“September 25 is going to be a big night for the Canadian Opera Company.”

That’s how Alexander Neef’s email to subscribers began. It was in my inbox early this afternoon.

Alexander Neef (Photo: Gaetz Photography)

It will be an expensive project, so of course he –meaning Neef on behalf of the COC—are asking for donations. And I’m thinking about whether I’ll make a contribution.  The email offers some incentives, as I shall explain below.

The COC have come a long way from their Ring Cycle that opened the Four Seasons Centre, remounting 3 of the 4 operas in the past 5 years but with a huge upgrade in the level of talent, thanks for Neef’s connections in the international opera world.
Let me jump to the linked page he appended to his email, perhaps a test of one’s true nerdy devotion. If you’re a Wagner fanatic you click on such things, because of the gold that lurking underneath as though this were the Rhine.

They give us a cast, at least as of today, with a cautionary note at the end that “ All casting and production information is subject to change”

Parsifal: Christopher Ventris/Viktor Antipenko
Amfortas: Johan Reuter
Kundry: Tanja Baumgartner/Daniela Sindram
Klingsor: Robert Pomakov
Gurnemanz: Mika Kares/David Leigh
Titurel: David Leigh/Mika Kares

Conductor: Johannes Debus
Director: François Girard
Set Designer: Michael Levine
Costume Designer: Thibault Vancraenenbroeck
Lighting Designer: David Finn
Video Designer: Peter Flaherty
Price Family Chorus Master: Sandra Horst

Ventris and Antipenko are both talented singers. We saw Reuter not so long ago. Canadian Robert Pomakov can comfortably stand alongside the imported talent, as he did in Götterdämmerung not so long ago.

The dates?

Friday, September 25, 6 p.m.
Sunday, September 27, 2 p.m.
Saturday, October 3, 6 p.m.
Sunday, October 4, 2 p.m.
Friday, October 9, 6 p.m.
Saturday, October 17, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 18, 4:30 p.m.

Subscriptions will go on sale February 10.
Single tickets for the general public will go on sale July 20.
Monumental Campaign donors who give $1,000 and above will receive early access to single tickets (date forthcoming)

Are you tempted?