BRAMPTON - Unless more sponsors or more spectators step up in support of Brampton Lyric Opera, the local opera company could be drawing its final curtain at the end of this season.
Emilio Fina, founder and artistic director of the professional non-profit opera company, said meager ticket sales is pushing the company into debt— one that could run the operation into the ground.
“Right now, we’re $15,000 in debt,” the tenor told The Guardian, noting that he and his soprano wife Jennifer Fina are carrying the financial burden of the company for the sake of their passion. “We can’t keep going like that.
“I feel like if we don’t get out of debt ... 100 per cent ... I don’t want to proceed with it,” he said.
BLO, which became incorporated in 2004, isn’t off to a good start for its fifth season. Earlier this year Fina decided to pull the plug on 2008/2009 season opener, Cosi Fan Tutte, which was scheduled to run Nov. 22. After learning the Rose Theatre’s presentation of The Canadian Tenors was slated to run three days prior, it didn’t make sense to move forward with it.
“That’s direct competition,” he said. “So we cancelled it.”
And, just last week, he announced the cancellation of the third annual free outdoor concert which was set to run Aug. 20— but the decision to abandon this project was sparked by a feeling of defeat.
This year, BLO was only able to secure three performers alongside Fina and his wife to...
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