Tapestry Opera's ROCKING HORSE WINNER to Return in November

New operas rarely make a splash like Tapestry Opera's Rocking Horse Winner did when it debuted in 2016. The literal dark horse of awards season, the production went on to garner 9 Dora Award nominations, winning 5 (the most for any show that season), including Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Direction, and Outstanding Production in categories that included the Canadian Opera Company and the juggernaut Come from Away. After postponing a planned 2020 revival production, it's finally back!! Tapestry Opera presents the triumphant return of this critically acclaimed and multi-award-winning production from November 1 to 12, 2023, at Crow's Theatre.
 
This new production of Rocking Horse Winner reunites much of the original cast and creative team that made audiences feel all the feels. Tenor Asitha Tennekoon, winner of the Dora for Outstanding Male Performance, reprises his role as the childlike Paul, while tenor Keith Klassen and baritone Peter McGillivray return to recreate their roles as Oscar and Bassett. Celebrating his 10th anniversary with Tapestry Opera, Michael Hidetoshi Mori returns to direct the production that kickstarted his successful career with the company. Acclaimed Canadian soprano Lucia Cesaroni returns to her hometown for this company debut, joining the original cast as Ava. Also marking her first engagement with Tapestry Opera is the New York-based, French-born conductor Kamna Gupta.
 
“In 2016, a fantastic ensemble of designers, performers, and creatives came together for Rocking Horse Winner,” recalls Tapestry Opera, General and Artistic Director Michael Mori. “Most of us were unknowns, but we had worked hard to put together people who were ready to ‘dig in' and see what could happen. After a modestly sold short run, when the Dora Mavor Moore announcements were made, we were flabbergasted to get 9 nominations for the show but being up against a heap of large-scale productions, we didn't have big expectations. To end up achieving what we did - surpassing Come From Away in a category they had won a Tony for in NY, and celebrating Asitha Tennekoon winning in a role that was also his professional debut- we were all in shock and perhaps uncharacteristically for the Dora's, representing opera with loud whoops and cheers.”
 
“This production became a huge turning point for Tapestry, raising the company's stature and momentum and paving the way for Tapestry to be a more prolific commissioner and producer.  On the tenth anniversary of my artistic direction, I am thrilled to share the powerful Rocking Horse Winner with Toronto!”
 
Based on a short story of the same title by D.H. Lawrence, this powerful one-act opera combines magical realism and lyrical minimalism to tell the story of a woman, Ava, and her son, Paul. Their house and a rocking horse whisper words that only Paul can hear. When the voice of the house grows more urgent in whispering, “There must be more money,” Paul enlists his lucky rocking horse to tell him the names of live horse race winners. He begins betting with great success, but each win comes at an enormous cost. 
 
Featuring a score by Irish composer Gareth Williams “so evocative and beautiful” (Globe and Mail) and a libretto by Canadian playwright Anna Chatterton that “packs an emotional wallop” (Musical Toronto), this intimate, psychologically insightful look at love, luck, and greed received 9 Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations and five awards in 2017, including Outstanding Male Performance by Asitha Tennekoon, Outstanding Lighting Design by Michelle Ramsay, Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Direction by Michael Hidetoshi Mori, and Outstanding Production.
 
For tickets and more information visit: www.tapestryopera.com. 

 

ABOUT TAPESTRY OPERA: 

Tapestry Opera is an award-winning Toronto-based company dedicated to creating, developing, and performing original Canadian opera. Tapestry is passionate about uniquely Canadian stories, told in innovative settings and unforgettably interpreted by world-class artists. Tapestry supports emerging artists, develops new audiences, and brings Canadian opera to the world stage. Founded in 1979, Tapestry is the voice of original contemporary Canadian opera. 
     

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