The Association for Opera in Canada (AOC) has announced the finalists for the 2023 edition of the New Canadian Works Pitch Program, funded by the Azrieli Foundation. The program gives the participants an opportunity to pitch their works to potential collaborators, including producers, co-producers, co-commissioners and presenters.
A jury selected candidates and their proposed works based on their artistic merit, along with the viability of the project, and its impact on the world of opera in general.
“We are excited to introduce and showcase these deserving opera projects at the OPERA America Conference in Pittsburgh this May,” said Christina Loewen, Executive Director of AOC in a statement. “We believe that by promoting and spotlighting new works by equity-seeking creative teams, we help to define a unique Canadian opera identity, leading to a more diverse, productive and resilient future opera sector.”
The finalists
Each of the finalists will get a chance to pitch their works at a dedicated event hosted by the AOC which will take place at he OPERA America Conference in Pittsburgh in May 2023. Along with the opportunity, they’ll receive professional pitch coaching, and a bursary that will offset the costs of pitch prep, travel, and attending the conference.
Likht Ensemble, Toronto: Jewish Space Lasers
This one-hour piece uses theatrical elements in a cabaret-style look at Jewish artists in the world of classical music. Piano-vocal duo Likht consists of Nate Ben-Horin and Jaclyn Grossman. The duo is dedicated to performing the work of Jewish composers from the Holocaust.
Luka Kawabata ????, Vancouver: The HAFU ??? Project
Art song serves as the medium for an examination of identity and culture rooted in autobiography. Luka is an immigrant with a multiracial identity that has left him with few ties to community. The vocal project is about the process of healing.
Opera NUOVA, Edmonton: Silence
This new opera by Leslie Uyeda and Darrin Hagen is based on Moira Buffini’s play Silence (1999). It’s a dark comedy that takes a satirical look at power and the powerless, fears and freedom, through the lens of hope.
Rebecca Gray and Rachel Gray, with Musique 3 Femmes, Montréal: Raccoon Opera
This chamber opera uses masks and projected animations for a strong visual component to a work that looks at Canada’s housing crisis. The story of a tenant and their raccoon creates an absurdist comedic lens through which to examine millennial burnout and 21st century urban life.
The Arts Abroad Program, through the Canada Council of the Arts allows for two additional candidates.
Haui, Sean Mayes and the Canadian Opera Company, Toronto: Aportia Chryptych
This Canadian Opera Company production uses a combination of spoken word, hip-hop, jazz, and RnB, along with classical opera idioms. Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White is a politically minded work with a goal of bringing artistic and cultural communities together in a celebration of Black culture.
Opera 5, Toronto: Come Closer
With music by Ryan Trew, libretto by Rachel Krehm, and poetry by Elizabeth Krehm, Come Closer is a chamber work that takes an emotional look at the grief of losing a sister. It’s based on the personal experiences of Rachel Krehm, who lost her sister Elizabeth to addiction.
All of the finalists’ works can be found on AOC’s Online New Works Showcase, a searchable online showcase for opera programmers, co-producers, and presenters to find new works and works-in-development.
Good luck to everyone at the pitching event.
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