Come Closer
By Ryan Trew (Composer) and Rachel Krehm (librettist)
Chamber Opera World Premiere at Factory Theatre
June 13, 14, 18, 19 and 21, 2025 all at 7:30pm
Come Closer
at the Canadian Opera Company Free Concert Series
Join us at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre on Wednesday, April 16th at 12 p.m for a special preview performance of Come Closer before it’s official world premiere. This is a free and public event.
For more info click here
Come Closer
A new Canadian opera that takes an emotional look at the grief of losing a sister, based on the personal experiences of Rachel Krehm, who lost her sister Elizabeth to addiction.
Information:
Language: English
Forces: 2 soprano, violin, cello, piano
Running time: 95 minutes in Two Acts
*Portfolio Artist Intern
Are you a producer looking for more information? Please e-mail rachel@opera5.ca
Creative Team:
Composer: Ryan Trew
Librettist: Rachel Krehm with poetry by Elizabeth Krehm
Creation Dramaturg: Amanda Smith
Production Team:
Conductor: Evan Mitchell
Stage Director: Amanda Smith
Production Designer: Shannon Lea Doyle
Lighting Designer: Noah Feaver
Production Manager: Patrick Lynn
Stage Manager: Tamara Vuckovic
Production Dramaturg: Graham Cozzubbo
Assistant Director: Maddalena Ohrbach*
Assistant Stage Manager: Emma Yee*
Cast:
Big Sister: Rachel Krehm
Little Sister: Jacqueline Woodley
Big Sister Cover: Brenna McFarland*
Little Sister Cover: Kate Fogg*
Musicians:
Trevor Chartrand, Piano and Repetiteur
Allene Chomyn, Violin
Rebecca Morton, Cello
Portfolio Artist Interns Assigned to Come Closer:
Assistant Directing: Kyle Briscoe* and MacKenzie Sechi*
Assistant Stage Managing: Jayden Burrows* and Brenna McFarland*
Information:
Language: English
Forces: 2 soprano, violin, cello, piano
Running time: 95 minutes in Two Acts
*Portfolio Artist Intern
Composer
Librettist / Big Sister
Stage Director / Creation Dramaturg
Conductor
Production Designer
Lighting Designer
Production Manager
Stage Manager
Little Sister
Piano and Repetiteur
Violin
Cello
Graham Cozzubbo
Production Dramaturg
Big Sister Cover
Assistant Stage Manager, Intern
Little Sister Cover
Assistant Director (Intern)
Assistant Stage Manager (Intern)
Assistant Director (Intern)
Assistant Director (Intern)
Assistant Stage Manager, Intern
“Grief is a universal experience for all of us who have loved and yet it is often the most isolating of experiences. I wanted to create a show that allowed us to connect and feel less alone. Ryan Trew’s music embodies nostalgia, melody, and every feeling you can imagine. His music lifts up my sister’s words and my story of finding yourself again after experiencing loss. I can’t wait to share the opera with you.”
Rachel Krehm, librettist
Come Closer follows Big Sister through a series of waking dreams sparked by the poetry of her late Little Sister. As Big Sister reads, she explores the past and her mind tries to make sense of who her sister was, their relationship, what happened, and how to continue forward.
Workshops and Support
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Opera McGill has been hugely supportive in the creation of Come Closer providing three workshops in the development of the work, as well as working with students to create an opportunity for them to work with living creators.
These workshops have been:
A music and dramatic devising workshop in 2022
A music workshop in 2023
A music workshop and sneak peek presentation of the complete opera musically in February 2025.
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A music workshop of the opera with the creating performers in August of 2024 in Jackman Studio at the Canadian Opera Company. Thank you to the COC for the kind use of their space.
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Come Closer received a Residency with Pacific Opera Victoria in 2022 to workshop the music of Come Closer and perform selections of Come Closer. This opportunity was vital in the creation of the opera.
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Come Closer was one of six projects granted a pitch session at Opera America's Conference in 2023 in Pittsburgh. This program was facilitated by Association for Opera in Canada and supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.
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Come Closer is a recipient of a Research and Create and Concept to Realization Grants from the Canada Council for the Arts.
Come Closer Song Cycle
Come Closer began as an orchestral song cycle by composer Ryan Trew with poetry by Elizabeth Krehm (1990 - 2012) and has been performed by Rachel Krehm with The Thunder Bay Symphony (2023), North York Concert Orchestra (2023), Canzona Chamber Players (2022 and 2018), and the Kingston Symphony Orchestra (2021).
Information:
The song cycle is 7 songs and 35 minutes in length.
Orchestra size: 1.1.1.1-2.1.1.0. - 1 percussion, harp, strings and solo soprano.
Interested in the song cycle please e-mail rachel@opera5.ca
