About Pacific Opera Victoria
Founded in 1980, Pacific Opera Victoria (POV) has earned a reputation as one of Canada's leading opera companies. We are noted for our commitment to diverse repertoire, our original productions, our dedication to Canadian artists, and our leadership within the arts sector regionally and the opera sector nationally.
On a per capita basis, POV's audience is Canada's strongest opera audience by a factor of two. Thanks to this extraordinary audience support, POV is the fastest growing opera company in Canada. Beginning in the 2009-2010 season, we are expanding from three productions each season to four, thus giving us more scope to present on our stage the loveliest and most rewarding works from opera's 400-year history.
Original concepts, innovative designs
Pacific Opera Victoria builds opera from the ground up. We choose outstanding works from the operatic repertoire and create each production from scratch. Shaped by the creative vision of our directors and designers, each production is then built by our own team of production artists, staged in Victoria's beautiful, intimate Royal Theatre, and brought to life by a glorious collaboration of conductor and singers.
A distinctive blend of repertoire from 400 years of opera
POV's diverse range of repertoire includes wholly new productions of classic favourites – inviting newcomers into the world of opera and giving experienced operagoers a fresh look at a work they know well. We also present less frequently performed works that allow audiences to discover wonderful works that are new to them, to explore the breadth of the repertoire and to expand their ideas of the art form.
POV's commitment to diverse repertoire has resulted in several Canadian premieres, most recently Marc Blitzstein's Regina (2008), Richard Strauss' Daphne (2007), Lee Hoiby's The Tempest (2004), Giannini's The Taming of the Shrew (2001), and Applebaum and Moore's Erewhon (2000, a POV commission). Recent and upcoming productions of such beloved favourites as Madama Butterfly, The Magic Flute, and La traviata present relevant, compelling productions of classic works.
Sets and costumes created in our Victoria shop
POV is the only major opera company in Canada to build its own sets exclusively, a fact that allows us greater programming creativity than companies that rent existing productions. POV maintains its own scene and costume shop in a newly renovated 10,000 square foot production facility. This production facility is the largest of its kind on Vancouver Island, offering employment to over 50 regional theatre professionals.
A Commitment to Canadian Artists
It is our goal to provide challenging artistic opportunities to artists at all stages of their careers. POV's casts and creative teams are drawn from Canada's finest artists working here and abroad.
Because we present original productions of diverse repertoire, we can offer unique opportunities to many of Canada's most respected directors, designers, and singers. Canadian performers with international careers can explore unique opportunities at POV. In fact, over 90% of POV's singers are offered the chance to perform their roles here for the very first time.
As POV is the only company in Canada to build all of its productions, established and emerging designers have a rare opportunity to design for opera in Canada. And rather than recreate existing productions, POV's directors are able to explore the art form from the ground up.
POV is also deeply committed to nurturing emerging artists. Each year several promising artists are offered their professional debuts in leading roles alongside seasoned artists of significant experience. Our artist training programs offer important coaching and performance opportunities, as well as mainstage debuts, to young singers and emerging professionals.
Our Leadership
Timothy Vernon, the company's founding Artistic Director, brings to the organization years of proven artistic vision. Mr. Vernon has demonstrated a keen eye for identifying new talent and providing a constructive environment for artists to fully develop their craft. Mr. Vernon has also been responsible for "pushing the repertoire envelope" for a company of this size. This unique vision has fueled the community's interest in the company, attracted a wide range of artists and allowed the entire company to be enthusiastic about producing opera at an exceptionally high level.
David Shefsiek joined the company as Executive Director in 2007, bringing 20 years of experience as an arts administrator. In previous positions with Vancouver Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and the Big Apple Circus, David has opened the creative process to the public, and in doing so, has led dramatic institutional growth, developing increased revenues for enhanced mainstage activity, young artist training programs, and education and community initiatives for all ages.
Our Mission
Pacific Opera Victoria's Mission is to create a dynamic operatic experience, and to inspire our audiences, artists, and community.
Our Artistic Mission is to pursue excellence in the presentation of diverse repertoire, through innovative original productions and detailed performance practice, and to provide opportunity to artists throughout Canada at all stages of their careers, from student to mentor. In doing so, we will advance and preserve the traditions of our art form.
Our Community Mission is to engage diverse audiences from Vancouver Island and beyond in the communicative power of opera at performances and imaginative community events, and to encourage the use of opera as a resource for educators to enrich the learning of young people. In doing so, we will play a leadership role in enhancing the vitality of life on Vancouver Island.
Our Financial Stewardship Mission is to invite wide public and private investment in our activities by building strong relationships with our supporters, thoughtfully stewarding our financial resources, and ensuring effective, renewable leadership from an ensemble of Board, Staff, Artists and Volunteers. In doing so, we will ensure that our company remains dynamic as an institution of lasting importance.
Our Vision
We create opportunity. Audiences experience the full breadth of the operatic repertoire in performances that aspire to and achieve world class festival standards. Experienced artists are able to take risks in a nurturing environment, through professional debuts, major role debuts, and in repertoire that they may not otherwise have the chance to explore. Directors and designers can create original productions rather than adapt to existing ones. Young artists grow as they develop their own unique artistic voices. Students and educators can learn through opera while discovering the joys of performing arts. The entire community will be able to explore how the arts reflect and affect our lives today. In our vision, everyone will have the opportunity to make opera a part of their lives.
Timothy Vernon
Founding Artistic Director
Board of Directors and Honourary Life Members