COR
Operas
“Made in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Italy, China, India…the U.S.A.” Who sews our clothes, who makes our shoes? Where do they live? How much are they paid? What would you dream of, sewing sleeves all day? Is life better in the village you left behind? Sweat is a kaleidoscope of characters and stories collected from factories around the world. Plunging...
Composer: Juliet Palmer
Librettist: Anna Chatterton
The opera is a poetic love story following resistance against a fictional state that oppresses lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. It centres on the rebellious Solana and her beloved Lilah, who is now a wife and mother; together, they fight for a new future, even as their secret romance is threatened by Lilah’s unpredictable h...
Composer: Leslie Uyeda
Librettist: Rachel Rose
A not-so-pure Maiden is sent to marry a not-so-manly Lord, who is advised by a not-so-celibate Priest, and protected by a not-so-insensitive Thug in an England ruled by a King who won’t get out of bed. Based on the award winning play by Moira Buffini.
Composer: Leslie Uyeda
Naomi’s Road, which details a young Japanese-Canadian girl’s experiences as her family is interned during World War II, is a coming-of-age story that celebrates the power of hope, cultural understanding and compassion. This compelling and emotional story is taken from one of our country’s most painful and complex social periods, a time that for ...
COR
Excerpts
A man and woman meet for the first time on a summer's evening.
The interior of a thumping, vibrating gay nightclub. A middle-aged gentleman sips his drink and turns to watch the dancers on the dance floor. Under the disco ball a young man, stripped to the waist, is dancing with abandon. The young man approaches and establishes immediate physical contact, which is uncomfortable. The older man needs more pers...
An intimate encounter between two gay men.
Two male lovers come to terms with the fact that one of them is dying of AIDS.
A francophile from Toronto walks into a café in downtown Montréal. His coffee order and small talk with the barista turns into a political rift that eventually leaves him lost in translation.
Eurydice volunteers to test new A.I. technology that promises to capture your most vivid memories and curate your perfect virtual afterlife. Lab techs hand out eye masks to the audience.
Calliope and the Muses lead Eurydice C into her subconscious, to the memory of her first love.
In memory, Eurydice C's painter lover pushes her to allow him to paint her and make love to her, even though she is reluctant.
Eurydice C remembers different versions of her lover in an Arioso, Bourrée, and Passacaglia. She questions what might have been, before Calliope calls her back to the present.
Eurydice C is shown her Elysium with Orpheus in the garden - she is not sure she wants him there, but it fades before she can decide. The CEO brings her back to reality and closes the presentation.
George celebrates the 25th anniversary of his paper mill with an important announcement. Lily is introduced. Freddy gets some bad news.
Jeremiah, who is in love with Lily, reveals that he is the illegitimate son of former mill owner, Skinner. He enlists Freddy's help with a scheme.
Brigitta is in love with Jeremiah. Jeremiah, Freddy, and Brigitta retrieve Jeremiah's birth certificate from the Taylor house where Brigitta found it. Jeremiah gives Freddy a note for Lily - he and Lily are leaving town when Jeremiah gets his fortune.
Henri wonders how, after all this time, it is possible that Lily doesn't reciprocate her feelings of love.
George has a proposal for Lily. Henri has a confession. The Great Recorder Smackdown happens, and Lily is caught in the crossfire. Lily sends them all away without answering.
A lament over the disbanding of brotherhood. Freddy wonders what will become of his friendship with Jeremiah.
The Vagabond Theatrical Troupe presents! Jeremiah gives George an ultimatum but has to prove himself first in more ways than one, and all is wrapped up in the finest paper package.
Democracy lies dead in a coffin, mourned by two citizens... But slowly Democracy raises her weak head and begs the two citizens to keep her alive by executing a difficult but necessary task.
Each of two brother bulls attempts to convince the other to enter the barn. Neither wants to go, knowing their lives are at stake. The two flatter, dare, and challenge one another, until a race finally settles it: first one to the barn wins. Sort of.
An entire relationship in microcosm, from first meeting to last sunset together. This piece uses a couple’s dancing together as a metaphor for their time passing.
Soloists and chorus sing the numbers attributed to HIV-1 and HIV-2 by the International Comitte of Taxonomy of Viruses.
Recounts the presumed origin of the HIV virus, initially as SIV non-human primates in Central Africa.
As the Democratic Republic of Congo fights for its independence, patients are being hospitalized and dying from AIDS-related illness.
