History

Saskatoon Opera started operations as an amateur opera company in Saskatoon in 1978. We presented opera standards as well as Gilbert and Sullivan. Many different people were music directors and stage directors over those first 20 years of production including: David Kaplan, Emile Belcourt, Alf Driedger, and James Hawn. In 2000 Artistic Director Barbara Montalbetti took over most of the stage direction until 2011. During this time Tadeusz Biernacki was the Music Director. Since 2011, Saskatoon Opera has had many of today’s leading stage directors and conductors including: Maer Gronsdal, Gordon Gerrard, Charlie Peters, Jordan de Souza, Rob Herriot, and Les Dala. Saskatoon Opera made the decision to become a profession opera company in 2001, with a focus on hiring emerging and Saskatchewan artists. Saskatoon Opera celebrated 40 years of operation in 2018, and we can’t wait to see what the next 40 years will bring!

List of Past Productions

2010 – 2019

La Bohème, King Arthur, Marriage of Figaro, Don Pasquale, Carmen, The Magic Flute, Madama Butterfly, Barber of Seville, Don Giovanni, La Bohème, Die Fledermaus

2000 – 2009

Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, Don Pasquale, Carmen, The Barber of Seville, Die Fledermaus, Don Giovanni, The Elixir of Love, Rigoletto, La Traviata

1990 – 1999

The Mikado, The Magic Flute, The Barber of Seville, The Elixir of Love, Faust, Iolanthe, Patience, Suor Angelica, The Merry Widow

1978 – 1989

Carmen, Amahl and the Night Visitors, The Mikado, Iolanthe, The Pirates of Penzance, Amahl and the Night Visitors, The Merry Widow, Die Fledermaus, The Marriage of Figaro, La Bohème, HMS Pinafore, La Traviata