COR
Operas
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 ...
Composer: Ramona Luengen
Librettist: Ann Hodges
Content warning: murder, death, corpse
Composer Gareth Williams and librettist David James Brock created a site-specific promenade opera inspired by Glasgow's oldest pub, Sloans. The audience moves through the 250-year-old pub and encounters a series of scenes telling stories of love, loss, revenge and forgiveness.
Composer Gareth Williams and librettist David James Brock created a site-specific promenade opera inspired by Glasgow's oldest pub, Sloans. The audience moves through the 250-year-old pub and encounters a series of scenes telling stories of love, loss, revenge and forgiveness.
Composer: Gareth Williams
Librettist: David James Brock
The Don Valley. 1880, Toronto.
Join George Taylor and the travelling Gilbert & Sullivan theatrical troupe The Vagabonds in a twenty-fifth anniversary celebration of the birth of his papermill. Unbeknownst to him, Jeremiah - the leader of a local small-potatoes bandit group called The Rift Rafters - just discovered a long-hidden secret abo...
Join George Taylor and the travelling Gilbert & Sullivan theatrical troupe The Vagabonds in a twenty-fifth anniversary celebration of the birth of his papermill. Unbeknownst to him, Jeremiah - the leader of a local small-potatoes bandit group called The Rift Rafters - just discovered a long-hidden secret abo...
Composer: Benton Roark
Librettist: Julie Tepperman
Content warning: captivity, sex trafficking, sex work, sexual violence, violence, death
The Enslavement and Liberation of Oksana G. is a fictional dramatic opera built on extensive factual research. Set in Ukraine in 1997, it is the story of Oksana, a young woman lured into the world of sex trafficking by a Russian recruiter, Konstantin, who ...
The Enslavement and Liberation of Oksana G. is a fictional dramatic opera built on extensive factual research. Set in Ukraine in 1997, it is the story of Oksana, a young woman lured into the world of sex trafficking by a Russian recruiter, Konstantin, who ...
Composer: Aaron Gervais
Librettist: Colleen Murphy
Partition in 1947 drives Naila’s family to the new country of Pakistan while her best friend Lolo must remain in India. In a child’s-eye view of this world event, the significant concerns for these two nine-year-olds are custody of a tin box with important valuables (“marbles and flowers and keys and rings”), and the care and feeding of a pet ra...
Composer: Elisabeth Mehl Greene
Librettist: Anusree Roy
An opera for all ages. Sydney, an Asian elephant poached at a young age from the jungles of Indonesia, recalls her remarkable life in captivity, far from home, as her keeper of 22 years leads her on a journey towards sanctuary in the hills of Tennessee. A dynamic weaving of opera and dance unearths friendships lost and found and restores a stole...
Composer: Abigail Richardson
Librettist: Marjorie Chan
Content warning: suicidal thoughts
A comedy. Trish laments her breakup with Ralph. She is desolate and considers suicide. Gina scolds Trish for over-dramatization and urges her to move on in her life. She succeeds in getting Trish to agree to go out for a drink at a bar nearby. They are intercepted by Ralph (on his bicycle) carrying a box of ...
A comedy. Trish laments her breakup with Ralph. She is desolate and considers suicide. Gina scolds Trish for over-dramatization and urges her to move on in her life. She succeeds in getting Trish to agree to go out for a drink at a bar nearby. They are intercepted by Ralph (on his bicycle) carrying a box of ...
Composer: Andrew Staniland
Librettist: Anna Chatterton
Late at night, Allie receives a visitation from her deceased best friend, Karen.
Composer: Katya Pine
Librettist: Sheldon Rosen
Content warning: black-out drinking
A night out celebrating midterms takes a turn when Jamie doesn't return.
A night out celebrating midterms takes a turn when Jamie doesn't return.
Composer: Darren Fung
Librettist: Dave Deveau
Content warning: death, suicide
Dragon’s Tale is the story of a young Chinese-Canadian woman (Xiao Lian) and her ailing father, both living in Toronto. Xiao Lian wakes up in the ancient past and witnesses the last days of one of China’s greatest poets, Qu Yuan. In doing so, she begins to understand her father and herself as she returns to a c...
Dragon’s Tale is the story of a young Chinese-Canadian woman (Xiao Lian) and her ailing father, both living in Toronto. Xiao Lian wakes up in the ancient past and witnesses the last days of one of China’s greatest poets, Qu Yuan. In doing so, she begins to understand her father and herself as she returns to a c...
Composer: Ka Nin Chan
Librettist: Mark Brownell
In a schoolyard full of kids, nine-year-old Elijah still feels alone. He’s had a lot of trouble from Big Billy Brett, who takes every opportunity to bully and tease Elijah and his friends. For comfort, Elijah brings his favourite kite to school. One day, they meet a strong new girl called Miriam. Miriam isn’t afraid of Billy and stands up to him...
