For Immediate Release
July 8th, 2019
Free concerts and lectures launch the 15th Annual Halifax Summer Opera Festival July 17-24
There will be four free performances over the next two weeks as the Halifax Summer Opera Festival collaborates with the Halifax Central Library on a series of noon hour lecture recitals from July 17-19 and an evening exploring opera music by women composers on July 24 at 7 pm.
The noon hour lecture recital series marks its fifth year at the Paul O’Regan Hall at Halifax Central Library. Each lecture gives insights and context for one of the main stage operas presented at the Festival, delivered by a key member of the creative team and illustrated by slides and musical excerpts performed by the cast. The venue is one of our favourites because of its open, friendly, welcoming design.
Wednesday July 17: Handel’s Alcina
Thursday July 18: Mozart’s The Magic Flute
Friday July 19: Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann
Also at the Paul O’Regan Hall the following week is a special exploration of operas composed by women.
In spite of there having been many women composers in the Western tradition, relatively few women have composed operas. Dr Jane Gordon explores why this is, and celebrates some of the stories (and music) of the trailblazers. From Francesca Caccini to Ethel Smyth, from Hildegarde von Bingen to Elizabeth Raum, we celebrate operas composed by women!
Also features music director Nicholas Gilmore, collaborative pianist Giancarlo Scalia and performers from the Halifax Summer Opera Festival.
Women Composers of Opera: an exploration
Wednesday July 24, 7:00 pm, Paul O’Regan Hall, Halifax Central Library, 5540 Spring Garden
The library concerts are always free, but tickets for the rest of the festival are on sale online at TicketHalifax.com, by phone at (902) 422-6278 (ext. 500), in person at The Coast’s offices, 2309 Maynard Street, or at the venue an hour before the show, payable by cash, credit card, tappable debit, ApplePay or cheque. Audience members can also buy season passes, which will get them into every performance of every show (which can be quite interesting since there are two casts for each opera, providing two quite distinct interpretations).
Halifax Summer Opera Festival and Workshop educates and develops both singers and audiences through the performance of operatic repertoire. For fourteen seasons, HSOF has presented fully staged operas each summer, giving singers from university undergrads to professionals opportunities to learn roles in the context of performing an entire, full-staged opera. Participants are selected from live or recorded auditions and participate in rehearsals and master classes on everything from auditioning techniques to dramatic and musical interpretations by seasoned pros. HSOF is a not-for-profit society with a volunteer Board of Directors, based in Lunenburg and Halifax. You can find out all the details at www.halifaxsummeroperafestival.com.
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Information / interviews:
Bodhi Anders: mobile: 902-293-0264 or email:
bodhi.anders@gmail.com
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