FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Cynnamon Schreinert, 604 802 2733 | cynnamon@hartleypr.com
April 22, 2020, VANCOUVER & VICTORIA, B.C. —Pacific Opera Victoria and Vancouver Opera present a free broadcast of the new family opera The Flight of the Hummingbird online May 19, 2020, at 10 am PDT.
After a successful preview at Vancouver Opera Festival last year, the Pacific Opera Victoria and Vancouver Opera co-production of The Flight of the Hummingbird took flight in January 2020 to schools across our province. The tour and sold-out performances at Pacific Opera Victoria’s Baumann Centre were stalled due to COVID 19, but today Pacific Opera Victoria and Vancouver Opera announced that a free online broadcast of the opera will be available for families and educators, Tuesday, May 19, 2020, at 10 am PDT.
The Flight of the Hummingbird is based on an Indigenous parable from the Quechuan people of South America. The story of the brave hummingbird travelled through pre-contact trade routes to become well known within Haida culture. The opera is influenced by the graphic novel written by acclaimed Haida artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas and includes elements of his dramatic Haida-manga illustrations. In it, the animals of the forest are inspired to come together by Dukdukdiya, the Hummingbird, to save their beautiful home from a raging fire.
An environmental fable about moral courage, the story encourages doing what we can for our planet – a fitting call to action for these turbulent times says Pacific Opera Victoria CEO Ian Rye.
The opera is 45 minutes in length and features four singers and a small ensemble. Stage direction is by Glynis Leyshon with music direction by Kinza Tyrrell.
The Flight of the Hummingbird will be shared on both Pacific Opera Victoria and Vancouver Opera websites, IGTV and Facebook profiles. The opera is accompanied by a Study Guide aligned with the First People’s Principles of Learning and the BC curriculum. Both the study guide and the video will remain available On Demand at both websites until late summer.
See more Information on The Flight of the Hummingbird including video excerpts, artist information, and interviews with the creative team.
We are grateful to our generous supporters:
The Bruendl Foundation
The Illahie Foundation
Barbara & Philip Potash Foundation
Koerner Foundation
The McGrane-Pearson Endowment Fund
Through the Victoria Foundation:
Hugh & Helen Mogensen Fund
Alice May Salmon Foundation Fund
Patricia Margaret Shanahan Fund
Individual Donors ($10,000+)
Dr. Heather F. Clarke
Martha Lou Henley, C.M.
Bill & Risa Levine
Photo: Works Photography
About Vancouver Opera
Vancouver Opera is one of the preeminent performing arts organizations in the country and the largest professional opera company in Western Canada. Regarded worldwide for its artistic excellence on stage, leading education programs and innovative community collaborations, Vancouver Opera creates extraordinary experiences that inspire and entertain our audiences. Visit www.vancouveropera.ca to learn more. The 2020–¬2021 season will be the 60th season of Vancouver Opera.