Opera season is upon us yet again, and I’m super excited to be attending the much anticipated Operanation, this coming Thursday, May 17th!

I was never much of an Opera guy, but last year I decided to give it a chance, out of curiosity – and I had a really enjoyable experience. It could be me just getting older, but I thought it was a wonderful experience hearing a live Opera in the beautiful Four Seasons Centre. Besides, it’s nice to dress up and attend an Opera show every once in a while!

The Canadian Opera Company is charting a constellation of fashion, art, and opera for this year’s Operanation, a mega-bash inspired by the upcoming world premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s Hadrian (based on the life of Hadrian, the Roman Emperor). This the 14th year that Operanation will be running and it aims to transform the opera house into an ancient Roman celebration and experience. It is an event for all arts enthusiasts and the opera-curious (perfect if you’ve never attended an opera before).

Beyond that, you can expect to be inspired by all the extravagant fashion and art present that evening. It’ll be filled with extravagance suitable for everyone, because the program is meant to be accessible. As someone who knew nothing about opera, it wasn’t difficult to follow along and still have an exceptional time.

“Operanation is equal parts party and performance as it combines diverse art forms and musical styles in a way that is both innovative and accessible”

There will also be live performances featuring the COC’s Ensemble Studio (the nation’s premier training program for young Canadian opera artists. Last year I also had the chance to witness their performances and they really are mesmerizing to watch), performing in collaboration with a contemporary popular musical artist! In the past, there have been well-known artists and performers, which have included Kiesza, Dragonette, Nelly Furtado, Sam Roberts Band, Arkells, Yelle, and Broken Social Scene. (Hint: This year it will be Brave Shores!)

It is also notable to mention that the event is a community focused initiative, with 100% of proceeds going towards the COC’s Ensemble Studio. The Ensemble Studio artists vastly contribute to our communities and neighbourhoods by performing at schools, community centres, and other public spaces in the course of their training, thus making Operanation a truly effective way of generating positive artistic experiences with significant social and cultural benefits.

It’ll be a lovely evening, and I hope to see you all there!

If you haven’t had the chance to grab a ticket and are interested in attending, you can find tickets here.