearl Woolf | Libretto by Royce Vavrek | Dramaturgy and Direction by Michael Hidetoshi Mori
    The Betty Oliphant Theatre | February 20 – 23, 2025

    Fresh off a hugely successful run at West Edge Opera in San Francisco, Jacqueline is an unmissable and powerful display of virtuosity. Jacqueline explores the meteoric rise and tragic fall of Jacqueline du Pré through her relationship with her cello. Who is the much-admired Jacqueline when the one thing that most defines her is taken away by multiple sclerosis?

    Brought to life by two contemporary stars, celebrated soprano Marnie Breckenridge plays Jacqueline, and former du Pré protégé and world-renowned cellist Matt Haimovitz plays her constant companion, her cello.

    Venue Launch: In Concert with Tapestry & Friends
    877 Yonge Street | Saturday, March 22, 2025

    Launch the new theatre with a celebratory concert featuring Tapestry’s beloved artists accompanied by the Bösendorfer Imperial grand piano, followed by a reception for all attendees. A free community concert in the afternoon, followed by a ticketed concert in the evening

    Production: Sanctuary Song
    Composed by Abigail Richardson | Libretto by Marjorie Chan
    Directed by Michael Mori | Music Direction by Greg Oh
    877 Yonge Street | May 9 – 25, 2025

    Based on a true story, Sanctuary Song explores the story of Sydney, an elephant whose remarkable journey culminates in her release into a Tennessee sanctuary.  Written by the award-winning team of librettist Marjorie Chan and composer Abigail Richardson-Schulte, Sanctuary Song is a story for audiences of all ages that uncovers powerful truths in the life of an exceptionally resilient elephant. Directed by Michael Hidetoshi Mori and featuring original choreography by Aria Evans, audiences enter a circus and leave with the song of elephants in their ears. This one-hour performance is an “opera for all ages” and the perfect afternoon or evening out for the whole family.

    Concert with Obsidian Theatre Company
    877 Yonge Street | Saturday, June 14, 2025

    Revel in the talent of Canada’s finest Black opera artists. What better than a brand-new concert series to feature our brand-new home? We’ll showcase extraordinary talent in concert with our Bösendorfer Imperial grand piano to celebrate great music in our new neighbourhood. A free community concert in the afternoon, followed by a ticketed event in the evening

    Tapestry’s Artistic and General Director Michael Mori: “We are thrilled to unveil our 24/25 season as we celebrate 45 years of Tapestry Opera with an exciting and dynamic array of productions welcoming performing-arts-loving audiences to our newly built downtown home. It’s a remarkable moment for Tapestry and Toronto to add a vital new venue to the independent performing arts scene. From virtuosic storytelling in Jacqueline to an elephant’s heartwarming journey in Sanctuary Song, this season’s programming reflects our commitment to innovative and accessible opera. We invite audiences of all ages to join us as we celebrate our rich history and open the doors to our future, celebrating the transformative power of music and storytelling in the heart of Toronto.”

    ABOUT TAPESTRY OPERA

    Tapestry Opera is an award-winning Toronto-based company dedicated to creating, developing and performing original Canadian opera. Tapestry is passionate about uniquely Canadian stories, told in innovative settings unforgettably interpreted by world-class artists. Tapestry supports emerging artists, develops new audiences and brings Canadian opera to the world stage. Founded in 1979, Tapestry is the voice of original contemporary Canadian opera.

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    For media inquiries, please contact:
    Clay Jones
    Marketing and Communications Manager
    Tapestry Opera
    cjones@tapestryopera.com

  • AOC ANNOUNCES 2024 BEST IN GOVERNANCE AWARD

    AOC ANNOUNCES 2024 BEST IN GOVERNANCE AWARD

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    September 19, 2024

    Pour la version en français, click here

    ASSOCIATION FOR OPERA IN CANADA ANNOUNCES RECIPIENT OF THE 2024 BEST IN GOVERNANCE AWARD BRIAN JAMES DAWSON, BOARD CHAIR, TAPESTRY OPERA

    Toronto, ON – The Association for Opera in Canada (AOC) is delighted to announce that Brian Dawson, Board Chair of Tapestry Opera, has been named the recipient of the 2024 AOC Best in Governance Award, receiving honours in Toronto, ON and New York.

