Canadian Opera Company Rings In 2027 With 'Bravissimo!' at Roy Thomson Hall

The Canadian Opera Company will stage "Bravissimo! New Year's at the Opera" on Dec. 31, 2026, at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. Music Director Johannes Debus will conduct the COC Orchestra. The curtain time is 7 p.m.

Four soloists anchor the program:

• Soprano Sarah Dufresne
• Mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams
• Tenor Andrew Haji
• Baritone Elliot Madore

The concert, co-presented by Glatz Loft Concerts, draws on selections from a standard-repertoire lineup: Puccini's "Turandot," Bizet's "Carmen," Verdi's "La Traviata" and Rossini's "The Barber of Seville," among other works. The announcement, first reported by OperaWire, gives no full program order and no word yet on which arias have been assigned to which singers.

What does this change for Toronto's New Year's Eve?

In practice, it offers a concert alternative to the traditional operetta-and-champagne format. The venue is Roy Thomson Hall, home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, rather than the COC's own Four Seasons Centre — a signal that the company is aiming at a large, general-audience house for a one-night gala. The four named soloists span soprano to baritone, which fits an evening of excerpted arias and ensembles rather than a staged production.

A caveat follows the promise. The repertory listed is among the most performed in the canon. Whether the evening distinguishes itself will depend on the selections beyond the four named titles — the source says only "among other works" — and on casting choices the COC has not yet detailed.

The announcement also continues the COC's pattern of extending its brand beyond its mainstage season. Recent company news includes a free concert series and a research-focused presentation on Indigenous representation in Canadian opera led by Red River Métis soprano Camryn Dewar, suggesting a broader push into public-facing programming.

Tickets and further program details have not yet been announced. For now, the fixed facts are these: one night, four soloists, one conductor, and four of opera's most bankable scores, in Toronto on the last evening of 2026.