For immediate release: July 16, 2007

Media contact: Liz Lepper, Bottom Line Productions
P: 780.988.8914 x 3 | E: liz@bottomlinepro.com

Edmonton Opera Set Build Moved to Winnipeg

Edmonton, AB - After fielding calls from helpful Edmonton-area residents and nearly landing a suitable location, Edmonton Opera has ended its hunt for a space to build its Falstaff set locally. The set-build project is currently wrapping up its first full week at the Manitoba Production Centre in Winnipeg.

Edmonton Opera had hoped to use the Film Alberta soundstage; that hope ended when Lionsgate Entertainment announced its plans to relocate a TV series project to Film Alberta Studio last week. The Opera's feverish search lasted right up to its June 30th deadline

"I would like to thank all those who tried to find us a space; we had a lot of calls and looked at a fair number of spaces," says Richard Sims, Director of Production for Edmonton Opera. "A big thank-you also goes to the IATSE members (International Association of Theatrical Stage Employees) we had on hold for the potential Edmonton build."

"The Lionsgate project is great for the city," says Mary Phillips-Rickey, Edmonton Opera's General Manager. "The TV series provides long-term work for Edmonton's creative talent, as well as a training component for new talent in our flourishing arts community."

Edmonton Opera received a $200,000 Supplementary Operating Funds Initiative (SOFI) Grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to create a set for Falstaff, the final production of Opera's 2007/2008 season and L'Opéra de Québec's October production of Otello, which will be directed by Edmonton Opera's Artistic Director, Brian Deedrick.

Bringing grand opera to the stage is no small task; building a set requires a tremendous amount of space, which proved difficult to find due to Edmonton's current economic boom. The set build required a 100 foot by 150 foot cleared space with a minimum ceiling height of 30 feet, as well as an additional adjoining space of 50 feet by 100 feet. The work is scheduled to take place at the Manitoba Production Centre from July through September, inclusively, with Sims overseeing the majority of the build.

Subscriptions for the 2007/2008 season are on sale now through the Edmonton Opera Box Office, call (780) 429-1000. For more information about Edmonton Opera, please visit www.edmontonopera.com.

Other Media Releases

• A Season of Firsts for Edmonton Opera - April 23, 2007
• No Vacancy for Opera Set Build - May 29, 2007
• Edmonton Opera Set Build Moved to Winnipeg - July 16, 2007