Roiyce Vavrek. Photo by Ser Amantio di Nicolao

Today’s big news is that Against the Grain Theatre have announced the appointment of a new Artistic Director and it’s Royce Vavrek.  He’s probably best known to opera audiences as a librettist.  He has written the libretti for 23 operas including a bunch with Missy Mazzoli of which perhaps my favourite is Proving Up, done in Calgary recently by Ammolite Opera.  He’s also the writer for Ian Cusson’s Indians on Vacation and Luna Pearl Woolf’s Jacqueline which features in Tapestry’s recently announced season and is just out on CD.   So not dead yet then!

And talking of Tapestry, they announced their season today.  With the new space at 877 Yonge almost ready they have emerged from semi-hibernation.  As implied above the first show is Luna pearl Woolf’s Jacqueline in The Betty Oliphant Theatre in February .  I’m assuming it’s essentially the same show as five years ago (see Opera Canada Summer 2020).  There’s also a venue launch concert for the new home on March 22nd.  The first Tapestry show at the new venue will be Sanctuary Song; music by Abigail Richardson, libretto by Marjorie Chan, which, apparently, is about an elephant.  Which may be an operatic first.

I also wanted to mention a really interesting Soundstreams concert which is happening on 24th October at Trinity St. Paul’s.  It’s called Letters to God and explores the connections between Japanese and Canadian music and spirituality.  Among other goodies it features music by Kira Miyoshi, R. Murray Schafer, Toru Takemitsu and Claude Vivier as well as the near legendary percussion ensemble Fujii Percussion.  I’d love to go but I’m already double booked!

Finally, a bit of a hangover from the plague.  It’s an adaptation of Ravel’s L’Heure Espagnole by Patrick Raftery and Peter Tiefenbach which takes ravel’s basic concept and music and gives it a new gay-oriented libretto.  It’s called A Spanish Hour and it deals with what one does and where one hides one’s overs when one’s partner is out for a bit.  It was given in piano score at Vancouver City Opera and recorded for Youtube.  There are beer kegs, umbrellas (nudge, nudge), a 24 of double entendres and a fair bit of kink.  It’s not the most profound thing ever but it’s quite fun.  Watch it for free here.