 |
The Sault Opera LegacyA look back at the seasons and productions of Sault OperaPrinter-Friendly Pages |
|||||||
|
||||||||
1972
In 1972, Sault Opera aimed for opera productions with Bizet's "Carmen" in the spring and Mozart's "Don Giovanni" (directed by James Whicher, who came back to the Sault from St. Catharine's to direct the opera and take the lead part of Don Giovanni) with a new music director, Anton Gartshore, in the fall of that year.
A wardrobe department under the supervision of Vilma Ambel came into existence under the auspices of a Federal grant (the Local Initiatives Program), and Sault Opera's own stage sets and properties were constructed and acquired during this period also.
During the technical rehearsal of "Don Giovanni", a stagehand, the whole pit orchestra, and Mr. Whicher were all nearly asphyxiated during the running of a smoke machine under the riser that the character of Don Giovanni was supposed to disappear. Needless to say, that particular smoke machine was never used in the performances and the effect was achieved by the creative lighting design of Jim Collis.