Toronto, Ontario – The Canadian Opera Company is proud to announce that acclaimed Canadian tenor Ben Heppner and a stellar cast of Canadian opera stars, including soprano Adrianne Pieczonka, and baritones Gerald Finley and Brett Polegato will perform in a mixed program of opera arias, choruses and orchestral pieces at the Inaugural Gala Concert for the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. Presented by BMO Financial Group, an audience of 2,000 will usher in a new era for the Canadian Opera Company in Canada’s first purpose-built opera house. The Inaugural Gala Concert features COC General Director Richard Bradshaw leading the acclaimed COC Orchestra and Chorus.

After receiving international attention for his performance at the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, tenor Ben Heppner returns to the COC for this fundraising concert. Recognized worldwide as one of the finest dramatic tenors today, Mr. Heppner performs regularly in the world’s leading opera houses and is acclaimed for his beautiful voice, intelligent musicianship and dramatic sense. Soprano Adrianne Pieczonka garnered critical acclaim and a Dora Mavor Moore Award for her performance as Sieglinde in the COC’s Die Walküre and will reprise that role in the COC’s Ring Cycle this September. Praised for "her expressive lyricism, unforced beauty of tone, exemplary diction and compelling acting," (Opera Canada), Ms Pieczonka performs on major opera and concert stages throughout Europe and North America. Baritone Gerald Finley is one of the world’s leading opera singers, recording with major labels and performing in opera and concert venues internationally. He is known for performing the leading Mozart and Handel baritone roles and for his involvement in major new works for the stage including the recent world premiere of Mark Anthony Turnage’s The Silver Tassie for English National Opera. Baritone Brett Polegato has appeared on several of the world's most distinguished stages including those of Lincoln Center, La Scala, the Concertgebouw, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Carnegie Hall. He returns next season as Valentin in the COC’s production of Faust.

Tickets for the concert and pre-performance cocktails are $150 and $250. Tickets are on sale to Capital Campaign donors of $10,000 and above as of March 6, 2006; Golden Circle and President’s Council Members on March 13, 2006; COC Subscribers & Annual Donors on March 20, 2006; and the general public on May 1, 2006.

Thanks to the extraordinary support of BMO Financial Group, this glorious Gala Concert will be simulcast live on a large screen in Nathan Phillips Square, free of charge, for the public to enjoy. Given the enthusiastic response to the COC’s Summer Opera Concerts over the past 11 years, a crowd of thousands is expected to fill the square.