Thank you for an extraordinary season
Our critically-acclaimed 2017/2018 season brought together nearly 125,000 people to build stronger communities in Toronto through creativity, collaboration, and the transformative power of opera.
MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS
From a feel-good romantic comedy to a searing exploration of male privilege to an enchanting work of pure stage magic—we explored just how endlessly surprising, relevant, and downright entertaining live opera can be.

Arabella
Richard Strauss, Fall 2017
One of the "Best Classical Music Performances of 2017"
— The New York Times

The Elixir of Love
Gaetano Donizetti, Fall 2017
"Elixir of Love’s recipe works to perfection for Canadian Opera Company"
— Toronto Star

Rigoletto
Giuseppe Verdi, Winter 2018
"A musical jackpot"
— Globe and Mail

The Abduction from the Seraglio
W.A. Mozart, Winter 2018
"A brilliant Mozart remix"
— Toronto Life

Igor Stravinsky, Spring 2018
"NNNN"
— NOW Magazine

Anna Bolena
Gaetano Donizetti, Spring 2018
"Reminds us why people get hooked on the magic of opera"
— Toronto Star
FREE CONCERT SERIES
We welcomed nearly 14,000 people to 76 concerts in downtown Toronto, featuring a diverse lineup of 522 artists performing an extraordinary variety of work, including 8 world premieres and 2 Canadian performance debuts.
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
Our Education & Outreach initiatives reached over 23,000 people this year and included the development of new programming like Exploring Opera and Opera for Young Audiences—welcoming everyone from newborns to adults to deepen their connection with the art form.
227 AS A CULTURE HUB
More than ever before, the COC is pursuing strategies that open up the organization to our diverse public. Chief among these plans is our ongoing project of revitalizing our home at the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre (227 Front St. E.) as a Culture Hub that supports new avenues of artistic expression, deepens relationship-building in the community, and creates cross-organizational benefits to the arts sector more broadly.
COC ACADEMY
Our COC Academy energized Canada’s newest opera creators through our Ensemble Studio, Orchestra Academy, and Company-in-Residence.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Exciting events like Centre Stage, the Fine Wine Auction, and Operanation raised vital funds in support of the
GETTING CLOSER TO THE ART FORM
Our supporters experience next-level access to the world of opera, whether it’s getting a close-up look at the sumptuous costumes in Anna Bolena, hearing insights at a Q&A with creators, or raising a glass of sparkling to toast opening night.
The Canadian Opera Company gratefully acknowledges the generous support of our corporate sponsors.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
The Canadian Opera Company gratefully acknowledges the generous support through operating grants from these government agencies and departments:
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THE COC ENSEMBLE STUDIO PROGRAM GENEROUSLY MADE POSSIBLE BY
Anne & Tony Arrell, Peter M. Deeb, Marjorie & Roy Linden, Sheila K. Piercey
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Major Supporters
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SPECIAL PROJECT FUNDING
For many programs and special initiatives undertaken each year by the Canadian Opera Company, we gratefully acknowledge project funding from:
The Slaight Family Foundation
$50,000 – $99,999
The George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation
Chair-man Mills Inc.
The Hal Jackman Foundation at the Ontario Arts Foundation
$10,000 – $49,999
Audrey S. Hellyer Charitable Foundation
The Azrieli Foundation
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Burgundy Asset Management Limited
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Goldman Sachs
Great-West Life Assurance Company
Guarantee Gold
Jackman Foundation
J.P. Bickell Foundation
Linden & Associates
The Lloyd Carr-Harris Foundation
McCarthy Tetrault
The Mclean Foundation
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
PwC
Shangri-La hotel, Toronto
Tesari Charitable Foundation
Anonymous (1)
$5,000 – $9,999