    The Best in Governance Award recognizes outstanding leadership and support from opera company board members within Canada’s opera sector. In collaboration with our sister organization, OPERA America, this accolade celebrates the invaluable contributions of dedicated volunteers nationwide, whose commitment is essential to the vitality of opera companies and the communities they serve.

    Brian Dawson’s leadership at Tapestry Opera has been nothing short of transformative. Under his guidance as Board Chair, Tapestry Opera has grown from an $800,000 organization in 2017 to a $1.8 million powerhouse in 2023. Brian’s expertise in fundraising, board leadership, and executive mentorship has been pivotal in this growth, enabling Tapestry to stage as many as three world premieres per year and launch significant national initiatives such as Women in Musical Leadership and The Canadian Opera Resource.

    “Brian’s leadership has not only stabilized and grown the company but has also positioned Tapestry as a leading force in commissioning and premiering new operatic works in North America,” said Jaime Martino and Michael Hidetoshi Mori, Tapestry Opera’s executive team. “His love of the art form and personal dedication have laid the foundation for critically acclaimed productions and the building of a new legacy performing arts facility that will secure the company’s future.”

    Brian has been instrumental in enhancing board representation, driving succession planning, and fostering a culture of mentorship and collaboration. His unwavering support and passion for contemporary opera have made him a cherished leader and a true friend to Tapestry Opera.

    AOC’s Commitment to Excellence in Governance

    The AOC Best in Governance Award supports the development of healthy work environments by exemplifying a culture of recognition and gratitude. It amplifies the efforts of distinguished board members to a national audience, strengthens the relationship between board members and the communities they serve, and highlights the tenets of good governance.

    “Board members play a vital role in ensuring the strength and resiliency of our opera companies and the sector as a whole. Their dedication and leadership are the backbone of our organizations, enabling us to thrive and continue bringing the transformative power of opera to our communities,” said Christina Loewen, Executive Director of the Association for Opera in Canada. “We are thrilled to recognize Brian Dawson’s exceptional contributions and celebrate his impact on Tapestry Opera and the broader opera community.”

    The award is open to all Professional Company Members in good standing. Nominations are assessed based on the nominee’s impact on the company’s success, board effectiveness, community engagement, and support for equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments.

    Recognition Event

    Brian Dawson will be honoured at a Canadian event coordinated with Tapestry Opera. He will also be invited to a recognition dinner in New York City during OPERA America’s National Trustee Weekend in early 2025, where he will be honoured alongside the recipients of OPERA America’s National Opera Trustees Recognition Award: Maria Lagios, Chicago Opera; Claire Liu, Houston Grand Opera; Bill Miller, Opera Columbus; Leah Solat, Annapolis Opera.

    About the Association for Opera in Canada

    The Association for Opera in Canada is the national association for opera companies and professionals in Canada. It seeks to create and sustain an environment that centralizes opera to Canadian life. Working with members across the country, the AOC advances the interests of Canada’s opera community, creating greater opportunities for opera audiences and professionals alike.

    About Brian Dawson

    Brian Dawson served as Executive Vice President and Managing Director of McLean Budden Limited (Investment Management), and Financial Analyst at SEI Financial Services (Consulting) prior to his retirement in 2011. Brian received a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Political Science and Economics from the University of Western Ontario and a Chartered Financial Analyst from the University of Virginia. Brian is passionate about opera and classical music and enjoys spending his time skiing, hiking, wilderness canoeing, travelling and entertaining.

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    For More Information:
    Christina Loewen 
    Executive Director
    Association for Opera in Canada  
    Email: christinal@opera.ca*  
    https://www.opera.ca
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