The Creative Team
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Chan Ka Nin, Composer
Winner of the Juno Award for Best Classical Composition (1993) and The Jean A. Chalmers Awards for Musical Composition (1996), Chan Ka Nin was born in Hong Kong in 1949 and moved with his family to Vancouver in 1965. He studied composition with Jean Coulthard at the University of British Columbia while pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering. He continued studying composition with Bernhard Heiden at Indiana University and obtained his Master's and Doctoral degrees in music. Since 1982, Professor Chan has been teaching theory and composition at the University of Toronto. Professor Chan's music has been performed by major orchestra and ensembles in Canada and abroad. His String Quartet No. 2 was performed by the Kodaly Quartet in Hungary after winning the Bela Bartok International Composition Contest. His trio for clarinet, cello and piano Among Friends, commissioned by the CBC for the Amici, won the Barlow International Competition (1991) and a Juno Award (1993). Recordings of his works include: Ecstasy, an orchestral work commissioned and recorded by the Esprit Orchestra; Four Seasons Suite by the Ottawa Winds; The Charmer, the title track on a CD by oboist Lawrence Cherney; and most recently, Ave Maris Stella on Elektra Women's Choir's Legacy CD..
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Mark Brownell, Librettist
Iron Road is Mark Brownell's first operatic libretto. He is currently a member of the Tarragon Theatre's Playwrights Unit and is also co-artistic director of the Pea Green Theatre Group with his wife and partner Sue Miner. He is a graduate of the National Theatre School and has had many of his plays produced professionally across the country. Mr. Brownell's play Monsieur d'Eon will is published by Playwright's Canada Press, May 2001.
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George K. Wong, Translator and Chinese Lyricist/Language Coach
Born in Hong Kong to parents from Fujian Province, China, George K. Wong is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and the Fujian dialects. Mr. Wong immigrated to Canada in the early 1970's and, with his expert knowledge of Chinese custom, culture and language, he has lectured at various Canadian and international organizations over the past 30 years. In his spare time he writes songs, lyrics and poetry and has to his credit two English songs published and sold in the U.S., as well as a CD of his Chinese and English love songs. Mr. Wong first collaborated with Professor Chan Ka Nin in writing some of the lyrics to Pearl of Asia, a suite of songs commemorating the return of Hong Kong to China. With Iron Road, he was commissioned to translate a third of Mark Brownell's libretto into Cantonese dialect. Mr. Wong has accomplished this challenging feat, matching the Cantonese intonations to their authentic meanings for each particular pitch of a word. He has also enjoyed coaching various cast members in this difficult dialect.
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Wayne Strongman, Music Director & Conductor
One of Canada's most distinguished music directors, Wayne Strongman is a champion of Canadian writers and composers. As Artistic Director of Tapestry New Opera Works, he has commissioned and premiered over 20 new works of opera and music theatre by Canadian writers and composers including Iron Road, the award-winning Nigredo Hotel by Nic Gotham and Ann-Marie MacDonald, No No Miya by Rudolph Komorous, Still The Night by Theresa Tova, and Elsewhereless by Rodney Sharman and Atom Egoyan. A noted choral specialist, Mr. Strongman has commissioned and conducted numerous Canadian premieres including the Gorecki Miserere (CBC's Glenn Gould Studio), Christos Hatzis' Kyrie (Kitchener Waterloo Symphony's Open Ears Festival), and most recently, Hatzis' In Memoriam Elmer Isler (Rosedale Concert Series). As the Artistic Director of Rosedale Concerts since 1998, he has quickly established the series as one of the most exciting and eclectic concert venues in Toronto. Previously, Mr. Strongman was Artistic Director and Conductor of the Bach Elgar Choir for thirteen years, and led the 110-voice choir to new professional heights, performing major oratorios and premieres by Harry Freedman, Nic Gotham, Christos Hatzis, Maryan Mozetich and Rodney Sharman.
