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 Royal Conservatory and Tapestry Opera announce the cast and creative for Gould's Wall, presented by the 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, featuring 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.
Interdisciplinary artist Lauren Pearl (Le Nozze di Figaro: Figaro's Wedding, Against the Grain Theatre; Poèmes pour Mí, Canadian Opera Company) stars as the Climber, 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 Canadian icon and classical pianist Glenn Gould.
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 Bernstein/The Man and baritone Justin Welsh plays Guerrero - Gould's famous mentor.
Alice Malakhov plays The Girl, presented in partnership with the Canadian Children's Opera Company.
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.
Gould's Wall makes its world premiere January 12 - 16 2022 in The Royal Conservatory of Music's Atrium. Tickets are on sale now. Tickets are available online at www.rcmusic.com/21C, by calling 416.408.0208, or in person at the Weston Family Box Office.
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