The Benevolence Opera Project and Redwood Theatre are getting together to present Mozart’s iconic opera Don Giovanni in support of the Redwood Women’s Shelter. The one night only opera event takes place May 22 at Redwood Theatre.
Benevolence Opera Project is a new organization, founded by Artistic Director Ryan Hofman, dedicated to combining high quality opera productions with community engagement, and to supporting meaningful causes.
Canadian Baritone Alexander Hajek takes on the titular role, leading a cast made up of some of Canada’s finest up and coming operatic talent in Mozart’s masterpiece where seduction, power, and consequence collide.
The Cast
Alexander Hajek: Don Giovanni
Baritone Alexander Hajek began learning his craft at the St. Michael’s Choir School and The Royal Conservatory, followed by Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at The Juilliard School. He is also a graduate of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio, and the young artist program of the SemperOper in Dresden. He’s performed extensively in Europe, North America, and in the Middle East. Currently based in Toronto, he is a co-founder of Opera Revue.
Luke Noftall: Leporello
Bass-baritone Luke Noftall earned both a Bachelor of Voice Performance and a Master of Music in Opera Performance at the University of Toronto. He performed in several UofT productions, including singing the roles of Mr. Choufleuri in Monsieur Choufleuri, Dr. Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Top in Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land, and Jacques I in A Tale of Two Cities. He is also a graduate of the McPhee Artist Development Program at Calgary Opera, and performed several roles with Calgary Opera. He has also performed with Southern Ontario Lyric Opera.
James Coole-Stevenson: Masetto
James Coole-Stevenson completed a Masters in Opera performance at the University of Toronto, and participated in the Gate City Bank Fargo-Moorhead Young Artist Program, and Manitoba Opera’s Digital Emerging Artist’s Program. James has been studying at The Royal Conservatory as a Rebanks Fellow for the 2025/26 season. His operatic roles including Sydney Carton in Arthur Benjamin’s A Tale Of Two Cities, Demetrius in Britten’s Midsummer night’s dream, and Don Giovanni in Mozart’s Don Giovanni.
Cameron Mazzei: Don Ottavio
Tenor Cameron Mazzei earned both his Bachelor of Music Performance invoice and Master’s degree in Music Literature & Performance at Western University, followed by a Diploma of Operatic Performance at the University of Toronto. He has performed with Toronto City Opera, Opera by Request, and with Apocryphonia Concerts, and the Oakville Symphony, among others.
Andrew Tees: Commendatore
Baritone Andrew Tees has performed for the Canadian Opera Company, Pacific Opera Victoria, Cleveland Opera, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Edmonton Opera, Manitoba Opera, Vancouver Opera, Opera Ontario, Opera York, and as a frequent guest of Maritime Concert Opera, among others. He has also sung in pops concerts with the Toronto Symphony, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Windsor Symphony, Oakville Symphony, Thunder Bay Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic, Oshawa Symphony, Guelph Symphony, and as an operatic soloist with the Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra, and many other ensembles.
Mary Ferrari: Donna Elvira
Mary (Ji Hyeon) Ferrari is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, and is currently based in Toronto. While at MSM, she performed in the title role of Poppea in L’incoronazione di Poppea, alongside a succession of opera and musical-theatre credits. She maintains an international career that includes appearances throughout Italy, United States, South Korea, and Canada, including a special diplomatic invitation to perform with the Sovereign Order of Malta at the Vatican. In Toronto, she is regularly featured and performs as a soloist with Toronto Korean Canadian Choir Company.
Susan Elizabeth Brown: Donna Anna
Soprano Susan Elizabeth Brown has performed in operas and in concert across Canada, including roles with Opéra de Montréal, Festival d’opéra de Québec, and on tour with Jeunesses Musicales Canada. She is an alumnus of the National Arts Centre of Canada Young Artists Program, and earned a diploma in musical theatre performance from St. Lawrence College. Her operatic repertoire includes a wide range of roles, largely as a light lyric soprano, including Adina (Elisir d’amore/Donizetti) Gilda (Rigoletto/Verdi), Giannetta (Elisir d’amore/Donizetti), Frasquita (Carmen/Bizet) Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier/Strauss) La Princesse (L’enfant et les sortileges/Ravel), and Juliette (Roméo et Juliette/Gounod), among others.
Kathryn Rose Johnston: Zerlina
Soprano Kathryn Rose Johnston selected as a finalist in both the National Auditions for the Atelier Lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal and the 2023 National Capital Opera Society Competition. She was also a First Prize Winner in the American International Vocal Competition in Cleveland, Ohio. She recently performed the role of Zerlina with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, and in recital as a soloist at the Heliconian Club with the Fonitika Vocal Ensemble that she co-founded.
Musical Director & Pianist — Brahm Goldhamer
Vocal Coach and accompanist Brahm Goldhamer has performed across Canada, the U.S. and Europe, and is in demand as a recital collaborator with some of Canada’s most celebrated soloists. He was a faculty member of the the Royal Conservatory of Music and the Glenn Gould School for 38 years, where he served as the principal répétiteur of the Spring Opera Program, in addition to studio coaching and classroom instruction. He has worked with Opera in Concert, Toronto Operetta Theatre, CBC’s Music Around Us, the Elora Festival, and Debut Atlantic in performance. Brahm was nominated for a Dora Award for Best Musical Direction following his work with Comus Music Theatre. In addition to his work in Canada, he has worked in Italy as music director and vocal coach in a variety of educational settings and summer music festivals, including “Oberlin at Casalmaggiore” and “Flagstaff in Fidenza. ” Brahm also worked as choral director at various Toronto synagogues for four decades.
Narrator & Producer — Ryan Hofman
Ryan Hofman earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice and Opera from University of Ottawa, followed by a Master’s of Music in Vocal Performance from University of Ottawa and a Master’s degree in Voice and Opera from The University of British Columbia. He is a two-time Brian Law Competition Finalist. Ryan also studied Music Business at Humber College, and serves as the Artistic Consultant and Outreach Officer at Southern Ontario Lyric Opera.
Details
The event takes place May 22 at Redwood Theatre (1300 Gerrard St East). There will be a pre-performance talk at 7:15 p.m. about Don Giovanni by Opera Canada’s Michael Jones, followed by the performance at 8 p.m.
Tickets are available at various price points, starting at $50, with sponsorships available.
- Find tickets and other show details [HERE].
- ** NOTE: You can benefit from a discount code — valid until April 15; use DG2026 to get 20% off
- For sponsorship or donations, please contact ryan.hofman@hotmail.com or donate through Go Fund Me [HERE].
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