Repertoire History
Pacific Opera Victoria presents a extraordinarily diverse range of repertoire. Our productions include original new made-in-Victoria productions of classic favourites such as Madama Butterfly and Carmen that welcome newcomers to opera while allowing experienced operagoers to enjoy a fresh look at a repertoire piece they know well. We also present new productions of exciting, lesser known works that allow audiences to explore the breadth of the repertoire and expand their ideas of the art form.
POV's commitment to diverse repertoire has resulted in several important premières, most recently the 2011 world première of Mary's Wedding, a new opera commissioned by POV, with music by Andrew Paul MacDonald and libretto by Stephen Massicotte, from his award-winning play Mary's Wedding. We have also presented the Canadian stage premières of Richard Strauss' Capriccio (2010) and Daphne (2007); Marc Blitzstein's Regina (2008); Lee Hoiby's The Tempest (2004); Giannini's The Taming of the Shrew (2001); Applebaum and Moore's Erewhon (2000, a POV world première); Montemezzi's L'Amore dei Tre Re (1996); and Der Freischütz (1994).
POV's premières of Mary's Wedding, Daphne, Regina, and Capriccio were recorded by CBC for national broadcast on Saturday Afternoon at the Opera. Other broadcasts have included the 1988 production of Fidelio for TV by PBS and CBC, as well as a Knowledge Network documentary of POV's 1992 production of The Abduction from the Seraglio. CBC Radio has also broadcast POV productions of Handel's Semele, Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1993) and Lee Hoiby's The Tempest.
Productions as Vancouver Island Opera Society (1975 to 1979)
1976-77
November 1976: The Marriage of Figaro, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
After a 40-year hiatus, Victoria has its own opera company again . . . as the Vancouver Island Opera Society made its auspicious debut . . . with Mozart's exquisite and happy Marriage of Figaro.
Audrey Johnson, Victoria Times
December 1976: Amahl and the Night Visitors, Menotti
1977-78
September 1977: The Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
March & April, 1978: The Beggar's Opera, John Gay
1978/79
September, 1978: The Bartered Bride, Bedrich Smetana
February, 1979: The Yeomen of the Guard, Gilbert and Sullivan
Productions as Pacific Opera Association and Pacific Opera Victoria
1979/80
September, 1979: The Merry Wives of Windsor, Carl Otto Nicolai
February 1980: La Bohème, Giacomo Puccini
1980/81
September, 1980: The Barber of Seville, Gioachino Rossini
February, 1981: Madama Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini
1981/82
September 1981: The Abduction from the Seraglio, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
February, 1982: La Traviata, Giuseppe Verdi
1982/83
September, 1982: Die Fledermaus, Johann Strauss Jr.
December, 1982: Cinderella in Salerno, Gioacchino Rossini
February, 1983: Tosca, Giacomo Puccini
1983/84
September, 1983: The Elixir of Love, Gaetano Donizetti
December, 1983: Amahl and the Night Visitors, Gian-Carlo Menotti
February, 1984: Carmen, Georges Bizet
June, 1984: The Merry Widow, Franz Lehar
1984/85
September, 1984: Rigoletto, Giuseppe Verdi
February, 1985: Faust, Charles Gounod
1985/86
September, 1985: Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
February, 1986: La Bohème, Giacomo Puccini
1986/87
September, 1986: Il Trovatore, Giuseppe Verdi
February, 1987: The Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
1987/88
September, 1987: Lucia di Lammermoor, Gaetano Donizetti
February, 1988: Fidelio, Ludwig van Beethoven
1988/89
September, 1988: The Barber of Seville, Giacchino Rossini
December, 1988: The Tales of Hoffmann, Jacques Offenbach (Canadian Opera Company Touring Production)
February, 1989: The Flying Dutchman, Richard Wagner
1989/90
September, 1989: La Cenerentola, Gioacchino Rossini
February, 1990: Eugene Onegin, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
April, 1990: The Pirates of Penzance, Gilbert & Sullivan
1990/91
September, 1990: The Marriage of Figaro, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
February, 1991: Romeo and Juliette, Charles Gounod
April, 1991: Madama Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini
