Cancellations include the company’s mainstage productions of Aida and The Flying Dutchman, which had been set to run for seven performances each, from April 18 to May 16.
All 23 remaining performances in the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre have also been cancelled, along with a number of community programs and events. The COC’s spring fundraising events, Operanation and the Fine Wine Auction, will not take place as scheduled, but are slated to resume in the company’s 2020/2021 season.
View a message from COC General Director Alexander Neef
Both the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts and the company’s administrative office at 227 Front St. E. remain closed to the public until further notice, with full-time staff continuing to work off-site.
The COC Box Office is currently operating remotely, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Ticketing requests and subscription orders will be processed through online forms and email only, and all ticketing inquiries can be directed to [email protected].
Members of the COC Ensemble Studio are continuing their training remotely, using video conferencing and other online tools to access and interact with instructors and staff advisers. The young artists will also take part in a virtual roundtable with cast members of the COC’s Aida, giving them the opportunity to learn from the visiting artists’ expertise.
Throughout these closures, the company is exploring new and innovative ways to connect with audiences virtually. This includes #OperaAtHome, a digital initiative that highlights favourite moments from past COC productions, as well as new performances and tutorials, safely recorded and shared by COC artists and friends from their homes. In the weeks to follow, the COC will share more about planned lectures and panels that are being re-imagined for an online experience.
ABOUT THE CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY
Based in Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the largest in North America. The COC enjoys a loyal audience including a dedicated base of subscribers. Under its leadership team of General Director Alexander Neef and Music Director Johannes Debus, the company has an international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation. Its diverse repertoire includes new commissions and productions, local and international collaborations with leading opera companies and festivals, and attracts the world’s foremost Canadian and international artists. The COC Academy is an incubator for the future of the art form, nurturing Canada’s new wave of opera creators with customized training and support. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, hailed internationally as one of the finest in the world. For more information, visit coc.ca.
