Cynthia Cheng

The fifth annual Opernation was held at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on Friday, October 24.   The event, which was organized by the Canadian Opera Company (COC), was created as a fundraiser for the COC’s education programs. The theme of the evening was La Vie Bohème, celebrating Puccini’s famous opera, La bohème, about starving artists living in the Parisian slums of the nineteenth century (interesting tidbit: Leoncavallo wrote an opera of the same name and inspired by the same source. While his work is rarely performed, Puccini’s became opera canon and even inspired the long-running Broadway musical, Rent).

The event, which attracted several hundred of Toronto’s finest young professionals, was preceded by a sold-out VIP dinner, held at the Centre’s N.R. Jackman Lounge.  While the dinner event was small, food was not forgotten when those who attended the dinner joined the rest of the guests at the main event.  There was food everywhere, ranging from steak and mash potatoes in martini glasses to crêpes, quiche and cheese.  In addition to delightful food and music, the event included a silent auction, a raffle for a trip to Paris, as well as performances.

The first performance was by the burlesque troup Les Coquettes.  The young women, wearing dazzling costumes which included corsets and pasties, dazzled the audience with their routines reminicent of the movie, Moulin Rouge!.  Attendees were also treated to a mini performance by soprano, Joni Henson, who performed Wagner’s Dich teure Halle (from Tanhauser) and Mascagni’s Voi lo sapete (Cavalleria Rusticana).  Interestingly, Ms. Henson did not sing anything from La bohème, or any Puccini at all, considering the theme of the event.

Operanation concluded when they announced the winners of the trip to Paris.  I am sure everyone is looking forward to next year for Operanation VI!