{"id":116206,"date":"2025-07-24T12:18:27","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T16:18:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=116206"},"modified":"2025-07-24T12:23:04","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T16:23:04","slug":"preview-la-boheme-on-tap-opera-supports-daily-bread-food-bank-on-september-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/07\/24\/preview-la-boheme-on-tap-opera-supports-daily-bread-food-bank-on-september-19\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | La Boh\u00e8me On Tap: Opera Supports Daily Bread Food Bank On September 19"},"content":{"rendered":"
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L-R (top): Tenor Jeremy Scinocca; soprano Holly Chaplin; baritone Alexander Hajek; soprano Kathryn Rose Johnston; (bottom): Baritone Andrew Tees; baritone Dylan Wright; baritone Ryan Hofman; pianist\/music director Brahm Goldhamer (Photos courtesy of the artists)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For the first time in its 111-year history, Toronto\u2019s Redwood Theatre will be transformed into an opera venue for a concert that will benefit Toronto\u2019s Daily Break Food Bank. La Boh\u00e8me tells the story of a group of young and impoverished artists in Paris.<\/p>\n

Maria Karam<\/strong> of Redwood Theatre talks about the project in a statement. \u201cLa Boh\u00e8me on Tap is an exciting fusion of classic opera and modern, casual vibes. It brings Puccini\u2019s masterpiece into a more accessible, vibrant setting, allowing both opera enthusiasts and newcomers to experience the magic up close.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Redwood Theatre, which began its life as a vaudeville theatre in 1914, has been many things in its home in Toronto\u2019s east end, including a cinema and department store, before evolving back into a performance venue and hub. Music, dance, circus, and theatre have taken the stage.<\/p>\n

As of September 19, 2025, it can include \u201copera venue\u201d in its r\u00e9sum\u00e9.<\/p>\n

The Production<\/h3>\n

The opera, co-produced by Redwood and Ryan Hofman<\/strong>, will feature an all-Canadian cast in an intimate setting.<\/p>\n

Tenor Jeremy Scinocca<\/strong> stars as Rodolfo. An award-winning tenor based in Toronto, Jeremy is a recent graduate of Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Farris Young Artist Program, where he appeared on stage in several roles.<\/p>\n

Soprano Holly Chaplin<\/strong> performs the role of Mimi. The Toronto-based coloratura soprano is a graduate of York University, and holds certificates from Saarburg Music Academy and Festival and Schloss Henfenfeld Oper Akadamie. She was the recipient of the 2019 Stuart Hamilton Foundation Emerging Artist Award with Opera in Concert and a recipient of an encouragement award with the 2022 Laffont Met Council Auditions, and recently debuted with Southern Ontario Lyric Opera as Lucia earlier this year.<\/p>\n

Baritone Alexander Hajek<\/strong> appears as the painter Marcello. Hajek just completed a marathon run in the innovative Suprema Opera<\/a>, an original opera he co-wrote as part of Opera Revue, designed to tell a story that involves Dr. Oetker\u2019s new line of pizza.<\/p>\n

Soprano Kathryn Rose<\/strong> appears as the jilted Musetta. Kathryn holds a Master of Music in Opera from the University of British Columbia, and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Toronto. She\u2019s taken on a wide variety of roles, both traditional and contemporary, including premiering the role of Princess Shirin in The Echoes of Bi-Sotoon<\/a>, a newly composed series of opera scenes in Farsi produced by the Cultureland Opera Collective.<\/p>\n

Baritone Ryan Hofman<\/strong> and Dylan Wright appears as Schaunard and Colline, respectively. Hofman is a two-time Brian Law Competition Finalist, and a first runner-up in the 2017 National Music Festival. With a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice and Opera from University of Ottawa; Master’s of Music in Vocal Performance from University of Ottawa; and Master’s degree in Voice and Opera from The University of British Columbia, Ryan also studied Music Business at Humber College, and is the Artistic Consultant and Outreach Officer at Southern Ontario Lyric Opera, New Opera Lyra, and Opera York. He has performed a wide variety of roles on stage in Southern Ontario and beyond.<\/p>\n

Dylan Wright<\/strong> holds a MMus in Opera from the University of Toronto, and is a graduate of the Atelier Lyrique de l’Op\u00e9ra de Montr\u00e9al. He\u2019s performed a variety of roles with Op\u00e9ra de Montr\u00e9al, Berlin Wagner Gruppe, Opera by Request, and Toronto City Opera, among others.<\/p>\n

Canadian Baritone Andrew Tees<\/strong> rounds out the cast of Bohemians as Benoit and Alcindoro. Tees sings opera, oratorio, pops, and music theatre, and has performed with the Canadian Opera Company, Pacific Opera Victoria, Cleveland Opera, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Edmonton Opera, Manitoba Opera, Vancouver Opera, Opera Ontario and Opera York.<\/p>\n

Brahm Goldhamer<\/strong> acts as Musical Director\/Pianist.<\/p>\n

Opera On Tap<\/h3>\n

Does Karam see an event like this being successful more than once a year?<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely. La Boh\u00e8me on Tap has the potential to become a cherished annual event, and could even inspire similar productions. Its unique format offers plenty of room for growth and innovation, keeping audiences coming back,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

Ryan Hofman, Co-producer adds,<\/p>\n

\u201cOpera is such a beautiful, but misunderstood art form still in many ways. Having the opportunity to perform such an iconic piece in such a historical venue in an intimate setting in something that
\nthe public needs more of to make the art form accessible. The idea of teaming with a local charity was a non-negotiable for me, especially with the theme of poverty in La Boheme, this was an incredible way to collaborate with the Daily Bread Food Bank. Finding local organizations outside of the arts that fit the theme of an opera, I believe is a great way to not only keep opera relevant but also make it personable and sustainable through further community collaborations outside of the arts.\u201d<\/p>\n