ROMÉO ET JULIETTE

Charles Gounod
French opera at its most romantic

OPENS NOVEMBER 26TH! ► Gounod’s gorgeous version of Shakespeare’s tragic story is graceful, dramatic, and supremely melodic. Famous for its deeply emotional love duets, its exquisite orchestral colours and its heart-stirring choruses, Roméo et Juliette beautifully portrays the most iconic elements of the play – the passionate balcony scene, Mercutio’s “Queen Mab” speech, the disastrous duel, and the sublimely spiritual final scene.

Roméo et Juliette Synopsis
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Tickets available NOW exclusively online or through the VO Ticket Centre.

ON STAGE FOR 4 PERFORMANCES ONLY

Saturday	November 26, 2011	7:30pm
Tuesday	November 29, 2011	7:30pm
Thursday	December 1, 2011	7:30pm
Saturday	December 3, 2011	7:30pm

All performances are at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

CAST & CREATIVE TEAM

Conducted by	JACQUES LACOMBE JACQUES LACOMBE CONDUCTOR Cap-de-la-Madeleine, QC Last VO Appearance: La Traviata, 2011 Recent Appearances: Le Cid with the Opera of Marseille starring Roberto Alagna and Béatrice Uria-Monzon Luna’s Introspeccin (world premiere), Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major, Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 with Ingmar Schwindt and Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga Roméo et Juliette with Opera Company of Philadelphia Ariadne auf Naxos with Deutsche Opera Berlin Upcoming Engagements: Carnegie Hall debut with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Spring for Music Festival Un Ballo in Maschera with Deutsche Opera Berlin Mr. Lacombe is the Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of L’Orchestre Symphonique de Trois- Rivières. Mr. Lacombe’s appearance is supported by a gift from George & Janice Burke. More about Jacques Lacombe.
Directed by	ALLISON GRANT ALLISON GRANT DIRECTOR Toronto, ON Last VO Appearance: Choreographer, Eugene Onegin, 2008 Recent Appearances: Director, L’italiana in Algeri with L’Opéra de Montréal Director, Così fan tutte with Vancouver Opera Director / Choreographer, Don Giovanni and Carmen with Opera Ontario Choreographer, The Merry Widow in Edmonton, Hawaii and Hamilton Director of a recent workshop of Corey Payette’s New Musical with Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company Director, Master Class, Private Lives and Bach at Leipzig with Theatre Athena Upcoming Engagements: Director, Lucia di Lammermoor with Sarasota Opera Director, The Auction with Westben Arts Festival Ms. Grant’s appearance is supported by a gift from Ms. Gloria Beauchamp. More about Allison Grant
Roméo	GORDON GIETZ GORDON GIETZ ROMÉO TENOR Calgary, AB Last VO Appearance: Stefan Buryja in Jenůfa, 1996 Recent Appearances: Chevalier in Dialogues des Carmélites with La Scala Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with La Scala and Glyndebourne Hoffmann in Les contes d’Hoffmann with Opéra de Marseille Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with L’Opéra National de Paris Nose in The Nose with The Metropolitan Opera Upcoming Engagements: Don Jose in Carmen with De Vlaamse Opera, Antwerp Marquis in The Gambler with De Nederlandse Opera, Amsterdam Mr. Gietz’s appearance is supported by a gift from Mrs. Irene McEwen. More about Gordon Gietz
Juliette	SIMONE OSBORNE SIMONE OSBORNE JULIETTE SOPRANO Vancouver, BC Vancouver Opera Début Recent Appearances: Gilda in Rigoletto with Canadian Opera Company Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with Canadian Opera Company Ilia in Idomeneo with Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio Laeticia in The Old Maid and the Thief with Wexford Opera Festival Upcoming Engagements: Soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with Toronto Symphony Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi with Canadian Opera Company Ms. Osborne’s appearance is supported by a gift from Yoshiko Karasawa. More about Simone Osborne.
