Toronto’s top ballet and opera companies

Ballet and opera companies

National Ballet of Canada

Founded in 1951, the National Ballet of Canada is recognized as Canada’s premier ballet company.

With over 70 dancers, its own orchestra and talented directors, the National Ballet is known for its diverse repertoire of full-length classics, contemporary works and newly commissioned works developed by Canadian choreographers. The company has toured Canada, as well as internationally and has earned critical acclaim.

The Nutcracker is a popular tradition during the holidays with many local celebrities invited for walk-on roles as the Cannon Doll, including author Margaret Atwood, TV personality Rick Mercer and broadcaster Ron MacLean.

Performances occur at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, a venue designed for opera and ballet.

Location: 145 Queen Street West, Toronto

Toronto International Ballet

A vision brought to life by award-winning Artistic Director, Tatiana Stepanova, the Toronto International Ballet showcases local young talent, international stars, original choreography and beautiful sets.

The company provides aspiring dancers with training and the opportunity to perform in a professional production of The Nutcracker as performed in Ukraine and much of Eastern Europe.

Purchase tickets online for the annual classical performance at Meridian Hall and John W.H. Bassett Theatre in Toronto.

Locations:

• Meridian Hall, 1 Front Street East, Toronto
• John W. H Bassett Theatre, 255 Front Street West, Toronto

Canada’s National Ballet School

Canada’s National Ballet School is the only ballet school in North America that provides professional dance training, academic instruction and residential care on one campus.

Promoting well-being through dance, Canada’s National Ballet School offers a variety of unique programs, including for people living with Parkinson’s disease.

Showcase productions are staged at the Betty Oliphant Theatre in Toronto.

Location: 404 Jarvis Street, Toronto

Ballet Jörgen

Canada’s Ballet Jörgen (CBJ) is an award-winning ballet company that offers technical training in the heart of Toronto. CBJ also tours North America, committed to delivering accessible and relevant ballet performances.

CBJ’s repertoire includes classics like Anastasia, Romeo and Juliet, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, the Nutcracker and Cinderella. CBJ also performs one-act productions and short ballets such as Bouffonia and the Velveteen Rabbit. Even more short productions have been commissioned with a younger audience in mind.

View rehearsal sessions at Ballet Jörgen Studios in George Brown College or check the events calendar for performances across Ontario.

Location: 160 Kendal Avenue, Toronto

Opera Atelier

Opera Atelier performs in partnership with Tafelmusik, Canada’s renowned period-instrument orchestra. The company also collaborates with the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, a professional choral group dedicated to Afrocentric music of all styles, including classical, spiritual, gospel, jazz, folk and blues.

Opera Atelier is recognized as a world leader in revitalizing ballet and opera from the Baroque period for a modern audience. The company was founded in 1985 by ballet dancers Marshall Pynkoski and Jeannette Lajeunesse-Zingg.

Each production is carefully produced to blend historical accuracy, elegant and visually stunning costumes and set designs, incredible music using period instruments and, of course, the talent and athleticism of the dancers themselves. In addition to performing operas by legends like Mozart, the company commissions new music.

While based in Toronto, the company also tours nationally and internationally. Performances are scheduled twice yearly at the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre and Koerner Hall.

Locations:

• Elgin & Winter Garden Theatres, 189 Yonge Street, Toronto
• Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto

Canadian Opera Company

The internationally recognized Canadian Opera Company (COC) is the largest opera company in Canada and one of the largest opera producers in North America.

Thanks to its diverse repertoire and collaborations with leading opera companies from around the world, the COC attracts top Canadian and international artists making it hugely successful with a devout following. Emerging members in the arts scene have also benefitted from COC’s artist development programs, such as the Ensemble Studio and Composer-in-Residence.

Each new COC season features exciting productions that vary from classic Baroque opera to contemporary works at The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. This venue has been lauded by some of the most elite artists for its state-of-the-art acoustics. Just steps away from Osgoode subway station in Downtown Toronto, it is also a short walk from Union Station.

Thanks to the Opera Under 30 program, discounted Canadian Opera Company tickets are available for audience members under the age of 30.

Location: 145 Queen Street West, Toronto

Toronto Operetta Theatre (TOT)

Located a few blocks from Union Station, TOT is Toronto’s only professional operetta company. Operettas are lighter, toe-tapping operas interjected with short dialogue and offer a great introduction to opera, especially for younger viewers.

Every new TOT season features whimsical and witty productions. Past shows have included Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore and Pirates of Penzance and light-hearted renditions of classics such as The Importance of Being Earnest.

Performances take place at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. TOT offers Family Night Out packages, in which a 50% discount accompanies the purchase of an adult ticket for any Friday or Saturday performance on two tickets for children up to 16 years of age.

