History of Opera

Explore a special period or composer in operatic history through video recordings of live performances accompanied by informative lectures. This season, we  concentrate on one 
particular geographic area in opera (France) and on one composer (Britten). 


Lecturer: Dr. David Stanley-Porter
Dates: 10 classes, Tuesday evenings or Wednesday mornings
Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m. / 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre, 227 Front St. E., 2nd Floor Boardroom
Parking: Street parking on Front Street or in the parking lot on Berkeley Street
Cost: All 10 sessions – Adult: $225; Student/Senior: $180
         Drop-in Rate – Adult: $25/class; Student/Senior: $20/class

President’s Council Members and Friends of the COC receive enrolment priority. For information on these annual membership programs please call 416-847-4949.

Classes tend to sell out early and are limited to a maximum of 50 individuals. To guarantee your place, full payment must be received with registration. Exchanges and cancellations must be made a minimum of 24 hours in advance. All dates, times and course content are subject to change without notice.

Full Fall and Winter session registration for President’s Council members and Friends of the COC begins on: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at  10 a.m.

Full session registration for non-members begins on:
Fall Session — Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Winter Session — Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Refund Deadlines:
Fall Session — Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Winter Session — Friday, December 21, 2012 


TO REGISTER:

Please contact COC Ticket Services at 416-363-8231, by e-mail, or print and mail your registration form with payment to:

COC Opera Courses
Canadian Opera Company
227 Front St. E., Toronto, ON M5A 1E8

Fall Session 2012

The French Way!

  • September 11/12 & 18/19: LULLY (1632 — 1687) Atys
    Opéra Comique, Paris & Les Arts Florissants
  • September 25/26 & October 2/3: RAMEAU (1683 — 1764) Castor et Pollux
    Netherlands Opera & Les Talens Lyriques
  • October 9/10 & 16/17: BERLIOZ (1803 — 1869) Benvenuto Cellini
    Salzburg Festival
  • October 23/24 & 30/31: GOUNOD (1818 — 1893) Mireille
    Opéra national de Paris
  • November 6/7 & 13/14: SAINT-SAËNS (1835 — 1921) Henry VIII
    Théâtre Impérial de Compiègne

Winter Session 2013

Benjamin Britten (1913  —  1976)
The centenary of Benjamin Britten’s birth is celebrated in 2013.  Britten was the most performed opera composer of the latter half of the 20th century, and his musical world is fascinating, unlike that of any other composer.  The unusual atmosphere each story generates is brought to life through his unique and haunting music.  Watch five of Britten’s major works for the stage on DVD in new productions never before shown during these courses.

  • January 8/9 & 15/16: The Rape of Lucretia (1946 — 1947)
    English National Opera
  • January 22/23 & 29/30: Albert Herring (1946 — 1947)
    Glyndebourne Festival
  • February 5/6 & 12/13: Billy Budd (1960)
    Glyndebourne Festival
  • February 19/20 & 26/27: The Turn of the Screw (1954)
    Festival d’Aix-en-Provence; Performances by UofT Opera School March 14 — 17, 2013 
  • March 12/13 & 19/20: Death in Venice (1971 — 1973)
    Teatro La Fenice

Under 30?

Purchase tickets for $22 to all of our operas!