Toronto City Opera

Toronto City Opera concluded its 2023-2024 season with two fully staged fully costumed operas Susannah and Carmen in February and June 2024. We continued to venture to creative stage settings by providing opportunity to a projection artist who fully utilized his talents and technological skills to enhance the visual effects of the entire opera. The audienc members enjoyed the projections as they added colours and dynamic background to the productions unlike the still and mundane stage settings in the old time. TCO continued its charitable activities by providing early career artists opportunities to perform principal roles with coaching in musicianship and stagecraft. We give our amateur choristers inspiration and skills so they too can perform together on stage. Through discounted tickets to students youths arts and cultural groups we provide the communities affordable access to the grand synthesis of opera. The conductor apprentice program continued in 2023-2024 season where an aspiring musician was selected to receive practical training from our Artistic and Music Directors which ultimately allowed him to conduct for the rehearsals and the opening night of a public performance. The TCO Board is made up of six Board members who are all volunteers. Each offers one or several responsibilities for the organization according to his/her training and expertise. Thanks to the new funding from the Ontario Charitable Gaming Association TCO is able to hire an administrative and development staff to lead TCO forward strategically and administratively. Alongside the Board of Directors the team has more time to search for collaborative opportunities and corporate sponsorship. All Board members contributed their time to assist in fundraiser ticket sales and front of house. Very often choristers also helped in organizing costumes and transportation during the production period on a voluntary basis. The new programs for 2023-2024 season are summarized as follows: 1