Opera Etc.
for Artists
Artist Programs
The Opera Sprouts Initiative is a pilot project exploring the world of creating new opera for youth in BC schools. In partnership with Vancouver Opera, this initiative is focused on working with composer/librettist teams interested in mentorship, process and building collaborative relationships as the core of developing new work for schools, within the setting of a professional opera company.
Applications open Feb 1.
The Belfry Theatre is excited to once again be a part of this program, co-leading with Persephone Theatre and the University of Regina, Centre for Socially Engaged Theatre.
They have partnered with performing and visual arts groups and educational institutions in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario for Phase 4 of this program, designed to provide access and training for artists and arts administrators who identify as Indigenous, Black and/or People of Colour (IBPoC).
The Program will be designed collaboratively, assembling the program components based on the stated interests of those participating, with a focus on artistic practice. For this cohort, we will be accepting five participants. The Program will launch in September 2025.
Application deadline: March 23, 2025
Artist Auditions
Pacific Opera welcomes inquiries from artists interested in auditioning for solo and chorus roles, as well as inquiries from creative artists (including conductors, directors, designers, stage managers and craftspeople).
Artist Inquiries – Ereca Hassell, Director of Artistic Administration
Chorus Inquiries – Giuseppe Pietraroia, Chorus Master
Pacific Opera Victoria has earned a reputation for fostering the careers of Canadian artists, presenting a unique blend of repertoire, building original productions, developing co-productions and working partnerships with other arts organizations.
Pacific Opera Victoria identifies Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion among its Core Values and encourages applications from candidates of diverse backgrounds.
Program Archive
In the 2018 / 2019 season only 6.2% of conductors in the largest six Canadian opera companies were women. There are no female Music Directors currently in the top 10 Canadian opera companies, and the number of female-identifying music directors or assistant conductors in the top 12 Canadian Symphony orchestras who were born and trained in Canada is only 1. We want this to change.
Women in Musical Leadership is a program designed to offer opportunities to top Canadian talent and address the longstanding gender imbalance in music direction and conducting in opera and classical music. It’s an advanced three-year fellowship program for 6 music directors/conductors in cohorts of 2, beginning a year apart. With the support of like-minded organizations across Canada, the goal of Women in Musical Leadership is to provide multi-faceted practical conducting training, mentorship, and professional opportunities to promising conducting talent, allowing them to focus solely on conducting for three years.
The Civic Engagement Artist Residency includes both a virtual residency focused on the invention, development and execution of a digital work, and an in person residency, where artists will be creating site-specific work for Voices in Nature, preparing and performing in a concert at the Baumann, and be engaged with various community partners.
Pacific Opera supports emerging and established ensembles who wish to be creative, curious; to play, to make and to experiment. We offer ensemble residencies up to one week in duration, tailored to the ensemble’s interests and needs.
Pacific Opera will provide up to 35 hours of studio/rehearsal/performance space in the Wingate Studio, as well as staging, audio-visual, and recording equipment, and up to 8 hours of technical support. Up to 8 hours of marketing or front of house support may be provided for public programs.
Duration of residencies is negotiable. Please inquire for details.
Financial Support
Financial support is only available from third party funding programs. Pacific Opera will provide written confirmation of residency, and offer support to ensembles wishing to make applications for financial support from third party funding programs such as the following:
- Canada Council for the Arts – Supporting Artistic Practice
Pacific Opera supports early career practitioners to develop their opera practice through extended residencies of up to one year with the organization. We offer residencies and internships tailored to the artist’s interests and expertise, and opportunities to work alongside some of Canada’s most accomplished opera artists. Residencies will provide immersive opportunities for skills development, mentorship, and the advancement of professional networks.
Pacific Opera Victoria is looking for submissions of musical works exploring the voice, drama, and the stage to be part of a workshop and concert in April 2023. We want to support new compositional works and explorations that embrace the unique tools of the operatic art form, and the artists that create them. Participants will have an opportunity to establish professional connections and gain insight into composing as a career path through this workshop and performance opportunity.
Pacific Opera Victoria is pleased to be offering “Earn and Learn Placements” through the Association for Opera in Canada (AOC) Opera Artist Resilience Program, funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage. These placements allow artists to be embedded within an organization to help them improve or develop employable skills by providing learning and professional development opportunities of up to 80 hours for $2500.
Pacific Opera has yearly residencies available for both individual artists and artistic collectives. Artists with projects at various stages of development are encouraged to apply – whether at the conceptual, creation, development, refinement, or redevelopment stage of a work.
Applications for the 2022 Residencies have passed.