Abigail Richardson and Marjorie Chan met at the 2003 Tapestry LIBLAB, made more memorable because the workshop was during the August power blackout. Marjorie had recently seen the National Geographic documentary “The Urban Elephant” and was convinced that the emotional weight of the story could be carried in an opera.

Tapestry showed the scene at Opera Briefs that year, and a year later, an expanded version was part of a workshop presentation. In the audience was a young girl of perhaps nine or ten years of age. Lynda Hill, Artistic Director of Theatre Direct was also in the audience. Lynda was very taken personally by the power of the scene, but even more affected by seeing the delighted response of the child. Therein began a wonderful producing partnership for Tapestry with Lynda as dramaturg and director for the ultimate production, Tapestry’s first for Luminato. Along with her extensive career in producing theatre for young audiences, Lynda brought a collaborative team that included Viv Moore, who created on the actors a movement vocabulary that engaged the audience’s imagination into a suspension of disbelief.

Sanctuary Song is a 45-minute chamber opera appropriate for both children and adults, cowritten with librettist Marjorie Chan. It was commissioned by Tapestry and Theatre Direct and premiered at the Luminato Festival in 2008. It is scored for soprano and baritone (requiring a Black singer) plus two actors who take on various roles including some dance. The instrumentation is violin, percussion and piano with additional pre-recorded sound effect tracks placed intermittently throughout the work. This dramatic piece is based on the true story of an elephant, Sydney, and her journey from captivity to freedom. The music is emotional and dramatic and follows the story closely at every turn. Sydney sings simply and melodically of her past when she remembers living freely in the jungle. This beauty returns at the end when she sees freedom again. In captivity, her music ranges from fearful to haunting while her keeper, James, lovingly reassures her as she recalls her difficult past. The opera is a tear-jerker but has had incredible impact on audiences, both young and old. One audience member actually dedicated her life to saving elephants because of seeing this as a child. The opera has had multiple runs and won a Dora Award for Best New Opera.

- Abigail Richardson-Schulte

“They say an elephant never forgets, and I'll bet that any child you take to the new family opera Sanctuary Song won't soon forget the strong production.”

- Glenn Sumi, NOW magazine, May 2008

Winner of a 2009 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best Production
Nominated for a 2009 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Opera - Abigail Richardson and Marjorie Chan