FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

East Van Opera Is Coming to Town
Local Lake Country composer produces a new opera based on the classic fairytale Beauty and the Beast

July 14th 2019 (Lake Country, BC) – East Van Opera, a unique opera company dedicated to local and emerging artists, will present a concert of their original opera Beauty’s Beast, at Lake Country’s Creekside Theatre on July 4th 2019. This production finds its roots in the Okanagan with the music penned and performed by local composer and soprano, Allison Cociani. Beauty’s Beast also features a multi-award-winning cast from the Lower Mainland who’s talent will tell the tale of this groundbreaking new work that chronicles the famous fairytale, Beauty and the Beast.

East Van Opera is dedicated to the production of new music, and to the action of elevating women in the performing arts. This concert version of Beauty’s Beast is a project that is consistent with their goal of delivering artistic experiences curated by women. It is a showcase for female-driven opera production, a fact they aim to make visible to the public, as they know the importance of providing role models for up-and-coming female artists in our field. With the composer being a local of Lake Country, and with librettist, Anna Shill they present this work, and they contribute to the dissemination and awareness of the growing wealth of Canadian, female-led operatic repertoire.

East Van Opera are showcasing ‘Beauty's Beast’ to empower young people to seek out, build and sustain healthy relationships based on the clear articulation of needs, on empathy, and mutual understanding. In this all-new libretto, compassion and selflessness are recurrent themes (as they are throughout the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ canon) but, more importantly, our female protagonist is an advocate for critical self-discovery. She urges both herself and her male counterpart along a journey to self-knowledge and healthy inter-relationship.

Artistic director, Allison Cociani see’s this opportunity in reaching out to the community of Lake Country, to bring a new awareness surrounding opera. She believes contemporary opera and new music may be something the public may be unsure of, but alongside this, she offers a clear connection to something they do know, the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ story. Given its fairytale origins and long-standing place in pop culture, East Van Opera position themselves to welcome those who might otherwise be scared or doubtful of attending an opera. We counter the assumption that advanced knowledge or education is required in order to "understand" opera. Rather, we offer a contemporary opera that is relatable, familiar in its content, though innovative in its form.

The music is haunting and beautiful. The story is one we love to hear again and again. The performers are exceptional and they can’t wait to create some castle magic on the stage at the Creekside Theatre.

Beauty’s Beast is musically directed and composed by Allison Cociani, and features Cociani as Belle, and the Enchantress, Baritone Jason Cook, as Beast, and Perri Lo as their collaborative pianist.

Beauty’s Beast (In Concert)
July 4th 7:30 pm
Creekside Theatre 10241 Bottom Wood Lake Rd, Lake Country B.C.
Tickets - $29

About East Van Opera: East Van Opera is a progressive company dedicated exclusively to the creation and production of new operatic works. The company’s mission includes elevating women in the arts while creating a platform for the artistic development of local and emerging performers.
Learn more at eastvanopera.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FerBFlygE24

Media Contact: Allison Cociani (Communications Director, Artistic Director, Composer)
(604-833-3188) [email protected]