Sep 25, 2025

Q & A with Executive Director Michael Blais

Get to know Manitoba Opera’s new executive director Michael Blais in this Q & A about his work with the company, his journey to arts administration and what he sees ahead for Manitoba Opera.  

Q: Where have you worked previously?
A: Prior to being appointed executive director, I served as director of administration, and before that, I was the box office coordinator. I joined the company when we brought our ticketing service in-house. It was a strategic decision at that time aimed at deepening patron relationships and enhancing the audience experience.  

Before transitioning into arts management, I worked as a professional contemporary dancer. It feels like a lifetime ago, but that work remains close to my heart. 

Q: What led to your interest in arts management?
A: Even during my time as a dancer, I knew I would eventually find my way into administration. I was fascinated by the complexity and coordination required to manage an arts organization. Once I began working in administration, I discovered how rewarding it is to support artists from behind the scenes. Each season brings new challenges, and I thrive on the variety of roles and responsibilities I have within the company. 

Q: Do you play an instrument or have an artistic interest of your own?
A: I studied piano and voice as a child and young adult, and I returned to piano in my thirties. It’s been an on-and-off relationship over the years, but when I retired from dancing, I made a conscious decision to draw a fairly hard line under my artistic practice. Arts management has proven to be creatively fulfilling enough for me. 

Q: What do you see are the company’s biggest challenges?
A: I’ve seen our challenges evolve over time. Right now, post-pandemic recovery remains a central focus, with rebuilding and expanding our audience base as a top priority. Adding to the complexity is a funding environment that continues to place pressure on the sector. Public support has remained relatively stable but hasn’t kept pace with inflation or the growing needs of arts organizations. Together, these factors contribute to a challenging landscape where attracting and retaining skilled administrative staff is becoming increasingly difficult. 

Q: What do you feel are Manitoba Opera’s greatest strengths?
A: I would say our strongest asset is our relationships with our artists, our patrons and donors, and with all our peer and partner organizations. These connections are the foundation of everything we do.   

Another asset is the organization’s commitment to excellence. It runs through every level of the organization, and despite the challenges we face, I think we consistently exceed expectations.   

Q: What has been the most significant recent change for the company?
A: The most significant recent change was initiated by the organization. With Larry Desrochers, our longtime general director & CEO stepping down in May 2026, the company has made the decision to move to a dual leadership model, separating the artistic director and executive director roles into two positions. It’s the most substantial structural change we’ve made in many years, and it opens the door to exciting new possibilities. Although we approach change carefully and methodically, with a keen eye on the associated risks, I believe the coming years will bring more opportunities for the creation of new work and more community-focused programming. 

Q: So much has changed in the classical music world in the past few years. What are you hoping to see happen with the company over the next five years?
A: I’d love to see more investment in new work and in telling stories that really reflect the diversity of our community. I hope we can grow programs like Opera Access, or come up with new ones, that break down barriers and create more ways for people to connect with opera. There’s no denying the financial pressures in the sector, but with solid management and smart partnerships, I think we can keep growing our impact and continue supporting both our artists and our audiences.  

On the administrative side of things, I hope that we can fully capitalize our endowment fund. We’re just under 5M right now, and the goal of a 10M endowment will provide the organization with a revenue stream to address the structural deficit that exists in too many arts organizations.  At the end of the day, I just want to see the company keep creating artistic experiences that truly resonate with people. 

Q: Maintaining and building a loyal audience is challenging. What is your philosophy with regards to audience growth in the current climate?
A: Audience building is a top priority for us. We’re still navigating recovery from the pandemic, and it’s a complex landscape.  Audience demographics are shifting, and consumer behaviours are changing. While challenging, they also bring new opportunities. Our Opera Access program, which provides complimentary tickets to a variety of social service agencies and reduced socio-economic barriers to attendance, is a good example of this. With unused capacity in the hall, we saw this as an opportunity to enhance our service to the community. We’ve been able to expand this program alongside efforts to grow our paid audience. Some of these tickets are now underwritten through sponsorships. The goal isn’t to convert recipients into buyers; it’s about broadening our reach and deepening public value. In doing so, we hope to cultivate long-term appreciation for the art form and maybe change some perceptions about the art form along the way. 

Q: What are you most looking forward to in your first season as executive director?
A: Our season-opening production of Tosca. It was the first opera that really resonated with me, and I still love it to this day. It also happens to be the first fully staged production I worked on when I joined the company in 2010. We’re using the same set that we used back then from Seattle Opera. It’s a beautiful set with these gorgeous hand-painted backdrops. It all feels very full circle in a lot of ways, and I’m looking forward to experiencing it again through the lens of my new role. 

Aug 28, 2025

Celebrating the 2024/25 Season’s Success with Support from Power Corporation of Canada

Our heartfelt thanks to Power Corporation of Canada for their generous support as a season production sponsor in the 2024/25 Season. Their investment made it possible to present two exceptional productions—The Elixir of Love and La Bohème—bringing world-class opera to the heart of Canada and enriching the cultural life of Manitoba. 

This season stood out as a triumph of artistic and emotional storytelling. The Elixir of Love delighted audiences with its comedic charm and lyrical beauty, featuring acclaimed performances by Andriana Chuchman and Jonah Hoskins. In the spring, La Bohème offered a moving portrayal of love and loss in 19th-century Paris, with standout performances by Suzanne Taffot, Zachary Rioux, and Charlotte Siegel. Both productions were traditionally staged and delivered with the high level of artistry that audiences have come to expect from Manitoba Opera. 

