Against the Grain Theatre
Events with Against the Grain Theatre
ABOUT:
Their stirring reinventions of classic repertoire “smack you in the face like a bracing wake-up call to the spirit” (Globe and Mail). Award-winning Canadian opera collective Against the Grain Theatre, led by Founding Artistic Director Joel Ivany, has gained notoriety for presenting classical work in new and innovative ways, making it relevant and accessible to a new generation.
PROJECT:
Two new chamber operas from Against the Grain Theatre explore opioid addiction and the global refugee crisis, two critical issues of our time. Led by Founder and Artistic Director Joel Ivany, the company will workshop and premiere composer Michelle DiBucci and librettist Royce Vavrek’s Mrs Winslow’s Soothing Syrup, the story of a young woman whose world is torn apart by abuse, neglect, addiction, and apathy. They also present a concert reading of BOUND, an opera inspired by Handel reimagined by composer Kevin Lau, which examines the refugee crisis through texts and stories drawn from real-life news articles and world events.
IN THE ARTIST’S WORDS:
“Composer Michelle DiBucci has always felt the need to give voice to people whose stories have been silenced.”
—Joel Ivany, Founder & Artistic Director, Against the Grain Theatre
Bio
Since 2010, Against the Grain Theatre has been making waves in Canada’s classical music scene. Offering everything from Mozart, Handel, Schubert, and Puccini to Britten, Messiaen, Janáček, and Kurtág, we have made it our mandate to exhibit fresh, daring re-interpretations of classical repertoire. We perform in nontraditional spaces — courtyards, bars, Victorian mansions, wedding halls — and with scaled-back accompaniment, such as a string quartet or piano, to bring out the full force of operatic singing in close quarters. The result? A thrilling, intimate, and unforgettable experience shared between our artists and audiences. Come see for yourself.
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