The COC’s spring season continues with a double bill of darkly witty, one-act operas: Alexander Zemlinsky’s A Florentine Tragedy (Canadian premiere) and Giacomo Puccini’s comic Gianni Schicchi.  Zemlinsky’s satiric one-acter is based on an unfinished Oscar Wilde play that tells the tale of a merchant who discovers his wife’s affair with the Prince of Florence.  Part two of the double bill is Puccini’s tour-de-force comedy in which family members frantically scheme to benefit their own greed when excluded from a wealthy relative’s will.  Bass-baritone Alan Held and German soprano Gun-Brit Barkmin make their COC debuts in the lead roles of both operas.  German-Canadian tenor Michael König makes his first appearance with the company to portray the prince at the heart of A Florentine Tragedy.  Soprano and COC Ensemble Studio member Simone Osborne takes on the role of Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi.  The double bill is presented in a new production by Catherine Malfitano, one of the world’s most renowned sopranos whose directorial efforts have received much acclaim.  Returning to conduct this pair of operas is legendary maestro Sir Andrew Davis, whose company debut last year with Ariadne auf Naxos was met with nightly standing ovations. 

Single tickets for A Florentine Tragedy/Gianni Schicchi are $12 – $318 (specially priced $22 tickets are available for people under the age of 30).  Tickets are available online at coc.ca, by calling COC Ticket Services at 416-363-8231, or in person at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Box Office, located at 145 Queen St. W., Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

All performance dates and times

Thurs. April 26, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

Wed. May 2, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

Sat. May 5, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

Sat. May 12, 2012 at 4:30 p.m.

Tues. May 15, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

Fri. May 18, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

Sun. May 20, 2012 at 2 p.m.

Fri. May 25, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.