Composer: James Rolfe
Librettist: Camyar Chai
Content warning: explicit language, sexual violence, sexual content, alcohol, blackout drinking
Hook Up tells the story of three friends who have made it to university, each with their own unique desires and inner conflicts. Mindy is just excited to keep her high school friend circle together and finally get some privacy with her boyfriend. T...
Hook Up tells the story of three friends who have made it to university, each with their own unique desires and inner conflicts. Mindy is just excited to keep her high school friend circle together and finally get some privacy with her boyfriend. T...
Composer: Chris Thornborrow
Librettist: Julie Tepperman
Svadba explores a "wedding theme, especially the night before the ceremony, when we are privy to private and ancient rituals between the bride and her girlfriends. The text is taken from original Serbian poetry but given a new context for our contemporary culture... A wedding is an important turning point in every woman’s life, usually steeped i...
Composer: Ana Sokolović
Librettist: Ana Sokolović
Mark stands with his friends Maryanne and Bob, ready to play a game of baseball. They see their other friend, Kenny, and Carley, Mark's ex-girlfriend, in the distance. Kenny proposes to Carley, and runs to the group to announce triumphantly "She said yes!" Inspired by Maryanne's encouragement, Mark calls his estranged son, who lives far away wit...
Composer: Jana Skarecky
Librettist: Sheldon Rosen
On a fateful school trip to the ruins of Pompeii, the fantasies of smitten teenagers Suzie and Cass are ignited. They are transported from 1977 to 79 AD, where they discover romantic freedom in the looming shadow of Mount Vesuvius – but not for long. The timeline shifts to 1981 and the Fly by Night, a Toronto lesbian bar, in the aftermath of the...
Composer: Kye Marshall
Librettist: Amanda Hale
COR
Excerpts
James and Sydney start their journey. Sydney remembers being young and playing in the forest with her friend Penny. One day, they are both captured, and the family herd is shot.
On the eve of Oksana's departure, Father Alexander has to go to pick up another woman in distress. He leaves his knife with Oksana because she is afraid Konstantin will show up. Lyuba and Oksana say their goodbyes.
In Greece at a bar, three women are held captive: Konstantin sends Lyubia with a businessman, Natalyia with the Immigration officer who cuts her, and Oksana is bought by Konstantin at auction. Konstantin then offers to the crowd a gang rape just as the police arrive to raid the bar. Instead, he escapes with Oksana and Natalyia.
Two men break into their old haunt, bringing their recently deceased friend along for the ride. They pour three pints and pull up a country song on the jukebox. In turn, they reflect on what they’d tell him if he were still alive.
As he tries to get into the train car, James explains to Sydney the elephant why it is best for her to leave the zoo for a new home.
A young Chinese/Canadian woman (Xiao Lian) faces a difficult choice: Honour her family’s traditional past or embrace a more modern future. Her father dwells on the memory of his deceased wife and honours her by performing the Qingming funeral tradition. Meanwhile, Xiao Lian’s two friends want her to get out and be more social. Her father objects...
Sydney and James meet for the first time. Though both are nervous, they connect with each other.
Sydney and James arrive in Tennessee, remembering their 22 years together. They say goodbye.
Sydney exits the train with James at the Sanctuary and sees her old friend Penny. They reunite lovingly. Sydney and James say their final goodbye.
The combined spirits of Qu Yuan and Father return and ask the audience to release them from their servitude. That freedom granted, they ascend into the heavens triumphantly.
Late at night, Allie receives a visitation from her deceased best friend, Karen.
Xiao Lian performs the Qingming ceremony to honour the spirit of her departed father and mother. Love and fellowship combine in the running of a dragon boat race. Xiao Lian joins her friends and crosses into her future.
A night out celebrating midterms takes a turn when one student doesn't return.
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 lament over the disbanding of brotherhood. Freddy wonders what will become of his friendship with Jeremiah.
Three unhappy kids dream of flying away on a kite.
Elijah and Keisha tell Miriam about Billy the bully. Billy bullies Elijah, then Miriam stands up to Billy.
Miriam becomes a bully and destroys Elijah's kite.
The kids all make up and fly Elijah's restored kite.
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.
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.”
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.
Screaming, Oksana awakens from a nightmare; Father Alexander comes to her and she admits she may have let Natalyia drown to save herself. The Father counsels forgiveness of herself and others, but Oksana is not convinced that is possible.
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.
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...
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.
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.
The 1947 Partition of India forces two children to say goodbye. One departs for Pakistan, leaving her pet rabbit and childhood treasures with her friend.
On the Albanian coast the women captives wait for the boat to Italy. Oksana is still defiant, trying to figure out an escape for herself and others. The boat and Konstantin arrive, and Oksana fails to convince him to free her and Natalyia.
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