The Sault Opera Legacy
A look back at the seasons and productions of Sault Opera
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This site has been dedicated in loving memory of Sault Opera's founders:
Arno Ambel
(1926 - 2004)
Vilma Ambel
(1923 - 1983)
Welcome
Welcome to the Sault Opera Legacy Web Pages. In this site, you will find a look back at the seasons and shows produced by the Sault Opera Society, Limited during its 29-year existence from 1970 to 1999.
During its 29 years of existence, Sault Opera has offered a rich variety of musical theatre to the city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. They have pioneered in the presentation of locally-produced classical opera, besides other forms of musical theatre. Since its beginning in 1970, Sault Opera has produced 15 operas (including two rock operas), 11 operettas, and 32 musicals.
The company has pioneered the practice of augmenting the local talent by engaging professional performers, directors, choreographers, designers, and other knowledgeable professional talent in order to achieve a well-polished quality to the performances of their stage productions. Teamed with talented young performers and seasoned local actors and dancers, they created new and original musical theatre for the enjoyment and benefit of their community and the busloads and carloads of musical theatre lovers coming a distance of sometimes hundreds of miles to enjoy Sault Opera stage productions.
Sault Opera organized, sponsored, and nurtured the "Sault Youth Theatre" for two seasons, until it became self-supporting in November 1989. Also, Sault Opera has sponsored three guest performances of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble in 1983, 1984, and 1985. In addition, Sault Opera presented its musical theatre productions by touring communities such as Elliot Lake, Espanola, and others.
The practice of "signing" the shows for the benefit of the hearing impaired has been introduced to Sault Ste. Marie by Sault Opera. This has been followed by the purchase of wireless "body-pack" audio equipment of high professional quality, which enables the audience to "hear a pin drop" on stage and to overcome the acoustical problems in some theatres. This equipment was made available to other community theatre groups in the vicinity.
The "Through the Years" link takes you through each year of Sault Opera's existence with photos, highlights, and historical facts. "The Shows" gives you all the details of each show Sault Opera produced including: authors, show dates, venue, cast, and production staff.
This site is my dedication to the hard work and dedication that my father and mother (Arno and Vilma Ambel) as well as the numerous people who acted or worked behind the scenes of Sault Opera productions made toward enriching lives of the people of Sault Ste. Marie and area and all who came to see a Sault Opera production.
Perhaps you may have been involved either onstage or offstage or you have seen at least one Sault Opera production or you have made a financial contribution towards the work of Sault Opera or you may be just plain curious about Sault Opera and what they did throughout those years. In any case, this site is for your enjoyment and pleasure. Happy surfing!
-Fred Ambel, web developer
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Joni Henson (Mabel)and Don Currie(Frederick) in the 1994 production of "Pirates of Penzance"
©. Web page design and layout by Open Door Productions. All images remain property of the Archives of the Sault Opera Society, Limited. Site content is based on material collected from the Sault Opera Archives by Arno Ambel - June 1996 to August 1999. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.
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