Media Releases

For Immediate Release August 15, 2012
Media Contact Jelena Bojic, Director of Marketing & Communications
jelena.bojic@edmontonopera.com
780.392.7837

Edmonton Opera partners with Alberta Craft Council for unique project

Local craft artists are making it possible for opera patrons to take home memories of the 2012/2013 season mainstage performances, thanks to the partnership between the Edmonton Opera and the Alberta Craft Council.

After a successful Opera Coat Project a few years ago, the Edmonton Opera and the Alberta Craft Council have partnered again for the Opera Art Project, where artists will create operaâ€specific pieces as it relates to their medium.

“We initiated this partnership with the Alberta Craft Council as we felt strongly that we needed to develop a line of merchandise that would be created by local artists for Edmonton Opera alone — exclusive to us,” said Sandra Gajic, Edmonton Opera CEO. “It further speaks to our strategy of alliances with other arts organizations and groups that promote local creations and support local artists.” Fibre artists, those who work with jewelry and metals, wood craftsmen, ceramic artists and glass artists have already signed on to participate.

Tom McFall, Alberta Craft Council Executive Director, said he sees many similarities between opera and fine craft — both are refined art forms rooted in tradition, yet with a contemporary edge and with a sophisticated, dedicated audience.

“It’s really exciting to encourage craft artists to play with ideas that blend the creativity of craft with themes from opera,” he said. “And so far we’ve had an excellent response from the first dozen individual craft artists — some of them have already developed innovative prototypes that will be unique to this opera project.”

The craft art pieces will be available at the Northern Alberta Jubilee during the season’s first performance, Aida, on Oct. 19, 21, 23 and 25, and then continue to be available after the run of the production at Tix on the Square, in downtown Edmonton.

Stay tuned for more details on the exclusive launch in late September.