Frere Laurent	PETER VOLPE PETER VOLPE FRÈRE LAURENT BASS Little Falls, NY Last VO Appearance: Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin, 2008 Recent Appearances: Timur in Turandot with Florentine Opera and New Orleans Opera Deguiche in Cyrano (world premiere) with Florida Grand Opera Angelotti in Tosca, Dr. Grenvil in La Traviata and Idraote in Armida with The Metropolitan Opera Upcoming Engagements: Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Austin Lyric Opera Ramfis in Aïda with Arizona Opera Mr. Volpe’s appearance is supported by a gift from Mr. Allen & Mrs. Ruth Fowlis. More about Peter Volpe
Mercutio	AARON ST.CLAIR NICHOLSON AARON ST.CLAIR NICHOLSON MERCUTIO BARITONE Abbotsford, BC Last VO Appearance: Scotty / Brooklyn Boy in Lillian Alling, 2010 Recent Appearances: Silvio in I Pagliacci with Edmonton Opera Ping in Turandot with Opera Lyra Ottawa Le Bret in Cyrano de Bergerac with Florida Grand Opera Chou en Lai (cover) in Nixon in China with Metropolitan Opera Upcoming Engagements: Pooh Bah in The Mikado with Virginia Opera Stage Director, Così fan tutte with Opera Coeur d’Alene Mr. Nicholson’s appearance is supported by a gift from Yuri Fulmer. More about Aaron St.Clair Nicholson
Stéphano	JULIE BOULIANNE JULIE BOULIANNE STÉPHANO MEZZO-SOPRANO Dolbeau-Mistassini, PQ Last VO Appearance: Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, 2010 Recent Appearances: Soloist in Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 with Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Béatrice in Béatrice et Bénédict with Opera Boston Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro with L’Opéra de Montréal Fragoletto in Les Brigands with L’Opéra-comique de Paris Stéphano in Roméo et Juliette with Metropolitan Opera Upcoming Engagements: Falla’s El Amor Brujo with Ensemble Intrumental Appassionata and Manitoba Chamber Orchestra Respighi’s Il Tramonto with I Musici de Montréal Solo Recital with Canadian Voices at Glenn Gould Studio Ms. Boulianne’s appearance is supported by a gift from Bruno Wall & Jane Macdonald. More about Julie Boulianne
Capulet	JOHN AVEY JOHN AVEY CAPULET BARITONE Norwich, ON Last VO Appearance: Germont in La Traviata, 2003 Recent Appearances: Scarpia in Tosca with Pacific Opera Victoria Rigoletto in Rigoletto with Pacific Opera Victoria Der Kaiser in Der Kaiser von Atlantis with Edmonton Opera Salieri in Mozart and Salieri with Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Upcoming Engagements: The Mikado in The Mikado with Edmonton Opera Bass Soloist in Saint-Saens’ Requiem with London Fanshaw Orchestra and Chorus Mr. Avey’s appearance is supported by a gift from an anonymous donor. More about John Avey
Tybalt	ANTOINE BELANGER ANTOINE BELANGER TYBALT TENOR Montréal, QC Vancouver Opera Début Recent Appearances: Rodolpho in La bohème with L’Opéra de Montréal and Opéra Éclaté Alfredo in La Traviata with Saskatoon Opera Rinuccio in Gianni Schicci with L’Opéra de Montréal Upcoming Engagements: Rodolpho in La bohème with Calgary Opera Faust in Faust with L’Opéra de Montréal Mr. Bélanger’s appearance is supportedby a gift from Wayne Wiens, in memory of Andrea Pinto Lebowitz.
Paris	DJ CALHOUN DJ CALHOUN PARIS Calgary, AB Vancouver Opera Début Recent Appearances: Seuilly in Les Misérables with The Arts Club Theatre Company Danilo in The Merry Widow, Falke in Die Fledermaus and Marcello in La bohème with UBC Opera Ensemble Upcoming Engagements: Chorus in The Barber of Seville & Aïda with Vancouver Opera Performances in Coquitlam, Florence and Bandon Oregon, Cody, Wyoming and Aurora, Illinois with Il Voce More about DJ Calhoun
Gertrude	BRENDA GLASS ALEXANDER BRENDA GLASS ALEXANDER GERTRUDE MEZZO-SOPRANO Vancouver, BC Last VO Appearance: Aunt in Jenůfa, 1996 Recent Appearances: Ms. Glass Alexander has been a member of the Vancouver Opera Chorus since 1989 and has performed in 71 Mainstage productions. Upcoming Engagements: Chorus in Aïda with Vancouver Opera
