James Westman: Gamekeeper
Lambroula Maria Pappas: Vixen
Monica Huisman: Fox
Peter Blanchet: Schoolmaster / Mosquito
Terry Hodges: Pastor / Badger
Chad Louwerse: Harasta
Rebecca Hass: Gamekeeper’s Wife / Owl
Justin Welsh: Lapak
Colleen Renihan: Jay / Rooster
Marilyn Arsenault: Chocholka
Eric Olsen: Pasek
Alison Nystrom: Innkeeper’s Wife / Woodpecker
Carina Teoh / Claudia Wong: Pepik
Emilie Wong / Esther-Ruth Teel: Frantik
Viviane Fairbanks / Sophia Higgens: Little Girl

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Lambroula Maria Pappas as Vixen
and
Justin Welsh as Lapak

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Director's Notes

The Cunning Little Vixen is a spring opera, a spirited ode to nature forever renewing itself. Human and animal life is cyclical like the seasons. We go through all stages and when our winter has come we prepare to make way for new life. Little vixen Sharpears is the centre of this opera. She symbolizes zest for living as the driving force of the cycle of life. Guided by her instincts she is not concerned by our concepts of good and evil. She takeslife as it is and bears many little vixens. At the same time she is Tarynka, the girl from the forest so magically attractive to all men.

 

Janàcek poetically juxtaposes two different worlds. For the animals in the natural world life is hard, yet they are content and free. In contrast none of the inhabitants of the rigid village comunity seems to be very happy. We are introduced to three old and disappointed people. They all three hope for some final inspiration in life and dream of Terynka. Instead, Terynka gives herself to an adventurer. The Cunning Little Vixen seems to tell us

Conductor: Timothy Vernon
Director: Wim Trompert
Set and Costume Designer: Leslie Frankish
Light Designer: Harry Frehner

Victoria Symphony Orchestra
The Pacific Opera Chorus
Chorus Master: Robert Holliston
The Victoria Children’s Choir