U of A @ the Opera: Pre-Performance Reception with President Bill Flanagan

Brian Deedrick, BA ‘79, MFA ‘85

Worlds really do collide, and I'm delighted to return to Opera Kelowna to direct one of Mozart's masterpieces, The Marriage of Figaro. As a freelance theatre and opera director based in Edmonton, my work has taken me across Canada, the United States, Europe, and beyond. With more than 100 productions to my credit, a few highlights include Tosca at the Rheinsberg Festival in Germany; Le Comte Ory, Weill in Weimar, Otello, Falstaff, and South Pacific with Edmonton Opera; Lakmé in Tel Aviv; productions of La Bohème and Aida around the world; and, of course, Béatrice et Bénédict and La Traviata in Kelowna.

So, what about those colliding worlds? As a proud University of Alberta alumnus with a BA (Honours) in Drama and an MFA in Directing, I'm especially looking forward to joining University of Alberta President Bill Flanagan for a pre-performance conversation. Bill and I, along with Kelowna Chapter volunteer Christine Whittaker, all share a hometown - Lacombe, Alberta - which makes this reunion all the more meaningful.

I'm also delighted to recognize fellow U of A alumni who are helping bring The Marriage of Figaro to the Kelowna stage: Brianna Wells, ’17 Arts, Managing Director of Opera Kelowna; and Kaylie Gillespie, ’19 Arts, Assistant Stage Manager. It seems U of A alumni really are everywhere, and I'm pleased to celebrate those connections while returning to Kelowna for this production.