The finalists for the 2023 Awards for Digital Excellence were recently announced by OPERA America, including three Toronto-based projects. AtG’s Identity: A Song Cycle was nominated in the category of Artistic Creation, and its BOUND under Noteworthy Projects. Opera Sustenida’s Date with the Divas (Vol. 2) was nominated in the category of Education/Enrichment.
Awards are offered in four different categories: Artistic Creation, Education/Enrichment, University/Conservatory Projects, and Noteworthy Projects.
The Awards
Artistic Creation
Identity: A Song Cycle
Produced by Against the Grain Theatre, Joel Ivany, Robin Whiffen, Jason Charters, and Liam Romali, the filmed vocal work revolves around the weighty themes of identity and belonging. Baritone Elliot Madore explores his personal journey through songs and original poetry by Wijeratne and Shauntay Grant. Brought together over a social media post by Madore talking candidly about his biracial identity, Joel Ivany and the celebrated vocalist developed the work with an innovative sense of storytelling.
Other finalists include:
- BEYOND a film by Marina Viotti | Produced by: The Dallas Opera; Marina Viotti and Karim Hachemi — Avinarts
- The First Bluebird in the Morning | Produced by: LA Opera
- In a Grove world premiere video broadcast | Produced by: Pittsburgh Opera, Christopher Cerrone, Stephanie Fleischmann, RLG Creations, Evan Chapman, Mike Tierney, Kristian Tchetchko
- Medusa’s Children | Produced by: OperaQ
- Handel: Orlando | the Baroque opera performed in a New York City community garden | Produced by: Opera Praktikos, H Paul Moon Films, Opera Essentia
- Svadba | Produced by: Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Bradley Vernatter, Jessica Johnson Brock, David B. Devan, Anderson Nunnelley, Hannah Shepard
Noteworthy Projects
BOUND
Against the Grain Theatre, Joel Ivany, and Robin Whiffen produce this opera/film hybrid that poses the question, “How welcoming are we as a country, as a city, as a community?” The libretto by Ivany takes its inspiration from recent headlines, using the structure of interviews with four Canadian citizens of diverse backgrounds. Each has a story to tell about their way into Canadian society from the outside. The storytellers are represented by musical avatars in the film, and their real-life stories are transformed into songs. Composer Kevin Lau uses bits from Handel’s operas and oratorios to create a moving soundtrack, performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
The other finalists are:
- Jess | Produced by: Rebecca Gray and Rachel Gray
- THE WEB OPERA | Produced by: Michael Roth
- Whiteness: Part One | Produced by: CultureHub
Education/Enrichment
Date with the Divas (Vol. 2)
Opera Sustenida’s Date with the Divas (Vol. 2) is the second of the company’s online concert series that explores the art form’s history. Vol. 2 looked at the Romantic era, including works by Wagner, Puccini, Verdi and more. The Divas (sopranos Stephanie DeCiantis and Nicole Whitney Dubinsky, and mezzo-soprano Daniella Theresia), are joined by pianist Suzanne Yeo, and guests Natalya Gennadi, soprano, and mezzo-sopranos Meagan Reimer, Jennifer Routhier, and Monica Zerbe.
The other finalist:
- About In Song, Playground Opera’s Hansel and Gretel | Produced by: Opera on Tap, Dennis Whitehead Darling
University/Conservatory Projects
Finalists list:
- Operas [in Place] | Produced by: Baldwin Wallace Conservatory, Cleveland Opera Theater, On Site Opera
- Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas: A Cinematic Opera | Produced by: Dean Southern, Alexander E. Tennant, Eric S. Vaughan
Why Is Digital Opera Important?
Any debate over the value of live vs. digital opera misses the obvious: for many of us, there is no need to choose one over the other. For many others, however, there are real physical barriers to attending an opera in person, even if it’s in the same city. Digital opera is a lifeline to those who live outside the large centres that have regular opera performances.
The digital realm allows creators to explore dimensions that aren’t possible in a live performance, and to transmit their work far beyond the usual physical confines of a city or region. Innovative multimedia art forms are being developed as we speak.
The OPERA America 2023 Awards for Digital Excellence will be given out on December 4 at 7 p.m., live and livestreamed from the National Opera Center in New York City.
Tickets to both [HERE].
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