Sunday, August 14th
2pm
Free!
Oak Park -7575 Fremlin St, Vancouver
Dae Hyun Justin Cho, tenor
Mark Pepe, tenor
Matej Kockovsky, tenor
Brent MacKenzie, tenor
Roger Parton, piano
Outside in the park – weather permitting
4 Tenors Concert
Workshops
Please note that if it’s raining we’ll move from Connaught Park to inside Kits Neighbourhood House 2305 W 7th Ave, Vancouver.
Wednesdays, July 6, 13, 20, 27 at 2pm-3pm in Connaught Park
Breathe, Move, Sing Workshops for Seniors with Trudy Chalmers
Light singing, speaking, breathing, relaxation, movement, vocal exploration, vocal games.
Free!
Connaught Park, 2390 West 10th Ave, Vancouver in Kitsilano
(If it’s raining we’ll be at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House 2305 W 7th Ave, Vancouver)
Wear comfortable clothing.
More details here: https://www.kitshouse.org/seniors-summer-outdoors/
Hosted by the Kitsilano Neighbourhood House
Perch Outdoor Concert
Friday, July 22nd at 12pm-1:30pm at Lot 19 Downtown
Perch Outdoor Concert
Free!
Leila Kirves, soprano
Yenny Lee, mezzo-soprano
Dae Hyun Justin Cho, tenor
Andrew Greenwood, bass-baritone
Roger Parton, piano
No reservations necessary
There are places to sit at Lot 19 or you can bring your own chair.
Outdoors, 855 West Hastings Street, Vancouver
Heritage Salon Social Concert & Chat
Special Multiple-Singer Salon Social (concert & chat)
Songs from Korea, Ukraine, Mexico, Philippines, and China!
Free!
Featuring:
Catherine Thornsley, soprano
Dae Hyun Justin Cho, tenor
Alyssa Samson, mezzo-soprano
Taryn Plater, mezzo-soprano
Roger Parton, piano
Also featuring singers from our Community Opera Chorus
Bring a chair/blanket or email to reserve a chair from us: operaopulenza@gmail.com
Outside in the park, weather permitting – 7575 Fremlin St, Vancouver
Summer Concert & Workshop Series 2022
Saturday, July 9th at 1:30pm at Oak Park
Our Summer Concert/Workshop Series is finally here!
Saturday, July 9th at 1:30pm in Oak Park – New date and time!
Summer Concert Series Opener
Free!
Madison Craig, soprano
Matej Kockovsky, tenor
Yenny Lee, mezzo-soprano
Roger Parton, piano
Bring a chair/blanket or email to reserve a chair from us: operaopulenza@gmail.com
Outside in the park – 7575 Fremlin St, Vancouver
If it’s raining again, I will announce an indoor venue.
Wednesdays, July 6, 13, 20, 27 at 2pm-3pm in Connaught Park
Breathe, Move, Sing Workshops for Seniors with Trudy Chalmers
Light singing, humming, speaking, breathing, relaxation, movement, vocal exploration, vocal games. Connect with your body and breath, gain confidence, and have fun.
Free!
Connaught Park, 2390 West 10th Ave, Vancouver in Kitsilano
Wear comfortable clothing.
More details here: https://www.kitshouse.org/seniors-summer-outdoors/
Hosted by the Kitsilano Neighbourhood House
Saturday, July 16th at 3pm in Oak Park
Special Multiple-Singer Salon Social (concert & chat)
Songs from Korea, the Ukraine, Mexico, the Philippines, and more!
Free!
Featuring:
Catherine Thornsley, soprano
Dae Hyun Justin Cho, tenor
Alyssa Samson, mezzo-soprano
Taryn Plater, mezzo-soprano
Roger Parton, piano
Also featuring singers from our Community Opera Chorus
Bring a chair/blanket or email to reserve a chair from us: operaopulenza@gmail.com
Outside in the park – 7575 Fremlin St, Vancouver
Friday, July 22nd at 12pm-1:30pm at Lot 19 Downtown
Perch Outdoor Concert
Free!
Leila Kirves, soprano
Yenny Lee, mezzo-soprano
Dae Hyun Justin Cho, tenor
Andrew Greenwood, bass-baritone
Roger Parton, piano
No reservations necessary
There are places to sit at Lot 19 or you can bring your own chair.
Outdoors, 855 West Hastings Street, Vancouver
Tuesday, July 26th at 7pm at St. Augustine’s Anglican Church in Marpole
Benefit for the Marpole Community Food Hub
Ticket prices and link to buy tickets – TBA
Catherine Thornsley, soprano
Matej Kockovsky, tenor
Roger Parton, piano
Money will go towards The Food Ministry and Renovation Project
Indoor concert
More information to come!
Sunday, August 14th at Oak Park
4 Tenors Concert
Free!
Outside in the park – 7575 Fremlin St, Vancouver
More information to come!
There will be a few more concerts and workshops announced soon including the end of season Opera Gala!
Exciting News – We are in the middle of a rebrand, rename, and expansion, which all will be launched very soon!
