Pacific Opera Victoria presents ThaˆØs

THAˆèS
Sensuality, spirituality and a fatal attraction
OCTOBER 16, 18, 21, 23 AND 25, 2008

Pacific Opera Victoria presents Jules Massenet's THAˆèS October 16, 18,
21, 23 and 25, 2008 at the Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton Street in
Victoria. Performed in French with English surtitles. Running time is
approximately three hours with two intermissions. All performances
begin at 8pm. Priced between $25 and $110, tickets are available from
the Royal and McPherson Box Office at (250) 386-6121, or on-line at
www.rmts.bc.ca.

Student RUSH tickets for those presenting valid student identification
are available at the door of the theatre, 45 minutes prior to each
performance, subject to availability. RUSH tickets are $15, inclusive
of all box office charges.

Jules Massenet is arguably the best of the romantic French opera
composers, penning rich and glorious scores that are immediately
familiar. After Manon and Werther, THAˆèS is one of Massenet's most
performed operas, considered by many to be a jewel from the golden age
of French Grand Opera. THAˆèS is now enjoying a new place at the top of
the repertoire with high profile productions at Covent Garden, Lyric
Opera of Chicago and The Met. Pacific Opera Victoria joins this
illustrious company with its own production of THAˆèS October 16, 18,
21, 23 and 25 at The Royal Theatre in Victoria.

Based on a novel by Anatole France, THAˆèS (pronounced tah-EES),
contrasts the devout with the decadent and illuminates the search for
meaning, love and everlasting life. The courtesan ThaˆØs lives a life of
luxury and eroticism, until she is confronted by Athanaˆ´l, a monk
obsessed with saving her soul. ThaˆØs eventually repents, choosing
spiritual love and everlasting life, but Athanaˆ´l discovers too late
that his feelings for her are sensual rather than spiritual. Through
Massenet's voluptuous music, his compelling characters and the tragic
inevitability of the story, he compassionately but relentlessly lays
bare the bond between religious and erotic passion.

Award-winning Maestro Timothy Vernon conducts this company premiere and
the renowned director-designer team of Renaud Doucet and Andrˆ© Barbe
(POV's The Tempest) return to re-create the sumptuous production of
THAˆèS which they devised for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and l'Opˆ©ra de
Montrˆ©al. POV is building Mr. Barbe's stunning sets on a scale to fit
Victoria's intimate Royal Theatre - and introducing a brilliant cast of
singers who will be performing their roles in this opera for the first
time.

Monica Whicher, (POV's The Rape of Lucretia) returns to lend her pure
voice and lustrous tone to the role of ThaˆØs. Aaron St. Clair
Nicholson (POV'S Carmen), returns to POV after his recent Met debut to
portray the doomed monk Athanaˆ´l. They are joined by Chad Louwerse
(POV's Madama Butterfly) as Palemon, Luc Robert (POV's Rigoletto) as
Nicias, and Rebecca Hass, (POV's Daphne) as Albine. Julie Daoust,
Mireille Lebel and Charlene Santoni make their company and role debuts
as Crobyle, Myrtale and La Charmeuse.

Performed in French with English surtitles, Pacific Opera Victoria's
production of THAˆèS runs October 16, 18, 21, 23 and 25, 2008 at the
Royal Theatre in Victoria. All performances begin at 8pm. Priced
between $25 and $110, tickets are available from the Royal and McPherson
Box Office at (250) 386-6121 or www.rmts.bc.ca.

Student RUSH tickets for those presenting valid student identification
are available at the door of the theatre, 45 minutes prior to each
performance, subject to availability. RUSH tickets are $15, inclusive
of all box office charges.

For more information, please contact Pacific Opera Victoria at (250)
385-0222 or visit www.pov.bc.ca.