Calgary Opera is flipping the script on how we interact with this 400-year-old art form.
Sue Elliott, the organization’s General Director and CEO since last fall, built her career around spearheading initiatives that speak to her community. “I’ve produced a lot of very dynamic programming for people who consider themselves opera experts and also for people who are coming to operas for the first time,” she says. And after stints with the Houston Grand Opera and the Seattle Opera, her community is now the Blue Sky City.
This isn’t your grandmother’s opera — all are welcome, and theatre goes beyond the stage.
Arias & Ales
Enjoy opera without getting your Sunday best cleaned. Aria & Ales infuses the casual fun of a bar hang-out with the magic of opera compositions.
Step into Best of Kin Social and enjoy curated bites and beers as musicians and singers perform opera right in the bar. It’s perfect for a date night or anyone seeking an accessible way to hear some opera.
The next Aria & Ales event is on November 24, with tickets available for 5:30 and 7:30 showings. Tickets are only $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
Opera Buddies
Calgary Opera also offers Opera Buddies, a series of four-part classes open to all ages. These classes aim to uncover hidden meanings specific to their productions in a fun, inclusive way.
Led by a professional opera teacher, each Opera Buddies session starts with two classes at McDougall United Church: an introduction to opera and a primer on the specific opera you’ll be attending. Next, enjoy a dress rehearsal of the opera with a live orchestra, soloists, and chorus. The final class is a guided reflection on what you saw and suggestions for further learning.
Each 4-class Opera Buddies session is just $20 and includes one ticket to the dress rehearsal. After participating in one session, participants can become Opera Buddies Ambassadors and regularly attend Calgary Opera dress rehearsals with a pal for only $20.
The next session starts on October 17 and focuses on Calgary Opera’s fall production of Don Giovanni, which runs November 2, 6 and 8.
Up Close & Over Easy
Imagine “Aria & Ales,” but swap the beer for mimosas and the burgers for breakfast food!
Up Close & Over Easy brings brunch and opera to the Calgary Petroleum Club. Guest stars from around the globe, along with Calgary Opera’s McPhee Artists, share heartfelt music and stories — the perfect start to anyone’s afternoon.
Each year, the McPhee program provides up to eight early-career opera singers with the chance to study with world-renowned opera singers at Calgary Opera… and at Up Close & Over Easy, they apply their craft over your breakfast orders! It’s a win-win: Patrons receive exceptional entertainment, and the singers receive invaluable practice.
The next Up Close & Over Easy is on October 20. Tickets start at $55 for kiddos and $95 for adults, with breakfast included.
Other Events
Calgary Opera has introduced several other events aimed at democratizing the art form and making it relevant to modern audiences.
Unpacking Opera is an ongoing event series that helps adults get the most out of an upcoming Calgary Opera main-stage performance. Registration is free, and the events take place at the Mamdani Opera Centre about a month before each show they are related to. The next event is on January 10 and focuses on Don Pasquale.
The Around the Piano sessions, led by artistic director Jonathan Brandani, explore the music of each main-stage performance. The next session is on October 10.
The Spotlight series shows participants what it takes to run Calgary Opera. The first session, “Nothing to See Here,” will examine design, artistry, and problem-solving and will take place on November 14 at the Mamdani Opera Centre. There are three sessions in the series, and you can buy a package of tickets for all three for $60 or individual sessions for $25 each.
The Masterclass events occur on Sunday afternoons at the Mamdani Opera Centre in the Beltline and feature the McPhee Program singers and other students. Tickets are $10 for students and $20 for general admission. The next Masterclass event takes place on October 27.
Visit calgaryopera.com to find your opera entry point.
