Opera Unbound Presents The Fox
Opera Unbound presents the world premiere of emerging Vancouver composer Roan Shankaruk’s evocative new chamber opera The Fox, the first-ever contemporary opera adaptation D.H. Lawrence’s 1922 novella.
Opera Unbound Presents The Fox
- Dates: April 17-19, 2026
- Location: The ANNEX (823 Seymour St, Vancouver)
- Tickets: Available online now
Set in WWI Britain, The Fox follows Nellie March and Jill Banford, who are both business and covert romantic partners plagued by a wily fox wreaking havoc on their poultry farm. When a charming young soldier, Henry Grenfel, offers his assistance, he sets off a chain of events that threaten to change all of their lives forever. An unsettling psychological study of power and sexuality, The Fox has been adapted into an award-winning 1967 film, as well as theatrical plays. This is the first time Lawrence’s novella has been adapted into a contemporary opera.
The Fox is Shankaruk’s first full-length chamber opera, composed through the support of the University of Manitoba’s “New Works Project,” while completing her Master’s degree in Music. Initially presented as a concert-style workshop at the height of the global pandemic, Opera Unbound approached Shankaruk to further develop the work into a fully staged production for 2026.
The world premiere of The Fox features local performers: tenor Chris Donlevy as Henry, mezzo-soprano Renee Fajardo and soprano Roan Shankaruk, alternating as Jill, and mezzo-soprano Taryn Plater as Nellie. Instrumentalists include Teodora Dimova on violin and Min Jee Yoon on cello, under the direction of Music Director/Conductor Perri Lo. Production and creative team members also include Christopher Lam as Director, Jessica Wynn Cole as Art Director, Christian Ching as Lighting Designer, and Andy Sandberg as Stage Manager.
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