Report to the Community
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2019/2020 Report to the Community Contents Mission & Vision, Board Listing • 3 Report from the Board Chair • 4 OUR VISION Report from the General Director • 5 Art that resonates 2019/20 Season • 8 beyond the final note. Valentine's Gala • 14 Finance • 15 OUR MISSION Understudy Program • 15 Edmonton Opera brings Edmonton Opera Centre • 15 our community together Special Events • 15 through meaningful artistic Community Engagement • 15 experiences that remind us Marketing & Communications • 15 of our shared humanity. Education • 16 DIY Opera • 17 2019/2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Edmonton Opera at Home • 18 Tom Bradley, Chair * Summary Financial Statements • 20 Craig Corbett, Past Chair * Partners & Sponsors • 22 Irv Kipnes, Chair Emeritus ** Donors • 23 Francis Price, Vice Chair * Ken Keenleyside, Treasurer * Enzo Barichello, Director Maryann Battiston, Director Garner Beggs, Director Robert Bessette, Director Frank Calder, Director Mary Clonfero, Director Laura Fitzgerald, Director Hans Forbrich, Director Melanie Nakatsui, Director Bernie Robitaille, Director Daniel Rojek, Director Tim Yakimec, General Director ** * Executive ** Executive Officio The Marriage of Figaro, 2020. Caitlin Wood and Stephanie Tritchew All production photography by Nanc Price. 3 MESSAGE FROM THE MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD GENERAL DIRECTOR Thomas Bradley Tim Yakimec Crafting this year’s message for our Annual General Meeting I can’t but help to Welcome all. reflect on the previous 56 seasons of our Opera Company and be thankful for the foundation built by so many patrons, volunteers and donors over so many decades of On this day, as I reflect and write about our past year, I am reminded we are precisely change in our Province. The efforts of committed Edmontonians to nurture a vibrant seven months to the day we were collectively impacted by the pandemic that has artistic community in Canada’s northern most metropolitan area has ensured that since, inundated our lives so deeply. We were onstage at the Jubilee Auditorium and support for our Opera Company has remained strong through perhaps the most had just completed the final student dress rehearsal for the final production of our challenging season of our long history. season: Candide. We felt such pride in the show we were about to share with our audiences, yet two hours later, the message from authorities that large assemblies Ably guided and supported by Tim Yakimec and his team at the opera company, we were not permitted meant we had to cancel the production. I had thought we might were forced to quickly adapt to a disrupted season, the full impact of which has only have been able to dodge all this, and share the work, but alas, it wasn’t to be. The become apparent to all of us over the last couple of months. Despite a constrained final scene from Candide is an anthem for resilience, hope and optimism. Little did 2019-2020 Season, our Opera has continued to evolve and reflect the tone of our we know how important those themes would be in our lives from that moment on! It time. When we brought Rigoletto to the stage last October none of us would have was a busy year leading up to that point, and life continues to be a very busy time at anticipated the rise of our YouTube Kitchen Concerts series and the idea of a very the Opera. successful Drive-In Opera for the 2020 Alberta Culture Days. To say that our community’s artists and artisans have adapted to this new environment would not We started the season with a new production of Rigoletto in October that involved do justice to the innovative thinking our Edmonton Opera team has shown during such amazing talent onstage and off. We are very proud of our ability to create new these challenging times. The development of a digital Edmonton Opera came upon vibrant scenery and costumes to showcase such remarkable singers. The beauty us quickly, but our team has quickly become a national leader in ensuring that Opera and power of the music in this harrowing tale of greed, corruption, and violence remains a pillar of our, now increasingly digital, community. revealed the kind of abuses the #MeToo movement exposed. Opera can be of such service to remain topical and provide focus and discussion on current issues. However, none of these successes would have been possible without the continued support of the Arts by patrons and donors such as yourself. We know that there is Our second offering of the season,The Marriage of Figaro was another opportunity no shortage of asks for your support during these difficult times and we certainly to present some stellar work from Canadian singers and