1991/92
October, 1991: Così fan tutte, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
February, 1992: A Masked Ball, Giuseppe Verdi
April, 1992: Die Fledermaus, Johann Strauss
1992/93
October, 1992: The Abduction from the Seraglio, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
February, 1993: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benjamin Britten
April, 1993: The Merry Widow, Franz Lehar
1993/94
September, 1993: Don Pasquale, Gaetano Donizetti
February, 1994: Der Freischütz, Carl Maria von Weber (Canadian première)
April, 1994: La traviata, Giuseppe Verdi
1994/95
September, 1994: The Daughter of the Regiment, Gaetano Donizetti
February, 1995: Macbeth, Giuseppe Verdi
April, 1995: La Bohème, Giacomo Puccini
1995/96
September, 1995: The Elixir of Love, Gaetano Donizetti
February, 1996: The Love of Three Kings, Italo Montemezzi (Canadian première)
April, 1996: Carmen, George Bizet
1996/97
September, 1996: The Pearl Fishers, George Bizet
February, 1997: The Turn of the Screw, Benjamin Britten
April, 1997: Tosca, Giacomo Puccini
1997/98
September, 1997: The Italian Girl in Algiers, Gioacchino Rossini
February, 1998: Werther, Jules Massenet
April, 1998: Rigoletto, Giuseppe Verdi
1998/99
August, 1998: A Masked Ball, Giuseppe Verdi
September 1998: The Mikado, Gilbert & Sullivan (National Arts Centre Production)
February, 1999: Ariadne auf Naxos, Richard Strauss
April, 1999: Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
1999/2000
October, 1999, Madama Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini
February, 2000: Erewhon, Louis Applebaum (world première)
April, 2000: Il Trovatore, Giuseppe Verdi
2000/01
October, 2000: The Barber of Seville, Gioacchino Rossini
February, 2001: The Taming of the Shrew, Vittorio Giannini (Canadian première)
April, 2001: Nabucco, Giuseppe Verdi
2001/02
October, 2001: La Traviata, Giuseppe Verdi
February, 2002: Julius Caesar, George Frideric Handel
April, 2002: The Gypsy Baron, Johann Strauss II
2002/03
October, 2002: La Bohème, Giacomo Puccini
February, 2003: Wozzeck, Alban Berg
April, 2003: The Marriage of Figaro, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
2003/04
October, 2003: Lucia di Lammermoor, Gaetano Donizetti
February, 2004: The Tempest, Lee Hoiby (Canadian première)
April, 2004, Carmen, Georges Bizet
2004/05
October, 2004: Norma, Vincenzo Bellini
February, 2005: The Cunning Little Vixen, Leos Janacek
April, 2005: Tosca, Giacomo Puccini
2005/06
October, 2005: Eugene Onegin, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
February, 2006: The Rape of Lucretia, Benjamin Britten
April, 2006: Rigoletto, Giuseppe Verdi
2006/07
October, 2006: Manon Lescaut, Giacomo Puccini
February, 2007: Daphne, Richard Strauss (Canadian première)
April, 2007: Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
2007/08
October, 2007: Idomeneo, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
February, 2008: Madama Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini
April, 2008: Regina, Marc Blitzstein (Canadian première)
2008/09
October, 2008: ThaÏs, Jules Massenet
February, 2009: Semele, George Frideric Handel
April, 2009: The Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
2009/10
October, 2009: La traviata, Giuseppe Verdi
November, 2009: The Rake's Progress, Igor Stravinsky
February / March, 2010: Capriccio, Richard Strauss (Canadian première)
April, 2010: Così fan tutte, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
2010/11
September/October, 2010: Cinderella, Gioachino Rossini
November, 2010: Rodelinda, George Frideric Handel
February, 2011: La Bohème, Giacomo Puccini
April/May, 2011: Vanessa, Samuel Barber
2011/12
October, 2011: The Flying Dutchman, Richard Wagner
November, 2011: Mary's Wedding, World Première
Music by Andrew P. MacDonald. Libretto by Stephen Massicotte
February, 2012: Carmen, Georges Bizet
April, 2012: Maria Stuarda, Gaetano Donizetti
2012/13
October, 2012: Macbeth, Giuseppe Verdi
February, 2013: Albert Herring, Benjamin Britten
April, 2013: Tosca, Giacomo Puccini
About Pacific Opera Victoria
Meet our Founding Artist Director, Timothy Vernon
Visit our Production Facility
Board of Directors and Honourary Life Members
Administrative and Production Staff