For 2025-26, Opera Atelier, Toronto’s Baroque opera specialists, supply each the acquainted and the brand new. Mozart’s The Magic Flute, an OA viewers favorite, returns to open the season, adopted by the Canadian premiere of a brand new manufacturing of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande
“We’re thrilled to open our season in Toronto’s historic Elgin Theatre with the corporate’s interval manufacturing of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, a part of our fortieth anniversary celebrations,” says Opera Atelier Founding Co-artistic Director Marshall Pynkoski in a press release. “Opera Atelier’s Magic Flute stays North America’s first and solely interval manufacturing of the Opera and has confirmed to be a cherished piece of music theatre that appeals to kids, adults, first-time opera goers and opera aficionados alike.”
Mozart: The Magic Flute
Opera Atelier’s manufacturing, utilizing Andrew Porter’s English translation, takes Mozart’s authentic intentions as its inspiration. The composer’s purpose was to create a comic book opera that will enchantment to everybody, and makes use of each sung and spoken dialogue.
The story centres round Prince Tamino and the bird-man Papageno, and their quest to free the princess Pamina from the Queen of the Night time. Sung in Andrew Porter’s pleasant English translation, Opera Atelier’s manufacturing pays tribute to Mozart’s intention to create an accessible comedian masterpiece.
Opera Atelier’s manufacturing was redesigned in 2013 by Gerard Gauci, and incorporates a slew of 18th century particular results, includng dragons, flying machines, and extra.
The Solid
Viewers favourites return on this crowd pleaser.
- Tenor Colin Ainsworth sings the function of Tamino;;
- Soprano Meghan Lindsay makes her function debut as Pamina;
- Bass baritone Douglas Williams additionally makes his function debut as Papageno;
- Bass-baritone Stephen Hegedus sings the function of Sarastro;
- Tenor Blaise Rantoanina sings the function of Monastatos;
- Soprano Karine White sings the function of Papagena;
- The Three Girls are sung by soprano Carla Huhtanen, mezzo-soprano Danielle MacMillan, and mezzo-soprano Laura Pudwell;
- Soprano Rainelle Krause makes her Opera Atelier debut as Queen of the Night time —a job that has received her worldwide acclaim.
Opera Atelier Music Director David Fallis conducting Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, the total corps of the Artists of Atelier Ballet, and the Nathaniel Dett Chorale make their onstage debut with Opera Atelier.
Opera Atelier Founding Co-artistic Director Pynkoski directs, and Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg choreographs. Set designs are crafted by Gerard Gauci, with costume design by Dora Rust-d’Eye, and lighting design by Kimberly Purtell.
Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande
Opera Atelier’s absolutely staged imaginative and prescient of Debussy’s masterpiece will likely be introduced at Koerner Corridor, with signification additions funded by the Jerry and Joan Lozinski Opera Atelier Reimagined Undertaking at Koerner Corridor.
The manufacturing of Pelléas et Mélisande represents the most recent repertoire produced by both Opera Atelier and Tafelmusik Baroque, lending new nuance to the definition of interval manufacturing.
“Debussy’s surrealist masterpiece lifts us out of the parameters of life as we all know it and initiatives us right into a world through which goals collide with actuality,” says Pynkoski. “Whereas making ready to direct this manufacturing of Pelléas, I take into account the assertion by the good late movie director David Lynch: ‘I like to go away some room to dream. A variety of mysteries are sewn up on the finish. That kills the dream.’”
The libretto for Debussy’s solely opera is predicated on Maurice Maeterlinck’s symbolist play of the identical identify. The story revolves round a love triangle. The Prince Golaud finds Mélisande beside a mysterious pool of water, misplaced within the forest. He brings her again to civilization and marries her, however the supernatural parts from the forest observe them.
The couple settles into his grandfather King Arkel of Allemonde’s fort, however Golaud’s youthful half-brother Pelléas lives there too, and Mélisande’s attraction to him grows every day.
Golaud turns into consumed with jealousy, and the same old operatic hijinks ensue.
The Solid
Each returning artists and people making their debut with the corporate type the forged for the Toronto premiere.
- Tenor Antonin Rondepierre sings the function of Pelléas
- Soprano Meghan Lindsay sings the function of Mélisande
- Sass-baritone Douglas Williams sings the function of Golaud
- Bass-baritone Philippe Sly makes his Opera Atelier debut as Arkel
- Soprano and Opera Atelier Artist-in-Residence soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee sings the function of Geneviève
- Mezzo-Soprano Cynthia Akemi-Smithers sings the function of Yniold.
“Debussy’s deep admiration for seventeenth century French music runs like an undercurrent all through Pelléas et Mélisande, making his mysterious, magical composition notably suited to my sensibilities as a choreographer of Baroque dancing and classical ballet,” says Lajeunesse Zingg. “In OA’s manufacturing of Pelléas et Mélisande, the Artists of Atelier Ballet characterize invisible forces of nature that drive the actions of the characters on stage.”
David Fallis will conduct Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, and the manufacturing options the total corps of the Artists of Atelier Ballet. Marshall Pynkoski directs, with choreography by Lajeunesse Zingg, set design by Gerard Gauci, costume design by Michael Gianfrancesco, and lighting design by Kimberly Purtell.
Particulars
Mozart’s The Magic Flute takes the stage October 15, 16, 18 and 19, 2025 on the Elgin Theatre. Single Tickets for The Magic Flute will likely be on sale September 3, 2025.
The world premiere of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande takes place April 15, 16, 18 and 19, 2026 at Koerner Corridor TELUS Centre for Efficiency and Studying. Single Tickets for Pelléas et Mélisande will likely be on sale February 18, 2026.
- 2025/26 Season Subscriptions are on sale now [HERE].
Are you trying to promote an occasion? Have a information tip? Have to know the most effective occasions taking place this weekend? Ship us a word.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the every day arts information straight to your inbox.
Join the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — native classical music and opera information straight to your inbox HERE.
Anya Wassenberg is a Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. She is an skilled freelance author, blogger and writing teacher.
