McGill, U of T partner to stage banned Haydn opera for first time in North America

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McGill University and University of Toronto have partnered to stage the L’anima del filosofo (or Orfeo: The Soul of the Philosopher), an opera penned by Joseph Haydn. While the opera was declared contraband and cancelled before its premiere in 1791, the university collaboration will bring it to a North American stage for the first time. U of T Professor Caryl Clark and McGill University Professor Dorian Bandy have put together a cast and crew from both universities, as well as theatre practitioners from across the continent. “Collaborations of this nature are usually between individuals – in this case between me and Caryl,” explained Bandy, “However, both of us have gotten many other people from our respective universities involved in the production. … The performances will really embody an ideal synthesis of the strengths and energies of each university.”

U of T