Various bits and pieces from the in basket:

The dynamic duo of Teija Kasahara and Aria Umezawa have a new project; Amplified Opera.  They are kicking off with a series of three concerts called Amplify! and it takes place Ocober 10th to 12th at the Ernest Balmer Studio.  The theme is diversity and equity.

•  October 10th, 2019: The Way I See It – American mezzo-soprano and author Laurie Rubin (Do You Dream in Color: Insights from a Girl Without Sight), and pianist Liz Upchurch will speak to their unique experiences as individuals with blindness and vision loss navigating the world of opera, and how this element of their identity has informed their creative process. The concert will be directed by Aria Umezawa. As you can imagine this particularly resonates with me.
• October 11th, 2019: The Queen in Me – An exploration of the ways in which the classical music world tries to control and limit queerness, gender expressions, and identities. This one-person show features soprano Teiya Kasahara as the Queen of the Night who, after 228 years, has finally decided to reclaim their narrative and challenge the patriarchy. The show is accompanied by Trevor Chartrand, and directed by Andrea Donaldson.
• October 12th, 2019: What’s Known to Me is Endless – A look at the African diaspora, and how experiences of Black identity differ in Canada and the United States. African American baritone Kenneth Overton is joined by Canadian pianist Rich Coburn to speak to how their understanding of Black identity was challenged while working on both sides of the Canadian-US border. Canadian American, Michael Mohammed, will direct the show.

Tickets are $25 for each show at the door or from the website.

There’s something of a re-org at Against the Grain Theatre.  They have hired Robin Whiffen from Opera on the Avalon to be their first full time Executive Director.  Jonathan MacArthur moves to Digital Marketing Manager, Miriam Khalil becomes Associate Artistic Director and Shirley Neumann comes on board to handle Government Relations.  Looks like a consolidation designed to professionalise the administration for the long term.

Iain Scott has new courses at UoT and George Brown.  They actually started this week but… details:
UoT
George Brown College

There’s a concert in memory of the late Neil Crory at Trinity St. Paul’s on October 11th at 7pm.  It’s in aid of the The Neil F. Crory Endowment Fund in support of the Stratford Summer Music Vocal Academy and tickets are $60.  Here’s the line up:

Schubert
An die Musik with Phillip Addis, baritone, Emily Hamper, piano
Handel
Scherzano sul tuo volto from Rinaldo with Ellen McAteer, soprano, Daniel Taylor, countertenor,
Julia Wedman & Christopher Verrette, violins, Charlotte Nediger, harpsichord
Monteverdi
Nigra Sum from Vespro della Beata Virgine with Isaiah Bell, tenor,
Charlotte Nediger, harpsichord
Marcello
Adagio from Concerto in D minor for oboe
Rameau
Les Sauvages from Les Indes galantes with John Abberger, oboe, Julia Wedman & Christopher Verrette, violins, Patrick Jordan, viola, Charlotte Nediger, harpsichord
Howells
King David with Brett Polegato, baritone, Stephen Ralls, piano
Gomitas
Oror, an Armenian lullaby with Isabel Bayrakdarian, soprano, Marie Bérard & Paul Zevenhuizen, violins, Steven Dann, viola, David Hetherington, cello
R. Murray Schafer
Amente Nufe from Ra with Krisztina Szabó, mezzo-soprano, Ryan Scott, percussion
Thomas     
Je suis Titania from Mignon with Tracy Dahl, soprano, Peter Tiefenbach, piano
Chausson
La Nuit with Monica Whicher and Nathalie Paulin, sopranos, and Peter Tiefenbach, piano
Holländer
Falling in Love Again with Jean Stilwell, mezzo-soprano, Robert Kortgaard, piano,
Marie Bérard, violin, Joseph Macerollo, accordion, and James Spragg, trumpet
Bizet
Au fond du temple saint from Les Pêcheurs de perles with Ben Butterfield, tenor, Brett Polegato, baritone, Stephen Ralls, piano
Massenet
Méditation from Thaïs with Marie Bérard, violin, Robert Kortgaard, piano
Strauss
Beim Schlafengehen from Four Last Songs with Erin Wall, soprano, Peter Tiefenbach, piano,
Marie Bérard & Paul Zevenhuizen, violins, Steven Dann, viola; David Hetherington, cello
Vaughan Williams
Serenade to Music with choir, Robert Kortgaard, piano, Marie Bérard, violin.

Tapestry have a 40th Anniversary Bash at stackt market on Bathurst on October 10th featuring food, drinks, excerpts from Tapestry’s catalogue and an after party.  It starts at 6pm and tickets are $225 or $1600 for a table of eight.

Opera Canada’s Rubies Gala is on November 4th.  This year’s honourees are Benjamin Butterfield, Liz Upchurch and John Estacio.  Details and ticket information here.