Schulich alumni in the lineup of the 2015-2016 Canadian Opera Company season
Next season look for the participation of several Schulich alumni in different productions at the Canadian Opera Company. In October 2015 the COC will present the world premiere of Pyramus and Thisbe, written by composer Barbara Monk Feldman. The work is inspired by the beauty, light, and colour of her native Gaspé Peninsula and is a timeless story of star-crossed lovers. In February 2016 Jordan de Souza will conduct two performances of the Canadian Opera Company's production of Le Nozze di Figaro. De Souza conducted Giulio Cesare in 2013 at Schulich and was the music director for both of the Opera McGill productions of Trouble in Tahiti and Hänsel und Gretel back when he was a student. He is currently the principal coach for the Houston Grand Opera production of Madama Butterfly and will be here at Schulich teaching the Opera Excerpts class as the music director and pianist for the March scenes program in Pollack Hall. Aaron Sheppard, will be joining the COC Ensemble Studio, Canada's premier training program for young opera professionals. He is singing this season with the Opéra de Montreal and will also be performing the role of Rinuccio in the Opera McGill production of Gianni Schicchi this March. Aaron has been seen in many Opera McGill productions over the years, from Dido and Aeneas to The Rakes Progress to La Bohème to Volpone. Sheppard is a student of Sanford Sylvan.