Opera Canada
Quarterly music magazine
title: "Opera Canada" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1960-establishments-in-ontario", "music-magazines-published-in-canada", "quarterly-magazines-published-in-canada", "magazines-about-opera", "magazines-established-in-1960", "magazines-published-in-toronto"] description: "Quarterly music magazine" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera_Canada" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Quarterly music magazine ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox magazine"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| title | Opera Canada |
| editor | Elizabeth Bowman |
| editor_title | Editor |
| previous_editor | Wayne Gooding |
| frequency | Quarterly |
| category | Classical music/Opera |
| company | Opera Canada Publications |
| firstdate | |
| country | Canada |
| based | Toronto |
| language | English |
| website | |
| issn | 0030-3577 |
| :: |
| title = Opera Canada | image_file = | image_caption = | editor = Elizabeth Bowman | editor_title = Editor | previous_editor = Wayne Gooding | staff_writer = | frequency = Quarterly | total_circulation = | circulation_year = | category = Classical music/Opera | company = Opera Canada Publications | firstdate = | country = Canada | based = Toronto | language = English | website = | issn = 0030-3577 Opera Canada is a quarterly music magazine published by Opera Canada Publications. It is the oldest continuously published arts magazine in Canada. It is an independent magazine separate from the Canadian Opera Association. Along with Opera and Opera News, in the 1990s, the magazine was considered to be one of the three major opera publications in the English-speaking world.
History
In 1960, Opera in Canada was established in Toronto by Ruby Mercer. It was started as a publication for the 300 members of the Canadian Opera Guild. The publication was meant to be a link between the Guild members and its readers. Mercer served as editor and publisher until 1990.
Contents and reception
The magazine covers a range of topics including performance reviews, feature articles, interviews, news, and profiles of Canadian and international opera artists. The magazine regularly publishes critical reviews of opera productions and recordings. The publication also highlights achievements in Canadian opera through its annual Opera Canada Awards (The Rubies), which recognize outstanding contributions by artists, administrators, and builders in the Canadian opera sector Opera Canada has not been without criticism. A 2022 commentary in the opera-industry blog Schmopera noted an incident in which a review in Opera Canada drew criticism for comments on a performer’s physical appearance rather than artistic ability; the blog argued this revealed potential gaps in editorial oversight and suggested the publication was “due for a revamp in terms of its editorial guidelines and its journalistic standards for reviews.” The magazine later posted a statement on social media apologizing to the artist and the opera community.
Bibliographic details
In 1963, the publication's name was changed to Opera Canada. The magazine was quarterly from 1960 to 1974. In 1975, six issues were planned but only five issues were published. Quarterly publication resumed and continued between 1976 and 2004. Five issues of the magazine were published annually 2004-????. The magazine has once again reverted to a quarterly publication.
Over its lifetime, the magazine has had three publishers as follows:
- Canadian Opera Guild (1960–1966)
- Canadian Opera Association (Toronto) (1966–1974)
- Opera Canada Publications (1974–present)
In February 1976 Opera Canada became an independent magazine. The Canadian Opera Association was the former legal name of the Canadian Opera Company used between 1960–1977. With the third publisher change, the magazine became a non-profit organization in Canada. Individual donors and corporations are entitled to an official receipt per Revenue Canada issued by Opera Canada (registration 118929108RR0001). The website and the printed magazine is available to paid subscribers. The magazine's other revenue streams are grants, advertising, and newsstand sales. Each year the publication receives funding from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Canadian Periodical Fund. Printing and targeted advertising within the magazine is delivered by Dovetail Communications Inc.
The editorial succession at Opera Canada was as follows:
- Ruby Mercer: February 1960–1990.
- Harvey Chusid: 1990–1992.
- Cynthia Dann Beardsley: 1992–1993.
- Wayne Gooding: 1993–2017.
- Gianmarco Segato: 2017–2021.
- Elizabeth Bowman: 2022–present.
Opera Canada Awards
With an endowment from the estate of Ruby Mercer, the Opera Canada Awards (The Rubies) were established in 2000. The Rubies recognise and honour outstanding individual achievements on stage and behind the scenes. The first recipients included Maureen Forrester, Stuart Hamilton, and John Cook.