A group of people discuss the dynamics of Polygyny before the arrival of colonizers and missionaries.
An intimate description of sex.
From the perspective of a beauty mark that progresses into a serious medical complication.
A spoken monologue about the arrival of HIV to North America and Gaetan Dugas, the presumed patient-0.
Soloists list conspiracy theories about the origin and spread of HIV, while the chorus laughs in the background.
A spoken duet about initial moments of attraction.
A solo by the mezzo-soprano about nuns sex-shaming in hospitals, while the chorus repeatedly sings "sanctus".
An ode to alcohol and cocktails that devolves into a listing of medications.
The soloists describe AIDS as a black lion and a pack of hyenas, while the chorus continues listing medications.
A funereal narration accompanied by a choral requiem.
Elvet is struck with grief over the death of his newborn child, not yet named.
A son gets caught sleeping with his father's girlfriend, Eva. A three-way fight erupts, the son professing his love for Eva and vice versa, while the father warns they’ll betray each other soon enough. They leave, and the father grieves the loss of them both.
Two explorers close to the north pole - the explorer Peary becomes confused.
An ill and delirious Peary reminisces about his polar days; his wife remembers their early love.
Peary is unsure if they have reached the North pole.
Josephine asks for Henson's help, despite Peary's past bad treatment of him.
Minik remembers Greenland.
The explorers make a plan to bring the Inuit to America to make money.
Peary and Henson once again try to confirm they are at the North pole.
Henson helps Minik reach the land of the dead; Peary and Josephine argue about Peary's Inuit children.
Peary and Henson believe they have reached the North pole.
Josephine wonders what discovery is worth.
Robert helps Charlie, who is sick, check his stool and be calm in the face of death.
The Child is taught a lesson. She attempted to speak her truth, but was met with discipline.
An interrogator turns his lurid eyes on an imprisoned female activist. Purposefully misunderstanding her movements as seduction, he convinces himself of something horrid.
Lucifer taunts the Child in a cell. She doesn't understand what she's done wrong.
A cleric prepares for confessional. Someone enters the booth. The cleric realizes it’s a man with whom he shared a mutual attraction. The man has recently finished gay conversion therapy and wishes to resume some kind of a relationship.
The Child is bored. She reads several books in an effort to learn all the things she shouldn’t do, say, feel, or see. Lucifer simply asks her why, attempting to get her attention on him instead of books. She finds a name, Iblis, and taunts him.
A book pleads with the audience to be read. A rhythmic chorus rises. A tribute to the banned, the burned, and the hidden.
As Lucifer tries again to get the Child to go with him, the Child finds out who Lucifer is in one of the books of the cell.
The Child is allowed out of her cage, with a warning she can have anyting she wants except for one thing. She asks what it might be, and in a Kafka-esque reply they say, “you know.”
The Child is led back to the book cage, and performers take their places.
Lucifer jangles an entrancing key in front of the Child and a young boy. This key promises to open the gates of heaven, but the boy has his own doubts about that. Nevertheless, he zips up his vest...
The Child questions Lucifer’s role as tempter, while he tempts with growing intensity. He chastises the Child for bowing to authority. She erupts in anger, pushing the books aside and leaving the cage.
A distraught woman is trying to report her sexual assault to a policeman. She admits she’s had some alcohol. Instead of pursuing justice, the policeman arrests her for illegal possession of alcohol. The Child witnesses all of it.
Lucifer is enraged at the unfairness put upon him. The Child sees, and has an idea. Perhaps the system should be broken. When Lucifer realizes the Child has seen his truth, he tries to hide his emotions.
A watcher looks over a group of faithful. His irritation turns to hatred as he accuses them of subversion. He claims to have proof hidden in some papers, but the Child has destroyed them. The Child proclaims “I know what to do,” and the tension between authority and people escalates. The Child begins taking pages and notes from all the surroundi...
The Child creates her own book from pages of other books. She hands out her new rules to the audience.
Lucifer rebuilds the cage, then tries to convince the audience to join him in self-exile.
Zach's class studies the Canada Food Guide, making Zach's tummy grumble.
Zach longs for a lunch of junk food!
The Cafeteria Worker sets out orderly rows of premade junk food in her spic-and-span kitchen. Just then, a trio of Chefs show up and toss all of the junk food out!