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Claire Hopkinson, Producer
Born in England, Claire Hopkinson grew up in Montreal, receiving her Honours Degree in Literature from McGill University while running McGill Players Theatre. At the age of 22, she was lured away from an acting career to become the Administrative Director of the Piggery Theatre in North Hatley, Quebec. Landing in Toronto at the age of 24, she was hired as General Manager of Comus Music Theatre of Canada. Thus began, through commissioning and producing such extraordinary projects as R. Murray Schafer's epic 11-hour opera RA, and the Canadian Electronic Ensemble's NIGHTBLOOM, a love affair with music theatre and new opera. She went on to found Brazen Overtures, a fundraising, strategic planning and special events company. As promoter and publicist, she has worked with Rivka Golani, Liona Boyd, I Musici de Montreal, The Music Gallery and Sharon, Lois and Bram. As a freelance producer, she brought Banuta Rubess and Nic Gotham's BOOM BABY, BOOM! to the stage as part of the du Maurier World Stage Festival, Mary Walsh's multimedia play HOCKEY WIVES to Factory Theatre, and produced David Hare's A MAP OF THE WORLD - the first production in Canada to make the leap from Equity Showcase to The Canadian Stage and thence to the National Arts Centre. Further, Ms. Hopkinson has been Development Manager for the Elgin and Winter Garden Restoration Project, Producer of the National Festival of Canadian Theatre and Producer of Dora Mavor Moore Awards.
Since 1990, Ms. Hopkinson has been Producer and General Manager of Tapestry, guiding the company through a period of major growth and success. In addition to producing the world premieres of works by some of Canada's finest artists, she has developed artistic collaborations with many theatre, music and opera organizations across the country, thus providing new works with a life beyond the premiere. In her role as General Manager and Producer she is responsible for leading Tapestry organizationally, acts as the Producer for each major project and enjoys and active collaborative role with the Artistic Director on artistic matters.
Ms. Hopkinson is an active participant in the community through volunteer work, having served as committee member at the Toronto Arts Council, and on the board of directors for The Toronto Theatre Alliance and McGill Alumni Association of Toronto. She is currently Chair of the Professional Opera Companies of Canada and serves on the Boards of Artscape and OPERA America, where she has recently been appointed Secretary. She is a founding member of The Creative Trust, Ontario's first collective fundraising campaign for mid-sized arts organizations.
In May of 2001, Ms. Hopkinson won the prestigious M. Joan Chalmers Award for Arts Administration in recognition of her contribution to Tapestry and the arts in Canada.
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Tom Diamond, Director
Tom Diamond's productions have been seen on the stages of the finest theatre and opera companies in Canada. Most recently, he has staged internationally acclaimed productions of works by Baroque composer Francesco Cavalli - Giasone and La Calisto - for the Canadian Opera Company. He specializes in the development of new works, notably the premieres of The Snow Queen (Milk International Children's Festival) and Florence, The Lady with the Lamp (Elora Festival), which won the prestigious Chalmers Award. He continues to be a guest artist at many colleges and universities including the Eastman School of Music. In the summer of 1999, Mr. Diamond scored critical and commercial success with his New York City debut of Squonk. The production re-opened in a permanent home off-Broadway for an indefinite run. In the fall of last year, Mr. Diamond directed the tour of Tapestry's much-loved production Still the Night. Iron Road is another milestone in Mr. Diamond's successful association with Tapestry.
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Dany Lyne, Set & Costume Design
Dany Lyne's set and costume design credits include Pelléas et Mélisande, Giasone (Canadian Opera Company); EleMENTAL, Mad For All Reasons (Queen of Puddings); Pride and Prejudice, The Miracle Worker, and costumes for Romeo & Juliet (Stratford Festival); The Whirlpool, Patience (Tarragon Theatre); A Christmas Carol, Rough Crossing, The Glass Menagerie (Theatre Calgary); Le Tartuffe, Johnny Mangano and his Astonishing Dogs, La Voix Humaine, Surprise! Surprise! (Théâtre Français de Toronto); Reading Hebron (Factory Theatre); Twelfth Night (Canadian Stage); and Court-Yard (Kaeja d'Dance & Movado Dance Harbourfront). Ms. Lyne has received nine Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations for Outstanding Set and Costume Design, with one Dora Award for the set design of Alisa Palmer's The Attic, The Pearls, and Three Fine Girls at Buddies in Bad Times. Ms. Lyne will design Henry V for the Stratford Festival this season, followed by her European debut designing Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio at the De Vlaamse Opera in Belgium.