Footnotes
Notes
Citations
| url = http://www.arts.on.ca/Page1966.aspx | title = Grants to Periodicals Results Announcement | date = 1 June 2007 | work = Arts | publisher = Ontario Arts Council | access-date = 2 February 2011
| url = https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-opera-company | title = Opera Canada | author = Sarah Church, Helmut Kallmann | encyclopedia = The Canadian Encyclopedia | access-date = 1 February 2011}}
| url = https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ruby-mercer-emc | title = Biographies Sopranos Mercer, Ruby | author = Betty Nygaard King | encyclopedia= The Canadian Encyclopedia | access-date = 1 February 2011
| url = http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0000585 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040516025856/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0000585 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 16 May 2004 | title = Canadian Opera Company | author = Carl Morey, Christopher Morris | encyclopedia = The Canadian Encyclopedia | access-date = 13 February 2011
| url = http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/ourl/res.php?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_tim=2011-02-01T01%3A13%3A03Z&url_ctx_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=90626&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fcollectionscanada.gc.ca%3Aamicus | title = AMICUS No. 90626 Serial | work = Library and Archives Canada | access-date = 1 February 2011
| url = http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/ourl/res.php?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_tim=2011-02-01T01%3A16%3A48Z&url_ctx_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=1645716&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fcollectionscanada.gc.ca%3Aamicus | title = AMICUS No. 1645716 Serial | work = Library and Archives Canada | access-date = 1 February 2011
| url = http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/ourl/res.php?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_tim=2011-02-01T01%3A30%3A07Z&url_ctx_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=5494940&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fcollectionscanada.gc.ca%3Aamicus | title = AMICUS No. 5494940 Serial/Microfilm | work = Library and Archives Canada | access-date = 1 February 2011
| url = http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/ourl/res.php?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_tim=2011-02-12T05%3A04%3A35Z&url_ctx_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=33957176&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fcollectionscanada.gc.ca%3Aamicus | title = AMICUS No. 33957176 | work = Library and Archives Canada
| url = http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/srch/charity-eng.action?r=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cra-arc.gc.ca%3A80%2Febci%2Fhaip%2Fsrch%2Fbasicsearchresult-eng.action%3Fs%3Dregistered%26amp%3Bk%3DOpera%2BCanada%26amp%3Bp%3D1%26amp%3Bb%3Dtrue&bn=118929108RR0001 | title = Canadian Registered Charities - Detail Page registration number: 118929108RR0001 | work = Canada Revenue Agency | access-date = 1 February 2011
| url = http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrts-gvng/dnrs/rcpts/1-eng.html | title = Canadian Registered Charities - Detail Page registration number: 118929108RR0001 | work = Canada Revenue Agency | access-date = 1 February 2011
| url = http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tp/it110r3/it110r3-e.html | title = IT-110R3 Income Tax Interpretation Bulletin Gifts and Official Donation Receipts | work = Canada Revenue Agency | access-date = 2 February 2011
| url = http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/srch/t3010form19officers-eng.action?b=118929108RR0001&e=2008-12-31&n=OPERA+CANADA+PUBLICATIONS&r=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cra-arc.gc.ca%3A80%2Febci%2Fhaip%2Fsrch%2Ft3010form19-eng.action%3Fb%3D118929108RR0001%26amp%3Be%3D2008-12-31%26amp%3Bn%3DOPERA%2BCANADA%2BPUBLICATIONS%26amp%3Br%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.cra-arc.gc.ca%253A80%252Febci%252Fhaip%252Fsrch%252Fbasicsearchresult-eng.action%253Fs%253Dregistered%2526amp%253Bk%253DOpera%252BCanada%2526amp%253Bp%253D1%2526amp%253Bb%253Dtrue | title = Directors / Trustees and Like Officials - OPERA CANADA PUBLICATIONS 2008 Annual Information Return | work = Canada Revenue Agency | access-date = 11 February 2011
| url = http://www.dvtail.com/index.html | title = Welcome to Dovetail Communications Inc. | work = Dovetail Communications | access-date = 11 February 2011
| url = http://www.magazinescanada.ca/consumer?id=133 | title = Magazines"entertainment"Opera Canada | work = Magazines Canada | access-date = 13 February 2011
