Toronto Opera Repertoire (TOR) is a community opera program, offered under the aegis of the Toronto District School Board Continuing Education Program, that’s been an astonishing learning and singing experience for more than 40 years — and you can be part of it! The photos on this page are from our 2008 season productions of A Masked Ball and La Bohème.

There’s a time commitment — but it’s worth it. As six-year chorus veteran Barbara Thomson put it, “It’s incredible how much you can learn — and how many new friends you can make — when all you’re giving is three hours every Tuesday evening. Of course there are extra rehearsals as we get close to performance — but you’re in costume, on stage, and it’s lots of fun.” Ana Smiljanic loved the experience of singing in both La Bohème and A Masked Ball: “This season was a wonderful experience for me me. I met many great people, learned lots of new things and saw the making of an opera production. My family and friends all loved the shows and will certainly be back for more.” Chris Lea, on the operatic stage for the first time in his life five years ago, notes that “One of the great things about this program is the variety of people it brings together. There are seniors, young people — we even had children involved in our production of La Bohème. And there are people from every cultural and ethnic background too. Yes, there are roles for non-singers. Want to learn stage-craft, or just be an extra in a crowd scene? There’s a place for you in Toronto Opera Repertoire.”

TOR operates under the leadership of its Artistic Director and is run by a volunteer Board of Directors, drawn from students in the program.