Opera 5 presents the inaugural Toronto Opera Festival, which will take place from June 12 to 21, 2025 at Factory Theatre. The event will represent the city’s only professional opera festival, and will showcase opera, musical theatre, and new Canadian works.
Homegrown talent is at the root of the Festival, and it’s part of Opera 5’s mandate to advocate for and champion new Canadian operatic works. As a place where seasoned and emerging artists will perform together, it’s an opportunity for learning and development as well.
The theme of the first Toronto Opera Festival is loss, and how we cope with it and express it. That theme is explored in the world premiere of Come Closer, a new chamber opera by composer Ryan Trew and librettist Rachel Krehm, with poetry by the late Elizabeth Krehm.
Here’s a look at the very first Toronto Opera Festival.
April 16, 2025
You can get a sneak peek at Come Closer, a new Canadian chamber opera during the Canadian Opera Company’s free lunchtime concert series.
June 12
This year’s Portfolio Artists sing beloved arias, ensemble pieces, and art songs from opera and musical theatre. It’s a celebration of the vocal arts in an event that’s designed to be affordable and accessible.
Cast: Kyle Briscoe; Jayden Burrows; Len Crino; Kate Fogg; Brenna McFarland; Maddalena Ohrbach; MacKenzie Sechi; Emma Yee.
A new chamber opera by composer Ryan Trew and librettist Rachel Krehm, with poetry by the late Elizabeth Krehm
June 13, 14, 18, 19 & 21
This new opera examines the grief of losing a sister, based on the experiences of librettist Rachel Krehm. Her sister Elizabeth’s poetry is used in the work; Elizabeth lost her life to addiction. The work delves into the grieving process via a series of fantasies and memories that begin with the innocence of childhood, then to a more difficult relationship during adolescence. How do you move forward after such a loss?
“Grief is a universal experience for all of us who have loved and yet it is often the most isolating of experiences. I wanted to create a show that allowed us to connect and feel less alone. Ryan Trew’s music embodies nostalgia, melody, and every feeling you can imagine. His music lifts up my sister’s words and my story of finding yourself again after experiencing loss. The team that is bringing this opera to life is thoughtful and passionate. Their contribution to Come Closer augments each word and every note of the score. The opera has been years in the making and the whole team can’t wait to share Come Closer with you,” says librettist and vocalist, General Director of Opera 5 Rachel Krehm.
Cast: Rachel Krehm (Big Sister) and Jacqueline Woodley (Little Sister), with conductor Evan Mitchell, Music Director of the Kingston Symphony, and stage director and creation dramaturg, Amanda Smith, Artistic Director of FAWN Chamber Creative; Trevor Chartrand (piano) with Allene Chomyn (violin) and Rebecca Morton (cello).
Creative team: Shannon Lea Doyle (production designer), Noah Feaver (lighting designer), Patrick Lynn (production manager), and Tamara Vuckovic (stage manager). Interns Maddalena Ohrbach and Emma Yee will act as Assistant Director and Assistant Stage Manager respectively. All the other interns will perform various design, production or directing secondary skills assignments.
by William Finn
June 15, 17 & 20
The Festival will present Opera 5’s first-ever musical theatre production, Elegies: A Song Cycle by William Finn. Finn, the Tony Award-winning composer best known for Falsettos and A New Brain, pays tribute to friends who’ve left this plane in the intimate work.
“We are so excited to showcase our Portfolio Artists with this beautiful musical theatre piece. The six singers featured in this show are bright shining upcoming superstars. William Finn’s Elegies is a loving tribute to people he has lost throughout his life. The soaring melodies and fun ensembles in Elegies make for a touching and irreverent evening honouring grief and finding joy again after loss,” says Jessica Derventzis, Artistic Director of Opera 5.
The cast includes six of Opera 5’s Portfolio Artist Interns: Kyle Briscoe, Jayden Burrows, Kate Fogg, Brenna McFarland, MacKenzie Sechi, Emma Yee, along with intern assistant director intern, Len Crino.
Creative team: Opera 5’s Artistic Director Jessica Derventzis (director); Nate Ben-Horin (music director); M Fera (stage manager); Shannon Lea Doyle (production designer), Noah Feaver (lighting designer), Patrick Lynn (production manager).
All interns are paid at standard industry rates for the duration of the production. They all take the stage and fulfill secondary assignments to build skills that will serve them in building a career as they transition out of being students.
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