Mr. Speaker, on Monday, April 22 the wealth and breadth of Canadian opera was featured and celebrated at a concert showcase at the Glenn Gould studio, CBC broadcast centre. A first for Toronto and indeed Canada, Opera Festival 2002 celebrated the exciting world of opera. Over 249 musicians, 169 singers and 24 dancers were featured on six different stages.
Collaborating in Opera Festival 2002 were: the Professional Opera Companies of Canada; the Canadian Opera Company; Opera Ontario; Opera Atelier; Tapestry New Opera Works; Autumn Leaf Opera & Performance; and Soundstreams Canada. At the heart of the festival was Opera Conference 2000. Over 500 delegates from around the globe gathered in Toronto to advance and explore the art of opera and opera productions.
I congratulate everyone involved in the festival for their outstanding contribution to Canada's arts and culture.