Southern Ontario Lyric Opera (SOLO) is a young, vibrant and dynamic opera company with a dual goal of preserving and cultivating the multi-faceted art of opera for the dedicated aficionado, while also acquainting and educating those who are new to this exquisite and refined art form, through community outreach.
Under the baton of Founder and Artistic Director, Sabatino Vacca, SOLO made its debut in September of 2015 with A Grand Night for Opera, a celebration of opera favourites, at Burlington Centre for the Performing Arts. In September of 2016, and again in March of 2018, SOLO brought to BPAC a semi-staged performance of Verdi’s La Traviata. In March 2017, the was followed by a full production of Puccini’s Tosca.
Another Puccini favourite, La Bohème, heralded the opening of SOLO’s 2017/2018 Season. Consistent with our outreach goal of providing education and fostering an understanding of opera amongst young people, we were delighted to feature children in three of our operas. In addition, The Burlington Teen Tour Band made a special appearance in La Bohème and we also hosted children from local schools at a dress rehearsal, to nurture their awareness of the fascinating world of opera.
January 2017, SOLO presented Encore, an evening of beloved opera arias. A March double-bill of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci and Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi marked the close of SOLO’s BPAC Season. Our 2018/2019 Season include a performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto and then Mozart’s Don Giovanni in March of 2019. In May, 2020, our performances of Verdi’s Messa da Requiem wer postponed due to Covid19 restrictions. We were delighted to be able to present Verdi’s Requiem at the Burlington Performing Arts Center on September 2022.
In May 2023, SOLO undertook two semi-staged performances of La Traviata in collaboration with the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra and the Milton Philharmonic Orchestra. Then in the Fall, we presented Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, and concluded last Season with a performance of Carmen in March 2024.
During our 2024/2025 Season, La Bohème is being presented again in October 2024 at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre as well as at Mohawk College’s Fennel Campus. Next March, we look forward to performing Lucia di Lammermoor.
As part of our outreach initiatives, SOLO holds joint-fundraising church concerts. SOLO has performed at East Plains United Church, West Plains United Church, St. Raphael’s Roman Catholic Church, Wellington Square United Church in Burlington, and St. James Roman Catholic Church in Oakville.
Between rehearsals, main-stage performances and church concerts, our outstanding Chorus has been true to broadening our outreach goals. Initially, they appeared in a flash mob at the Festitalia Italian Heritage Awards. Since then, they have made regular appearances at local seniors’ residences, including: Villa Italia; Tansley Woods; and Burlington Gardens. In Hamilton they performed an Easter Concert and a Concert for Syrian Refugees. More recently, they performed at the Appleby Streetfest and The Lowville Festival, and fulfilled private engagements at the Mississauga Hospital, the Oakville Golf and Country Club, and the Alumni Gallery Ceremony at McMaster University.
SOLO’s Artistic Director delivers opera presentations at Burlington Central Library, seniors’ residences, and to other local groups. Popular topics are “Opera 101” and dialogues focused on specific operas in SOLO’s repertoire. These events usually feature an artist who performs excerpts from an upcoming opera.
SOLO also ventures beyond the boundaries of grand opera in the traditional format by introducing an intriguing new fundraising trend – “Opera Pop-Ups”. These are mini-opera fundraisers occurring in the comfort and informality of a private residence or unique venue.
If you have an approaching special occasion that you wish to celebrate in a truly memorable fashion or if you would just like to host a relaxing interlude with friends to the accompaniment of live opera, talk to us about designing a “Pop-Up” exclusively for you!
Check the “Events” section of our website for more updates about what we have contrived to satisfy your desire for high-quality, accessible and affordable opera throughout the coming months.