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“The stunning originality of Viau’s vision and a fully engaged, irrepressible cast grip the imagination.” – Opera Going Toronto

Loose Tea Music Theatre is a not-for-profit, charitable music theatre company that specializes in classical music productions, taking an innovative approach to develop and stretch perceptions of the theatre and concert going experience. Loose Tea presents works that challenge the audience and artists to break from tradition and become engaged together in an experience.

Founded by Director and Creator Alaina Viau in 2013, Loose Tea is changing the face of opera. The 2019-20 season saw the company premiere two new unconventional operas, receive its first DORA nominations for “Singing Only Softly” and the appointment of Joanna Diindiisikwe Simmons as Artistic Director. Through our support and development of diverse creators and new works we are actively addressing the systemic issues that have been inherited by the art form. We seek to create an anti-racist, compassionate and accessible environment for our teams and audiences. We centre our creation in addressing critical social issues, the telling of diverse stories of all people who live one this land and giving a voice to new type of opera expression.

Mandate

Loose Tea Music Theatre is dedicated to the exploration of cross-cultural and social relationships. Through the use of opera and interdisciplinary performative arts, we creative innovative and relevant productions that explore the universal themes of the human experience and specific social issues, both domestically and abroad.

We also work with numerous artists from outside classical music, and have been commended for our innovative approach by critics, peer organisations and are an active member of the Indie Opera Toronto. Loose Tea is currently collaborating with Toronto Summer Music Festival, Symphony Nova Scotia, and developing a new concept for Music and Beyond. Whose Opera Is it Anyway is developing a touring series.

History

Loose Tea Music Theatre has produced and presented the following works to critical acclaim:

2013 – La Tradegie de Carmen, adapted Bizet’s La Tradegie de Carmen
2014 – Love in the Age of Auto-Correct, adapted Mozart’s Bastien und Bastienne and Stravinsky’s Mavre
2015 – Andrew and Andrea; Whose Opera is it Anyway?; Dissociative Me
2016 – Trance Symphony No. 5, adapted Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
2016 – Carmen #YesAllWomen workshop, adapted Bizet’s Carmen
2017 – Whose Opera is it Anyway?, an ongoing original series
2018 – Ongoing Touring of Whose Opera it is Anyway? at the Music and Beyond Festival and the Hamilton Fringe
2018 – Second Stage Workshop of Carmen #YesAllWomen
2018 – L’Histoire du Soldat in partnership with Toronto Summer Music Festival
2018 – Singing Only Softly, workshop in partnership with Musique 3 Femmes
2019 – Next Wave Workshop of Singing only Softly, Dusty Rose Lake Research
2019 – Singing Only Softly World Premiere
2019 – Carmen #YesAllWomen World Premiere
2020 – Dead Reckoning Video Adaptation
2020 – Launch of the BIPOC Composer Librettist Development Program