Opera 5

Did you catch us on Classical FM last week? Our General Director and soprano, Rachel Krehm, joined Classical Mornings with Jean Stilwell to discuss the our upcoming Toronto Opera Festival!

Missed it? Fear not! You can still listen here: https://classicalfm.ca/station-blog/2026/05/08/rachel-krehm-of-opera5-joins-classical-mornings/

Today we begin introducing the cast of Suor Angelica, our third and final opera in this year’s Toronto Opera Festival ✨

First up is Rachel Krehm who is taking on the title role. This deeply moving artist and storyteller brings extraordinary emotional depth and power to this role - you won’t want to miss it!

Stay tuned as we continue to introduce the incredible artists bringing this beautiful work to life!

Meet our mock audition panel, made up of an incredible group of Canadian arts leaders and managers: Andrew Adridge, Dorian Cox, Kathy Domoney, Morgan Reid, and Rebecca Townsend.

Our interns will gain experience in preparing for and performing auditions, receive feedback from the panel, and have the opportunity to engage in conversation and ask questions. We’re so grateful to have them join us for this important learning opportunity!

Huge congratulations to our amazing Portfolio Artist Interns on their stunning performance at the COC Free Concert Series this past Monday at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre! It was such a joy to see their artistry, commitment, and musicality on full display in everything from opera hits to musical theatre.

A big thank you as well to Opera Ramblings for the wonderful review: https://operaramblings.blog/2026/05/05/opera-5-interns-in-the-rba/

Canadian Opera Company’s Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre

📷 Karen E. Reeves

Introducing our conductor for the 2026 Toronto Opera Festival, Evan Mitchell, Opera 5’s Music Director, alongside Jessica Derventzis, Opera 5’s Artistic Director and the director of Gianni Schicchi and Suor Angelica!

These two are truly Opera 5 family, and we couldn’t be more excited to have them leading the way this summer. Get ready for everything from hysterical laughter to heartfelt tears, stunning music, and all the magic in between.

Join us tomorrow at 12 PM for our “Spotlight on Opera 5’s Portfolio Artist Interns” recital at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, presented as part of the Canadian Opera Company’s Free Concert Series!! We’re thrilled to introduce this year’s incredibly talented interns - you won’t want to miss this one

Today we’re introducing two more wonderful members of our Gianni Schicchi family: Hannah Mikita as Guccio and Paige Robinson as Gherardino!

Hannah joins us for her first year in the Portfolio Artist Internship, and we’re so excited to welcome her to the Opera 5 stage. Paige returns to the program this season, and we’re thrilled to have her back! You won’t want to miss their sharp comic timing and playful stage presence this season!

TODAY’S THE LAST DAY - don’t miss out on early-bird tickets for the 2026 Toronto Opera Festival! Secure your seats now for an our second festival season, featuring the world premiere of Parḗlios and an exciting double bill of Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi.

Grab your tickets before prices go up — we can’t wait to see you in June!

Get tickets at: www.opera5.ca/season2026 (Click Tickets Today)

O5TunsofNuns – 20% off tickets to both shows
O5Sunrise – 15% off single tickets

Up next, meet the key players the Donati family must trick to pull off their perfect crime in Gianni Schicchi: Liam Dooley as Maestro Spinelloccio & Ser Amantio di Nicolao, and AJ Gauger as Pinellino!

New to our Portfolio Artist Internship this season, these versatile performers are taking on multiple roles across the festival—both on and off stage (more on that soon)! With great comedy instincts and tons of character, they’re bringing the laughs in all the right ways

For part 2, we’re back with composer Cecilia Livingston and librettist Duncan McFarlane to dive deeper into their creative process, the story behind the music, and what keeps them coming back to the magic of new opera.