There is nothing sweeter than revenge and the Canadian Opera Company’s Operanation 9: Sweet Revenge was filled with beautiful people dressed to kill, as though out to seek revenge on certain exes and frenemies on Thursday night. The sold-out event filled three levels of the floor-to-ceiling glass walls of Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts with over 1,000 glammed up and ready-to-party YPs for the party of the fall charity circuit season.
In an effort to explore opera’s inherent sensuality and drama, the annual fundraiser pays homage to the COC’s fall production of Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus, a comedic operetta rich with themes of elaborate revenge, disguises, mistaken identity, champagne and seduction. These themes were reflected in elaborate and mysterious dress, masquerade and decadent cuisine that included a grilled cheese bar, mini candy apples, macarons from Nadège Patisserie, cocktails and, of course, champagne.
Katie Polivka, Victoria Radford
Operanation offers the fusion of a shamelessly elegant gala (with no shortage of black tie suits and flowing evening gowns) with artistic exploration and entertainment. Equal parts party and performance, Operanation features collaborations between classic and modern music and complementary art forms, from visual arts to fashion. Guests are encouraged to be bold, daring and mysterious with their outfit choices; part of the allure of Operanation is its emphasis on the impact of fashion as an art form.
The event featured designs by Ryerson students and alumni that were inspired by the costumes of Die Fledermaus, with three looks presented in an installation. In a show like no other, a highlight was the two mashup performances featuring rising young opera stars from the COC’s Ensemble Studio in collaboration with Nelly Furtado playing alongside Toronto native Dylan Murray, and later with the 2012 Juno Group of the Year winners the Arkells.
Guy Amini, Ali Ghafour
“Operanation is a celebration of music and art in all its forms. It takes a particularly fresh approach to changing opinions about the traditional notions of opera by showing how opera crosses over and connects with all musical genres as well as various artistic styles,” says COC General Director Alexander Neef. “The growth of this event over the last nine years is a mark of the COC’s commitment to foster a love of the art form in the next generation of opera-goers.”
Operanation marks another initiative of our city to make the arts more attainable and celebrated among the young professional set, especially those realms historically reserved for the older generation and with stuffy stigmas, like ballet and opera. Established in 2005, Operanation is the Canadian Opera Company’s premier fundraising event. The annual fundraiser raises over $100,000 a year for the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio, Canada’s premier training program for young opera professionals.
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