The University of British Columbia Opera Ensemble was founded in 1995, with the appointment of Canadian lyric coloratura Nancy Hermiston as Head of the Voice and Opera Divisions. Beginning with a core of seven performers, Ms. Hermiston has built the program to a 70-member company, now performing three main productions at UBC every season.
Opera West’s debut performance, a semi-staged concert version of Tosca, will feature a stellar cast led by international opera star Sondra Radvanovskyin the eponymous role, favourite Canadian baritone Gregory Dahl as the villainous Baron Scarpia. The tenor role, Cavaradossi, will be sung by Yonghoon Lee. Canadian conductor, Jacques Lacombe will lead the distinguished guest artists, the Vancouver Festival Orchestra and UBC Opera Ensemble in this performance of Puccini’s suspenseful, political drama set in the Napoleonic war era of the 1800s.