Location: 27 Front Street East, Toronto

Canadian Children’s Opera Company (CCOC)

The Canadian Children’s Opera Company is a large Toronto-based choral company comprised of over 200 young performers.

For over 50 years the CCOC has commissioned operas specifically designed for kids such as An Opera Yarn, The Hobbit and The Nightingale of a Thousand Songs. The company is always expanding its music repertoire in new languages beyond English and French, like Italian, Russian, Mandarin and several African languages.

The company collaborates with other artistic communities, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. When the Canadian Opera Company stages a production that requires young voices, CCOC chorists are cast.

Contemporary and traditional pieces are performed, and the group explores different genres, from folk to gospel and opera. The CCOC performs seasonally in venues across the city and beyond.

Location: Toronto

Shoestring Opera

Since 2004, Shoestring Opera has successfully been adapting classic operas into child-friendly formats to bring the magic of the experience to a younger audience.

Performances are 45 minutes long and feature a cast of four: a soprano, a baritone, a pianist and a cellist. The company emphasizes easy-to-follow storytelling, humour and musical excellence. Previous performances include the Shoestring version of Mozart’s Magic Flute and Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel.

Based in Toronto, the quartet performs in schools and theatres in the city and throughout the province.

Toronto City Opera (TCO)

What began as an opera workshop at Toronto’s Central Technical School in 1946 is now the city’s longest-running opera company.

TCO provides emerging soloists and community choristers the coaching they need to perform in fully staged operas and is committed to making this art form accessible to a broader audience.

Each year, the company performs at least two shows at affordable ticket prices. Recent performances were held at the Al Green Theatre.

Location: 750 Spadina, Toronto

VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert

VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert celebrates the singing voice in its purest form—without set design, costumes or any frills.

The company stages bold operatic works from big-name composers like Verdi and Puccini providing a platform for emerging Canadian talent to explore opera in a raw, experimental way.

Get ticket and date information for upcoming performances at Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church.

Location: 427 Bloor Street West, Toronto

Tapestry Opera

Founded in 1979, Tapestry Opera is dedicated to creating and performing original Canadian opera.

From Caribbean mythology to robot dramas, this company produces operas that challenge the boundaries of the art form, reflect modern themes and stimulate conversations for change.

Tapestry Opera also offers Box Concerts—a travelling stage with 30-minute sets of classical, musical theatre and popular songs. Box Concerts are performed in parks, local neighbourhoods and long-term care homes and demonstrate the powerful way music unites neighbours and strangers.

Tapestry Opera and Nightwood Theatre are building a new home and collaborative space for the performing arts.

Location: 877 Yonge Street, Toronto

Opera 5

Appealing to a broad audience and speaking to a wide range of tastes, Opera 5 explores well-known and emerging operatic works and focuses on changing how people see opera.

In addition to live performances, the Toronto-based alternative opera company also offers online opera-related content. Opera Cheats deconstructs well-known operatic plots in short, humorous videos.

Opera 5 stages shows at various venues in the city including Theatre Passe Muraille.

Against the Grain (AtG)

Established in 2010, AtG is revitalizing the operatic art form with outside-the-box opera experiences staged in surprising locations.

For example, AtG’s Opera Pub program is held in local bars and pubs. Opera Pubs are improvised performances of operatic arias and ensembles by established and emerging opera talent. For opera vets searching for something a little different, look no further. Experience a moving performance in a relaxed environment while enjoying a beer.

The most recent Opera Pub season was held at The Drake Hotel Lounge.

Location: 1150 Queen Street West, Toronto

Tips and etiquette

If you are attending an opera or ballet for the first time, here are some things to consider.

Where to start

Selecting the right show is important; start with something familiar, like the well-known stories of Sleeping Beauty or Romeo and Juliet.

Ballet performances are offered as a full program or a mixed repertory. The full program lasts up to two hours with an intermission, while a mixed repertory is a collection of short ballets presented with different dance styles. Mix repertories are a great opportunity to introduce younger fans to this beautiful performance art.

Reviewing the plot summaries beforehand with help you appreciate the details of the performance, the costumes and the set design without distraction or confusion.

The COC uses subtitles during performances in languages other than English. In fact, the use of subtitles above the stage was pioneered by COC almost 40 years ago and has been adopted by many opera houses around the world. Many venues also offer booklets that explain the storyline.

What to wear

For some, attending an opera or ballet is a chance to dress up for an elegant night out, especially for opening gala performance. However, in general, you’re not required to don a formal tuxedo or ballgown—casual attire is also perfectly acceptable.

Basic etiquette

Employ the same basic etiquette at the ballet and opera as you would at the theatre. Follow the cues of other patrons during a performance. Arrive early to avoid interruptions and always keep your screens and devices dark and silent during a performance.