Pacific Opera Victoria Unveils 2024/25 Season Featuring THE LITTLE PRINCE & More

Pacific Opera Victoria has unveiled their 2024/25 Opera Season. On the Royal Theatre stage, Pacific Opera looks forward to presenting; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's timeless masterpiece La Clemenza di Tito in October 2024, The Little Prince by Rachel Portman, based on the beloved tale that has enchanted generations of readers, in February of 2025, and in April 2025, Giuseppe Verdi's iconic Rigoletto will take centre stage.

"We are delighted to unveil our 2024/25 Opera Season at the Royal - a lineup that promises to enchant, inspire, and transport you to realms of sublime artistry," said Pacific Opera Artistic Director, Brenna Corner.

Pacific Opera also announced the inaugural Luminary Series at the McPherson Playhouse. Featuring world-class artists including Barbara Hannigan and Bertrand Chamayou, Lawrence Brownlee, and the Gryphon Trio, the series promises unforgettable performances and intimate encounters with some of classical music's most extraordinary talents.

"We are thrilled to introduce the Luminary Series at the McPherson, a dazzling showcase of exceptional artists bringing their notable projects to Victoria for one-night-only events," said Corner.

Pacific Opera's production of La Clemenza di Tito will welcome major Canadian artists to the stage, including tenor Andrew Haji as Tito. Jennifer Tarver makes her Pacific Opera premier as stage director, as part of an all-Canadian, all-female creative team. Corner says of the piece, "La Clemenza di Tito brings together extraordinary vocal prowess and musical drama to illuminate a human story on both the micro and macro level. On one side, it is a tale of political intrigue, or plots, and manipulation and on the other side, it challenges audiences to think about forgiveness, and the cost of clemency on a human level."

Rachel Portman's The Little Prince, will captivate hearts, weaving a magical tapestry of wonder and wisdom. The Little Prince sparkles with all the joy, wonder, and humanity that many will remember from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's original text. Working together on a main stage production for the first time will be Pacific Opera Principal Conductor, Giuseppe 'Joey' Pietraroia, leading the Victoria Symphony, with Artistic Director, Brenna Corner making her Pacific Opera directorial debut. Pacific Opera Victoria audiences will remember returning cast members, tenor Ben Butterfield and soprano Melody Courage. The Little Prince transports audiences from the desert sand of Africa to asteroid B-612, along the way they will learn to draw sheep, experience the love of roses, and explore the world through the eyes of the prince despite the fact that "no grown-up will ever understand."

And in April 2025, Pacific Opera's production of Rigoletto, unveils a tragic tale of love, betrayal, and redemption with unparalleled grandeur. Based on Victor Hugo's play, Verdi's Rigoletto is a classic of the operatic world that will introduce singers, baritone Grant Youngblood, soprano Sarah Dufresne, and tenor Matthew Pearce to Pacific Opera audiences. Says Corner, "It is grand opera which at its heart is the story of a father and his daughter, and the ultimate cost of revenge, often paid mostly by the people we love."

Tickets for single performances to the Royal Theatre shows start at $35, with a subscription package that includes all three operas starting at $84. Tickets for the Luminary Series at the McPherson start at $65 (with a special price of $50 for Pacific Opera subscribers). To keep Pacific Opera accessible to students, families, and community organizations, Community Preview tickets are available for $15. For more information visit pacificopera.ca

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