OpAnon Current Season

Opera Anonymous Creative Team Bios

Nina Scott-Stoddart
Nina Scott-Stoddart
Artistic Director (and mezzo soprano)

An early music and contemporary opera specialist, Nina's professional operatic engagements have included the roles of both Dido and the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas; Levercham in the revival of Healey Willan's opera Deirdre; Puccini mezzo roles such as Zita in Gianni Schicchi, La Frugola in Il Tabarro, La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica, and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly; Madame Flora in The Medium (a role she has performed several times, including her debut with Opera Maine last summer); Lucretia in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia; Baba the Turk in Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress; King Bertarido in Handel's Rodelinda; and Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana. In addition, Ninacreated the role of The Pope in Quenten Doolittle's new opera The Leviathan Hook at the Music Gallery last year. She has worked with Opera in Concert, Opera Maine, Toronto Operetta Theatre, Summer Opera Lyric Theatre, Opera Atelier, the Kingston Symphony and Opera York, among others. Nina co-founded Opera Anonymous in 1994 with singer Diane da Camera.

see also: Nina Scott-Stoddart, her personal website

Edward Franko

Edward Franko
Production Director, Stage Director (and tenor)

Edward Franko is active in the world of opera as a stage director, producer and lyric tenor. He has also directed many productions for Opera Anonymous including Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress, Gian Carlo Menotti's The Consul and The Medium. He recently made his Opera Mississauga debut directing his original production of Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte and later returned to direct Puccini's La Boheme. He also directed Rossini's La Cambiale di Matrimonio and Puccini's Il Tabarro in the inaugural season of Opera York. Most recently, he returned to Opera York in the role of Poisson in an in-concert presentation of Cilea's Adrianna Lecouvreur as well as being the dramatic consultant. As well he was seen as Charlie in Quenten Doolittle's Charlie in the Chicken and Charles Darwin in the world premiere of Doolittle's The Leviathan Hook, both for Opera Anonymous.

Mr. Franko is also actively involved in operatic workshops having worked with The Royal Conservatory of Music Opera Ensemble, Creative Artists' Summer Opera Program and Opera Anonymous where he has directed The Abduction from the Seraglio, The Old Maid and the Thief, Suor Angelica and La Serva Padrona amongst many others. Currently, is a guest faculty member of Pro Voce Vocal Studios where he is the Opera Workshop Stage Director.

Mr. Franko also is a co-founder of Tryptych Productions, which specializes in producing a variety of vocal music concerts. Along with his partners, William Shookhoff (Opera York, Phantom of the Opera) and Lenard Whiting (Opera in Concert, COC), Edward looks forward to this eclectic series which will feature many of the top young Canadian vocal talent available.

See also Ed's Personal Website

Irene Johansen

Irene Johansen
Managing Director, Composer

Irene completed a B.Mus. in Composition at the University of Calgary with William S. Jordan, and an M.A. at the Aaron Copland School of Music in New York with Thea Musgrave and Leo Kraft, and has participated in many workshops and festivals in North America and Europe. Awards have included grants from the Canada Council, the Alberta Foundation for the Canadian Music Centre, Alberta Culture, and scholarships from the University of Calgary, New York University, Queens College and the Alberta Heritage Foundation's Arts Study Scholarships. She is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre (have a look: www.culturenet.ca/cmc). Her works have been performed in Canada, the US and Europe and have been broadcast by the CBC by professional groups including New Works Calgary, the Next Stage Company in New York and Thirteen Strings in Ottawa.

Irene continues to write and teach here in Toronto, producing with the Opera Anonymous team, occasionally conducting, stage managing (and even a little singing) for Opanon and other companies. She looking forward to completing a song cycle for Nina Scott-Stoddart and a work for full orchestra inspired by a trip to Jasper National Park, as well as future forays into opera as composer.

see also: Irene's bio at the CMC Website

opanon@sympatico.ca
Date Last Modified: 16-May-02


	Nina Scott-Stoddart Artistic Director (and mezzo soprano) An early music and contemporary opera specialist, Nina's professional operatic engagements have included the roles of both Dido and the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas; Levercham in the revival of Healey Willan's opera Deirdre; Puccini mezzo roles such as Zita in Gianni Schicchi, La Frugola in Il Tabarro, La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica, and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly; Madame Flora in The Medium (a role she has performed several times, including her debut with Opera Maine last summer); Lucretia in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia; Baba the Turk in Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress; King Bertarido in Handel's Rodelinda; and Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana. In addition, Ninacreated the role of The Pope in Quenten Doolittle's new opera The Leviathan Hook at the Music Gallery last year. She has worked with Opera in Concert, Opera Maine, Toronto Operetta Theatre, Summer Opera Lyric Theatre, Opera Atelier, the Kingston Symphony and Opera York, among others. Nina co-founded Opera Anonymous in 1994 with singer Diane da Camera. see also: Nina Scott-Stoddart, her personal website
	Edward Franko Production Director, Stage Director (and tenor) Edward Franko is active in the world of opera as a stage director, producer and lyric tenor. He has also directed many productions for Opera Anonymous including Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress, Gian Carlo Menotti's The Consul and The Medium. He recently made his Opera Mississauga debut directing his original production of Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte and later returned to direct Puccini's La Boheme. He also directed Rossini's La Cambiale di Matrimonio and Puccini's Il Tabarro in the inaugural season of Opera York. Most recently, he returned to Opera York in the role of Poisson in an in-concert presentation of Cilea's Adrianna Lecouvreur as well as being the dramatic consultant. As well he was seen as Charlie in Quenten Doolittle's Charlie in the Chicken and Charles Darwin in the world premiere of Doolittle's The Leviathan Hook, both for Opera Anonymous. Mr. Franko is also actively involved in operatic workshops having worked with The Royal Conservatory of Music Opera Ensemble, Creative Artists' Summer Opera Program and Opera Anonymous where he has directed The Abduction from the Seraglio, The Old Maid and the Thief, Suor Angelica and La Serva Padrona amongst many others. Currently, is a guest faculty member of Pro Voce Vocal Studios where he is the Opera Workshop Stage Director. Mr. Franko also is a co-founder of Tryptych Productions, which specializes in producing a variety of vocal music concerts. Along with his partners, William Shookhoff (Opera York, Phantom of the Opera) and Lenard Whiting (Opera in Concert, COC), Edward looks forward to this eclectic series which will feature many of the top young Canadian vocal talent available. See also Ed's Personal Website
	Irene Johansen Managing Director, Composer Irene completed a B.Mus. in Composition at the University of Calgary with William S. Jordan, and an M.A. at the Aaron Copland School of Music in New York with Thea Musgrave and Leo Kraft, and has participated in many workshops and festivals in North America and Europe. Awards have included grants from the Canada Council, the Alberta Foundation for the Canadian Music Centre, Alberta Culture, and scholarships from the University of Calgary, New York University, Queens College and the Alberta Heritage Foundation's Arts Study Scholarships. She is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre (have a look: www.culturenet.ca/cmc). Her works have been performed in Canada, the US and Europe and have been broadcast by the CBC by professional groups including New Works Calgary, the Next Stage Company in New York and Thirteen Strings in Ottawa. Irene continues to write and teach here in Toronto, producing with the Opera Anonymous team, occasionally conducting, stage managing (and even a little singing) for Opanon and other companies. She looking forward to completing a song cycle for Nina Scott-Stoddart and a work for full orchestra inspired by a trip to Jasper National Park, as well as future forays into opera as composer. see also: Irene's bio at the CMC Website