Canadian Opera Company - End of Season

Canadian Opera Company's 2007/08 Season: Second Year at 99% Capacity

Toronto, Ontario ’Äì The Canadian Opera Company is pleased to announce a second consecutive year with an average attendance of 99%. Celebrating its second season in the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, the COC staged seven mainstage productions: The Marriage of Figaro, Don Carlos, Tosca, From the House of the Dead, Eugene Onegin, The Barber of Seville, and Pellˆ©as et Mˆ©lisande.

The 2007/08 season subscriptions were strong at close to 99,000 tickets sold with gross revenue of over

$10 million. In total, 135,000 patrons attended 66 COC performances, with overall ticket-related revenue grossing close to $12 million. In addition, 9,500 $20 tickets were sold ’Äì 8,500 to patrons under 30.

Sales for the 2008/09 season remain strong with over 91,000 seats sold, representing close to $9.7 million in gross sales. Less than 24% of total ticket inventory (subscriptions and single tickets) remains available for sale.

Four of the mainstage productions were generously supported by corporate sponsors: RBC Financial Group for The Marriage of Figaro, Harry Winston for Don Carlos, CIBC World Markets and CIBC Mellon for Tosca, and National Bank Financial for The Barber of Seville. In addition, the new production of Tosca was generously underwritten by Mrs. Delia M. Moog.

’ÄúThe 2007/08 season was a particularly challenging one for the Canadian Opera Company, and its success is a testament to the company’Äôs and, in particular, the Board’Äôs extraordinary energy, ability, and foresight,’Äù says Rob Lamb, Acting General Director. ’ÄúWe are grateful for the commitment and caring support of our subscribers, patrons and generous donors who have proven once again that they are the force behind the company, helping us achieve another successful season ’Äì the first seven-opera season in the new house. We’Äôre extremely encouraged that next year is shaping up to be another exciting one for the company.’Äù

The COC’Äôs successful 2007/08 season began with Mozart’Äôs The Marriage of Figaro, which was ’Äúbrilliant instrumentally’Äù (Toronto Star), and continued with Verdi’Äôs Don Carlos, ’Äúa solid musical and dramatic success’Äù (Concertonet). The winter run began with the ’Äúsumptuous new production’Äù (Opera U.K.) of Puccini’Äôs Tosca, followed by Janˆ°Ÿçek’Äôs From the House of the Dead, which was a ’Äúsmashing success’Äù (The Buffalo News). Running in repertory during the spring run were Tchaikovsky’Äôs Eugene Onegin which was ’Äúa visual treat’Äù (Toronto Star), Rossini’Äôs The Barber of Seville, hailed ’Äúa cut above the rest’Äù (National Post), and the ’Äúsuperbly sung’Äù (Globe and Mail) production of Debussy’Äôs Pellˆ©as et Mˆ©lisande.