| url = http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/posted/archive/2010/04/02/magazines-receiving-money-from-the-canadian-periodical-fund.aspx | title = Magazines receiving money from the Canadian Periodical Fund | author = Ron Nurwisah | date = 3 April 2010 | work = National Post | access-date = 1 February 2011
| title = Opera Canada Contact Us | url = http://operacanada.ca/contact-us | work = Opera Canada | location = Toronto | issn = 0030-3577 | access-date = 1 February 2011
| title = Opera Canada on its own | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kcsyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=r-0FAAAAIBAJ&dq=opera%20canada%20opera-canada%20-%244.95%20-pay-per-view&pg=3812%2C5081981 | newspaper = The Ottawa Citizen | location = Ottawa | issn = 0839-3222 | date = 12 March 1976 | page = 59 | access-date = 1 February 2011
| title = Traffic allowing, a Guild here? | author = Lauretta Thistle | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XscyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e-wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1584,2978415&dq=opera+canada+opera-canada+-%244.95+-pay-per-view&hl=en | newspaper = The Ottawa Citizen | location = Ottawa | issn = 0839-3222 | date = 24 March 1965 | page = 2 Entertainment | access-date = 1 February 2011
| title = Opera magazine editor dies at 92 [Final Edition] | url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/434126551.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+01%2C+1999&author=&pub=Waterloo+Region+Record&desc=Opera+magazine+editor+dies+at+92&pqatl=google | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130131204935/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/434126551.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+01,+1999&author=&pub=Waterloo+Region+Record&desc=Opera+magazine+editor+dies+at+92&pqatl=google | url-status = dead | archive-date = 31 January 2013 | newspaper = Waterloo Region Record | location = Kitchener, Ontario | issn = 0824-5150 | date = 1 February 1999 | page = B5 Entertainment | access-date = 1 February 2011
| title = Ruby Mercer (1906–1999) | url = http://www.scena.org/lsm/sm6-5/ruby.html | newspaper = La Scène musicale | location = Montréal | issn = 1703-8189 | date = 1 February 2001 | access-date = 1 February 2011 | volume = 6 | issue = 5
| url = http://blog.scena.org/2010/10/this-week-in-toronto-oct.html | title = This Week in Toronto (Oct. 11 - 17) | author = Joseph So | date = 9 October 2010 | work =The Music Scene | access-date = 2 February 2011
| title = With this Ring ... Wagner's classic begins | author = John Terauds | url = https://www.thestar.com/article/95772 | newspaper = Toronto Star | location = Toronto | oclc = 679765547 | issn = | date = 7 September 2006 | access-date = 1 February 2011
| title = Ontario Arts Council cuts off opera magazine (FIN Edition) | author = Bob Mitchell | url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/471307631.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+18%2C+1989&author=Bob+Mitchell+TORONTO+STAR&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Ontario+Arts+Council+cuts+off+opera+magazine&pqatl=google | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110629015339/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/471307631.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+18,+1989&author=Bob+Mitchell+TORONTO+STAR&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Ontario+Arts+Council+cuts+off+opera+magazine&pqatl=google | url-status = dead | archive-date = 29 June 2011 | newspaper = Toronto Star | location = Toronto | oclc = 679765547 | issn = | date = 18 December 1989 | page = C6 | access-date = 1 February 2011
| title = Editor of Opera Canada: Keeping them informed | author = Eloise Wilkinson | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=te1fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aVEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3298,2752438&dq=opera+canada+opera-canada+-%244.95+-pay-per-view&hl=en | newspaper = Windsor Star | location = Windsor, Ontario | oclc = 472639779 | date = 28 March 1968 | page = 49 | access-date = 1 February 2011
References
- (2022-05-02). "About Us {{!}} Opera Canada Opera Canada".
- "Brett Polegato receives Opera Canada Ruby Award".
- "Opinion: critics who body-shame are bad at their job".
- [https://operacanada.ca/opera-canada-names-new-editorial-director "Opera Canada names new Editorial Director"], ''Opera Canada'', 20 July 2023. Accessed 20 July 2023.
- [https://operacanada.ca/elizabeth-bowman-joins-opera-canada-as-editor/ "Elizabeth Bowman Joins Opera Canada as Editor"], ''Opera Canada'', 2 May 2022. Accessed 2 May 2022.
- Issue #1 of Opera in Canada was dated February / March 1960.
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