Earlier today, the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) announced 235 nominations for the 42nd Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards, which will take place September 19 in Toronto.
Along with the Doras, which recognize talent and contributions to the performing arts across several categories, 35 individual recipients will receive a cash prize of $1,000 from the Pat and Tony Adams Freedom Fund for the Arts. Online performances were not eligible for this year’s awards.
Diving into the Opera Division
Innovation seems to be the watchword this year, with 21 of the nominations in the division going to new works. Here’s a look at the breakdown.
- R.U.R. A Torrent of Light, Tapestry Opera production in partnership with OCAD University: 9 nominations including Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance by an Individual to Scott Belluz, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble to Maeve Palmer, Annie Ramos, Jennifer Routhier, Sofu Gudino, Katherine Semchuk, Emily Spearing and Brayden Cairns, Outstanding New Opera to Nicole Lizée (composer) and Nicolas Billon (librettist), Outstanding Musical Direction to Gregory Oh, Outstanding Direction to Michael Hidetoshi Mori, Outstanding Achievement in Design to each of Cameron Davis (projection), Cameron Anderson (scenic) and Debashis Sinha (sound design/composition).
- The Magic Flute, Canadian Opera Company: 8 nominations including Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance by an Individual to each of Anna-Sophie Nehar, Gordon Bintner and Midori Marsh, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble to Jamie Groots, Charlotte Siegel and Lauren Segal, Outstanding Musical Direction to Patrick Lange, Outstanding Direction to Anna Theodosakis and Outstanding Achievement in Design for Myung Hee Cho (scenic).
- Gould’s Wall, A Tapestry Opera and Maniac Star production presented by The Royal Conservatory of Music, in association with The Glenn Gould School: 7 nominations including Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance by an Individual to each of Lauren Pearl and Roger Honeywell, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble to Caitlin Wood, Andrea Ludwig, Keith Klassen, Justin Welsh and Alice Malakhov, Outstanding New Opera to Brian Current (composer) and Liza Balkan (librettist), Outstanding Musical Direction to Brian Current and Outstanding Direction to Phillip Akin.
- La Traviata, Canadian Opera Company Co-production with Houston Grand Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago: 6 nominations including Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance by an Individual to Amina Edris, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble for Canadian Opera Company Chorus, Outstanding Musical Direction to Johannes Debus, Outstanding Direction to Arin Arbus and Outstanding Achievement in Design to Marcus Doshi (lighting).
- The Queen in Me, Co-production by Canadian Opera Company, Amplified Opera, Nightwood Theatre, and Theatre Gargantua: 5 including Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance by an Individual to Teiya Kasahara 笠原貞野, Outstanding New Opera to Teiya Kasahara 笠原貞野, Outstanding Musical Direction to Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser and Outstanding Direction to duo Andrea Donaldson and Aria Umezawa.
Other highlights…
- Sweeney Todd leads with the most nominations overall this year, garnering 13 in the Musical Theatre Division, followed by & Juliet with 8.
- Is God Is leads the General Theatre Division with 10 nominations, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child follows with 8.
- Italian Mime Suicide leads the Independent Theatre Division with 8 nominations, followed by A Tonic for Desperate Times with 7.
- In My Body leads the Dance Division with 7 nominations, and Legacy Tap Dance Concert follows with 6.
- Alice In Wonderland leads the Theatre For Young Audiences Division with 7 nods.
- M. John Kennedy and Thomas Ryder Payne lead with 4 individual nominations each.
The full list of nominees can be viewed here.
The 42nd Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards show ceremony and celebration will take place September 19 at The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre. VIP presenters will announce the recipients of 45 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, the Silver Ticket Award and the Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award. Tickets here.
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