Thanks to Power Corporation of Canada’s sponsorship, Manitoba Opera was able to meet the demands of rising production costs while maintaining accessibility and artistic integrity. This support was especially vital as the company continues to navigate the post-pandemic arts landscape, working to rebuild and expand our audience base.  

In addition to the success on stage, Power Corporation’s contribution enabled Manitoba Opera to continue offering a wide range of educational and community engagement programming. These initiatives connected the company with students and opera goers across the province through student workshops, digital resources, and public events that encouraged conversation and connection through opera. 

Manitoba Opera is proud to recognize Power Corporation of Canada as a key partner in delivering a meaningful 2024/25 season. Their support underscores the vital role that corporate philanthropy plays in sustaining the arts and ensuring that opera continues to inspire, educate, and engage communities across Manitoba. 

Jul 23, 2025

2024/25 SEASON ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING RECAP

Manitoba Opera (MO) announced at its 2024/25 Annual General Meeting (AGM), held at the Centennial Concert Hall on Tuesday, July 8, that the year ending May 31, 2025, was a dynamic and affirming year for the company that underscored Manitoba Opera’s role as both a cultural leader and a creative force in the province. 

“With generous community support, in 2024/25, we continued to expand our impact while staying grounded in the timeless power of storytelling through music,” said Larry Desrochers, General Director & CEO. “Our programming, community engagement, and education initiatives all centered on the core themes of artistic excellence and innovation, connecting to communities, language and cultural reclamation, and civic leadership.” 

The company reported that it posted an operating surplus of $5,000 following an internal transfer of $47,082 to its board-designated Operating Reserve Fund. As of May 31, 2025, the Reserve Fund has a balance of $314,561 up from $267,479, to support activities and programs for FY2026.  

Although subscription figures were just 70% of pre-pandemic levels, this represents a 20% increase over the previous year. The 2024/25 season programming – The Elixir of Love and La Bohème – was a resounding artistic success, but single ticket revenue for both productions underperformed. The year ended with $501,344 in box office receipts. Fundraising from all operational campaigns saw a modest increase of five percent in donations, fundraising, and sponsorship. During the 2024/25 season, The A. Kerr Twaddle Robert H. Thorlakson Manitoba Opera Endowment Fund grew by $964,450, and as of May 31, 2025, has a market value of $4,227,251 ($3,262,801 – 2024).  

“We are so very thankful to the opera community and all our supporters coming together to support opera in Manitoba once again in the 2024/25 season,” commented Judith Chambers, Outgoing Chair. “Whether it’s a fully staged mainstage production, new Canadians attending an opera for the first time through our Opera Access program, or students working with a professional singer in their classroom, none of our work would be possible without the generous support we receive from our individual donors, corporate partners, funders, and investments from all three levels of government.”  

The 2024/25 season saw the Opera Access program grow significantly. This program provides free or subsidized tickets to social service organizations that distribute tickets to people who might not attend an opera otherwise. This season, over 3,700 tickets (2,527 for The Elixir of Love and 1,187 for La Bohème) were distributed to over 75 organizations.   

Other season highlights included the return of celebrated Winnipeg soprano Andriana Chuchman as Adina in The Elixir of Love and La Bohème’s powerful all-Canadian cast led by Zachary Rioux (Rodolfo) and Suzanne Taffott (Mimì); the retirement of Maestro Tyrone Paterson as the company’s music advisor & principal conductor after 21 seasons; the awarding of a transformative investment of $750,000 over three years from Prairies Economic Development Canada that will help to rebuilding audiences, strengthen finances, and modernize business practices; the Gala Reception in honour of Winnipeg philanthropist Michael Nesbitt, the third recipient of the Gail Asper Award; a continuation of the company’s equity, diversity, and inclusion work which included the creation of the Black Communities Advisory Committee; the fifth anniversary of the Digital Emerging Artist Program which saw five participants receiving a total of 445 hours of mentorship; reaching over 2,000 students through a range of programs; and multi-faceted engagement initiatives such as the art supplies drive that positioned the company as a community connector and cultural convenor.  

The 2025/26 Board of Trustees was also announced at the AGM. Members re-elected were Sandy Chahal, Charlene Ord, John Pacak, and Grant Suderman. Trustees in mid-terms are Paul Bruch-Wiens, Terence Sakohianisaks Douglas, Flavia Fernadez Fabio, Lana Maidment, Luisa Matheson, Andrea McLandress, and Dr. Bill Pope. Joining the board of trustees is Anthony Maros and Dr. Verona Wheatley. (See below for bios.) Returning to the board is Incoming Chair Lori Yorke, who previously served as a trustee and was chair of the Finance Committee. 

After completing four full terms, Judith Chambers will be retiring from the board. Also concluding their service of four full terms are Keith Sinclair and Dr. David Folk. Ray Karasevich is leaving the board after joining in 2022. Elba Haid is also leaving the board and has been named Director Emeritus. Haid joined the board in 2007, served as chair from 2015 to 2000, continued to support the company as past chair, and was the co-chair for this year’s The Gail Asper Award and co-chair of The Power of Voice Endowment Campaign.