Arias and arm bars are on the bill at the 4th annual Opera Revue Gala, to be held on November 26, 2025. Toronto’s Opera Revue have developed a well deserved reputation for taking the art form where it has never gone before, and making it accessible to anyone.
The company ups the ante with their 2025 Gala performance, where audience members can experience exquisite opera, and meet the professional grapplers of Junction City Wrestlers. Junction City Wrestling is known for dynamic performances that combine family-friendly entertainment, a roster of entertaining characters, and eye-popping athleticism.
Duets and dropkicks are to be expected, with a high calibre roster of guest artists that will join Opera Revue’s Danie Friesen (soprano), Alexander Hajek (baritone), and pianist Claire Elise Harris, including Queen Hezamuryango, Gregory Finney, and Ryan Downey, along with the Opera Revue Band.
Wrestlers include multiple championship winner the Australian Style Siren, along with Kingsley, ring veteran The Mighty Cadman, who’s spent 13 years wrestling across Australia, Canada, the US, and the UK, rising star Wanda Del Rey, and Freedom Wallace (AKA Andrew McRae, owner of Junction City Wrestlers).
“People ask us ‘why opera and pro wrestling??’ Well, to be honest, we had to think of some way to top our previous opera/circus and opera/burlesque shows… this was the perfect ‘Hold my beer’ moment… but then, we realized it WORKS!
“Like burlesque and circus, wrestling actually shares a lot of things with opera — the drama, the highs and lows, the villains, the ridiculous storylines, and of course all the fight scenes. It just works. And once again, we are reaching two crowds, opera lovers and fans of the sport, which helps draw audiences into something they might not have considered before,” said soprano Danie Friesen in a statement.
Operatic Talent
Queen Hezumuryango, mezzo-soprano
A native of Burundi, Queen Hezumuryango earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in vocal performance from the Université de Montréal. She is a current resident artist with Opera on the Avalon and a laureate of Théâtre Lyrichorégra’s Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques. She is a recent graduate of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio program. Recent roles include Carmen (Carmen, BrottOpera), Lola (Cavalleria rusticana, COC), Ebba Sparre (La reine-garçon, COC), and Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia, Highlands Opera Studio). She was a finalist of the 2025 Rumbold Vocal Prize, and was nominated or a Dora Award for the Canadian Opera Company’s 2023 production of Treemonisha.
Gregory Finney, baritone
Cape Breton baritone Gregory Finney has been a fixture of the Toronto and region opera scene since 2007. He’s become known for his comedic abilities as well as his vocal performance. Greg’s repertoire includes Pirates of Penzance (Maj. Gen. Stanley), Nozze di Figaro (Conte), Figaro’s Wedding (Bartolo/Antonio) & La bohème (Benoit/Alcindoro), among many others. Finney has added director to his CV, and has led productions of Bluebeard’s Castle, Nozze, and Carmen, with more to come.
Ryan Downey, tenor
Ryan Downey’s recent roles include performing with the Canadian Opera Company, Vancouver Opera, Toronto Operetta Theatre and Opera in Concert, and solo credits in the title role in Candide, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Rodolfo in La boheme, Ralph Rackstraw in HMS Pinafore, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, Goro (Pinkerton cover) in Madama Butterfly, the Gingerbread Witch in Hansel and Gretel and Basilio and Curzio Le nozze di Figaro. In 2024/25, Downey covered the roles of Remendado in Carmen, and Spoletta in Tosca.
The Show
Tickets are going fast for Opera Meets Wrestling: A Night of Arias and Arm Bars! — November 26 at The Great Hall.
- Find show details and tickets [HERE].
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