The Hope Charitable Foundation
Local 58 Charitable Benefit Fund
Mill Street Brewery
Shinex Window Cleaning Inc.
Unit Park Holdings Inc.
Vida Peene Fund at the Canada Council for the Arts
$2,500 – $4,999
Hicks Memorial Fund at the Calgary Foundation
$1,000 – $2,499
Conam Charitable Foundation
D’Avignon Freight Services Inc.
Gill Ratcliffe Foundation
Jarvis & Associates
Judith Teller Foundation
K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation
The Powis Family Foundation
Anonymous
Drake One Fifty
Nota Bene Restaurant
Preferred Florists
Bloom The Flower Company
Quince Flowers
CENTRE STAGE GALA 2017
Platinum Supporter
RBC Capital Markets
Opera Under 30 Sponsor
TD
Competition Supporter
Hal Jackman Foundation
Gold Sponsors
Brookfield Asset Management
Gluskin Sheff & Associates
Scotiabank
OPERANATI0N 2017
Presenting Sponsor
TD Bank Group
Platinum Sponsor
Hampton Securities
Partnering Sponsor
Burgundy Asset Management Limited
Contributing Sponsors
Altus-Wellington Private Wealth
The Catalyst Capital Group Inc.
Ewing Morris Investment Partners Ltd.
GrowthandIncome.ca
Event Sponsors
BT/A
Chairman Mills
Drake One Fifty
FASHION Magazine
Faulhaber Communications
Mill St. Brewery
Nestle Waters Canada
Perrier
Pink Twig
Ryan Emberley Photography
Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto
Spirit of York Distillery Co.
10tation Event Catering
Toronto Life
Trius
Wellington Printworks
FINE WINE AUCTION 2017
Presenting Sponsors
Graywood Developments
Michael Gibbens & Julie Lassonde
Partnering Sponsors
Gillam Group Inc.
Donnelley Financial Solutions
Supporting Sponsor
Geoffrey Pennal of CIBC Wood Gundy
Official Storage Supplier of
the COC Fine Wine Auction
Iron Gate – Private Wine Management
Event Sponsors
10tation Event Catering
The Cheese Boutique
Trius
Stephen Ranger
Waddingtons
Department of Canadian Heritage
Department of Employment and Social Development Canada
Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport
Photo Credits: (top to bottom)
Banner photo: COC, 2018.
Erin Wall as Arabella in the Canadian Opera Company’s new production of Arabella, 2017, photo: Michael Cooper.
Andrew Haji as Nemorino in the Canadian Opera Company’s new production of The Elixir of Love, 2017, photo: Michael Cooper.
Roland Wood as Rigoletto in the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Rigoletto, 2018, photo: Michael Cooper.
(foreground) Jane Archibald as Konstanze and Raphael Weinstock as Bassa Selim in the Canadian Opera Company’s new production of The Abduction from the Seraglio, 2018, photo: Michael Cooper.
Owen McCausland as the Fisherman in the Canadian Opera Company’s production of The Nightingale and Other Short Fables, 2018, photo: Gaetz Photography.
A scene from the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Anna Bolena, 2018 photo: Michael Cooper.
Free Concert Series (l-r) Claire de Sévigné, Canada’s Ballet Jörgen, photos: Kevin Lloyd, 2018; Jeremy Dutcher, photo: Chris Hutcheson, 2018.
Education and Outreach (l-r) Chorus Sing-Along, photo: COC, 2018; Exploring Opera, photo: Gaetz Photography, 2018; After School Opera Program, photo: COC, 2018.
Culture Hub (l-r) Justin Welch and Miriam Khalil in the Against the Grain Theatre’s production of BOUND, photo: Darry Block Photography, 2017; Ensemble Studio baritone Samuel Chan in The Magic Victrola (an Opera for Young Audiences); Pre-performance activities at The Magic Victrola, photos: Gaetz Photography.
COC Academy (l-r) 2018 COC Orchestra Academy members Felipe Muñoz Garcia and Kimberly Durflinger, photo: Karen E. Reeves; 2017/2018 Ensemble Studio, photo: Gaetz Photography; Danika Lorèn and Against the Great Theatre Music Director Topher Mokrzewski in BOUND, photo: Darry Block Photography, 2017.
Special Events (l-r) Fine Wine Auction, photo: Gaetz Photography; Operanation: Into The Stars, photo: Ryan Emberley; Centre Stage Gala, 2017, photo: Gaetz Photography.
Getting Closer to the Art Form (l-r) Wig & Makeup Supervisor Sharon Ryman and soprano Tracy Cantin at an Opera Insights Event; the COC’s 2018/2019 Behind the Season Event; photos: Gaetz Photography; Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky with a fan at the opening night party of Anna Bolena, photo: Dan Truong, 2018.