Zach and the Cafeteria Worker are perplexed by the Chefs' new healthy homemade menu. They promise Zach that eating this way will be delicious and good for him, too! Zach passes out from hunger and empty calories. He is so hungry!
Zach's hunger-hallucination, Part 1: A life-size Chocolate Bar entices him... only to turn into a Carrot!
Zach's hunger-hallucination, Part 2: The Garden Trio (Apple, Carrot and Broccoli) treat Zach to a savoury song about vitamins.
Zach's hunger-hallucination, Part 3: Sultry French Fries interrupts the Trio to tempt Zach, but is pulled up short by Big Cheese. There's a new Sheriff in town.
Zach's hunger-hallucination, Part 4: Big Cheese tries to convince Zach to eat healthy by crooning a song oozing with cheesy puns.
Zach's hunger-hallucination, Part 5: Food fight! The healthy and unhealthy foods fight over Zach. In the melee, Apple is struck by an airborne French fry.
Zach's hunger-hallucination, Part 6: Apple expires in true operatic fashion in Zach's arms. Zach grieves.
Zach wakes from his hallucination a changed boy. Now open to trying new options, he samples the new menu. Zach's tummy rumbles in appreciation!
A brief anthem to healthy eating.
First meeting of an adult son and his birth mother.
A couple fights as a woman leaves to pursue her dream.
Cindy, Mindy, and Tyler revel in the newfound freedom of university life. Cindy delights in being single, Mindy says goodbye to her parents, and is excited for more privacy and time with Tyler... who is looking forward to playing more Fortnite.
Dorm RAs lay down the laws of drinking and sex, which are incredibly different for the boys vs. the girls.
Cindy is annoyed she’s not roommates with Mindy; the audience knows Mindy has secretly asked for her own room. Tyler wants to go a party, but Mindy convinces him to “Netflix and chill.”
Tyler is bored. Mindy worries they’re becoming their parents, and wants to spice things up. Tyler suggests watching porn together, which only makes things more awkward.
A kick-ass professor guides the girls through a "Feminism 101" presentation, while Cindy and Mindy’s relationship reaches a boiling point. Cindy judges Mindy’s homebody approach to university life; Mindy judges Cindy’s seemingly only interest in “hooking up” at parties.
Cindy and Mindy are kicked out of class for causing a disturbance. Mindy comes clean about having asked for a private room behind Cindy's back. The two reconcile and agree to hang out (without Tyler) that night.
Tyler lets the guys know he’s free for the night. They roast him, and head to the pub.
Cindy tells Mindy about her empowering sexual explorations of late, and questions if Mindy is really ok with spending her life with just one person.
A barrage of texts combined with singing let us know what Cindy, Mindy, and Tyler have been up to. Relationships grow more and more intense, culminating in Cindy telling Mindy she’s seen Tyler studying with a second year girl named Heather.
Mindy confronts Tyler about his “study partner” and accuses him of lying to her, which Tyler denies. Mindy makes a sudden decision: she wants a time-out, and thinks they should see other people. Tyler leaves, confused and devastated.
Cindy and Mindy get into constumes and pre-drink for the Halloween Kegger. Cindy teases Mindy for her lack of sexual adventurousness and gives her “the rules of the hook up” just in case...
Costumed party goers cross the campus, chanting.
Cindy and Mindy eye potential hook-ups for Mindy. Tyler arrives with Heather. Mindy’s livid, and Cindy reminds her not to do anything crazy. Mindy’s response is to commit to the idea of hooking up with someone at the party.
Cindy tries to get Mindy to come away with her, but Mindy insists she's fine and goes upstairs with Cowboy Dude.
Hungover, walking home the morning after the party, Mindy remembers disturbing images from the night before - she isn't sure exactly what happened.
Mindy plugs in her phone, which died at the party. It comes alive with a constant stream of texts from Tyler and Cindy from the night before, who were both worried about her. Mindy rushes to the bathroom to throw up.
Someone has posted pictures of Mindy at the party with different men. Mindy, Cindy, and Tyler argue about who is to blame. Cindy and Tyler depart angry, leaving Mindy sitting alone on her bed.
Mindy tries to understand if she was raped at the party. She can't make herself contact anyone, but seeks information online; Cindy slips a morning after pill under the door.
Heather and Mindy share a moment of intimacy as they discuss their experiences of sexual violence.
Ex-lovers encounter each other in hotel lobby with their new partners and insult each other.
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