We hope to see you again at some of our concerts and workshops this Summer! Bring your friends!
Best,
Trudy
Marpole/Oakridge Community Centre Seniors Luncheon & Concert February 3, 2022
Soprano Sodam Lee and pianist Roger Parton performed a selection of opera arias and one Korean art song for the seniors luncheon group at the community centre. Sodam sang from a distance and from behind plexiglass. She gave a description of each piece and after the concert stayed to answer questions from the group about opera singing and how she got into this profession.
Community Opera Chorus Rehearsals
Throughout COVID the Community Opera Chorus has been rehearsing online via Zoom, outside the fieldhouse at Oak Park, and inside the church and hall of St. Augustines Anglican Church in Marpole. They have also been attending online singing lessons and masterclasses as well as storytelling sessions. To help the singers through this isolating time, music director Roger Parton has been recording each vocal line for them to listen and practice to at home and artistic director Trudy Chalmers has been helping by recording the pronunciation of the words. We sang rain or shine, shaded by the big walnut trees next to the fieldhouse.
“It has been a wonderful and fruitful year for Katie and I to participate in the Community Chorus by Opera Opulenza in the Fieldhouse. This is perhaps the best course we ever taken since our retirement. We have learned not only how to sing, but also the technique of breathing and how to relax. We must thank you and Roger for your dedications and professionalism in your teaching. You took such patience and care to teach and coach us the beginners. Your excellent teaching deserved a 5 star ovation.” K. Cheung
“It is almost a year since attending the Community Opera Chorus program. I would like to express my deep appreciations in the following comments.
- this program offers good opportunity to meet people of like minds
- with the hard work by both of you, I learn a lot about music & able to have better appreciation for opera
- it is very enjoyable and is a class I try not to miss
The additional activities organized are all well done. I & friends love the Salon Social arrangements and enjoy all parts of it – performers are great and good selection of fine refreshments. Learn a lot about opera & lives of people in this field.
I brought friends to the Rigoletto Read-through which was a fun evening. After the hard work by all, the chorus group shine. Of course, all the singers did wonderfully.
All summarized, I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from you. Thank you for all your hard work and organization of all events & activities.
Best Regards,”
Agnes & Tom
Seniors Christmas Lunch & Concert at Kits Neighbourhood House December 21, 2021
As COVID restrictions eased once again, Kitsilano Neighbourhood House invited us to sing at their seniors Christmas lunch. Soprano Catherine Thornsley, mezzo-soprano Alyssa Samson and pianist Roger Parton sang a selection of Christmas carols, opera arias and duets. Alyssa also sang a Filipino carol similar to silent night: Payapang Daigdig (Peaceful World).
Members of the seniors lunch program remarked how much they enjoyed the show and the beautiful voices. One said how the songs brought back memories and really touched her and her friend since they were both widows and have been feeling lonely throughout the COVID isolation.
Popup Concerts from 2021
Opera in the Parks Popup Tour – August 28
Soprano Catherine Thornsley, tenor Dae Hyun Justin Cho, and accompanist Roger Parton performed short popup mini concerts at Oak Park, the Arbutus Greenway at 57th Ave, and Memorial West Park.
Marpole Neighbourhood House BBQ – August 27
Popup concert at Marpole Neighbourhood House BBQ and reopening after eased COVID restrictions.
Please join us at the Marpole Neighbourhood House BBQ with soprano Julie Duerichen and mezzo-soprano Alyssa Nicole Samson, with accompaniment by Roger Parton.
Free admission
Friday, August 27th
Time: BBQ and activities from 3pm-6pm, Opera Opulenza at 4:30pm
8585 Hudson Street at W 70th Ave, Vancouver
Student Popup Recital – August 21
Tenor Wassym Zaz sang his first opera recital in Vancouver outside the fieldhouse at Oak Park.
Wassym Zaz, tenor
Free admission
Saturday, August 21st
Time: 12:30pm (weather permitting)
Oak Park – 7575 Fremlin St, Vancouver
Popup mini concert with soprano Shadan Saul – July 3, 2021 at Oak Park
Christmas in Song! December 18, 2021
Everyone was so excited to be singing indoors again after such a long time due to COVID-19 restrictions. We prepared a concert of Christmas favourites, opera and oratorio arias, and the Opulenza Community Opera chorus sang a Christmas piece by Franz Liszt. We sang to a small audience in St. Augustines Anglican Church. The weeks prior to the concert our Community Opera chorus collected clothing for St. Augustine’s popup thrift shop and canned food for their Christmas food delivery.
A concert of seasonal favourites!
Soprano Catherine Thornsley, soprano Tamar Simon, tenor Justin Cho, tenor Mark Pepe, bass-baritone Andrew Greenwood, pianist Roger Parton, and the Opulenza Community Opera Chorus
Free admission
Saturday, December 18
7pm-8:30pm
Please email to reserve a seat: operaopulenza@gmail.com
St Augustine’s Anglican Church – 8680 Hudson St in Marpole
Masks & vaccine passports required
Oak Park Fieldhouse 