designers. We were able to appreciate your continued interest and investment in the Opera’s success in our populate the Jubilee stage with a wonderful mix of new and favourite singers who community. From my weekly visits to our Opera Centre I can attest that our artisans worked their magic to make this very familiar Mozart comedy a meaningful and are preparing for a fabulous return to the Jubilee Auditorium’s stage. Getting us to memorable experience. With its upstairs-downstairs high jinks and lively social this finish line is the goal of every member of our team. I hope you will continue to commentary on those who think they command authority, it was a perfect antidote join us on this journey. to winter doldrums. Yours, Our various community engagement initiatives, such as our brunches, Valentine’s Gala, Opera 101s, school visits, student dress rehearsals, and not to mention our Thomas strong social media presence, it allows our ability to connect the opera to so many in our community and remain a vital presence in the local arts scene throughout Thomas Bradley | Chair of the Board the year. We were fully prepared to share a brilliant Candide with a perfect blend of local musical theatre artists and favourite Canadian opera singers, but were denied that gift just short of opening night. 4 5 In only a few short months, we along with all patrons, staff and artists. We plan to open in arts groups had to face a very steep learning October 2021 with Così fan tutte, followed by curve in adapting to a new reality. We all know La Bohème in February 2022, and closing the how to plan and present on the live stage so well, season with Anne Boleyn in March of 2022. but immediately we were faced with becoming While it takes about four months to ramp up for adept at communicating and connecting via an opera, we are making the decision at this time. digital platforms. The actions that arts groups Our box office is prepared to answer questions took in response to the situation is a testament to and ensure your wishes for your seats are the resilience and creativity of the arts scene of followed. We are currently hard at work creating which we are so proud to be a part of. a gorgeous new production of Così fan tutte, and a new set of period costumes for La Bohème. You will have seen our many contributions to the virtual world with streams from our Edmonton In the coming months, we have lots of free digital Opera at Home series featuring our capable programming planned so be sure to stay tuned to chorus in Kitchen Concerts, and Happy Hours our website, social media and newsletters. People hosted by the casts of the upcoming season. Our turn to the arts for inspiration and connection DIY Opera, Opera Tots, and virtual Summer — now more than ever. We promise to be there Opera Camp videos series were taken in by our for our community during this challenging time younger followers. As well, we are proud of our and look forward to the day when we can gather Opera al Fresco Backyard Patio Series and Drive- again to share this beautiful artform. in Opera concerts at the Jubilee. All celebrate the spirit of innovation and song so well. Our opera community is strong and includes our subscribers, donors, sponsors, staff, board and With the inability to perform live on the Jubilee artists. The support from everyone makes our stage, we were facing serious concerns. We work possible. It is an enviable position to be immediately repositioned with a reduced budget in, to be able to work and share with such great and repositioned our approach to the season — people who invest their passion in the arts. We you will remember receiving notification of our celebrate all the vital people who together enable initial shift to a late January 2021 start of season. our “Art to resonate beyond the final note.” At the time, it was with great optimism that we decided on that shift, knowing full well that Your support makes this work possible and we time would tell as to how and if that could can’t thank you enough! be achieved. Let’s stay tuned to each other, and I so look Now that a few months have passed, with all the forward to the time we can come together safely available data from the public health authorities in celebration of Opera! and practices of the performing arts industry informing our next steps, we will be further shifting the season to the fall of 2021. This decision was made to ensure the safety of our Tim Yakimec | General Director Top: Rigoletto, 2019. James Westman and Edmonton Opera Chorus. Bottom left: The Marriage of Figaro, 2020. Lara Ciekiewicz, Peter Monaghan and Caitlin Wood. 6 Bottom right: Candide, 2020. John Ullyatt. 7 GIUSEPPE VERDI From left to right: Sharleen Joynt, James Westman and Matthew White.