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In His Own Words

Alexander Neef, General Director


1/20/2011

A New Season

One of the true highlights of my year is the announcement of a new season every January. Yesterday morning was my third COC season announcement, but getting out to the press and our public with a season that has taken years to prepare still feels very special and probably even more special this time as 2011/12 was the first completely unprepared season when I started here.

It is impossible to say which of the operas I am most excited about. They have all been given equal care and all of them have wonderful artists on and off the stage and in the pit that I will be proud and happy to welcome, many of them for their first time with the COC.

And while we got mildly beaten up by the usual (and some unexpected!) suspects for the choice or rather non-choice of certain repertoire and one or the other casting decision, I am happy that the general response to our new season has been very positive. We will try to make it even better than it looks on paper.

Please don't hesitate to renew your subscription and if you're not a subscriber (yet) please consider becoming one. We depend on subscriptions as much as we depend on donations to maintain the excellence of our performances. Thank you for any support you can give.

Posted by Alexander Neef / in Season / comments (9) / permalink
Kat (1/21/2011 12:00:00 AM)
Exciting new season! Congratulations to you, Alexander, and to the Canadian Opera Company!
David Short (1/21/2011 12:51:01 AM)
Congratulations on a marvellously varied 2011/12 season, with a good balance between familiar and not-so-familiar (at least to me) works, and with so many new-to-COC operas and productions, and a great mix of established and up-and-coming artists. In particular, "Love from Afar" will be very interesting and "Tales of Hoffman" is overdue. Looking forward to some more Wagner before too long, but prepared to wait. It's great to have such an intriguing program, notwithstanding the financial challenges that the COC and other companies have to face.
Michael R (1/21/2011 9:49:16 AM)
I am intrigued by the season, and its variety, but do think that the revival of TOSCA seems to be a bit premature. I realize that a big name standard opera is needed to sell tickets, but this opera was seen in the new house only 3 years ago. It seems that another opera could have been chosen so that subscribers would have something new to see- possibly another production that the COC presently owns. How about Turandot, Lucia, Falstaff, Romeo et Juliette, Il Trovatore, L'elisir d'amore-- all popular named operas that have not been seen in the new house- or for that matter, not in the COC seasons for many years.
(1/21/2011 11:30:42 AM)
Congratulations on a very interesting season. I for one look forward to being at every one. Thank you for providing us with the opportunity to hear new artists and hear/see new repetoire.
Eric Tang (1/21/2011 12:18:54 PM)
Excellent line-up. Congratulations. Can't wait to see the shows, especially L'amour de loin.
Michel (1/23/2011 11:38:13 PM)
I like the varied programme for the 2011/2012 season. I think the new "logo" is bland, looks cheap and uninspired. I much preferred the old one.
Ed Z. (1/24/2011 5:56:57 PM)
Congratulation for the 2011 -12 season, great variety. The Tales of Hoffmann long overdue. The new logo is not representing the company the old was much better. This look cheap and copy the new film centre logo. I like to see the old logo back.
Mahlersfifth (1/25/2011 6:38:17 PM)
Good to see we have a Canadian Premiere in A Florentine Tragedy, but I have to say that the Calgary Opera, of all places, seems to be doing far more exciting operas these past few years. Bramwell Tovey's new opera in Calgary ... last year wasn't it Nixon in China or was that Vancouver! I appreciate that the COC has Nixon in China this current year, but the COC should be taking the lead in Canada, at least. Are there no Canadian Operas the COC could risk doing? I loved The Handmaid's Tale because it was exciting and new. You are young. C'mon. Be daring.
David Tall (1/26/2011 4:59:35 PM)
Horrible new logo! What happened?? And...Tosca? Really? Again? Whew.

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