Opera in the Park featuring Vancouver Opera

Conductor

Jonathan Darlington has held the position of Music Director Emeritus at Vancouver Opera since 2018 after completing a highly successful term of almost 20 years as Music Director. He has led the innovative company in a repertoire ranging from Mozart through Verdi, Puccini and Strauss to Tan Dun and Jake Heggie. Fluent in several languages, he was born and educated in England and now resides in Paris.

Whether on the concert platform or in the opera house, Jonathan Darlington has conducted an impressive list of world-class ensembles. Recent additions include the Vienna Philhamonic at the Staatsoper, the Staatskapelle Dresden at the Semperoper, the Orchestre National de France, the Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Paris Opera Orchestra, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and L’Orchestre de Paris.

Soloist

Canadian tenor Andrew Haji has become one of the most sought-after voices on both operatic and concert stages. Recent highlights include L’elisir d’amore (National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts Taiwan), Handel’s Saul (Edinburgh Festival), and Verdi’s Macbeth (Calgary Opera). Andrew looks forward to upcoming engagements with Seattle Symphony, Victoria Symphony, and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St. Lukes.

Soloist

Canadian/Korean baritone Clarence Frazer brings his “silky-smooth baritone” to a wide range of repertoire. An alumnus of Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio, Clarence stars as Papageno in The Magic Flute with Vancouver Opera and sang Marcello in Against the Grain Theatre’s La bohème, touring from Yukon to Toronto.

Clarence sang Guglielmo in Edmonton Opera’s Cosi fan tutte and debuts with Symphony Nova Scotia in Messiah in 2023.

Soloist

Chinese-Canadian mezzo-soprano Emma Parkinson has performed across Canada and internationally, she has been hailed as "an outstanding voice" (La Scena Musicale). This summer, Emma will perform Flora in La Traviata at Brott Opera, and will make her debut with Early Music Vancouver. In the 22/23 season, Emma performed in the Canadian premiere of George Benjamin’s Into the Little Hill with Astrolabe Musik Theatre, and debuted the role of Anna in the world premiere of Chinatown with City Opera Vancouver. She also performed in the Canadian premiere of Angel’s Bone with re:Naissance Opera, Sound the Alarm Music Theatre, and Loose Tea Music Theatre. Past seasons have seen Emma perform with Vancouver Opera as Jade Boucher in Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking, and with Pacific Opera Victoria in the Canadian premiere of Rattenbury. Emma has appeared with Burnaby Lyric Opera in the title role of Carmen, and, as Suzuki in Madama Butterfly. An alumnus of the Atelier lyrique of Opéra de Montréal, she performed Orlofsky in Opéra de Montréal’s production of Die Fledermaus. In Europe, Emma debuted with Seefestspiele Berlin as Mercédès in Carmen, and performed a concert with Les Chorégies d’Orange in France. She has been a soloist with the Alberta Baroque Ensemble, Vancouver Bach Choir, Kingston Symphony Orchestra, Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestre Métropolitain, under the baton of Yannick Nézét-Seguin. Emma has been a soloist for Ballet BC’s Momentum gala for the last two seasons. In the 23/24 season she will debut with the Vancouver Island Symphony, and with Victoria Baroque in Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s St. John Passion. She will also make her debut in France with Opéra de Massy in the spring.

Soloist

Canadian Soprano Jonelle Sills has been praised for her “... warm, full, elastic tone.” (Schmopera) Ms. Sills was recognised as one of York University’s Top 30 Alumni under 30 in 2022. Also recognised by CBC Music as “30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30” for 2020. Jonelle was a member of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program at Vancouver Opera for their 2021 and 2022 season. Jonelle was a member of The Rebanks Family Fellowship and International Performance Residency at The Royal Conservatory of Music in 2022 and 2023.

Soloist

Coloratura soprano Magdalena How is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Opera Performance at UBC under the tutelage of Nancy Hermiston. With a passion for telling stories through song, Magdalena savours every chance to sing onstage, from opera to choral music to musical theatre. She’s thrilled to join Vancouver Opera as part of Opera in the Park, and hopes you enjoy the performance! 

Director-Principal Répétiteur

Described as a “scintillating player,” pianist and coach, Tina Chang is on the music staff at Vancouver Opera. Based in Vancouver, she has been involved with various musical organizations in town: Chor Leoni, Sound the Alarm Music Theatre, re:Naissance Opera, and Health Arts Society. She is currently adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia, and on faculty at the Vancouver Academy of Music.

Répétiteur

Richard Epp is a Vancouver-based vocal coach, pianist and conductor. He was senior opera coach for the Opera Workshop at UBC and a sessional instructor in the School of Music. At UBC he has conducted Serse, Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte, Hänsel und Gretel, Der Fledermaus, Weisse Rose and two world premieres, among others. He was a pianist for VO's Resident Artist Program and was on the faculty at the Vancouver Academy of Music.

Stage Manager

Marijka has enjoyed working on dozens of Vancouver Opera productions over the past decade, as well as at Pacific Opera Victoria, Touchstone Theatre, The Arts Club, Canadian Stage, The Belfry Theatre, and as a Faculty stage manager at the Banff Centre’s Opera program in 2019. Marijka has a BFA from UBC Theatre Production & Design, where she also taught stage management for seven seasons.

Assistant Stage Manager

Liam Kearns is a queer, Vancouver-based Stage Manager working professionally in the arts scene. They are excited to be back at Deer Lake with Vancouver Opera. Their passions include theatre for young audiences and site-specific theatre. Outside of the arts, Liam likes baking vegan treats, getting lost in a jigsaw puzzle and spending the entire day outdoors geocaching.

Yes, there will be a number of food trucks on site!

• Rocky Point
• JJ's Hot Cobs
• Cravings Kettle Corn
• Groovin' Grills
• Kyu Grill
• Shameless Buns
• The Jerk Shack
• Yo Bones BBQ
• Brownie Bakers
• Super Thai
• Dos Amigos

This event draws a very large crowd to the park. Visitors are encouraged to leave their pets at home. Service animals with proper identification are permitted.

• lawn chairs
• refillable water bottles
• dress for the weather – jackets, hats, sunscreen and sunglasses
• outside food is permitted

• large tents, tarps, umbrellas, or other items that will block the view of others
• barbeques or fires
• professional video or audio recording devices