Introduction

Review Vancouver for Vancouver Opera’s Così fan tutte

Biography

Equally at home directing plays, musical theatre and opera, Allison Grant recently held the post of Artistic Director at Theatre Athena in Waterloo, Ontario. There she directed Master Class, Noel Coward’s Private Lives and the Canadian premiere of Itamar Moses’ Bach at Leipzig.

In 2009-2010, she directed Die Zauberflöte (Sarasota Opera) and L’elisir d’amore (Green Mountain Opera Festival). Other directing credits include Don Giovanni and Carmen (Opera Ontario), Così fan tutte (Vancouver Opera),  L’italiana in Algeri (L’Opéra de Montréal), Smokey Joe’s Café (Stagewest Calgary), Leslie Arden’s A Meeting of Minds (CanStage), Cinderella and The Brother’s Grimm (Canadian Opera Company), Il matrimonio segreto (Opera Division, University of Toronto), The Magic Flute and Figaro! Figaro! Figaro! which she also adapted, for Vancouver Opera.

Allison has directed or choreographed numerous plays and musicals including: Shirley Valentine, Glorious!, The Boyfriend, Double Double, All Grown Up, When the Reaper Calls, The Long Weekend, The Pirates of Penzance, Pretty Woman, Taming of the Shrew and Sullivan to Sondheim.

Allison often collaborates with Theatre and Opera directors as a choreographer or movement coach. Her choreographic work includes productions of The Merry Widow for opera companies in Hawaii, Edmonton and Hamilton, Die Fledermaus and Ballo in maschera (Vancouver Opera), South Pacific (Edmonton Opera), Fille du Regiment, Die Fledermaus, Carmen, Don Giovanni (Opera Ontario), Ariadne auf Naxos (Toronto Summer Music), The Queen of Spades, Dido and Aeneas, Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (The Canadian Opera Company), Die Fledermaus (Kentucky Opera).

2009 brought the choreography of a new production of Eugene Onegin for the Vancouver Opera.

In 2010-2011, Allison directed Don Giovanni at the Opera Division of the University of Toronto. She also continued her association with the Canadian Opera Company as a choreographer and Assistant Director. Her projects included Ariadne auf Naxos and Death in Venice.

Highlights of this season include Vancouver Opera’s Romeo et Juliette and Sarasoata Opera’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

January 2012

Full Repertoire

THEATRE - Directing Credits:

OPERA - Choreography Credits:

THEATRE - Choreography Credits:

Engaged By

Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus
Canadian Opera Company
Edmonton Opera Company
Florentine Opera
Hawaii Opera Theatre
Kentucky Opera
National Arts Centre, Ottawa
Opera in the Schools
Opera Ontario
Opera Saskatchewan
Prologue to the Performing Arts
Opera Division, Univ. of Toronto
University of Western Ontario
Vancouver Opera

Reviews

"Allison Grant's stage direction was such fun there wasn't a moment of static or tedium.  It is hard to enchant us these days with puppets and pageantry thanks to video production, but Grant used her performers to bring out their attributes...and this cast had many."
The Observer Group - June LeBell

"...with a rock solid cast of singers and terrific stage direction by Allison Grant in her Sarasota debut."
Sarasota Herald Tribune - Gayle Williams

“ Allison Grant’sKonzept is the true star of Vancouver Opera’s production of  COSI FAN TUTTE . .. Allison Grant’s direction is a revelation…This production is a triumph, it’s ideas lingering long after the instruments have been packed up and the lights put out.”

“and it’s this playful dramatic quality that director/choreographer Allison Grant so skillfully captures with this production which does total justice to both the playful and the dramatic.  There’s never a dull moment… (Don Giovanni, Opera Ontario)

“ Opera Hamilton’s period costume production which opened at Hamilton Place last night is a winner…There were many fine touches by director Allison Grant.

“Director Allison Grant drew highly detailed acting from most of the cast in a traditional production originating from New Orleans Opera.

“ Allison Grant directed this extremely elegant production…Grant was responsible for the success of some very complicated stage movements.

“Director Grant understands how Mozart gradually probes the various layers of sham and self-deception within these apparently shallow characters….the extraordinary depth and complexity of Mozart’s score is matched here in a solid, consistent production of real quality.

“Among the trickiest scenes are those involving a stage full of sailors, with numbers like There is Nothin’ like a Dame and Bali Ha’i.  Both were excellently staged with the right balance of chaos and precision.  The chorus really looked like sailors and obviously relished their moments.” (South Pacific, Edmonton Opera)

Edmonton Sun – John Charles

“There is so much dance in this operetta that Allison Grant’s choreography shares equally in its success.  Whether it is the many expected waltes, the series of Pontevedrian national dances, the boisterous can-can of Act 3 or the hilarious routines for the men in Ja das Studium der Weiber ist schwer”,her work is always imaginative and elegant.

“This is a lavish production, with extensive set changes and a large cast, which Deedrick and choreographer Allison Grant move along at an entertainingly breakneck speed.

Buffalo News – Jan Jezioro