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Bonnie Beecher, Lighting Design
Iron Road is Bonnie Beecher's second production with Tapestry. In 1997 she designed Still the Night, a co-production with Alberta Theatre Projects. Ms. Beecher has designed over 100 productions across Canada for theatre, opera and dance and has received six Dora nominations and one Dora Award. Selected credits include La Calisto, Giasone and La Traviata (Canadian Opera Company); The Two Mrs. Carrolls, The Shop at Sly Corner, The Conjuror Part II, and The Apple Cart (Shaw Festival); One Hundred Words for Snow and The Weight of Absence (National Ballet of Canada); Pride and Prejudice (Stratford Festival); The Memory of Water (Mirvish Productions); Faust (Opera Hamilton) and several productions for Tarragon Theatre including Vigil, Frida K., Good Bones, The Faraway Nearby, Gravity Calling and One-eyed Kings. Recent credits include Outrageous (Canadian Stage), The Hobbit (Young People's Theatre), The Doll House (DVxT Theatre), The Invisible Life of Joseph Finch (Dancemakers), An Inspector Calls (Theatre Aquarius), and This is heaven to me (Danny Grossman Dance Company). Upcoming productions include Henry V for The Stratford Festival. Ms. Beecher is a member of Associated Designers of Canada.
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Xing Bang Fu, Choreographer
One of Canada's foremost dance artists, Xing Bang Fu founded the Xing Dance Theatre of Canada in 1986 and is highly respected for his innovative work both here and in China. Born in China, Mr. Fu trained at the Beijing Ballet School and furthered his dance training at the School of American Ballet Theatre and the Washington Ballet. Since 1985, he has created numerous major works including: Young Shepherds of the Field, Shades, New World Symphony Hun & Lackme and Sha-Tu. He created such diverse works as Duang Huang Goddesses of Silk Road, The Nutcracker, Beautiful Orchid, Sea Blue, Butterfly Lovers and Giselle for the Xing Dance Theatre of Canada. Mr. Fu has numerous theatre credits for productions across Canada and the United States. On April 15, 2000, the Guangzhou Ballet presented the world premiere of Fu's The Yellow River (2000) for Guang Zhou Classical Ballet.
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Isolde Pleasants-Faulkner, Stage Manager
Isolde Pleasants-Faulkner has previously worked as stage manager with Tapestry on Elsewhereless in Toronto and Vancouver, and Nigredo Hotel. Other credits include Atom Egoyan's opera directing debut of Salome with the Canadian Opera Company and with Vancouver Opera, and the COC's production of Bluebeard's Castle and Erwartung directed by Robert Lepage in Toronto, New York, Edinburgh, Melbourne, and Hong Kong. Additional credits include Venus and Adonis, The Bartered Bride, Oedipus Rex with Symphony of Psalms and Wozzeck for the Canadian Opera Company. Ms. Pleasants-Faulkner has also stage-managed various theatre and dance productions in Canada and abroad.
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Nancy Dryden, Assistant Stage Manager
Nancy Dryden's recent stage management credits include The Weir (Canadian Stage/Manitoba Theatre Centre), NHL All-star Game Fantasy (Denver), Twelfth Night, Platanov, and Krapp's Last Tape (Soulpepper Theatre). Ms. Dryden has been a Production Stage Manager for Soulpepper Theatre and the Stratford Festival, and she has stage-managed productions for Canadian Stage, the Grand Theatre, Citadel Theatre, Mirvish Productions, The National Arts Centre, Young People's Theatre, Théâtre français de Toronto, Necessary Angel Theatre, The Atlantic Theatre Festival, Livent, the National Hockey League, and Major League Baseball.
Janet Gregor, Assistant Stage Manager
Ms. Gregor keeps saying she is retiring yet keeps finding herself drawn back to the backstage. She is very pleased to be working with Tapestry New Opera Works for the premiere of Iron Road.
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