Armine Kassabian as Mercedes in Opera Lyra’s Carmen.
Hockey and 18th-century arias are an unlikely combination, but for the first time in the city’s history, the two are being brought together for a charitable cause.
On Oct. 30, between 300 and 400 guests are expected to fill Little Italy’s Sala San Marco for a gala-style evening that will offer a surprising mix of hockey and opera-themed events and performances, says Opera Lyra director John Peter Jeffries.
The Ottawa Senators Foundation and Centretown’s Opera Lyra, a non-profit opera company based at The National Arts Centre are co-hosting Hockey Night at the Opera, an event aimed at raising awareness and funds for social and recreational programs for youth as well as the opera.
Despite the odd blend of themes, both organizations say the synergies between opera and hockey should make the night a success.
“Maybe it’s not that strange,” says Jeffries. “What other organizations in town produce really great shows in large venues, require a great deal of talent and teamwork, and have very enthusiastic fans?
“This means we can have programming that will appeal to everyone,” he adds, “Whether you’re there for the opera or the hockey.”
Opera Lyra approached the Sens Foundation about working together two years ago, says Brad Weir, the foundation’s communications director
The two organizations have spent the last six months planning the event, with help from the Italian-Canadian Community Centre as the main community link.
“We get a lot of groups that are interested in partnering with us for fundraisers, but this one was just so different, so unique that we couldn’t pass up,” he says. “We jumped at the opportunity to put on this event.”
The gala’s program includes a live silent auction featuring everything from rare Senators’ memorabilia to week-long river cruises in France.
There will also be performances by Opera Lyra artists and the Senators’ organist Greg Drover – who entertains hockey fans between whistles – and long-time anthem singer Lyndon Slewidge.
Arminè Kassabian, one of the opera singers scheduled to perform at the event, says the show will provide “a different outlook” for performers on how both opera and hockey can be presented.
“Hockey players and opera singers are the same in terms of performing, having a big audience, and always being put on the spot,” she says. “That’s why I think it’s really fun to have this kind of partnership.”
The Sens Foundation aims to empower youth by making recreational programming more accessible.
In its 20-year history, the foundation has contributed more than $70 million to the community with projects such as the Rink of Dreams, located in front of city hall, the first of 20 planned community ice rinks across the city.
Weir says the foundation will use the proceeds from Hockey Night at the Opera to grow its existing programs such as Play to the Max, which helps make organized sports more accessible to youth.
“We know that kids who take part in group activities achieve better, but we also know that those activities are becoming more and more expensive and out of reach, so we’re going to invest the money from this fundraiser to help deal with that,” he says. “We’re really passionate about setting up the kids of today with tools they can apply in their lives for a better future.”
Jeffries says that Opera Lyra also will give back to the community by using proceeds from the gala to fund the Opera Studio, a program that takes professional singers on a tour of 30 Ottawa schools each year to teach an audience of about 6,000 students the history and cultural value of opera.
Tickets for Hockey Night at the Opera are $200 and can be purchased through the Italian-Canadian Community Centre or Opera Lyra.
Each organization expects to raise as much as $50,000 at the event.