World Premiere
Nov 17-19 2023
World Premiere opens IndieFest 2023
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Embark on a celestial journey with Sanctuary & Storm, an award-winning opera by composer Tawnie Olson and librettist Roberta Barker. This immersive performance features the powerful confrontation between medieval luminaries, Hildegard of Bingen and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and unveils a timely discourse on power, respect, and liberation. Guided by the ethereal Angel of History, the opera explores the cyclical dance of history and the shared struggle towards a common goal.
Celebrated as the winner of the 2021-2023 National Opera Association’s Dominick Argento Chamber Opera Award, Sanctuary & Storm makes its world premiere at IndieFest 2023 November 17th-19th. In a unique collaboration with Vancouver Opera and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, this extraordinary operatic experience probes the depth of human resilience, the complexity of power, and the cyclical dance of history. Sanctuary & Storm pays homage to the late Diane Murray Barker, whose memory continues to inspire and resonate within the soul of this opera.
Cast & Creative Team
CAST
Mireille Asselin (she/her) – Eleanor of Aquitaine (Soprano)
Dashon Burton (he/him) – Angel of History (Baritone)
Marion Newman (she/her) – Hildegard of Bingen (Mezzo Soprano)
CREATIVE/CREW
Tawnie Olson (she/her) – Composer
Roberta Barker (she/her) – Librettist
Arianne Abela (she/her) – Conductor
Shannon Tauber (they/them) – Costume Designer
Nicole Lamb (she/her) – Lighting Designer
Will Selviz (he/him) – Projection Artist/Animator
Sheree Spencer (she/her) – Stage Director
Rachel E. Ross (they/them) – Stage Manager
Stephanie Wong (she/they) – Co-Producer
Debi Wong (she/her) – Artistic Director, Creator
For Vancouver Opera:
Tom Wright (he/him) – General Director
Ashley Daniel Foot (he/him) – Partnerships, Engagement, and EDI
Technical/Production Support: Vancouver Opera Production
Sanctuary & Storm is a co-presentation between Vancouver Opera & re:Naissance Opera, presented at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre.
Venue
H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, Star Theatre
Located in: Vanier Park
Address: 1100 Chestnut St, Vancouver, BC V6J 3J9