Gregorio	IAN FUNK IAN FUNK GREGORIO BARITONE Vancouver, BC Last VO Appearance: Flora’s Servant in La Traviata, 2011 Recent Appearances: Karl’s Friend in Lillian Alling with Vancouver Opera Voltaire in Candide with Toronto Operetta Theatre Upcoming Engagements: Chorus, The Barber of Seville & Aïda with Vancouver Opera
Benvolio	ERIC OLSEN ERIC OLSEN BENVOLIO TENOR Vancouver, BC Vancouver Opera Début Recent Appearances: Idomeneo in Idomeneo with Summer Opera Lyric Theatre Ismaele in Nabucco with Coro Verdi Don Jose in Carmen with Vancouver Concert Opera Tamino in Die Zauberflöte with Bel Cantanti Opera Upcoming Engagements: Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera with Coro Verdi
Le Duc	CHAD LOUWERSE CHAD LOUWERSE LE DUC BASS-BARITONE London, Ontario Last VO Appearance: First Nazarene in Salome, 2009 Recent Appearances: Alidoro in La Cenerentola with Pacific Opera Victoria Der Vampyr with Lanaudiere Festival Trulove in The Rake’s Progress with Pacific Opera Victoria Upcoming Engagements: Förklädd gud with International Choral Kathaumixw Deutches Requiem with Capriccio Vocal Ensemble Mr. Louwerse’s appearance is supported by a gift from Dr. Virginia Evans. More about Chad Louwerse
Chorus Director / Associate Conductor	LESLIE DALA LESLIE DALA ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR / CHORUS DIRECTOR Toronto, ON Last VO Appearance: Conductor, West Side Story, 2011 Recent Appearances: Lillian Alling with Banff Summer Festival Albert Herring with UBC Opera Ensemble La Damnation de Faust with Vancouver Bach Choir and Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Opening Night Gala with Sarah McLachlan and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra with MusicFest Vancouver Upcoming Engagements: Die Schöpfung (The Creation), Les Noces and Catulli Carmina with Vancouver Bach Choir The Nutcracker with Goh Ballet and Vancouver Opera Orchestra Mr. Dala is the Music Director of the Vancouver Bach Choir and the Music Director of the Vancouver Academy of Music Symphony. Mr. Dala’s appearance is supported by a gift from Dr. Earl & Mrs. Anne Shepherd. More about Leslie Dala
Fight Choreographer	NICHOLAS HARRISON NICHOLAS HARRISON FIGHT DIRECTOR Tsawwassen, BC Last VO Appearance: Lillian Alling, 2010 Recent Appearances: Richard III with Bard on the Beach Stunts, Psych television series Fight Director, Mary’s Wedding with Pacific Opera Victoria Upcoming Engagements: Fight Director, The Taming of the Shrew, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Macbeth and King John with Bard on the Beach Mr. Harrison is a member of the Fight Directors of Canada.
Lighting Designer	GERALD KING GERALD KING LIGHTING DESIGNER Fredericton, New Brunswick Last VO Appearance: La Clemenza di Tito, 2011 Recent Appearances: Vanessa with Pacific Opera Victoria Merchant of Venice and As You Like It with Bard on the Beach Death of A Salesman and The Fantasticks with Vancouver Playhouse Madama Butterfly with Opera Omaha Upcoming Engagements: La Cage aux Folles with Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Carmen with Pacific Opera Victoria Cats with Theatre Calgary Mr. King is a member of The Associated Designers of Canada.
Assistant Chorus Director / Principal Répétiteur	KINZA TYRRELL KINZA TYRRELL ASSISTANT CHORUS DIRECTOR / PRINCIPAL RÉPÉTITEUR Victoria, BC Last VO Appearance: Assistant Conductor / Principal Répétiteur, West Side Story,2011 Recent Appearances: Assistant Conductor, Lillian Alling with The Banff Centre BC Recital Tour with Richard Margison Principal Répétiteur, Vancouver Opera 2007 – present Music Staff, Canadian Opera Company 2003 – present Upcoming Engagements: L’amour de loin with Canadian Opera Company Les Noces with Vancouver Bach Choir Dr. Tyrrell is the Music Director of VOIS, Répétiteur /Assistant Conductor at Opera Nuova, COSI Opera Program, The Banff Centre and Vancouver Summer Opera Studio.