Tapestry Opera announces the cast and creative team for Gould’s Wall, a Tapestry Opera and Maniac Star production presented by The Royal Conservatory’s 21C Music Festival January 12 – 16 2022.
The new opera, written by Liza Balkan and composed by Brian Current, is a tribute to Glenn Gould’s and other artists’ challenging pursuit of perfection. The show features performances suspended from The Royal Conservatory of Music’s Atrium, set to delight audiences in the new year with spectacular physical performances and beautiful orchestration.
The cast
Interdisciplinary artist Lauren Pearl (Le Nozze di Figaro: Figaro’s Wedding, Against the Grain Theatre; Poèmes pour Mí, Canadian Opera Company) stars as Louise, a young talented musician striving for perfection in her art. Caribbean-Canadian tenor Ryan Allen (What Brought Us Here, Calgary Opera; The Book of Mormon, Broadway; Titans, HBO Max) stars alongside her in the role of Glenn.
Alberta-born soprano Caitlin Wood (The Overcoat, Tapestry Opera and Canadian Stage) plays The Housewife and Saskatchewan-born Juno and Dora award winning mezzo-soprano Andrea Ludwig plays The Mother. Tenor Keith Klassen (Rocking Horse Winner, Tapestry Opera; The Overcoat, Tapestry Opera) plays The Celebrity and baritone Justin Welsh plays The Teacher.
Alice Malakhov plays The Girl, presented in partnership with the Canadian Children’s Opera Company.
The creative team
Gould’s Wall is composed and conducted by the award-winning Brian Current, with libretto by Dora Award-winning actor, director, and writer Liza Balkan. The multiple Dora Award-winning Philip Akin (Trouble in Mind, Top Dog/Underdog, Of Marriage and Men 1837, Shaw Festival) will direct Gould’s Wall, bringing decades of theatre directing expertise to his operatic debut.
Award-winning set and costume designer Rachel Forbes (21 Black Futures, Obsidian Theatre, CBC; The Mountaintop, Manitoba Theatre Centre) joins the creative team alongside lighting designer and Siminovitch Prize finalist Michelle Ramsay (Shanawdithit, Rocking Horse Winner, Tapestry Opera). Tapestry Opera’s Women in Musical Leadership Conductors Jennifer Tung and Juliane Gallant are the Assistant Conductors. Sheree Spencer is Assistant Director.
Gould’s Wall makes its world premiere January 12 – 16 2022 in The Royal Conservatory of Music’s Atrium. Tickets are on sale now.