Special virtual concert by Krisztina Szabó and Christopher Foley on
March 21 will replace Songbook X performances
TORONTO — In light of recent developments concerning COVID-19, Tapestry Opera will cancel its upcoming New Opera 101 masterclasses and public performances of Songbook X, which were scheduled to take place next week. Acknowledging that many professionals who rely on the gig economy may be put into a difficult financial position by cancellations such as these, the company will pay the artists and production personnel their fees, and will refund the masterclass participants’ tuition. Tapestry hopes to reschedule Songbook X for a later date, but has no firm plans to share at this time.
In place of the public performances, Songbook X headliners Krisztina Szabó, mezzo-soprano, and Christopher Foley, pianist, will appear in a special virtual concert on Saturday, March 21st, at 8 p.m. Performing live from Tapestry’s Ernest Balmer Studio, Szabó and Foley will present a selection of best-loved Tapestry works and other favourites, live-streamed on the company’s YouTube channel @TapestryNewOpera free of charge.
Tapestry’s highly anticipated spring production of Rocking Horse Winner, which reunites much of the original, award-winning cast and creative team, is still scheduled to proceed as planned from April 23 to May 2, 2020 at Streetcar Crowsnest. Should COVID-19 continue to escalate and live performances be cancelled, Tapestry Opera publically commits to paying artists their agreed-upon fees.
According to Tapestry Opera’s Artistic and General Director Michael Hidetoshi Mori, “Many artists live paycheque to paycheque. In this destabilizing time of cancellations, Tapestry is committed to doing whatever we can to support our community of opera professionals.”
Holders of single tickets for Songbook X will be contacted by Tapestry Opera in due course and offered full refunds.
ABOUT TAPESTRY OPERA: Celebrating its 40th anniversary season, Tapestry Opera is an award-winning Toronto-based company, dedicated to advancing the evolution of opera through creating, developing and performing original Canadian works. The company is passionate about uniquely Canadian stories and music, performed in innovative settings, unforgettably interpreted by world class singers and musicians. Tapestry supports emerging artists, develops new audiences and brings Canadian opera to the world stage. Founded in 1979, it is the voice of original contemporary Canadian opera.
For more information, please contact:
Jaime Martino
jmartino@tapestryopera.com