Puccini’s Il trittico (The Triptych) conjures up the image of three distinct tapestries, hung side by side. In their second annual Toronto Opera Festival, Opera 5 will imbue it with a fresh, new palette of colours, invigorating Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi with established artists and young talent for performances running June 3-7. In the place of the triptych’s Il tabarro the company presents the world premiere of Cecilia Livingston’s Parḗlios on June 12.
Opera 5’s 2025 festival centred on the theme of grief, featuring Rachel Krehm and Ryan Trew’s Come Closer and William Finn’s Elegies. The current Canadian Opera Company company-in-residence where Come Closer will be revived in June 2027, Opera 5 decided to go in a different direction for their 2026 festival, leaning more toward beloved masterworks, as well as a bit of comedy.
Kate Fogg (Governess) & MacKenzie Sechi (Mrs. Grose) in Opera 5’s The Turn of the Screw, 2024
Photo: Emily Ding Photography
With Suor Angelica, director Jessica Derventzis is seeking to create an environment of community, “really making the audience feel a part of this convent.” The opera will also feature a pared-down instrumental ensemble, with string quintet, harp and synthetic bell elements, which Music Director Evan Mitchell says allows him “to really dig into the music … and prepare in terms of sound worlds and arc.” This feeling of community also extends to the opera’s cast: General Director Rachel Krehm will sing the title role, while Canadian favourite Krisztina Szabó appears as La Zia Principessa. The cast also includes previous Opera 5 interns MacKenzie Sechi and Kate Fogg, as well as several of this year’s new crop of interns. The internship, in its third year in partnership with Opera McGill, offers emerging artists a paid opportunity to develop performance, professional, administrative, production and design skills.
Featuring established Canadian singers in the festival, such as Szabó, as well as Gregory Dahl, who will play Gianni Schicchi, will allow young singers “to see how they work,” says Krehm. The large ensemble casts required by the two Puccini works also give emerging artists the space “to be able to feel it out and figure it out,” says Mitchell. Derventzis adds that “every character really gets a chance to shine and have their moment.” For example, Paige Robinson—who covered the role of Flora in the company’s 2024 Turn Of The Screw—is cast as Suor Osmina, who has one line. “She throws a temper tantrum and storms upstairs, and she can make a whole shebang out of that tiny little thing,” says Derventzis.
Paige Robinson (Flora) & MacKenzie Sechi (Mrs. Grose) in Opera 5’s The Turn of the Screw, 2024
Photo: Emily Ding Photography
Gianni Schicchi and Suor Angelica explore extremes of comedy and tragedy. Of Suor, Mitchell notes that “bringing forth those ideas of tragedy or reminiscence, or memories of all shades requires an awful lot of focus,” whereas for Schicchi it’s all about “being very considerate of the comedic beats and colours.”
When considering the deeply emotional role of Suor Angelica, Krehm says her job is “to portray it for the audience to feel,” but ensure she doesn’t get so caught up that it affects her ability to sing. When directing tragic works, Derventzis says she leans into the emotionality as the leading energy of the room, in order to create an open and safe space for the artists. Conversely, she approaches comedy with a sense of grounding that’s always “coming from a place of humanity.”
After revisiting these two beloved Puccini one-acters, the festival goes in a completely different direction with its premiere of Cecilia Livingston’s Parḗlios, which explores themes of migration, climate change and human connection. Featured soloists are Aaron Dimoff, Ryan Nauta and interns Len Crino and Brenden Lengsfeld. “I think people are really going to be struck, from the musical side of things, by the sound world,” says Mitchell. Livingston brings together the percussion ensemble and choral elements of the piece seamlessly, like a dish in “an episode of [the food show]Chopped!” he observes. The piece will also feature dancers and video projections, so “there’s a real installation feel,” says Krehm. The more abstract work offers a contrast to the Puccini works, finishing the triptych in a way that feels wholly 2026 and wholly Opera 5.
NOTE: This article was updated to correct factual errors on June 2.
Opera 5’s Toronto Opera Festival runs June 3–14 at Theatre Passe Muraille. www.opera5.ca.
