It’s that time of year again, readers. It’s the season where Schmopera heads to the Canadian Rockies, to join Against the Grain Theatre and the Canadian Opera Company at the big, beautiful Banff Centre for its Open Space: Opera in the 21st-Century Program.

This summer, Open Space welcomes 13 singers, along with Assistant Stage Director Anna Theodosakis and pianist Maria Fuller. The artists will keep busy with the program’s two productions: first up is No One’s Safe, a “walkthough workshop” combining the music and stories of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro, and Così fan tutte, masterminded by Against the Grain Artistic Director Joel Ivany, and conducted by Miloš Repičky. Is your curiosity piqued yet? Make sure you’re following #MozartMurderMystery to get the full scoop.

Later in July, Against the Grain Theatre Music Director Christopher Mokrzewski conducts Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, directed by Paul Curran and designed by Camellia Koo. Mezzo-soprano Emma Char sings the title role, opposite Iain MacNeil as Tarquinius, and Owen McCausland and Chelsea Rus as Male and Female Chorus.

Like we’ve done in previous summers, we’ll keep up our coverage of the operatic goings on across the globe, and we’ll also be able to keep you in the loop with the artists of this year’s Open Space program. We also hope to get to know the faculty a bit better, which this year includes baritone Russell Braun and soprano Adrianne Pieczonka, and the Canadian Opera Company’s General Director, Alexander Neef.

Of course, yours truly will have a part in the summer’s mountain festivities. Just you wait, it’s gonna be fab.

Click here to find out all about the 2016 Open Space participants.