Benevolence Opera Project Stages 'Carmen' and 'Rigoletto' in Toronto
Benevolence Opera Project presents Bizet's 'Carmen' Nov. 13 and Verdi's 'Rigoletto' Nov. 14 at Toronto's Redwood Theatre, with proceeds benefiting the YWCA.
Programme
- 'Carmen' plays Friday, Nov. 13; 'Rigoletto' plays Saturday, Nov. 14, both at 8 p.m.
- Venue: The Redwood Theatre, Toronto
- Alexandra Beley sings the title role in 'Carmen'; Andrew Tees sings Rigoletto
- A portion of ticket sales and an event raffle benefit the YWCA
- Holly Chaplin directs 'Carmen'; Brahm Goldhamer and Narmina Efendiyeva serve as music directors
The Benevolence Opera Project and The Redwood Theatre will present Bizet's "Carmen" on Friday, Nov. 13, and Verdi's "Rigoletto" on Saturday, Nov. 14, at The Redwood Theatre in Toronto, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the YWCA.
Both performances begin at 8 p.m. A portion of ticket sales and an event raffle will go to the organization, continuing the company's model of pairing opera with community causes in an intimate setting.
Who sings what in 'Carmen'?
Soprano Alexandra Beley sings the title role. Tenor Adam Luther takes on Don José, baritone Johnathon Kirby is Escamillo, and soprano Angela Gjurichanin is Micaëla.
The supporting cast includes:
- Kcenia Koutorjevski as Mercédès
- Nadine Anyan as Frasquita
- Cameron Mazzei as Remendado
- Sebastian Belcourt as Dancaïro
Soprano Holly Chaplin directs the production, Brahm Goldhamer serves as music director, and company founder and producer Ryan Hofman hosts the evening.
What does the 'Rigoletto' cast look like?
On Nov. 14, the company shifts to Verdi. Bass-baritone Andrew Tees sings the title role, with Chaplin returning as Gilda and Luther doubling back as the Duke of Mantua.
Luke Noftall sings both Sparafucile and Monterone — two roles in one evening. Mazzei is Borsa, Hofman is Marullo, and Koutorjevski is Maddalena. Narmina Efendiyeva is music director for the second performance.
Why the beneficiary matters
The Toronto engagement follows the company's established format: opera staged in an intimate venue, paired with a community cause funded through ticket sales and a raffle. This time the recipient is the YWCA.
The back-to-back programming gives audiences two canonical works — one French, one Italian — within 24 hours, sung largely by a shared cast. Luther, Chaplin, Mazzei, Koutorjevski and Hofman all appear in both productions.
For the Benevolence Opera Project, the November dates continue a pattern of single-night presentations at The Redwood Theatre, including a previously announced staging of "Don Giovanni." The company's next step will be whether the charity-paired format can sustain repeat audiences across the season.
Source: Opera Wire
