The Canadian Opera Company Welcomes Opera 5 as Newest Company-in-Residence

The Canadian Opera Company will welcome Opera 5 as its newest Company-in-Residence. The two-year artistic residency will commence on July 1, 2025, with one of the major collaborations of the partnership being the creation of an operatic work slated for presentation at the Canadian Opera Company. The COC's Company-in-Residence program has been in place since 2016; through it, the COC is able to offer support and industry guidance to local opera companies, helping to ensure a flourishing environment for the art form to evolve.

“The Canadian Opera Company is proud to support fellow creators,” says COC General Director David Ferguson. “As a national performing arts organization, one of the COC's foundational pillars is our commitment to leveraging our platform and resources to boost the profile of emerging opera artists and collectives. We are passionate about investing in the broader Canadian opera community and are looking forward to introducing more audiences to Opera 5 and their incredible work.”

Opera 5 is a Toronto-based independent opera company specializing in chamber opera productions, new works, web series, and artist mentorship; it is composed of General Director & Founding Member Rachel Krehm, Artistic Director Jessica Derventzis, Music Director Evan Mitchell, and Programs Manager Jaclyn Grossman.

Since 2012, the company has produced a wide range of operas from well-known titles like The Barber of Seville, Die Fledermaus, and The Turn of the Screw, to forgotten gems such as Ethel Smyth's The Boatswain's Mate and Reynaldo Hahn's l'île du rêve, as well as the world premieres of new Canadian operas that include Cecilia Livingston's The Masque of the Red Death and Darren Russo's Storybook. In 2024, Opera 5 won Opera America's Digital Excellence Award (Noteworthy Project) for its nine-episode web-series called Threepenny Submarine which combined opera, puppetry, and animation to showcase the unique emotional storytelling power that opera holds.

“At the heart of every COC residency is the unique opportunity for mutual learning,” says Roberto Mauro, COC Director of Artistic Operations & Planning. “We are deeply impressed by the creative work that Opera 5 has brought to life already and are keen to share insights and ideas over the course of our collaborative work ahead. Having more—and stronger—voices across Toronto's opera community is a win for everyone, artists and audiences alike, and we are proud to support that vision.”

“The Opera 5 team is over the moon to be the next Company-in-Residence at the COC!” says Opera 5 General Director Rachel Krehm. “We are eager to maximize this life-changing opportunity to be mentored by the COC so that we can grow, reach a larger audience, and create a greater impact with our work. We also hope this residency will allow us the opportunity to build and solidify our Toronto Opera Festival, a brand-new initiative which we want to be a platform for Canadian works and Canadian artists.”

On April 16, 2025, Opera 5 will be the featured in the COC's Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Presented by TD Bank Group. The presentation is a sneak preview of the company's brand-new chamber opera Come Closer by composer Ryan Trew and librettist Rachel Krehm, featuring Krehm in the role of Big Sister, and soprano Jacqueline Woodley in the role of Little Sister. Come Closer is an arresting and deeply personal work that explores grief, reconnection, and healing after loss brought on by drug addiction and is set to premiere in Toronto this June. More information can be found at coc.ca/Company-in-Residence.