Spencer Duncanson, Artistic Director
Welcome to Life, Love, and Longing: A Musical Cabaret. Tonight’s program invites us into a world where opera and musical theatre meet—two traditions often seen as distant cousins, yet united by their devotion to storytelling through music. Whether drawn from the Golden Age of Broadway, the jazz‑infused world of Gershwin, or the sweeping emotional landscapes of contemporary theatre, each song you’ll hear tonight shares opera’s essential heartbeat: characters in moments of profound transformation. This repertoire traces the full arc of human experience. We begin with the exuberance of Carousel’s “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over,” then move through the earnest self‑discovery of Camelot and West Side Story. Longing takes many forms—romantic, hopeful, uncertain—and pieces like “I Have Dreamed,” “Vanilla Ice Cream,” and “Is It Really Me?” reveal how music gives voice to emotions too complex for speech alone. From the timeless beauty of Porgy and Bess to the moral clarity of South Pacific, from the aching introspection of Les Misérables to the luminous optimism of Candide, these songs remind us that great musical storytelling transcends genre. Opera and musical theatre both ask performers to inhabit characters fully, to sing with vulnerability and courage, and to invite audiences into shared emotional space. I am deeply proud of our artists, whose versatility and generosity bring this program to life. Thank you for joining us this evening. May these songs stir your memories, spark your imagination, and remind you of the extraordinary power of music to illuminate the human heart. Spencer Duncanson Artistic Director The Little Opera Company
BEHIND THE SCENES
Marketing
Greg KlassenGraphic Design
Stephen C. BoydWeb Design / Email Marketing
Don Larsen
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Looking for a fun night out?
The Little Opera Company (LOC) presents a musical cabaret that dances on the line between opera and musical theatre. Showcasing well-known Winnipeg vocalists (Donnalynn Grills, Margot Harding, Joanna Loepp Thiessen, Sloan Smith, Nolan Kehler, Matt Pauls, Raymond Sokalski) and pianist, Cary Denby, this “come-as-you-are” concert will feature performances of some of your favourite songs, epicurean delights from Capital Grill, and refreshments (cash bar).
Cary Denby
Cary Denby, a sought‑after collaborative pianist, returns to the Little Opera Company following performances in The Walk from the Garden and The House Without a Christmas Tree. Her recent work includes MTC’s Lawyer’s Play Crazy for You. She has collaborated widely with Canzona, the Winnipeg Singers, Rainbow Stage, the WSO, and numerous local artists.
Donnalynn Grills
Donnalynn is thrilled to be back performing with The Little Opera Company singing Broadway tunes, which are some of her “favourite things”. She was last seen with The Little Opera Company as Grandma Mills in their Christmas production of The House Without a Christmas Tree. When not rehearsing for one performance or another, Donnalynn can be found at the U of M Desautels Faculty of Music as the program coordinator for the Prep Studies Division. She is also a proud “pawrent” to her wee Westie, Joey.
Nolan Kehler
Treaty One-based tenor Nolan Kehler has recently performed with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Banff Centre, Manitoba Opera, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Little Opera Company of Winnipeg and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. When not performing, Nolan is a radio host with Winnipeg’s Classic 107, where he covers Manitoba’s fine arts community.
Matthew Pauls
Canadian baritone Matthew Pauls is an Assistant Professor of Music at Canadian Mennonite University by day, and occasionally a cabaret accomplice by night. Though much of his performance career as unfolded in the dignified world of oratorio, he relishes any excuse to stir in a little theatrical—and perhaps just a hint of well- tuned irreverence.
Sloan Smith
Sloan Smith is a 22-year-old soprano that has just completed her undergraduate degree in vocal performance studying with Tracy Dahl at the University of Manitoba. She has received a full scholarship from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music to begin her master's degree in music performance this coming fall.
Raymond Sokalski
Raymond Sokalski has performed with the Manitoba Opera Chorus since 1990. He appeared in the LOC production of Amahl and the Night Visitors (2011) and played Omar Khayyam in Kismet (2016). Having taught Histoire canadienne in the classroom over three decades, Raymond now serves as an Educational Interpreter at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Jyoti Jhass
Jyoti Jhass is an emerging Winnipeg artist who recently appeared in LOC’s The House Without a Christmas Tree. An alumnus of the Winnipeg Boys’ Choir, he studies voice with Monica Huisman while completing his BA at the Desautels Faculty of Music. A past LOC scholarship winner, he continues to grow as a compelling young performer.
Jackson Lotz
A veteran tenor of both the Winnipeg Boys, and Winnipeg Philharmonic Choirs, Jackson Lotz is incredibly honoured to be joining the Little Opera Company for their Live, Love and Longing Musical Cabaret. Jackson is also tremendously excited to share that he will be traveling to Scotland in the Fall, to begin his Law degree at the University of Edinburgh.Season’s Funders
Gail Asper Family Foundation, Inc Zita and Mark Bernstein Family Foundation, Inc The Winnipeg Foundation Winnipeg Arts Council Manitoba Arts CouncilCorporate Sponsors
David Kraemer Financial Services Fidelity Investments CanadaThank You
Sara Schabas Rob Herriot Nathalie Waite Staff at First Unitarian Universalist Church of WinnipegBoard of Directors
Spencer Duncanson - Artistic Director Robert Campbell - Board Chair Donnalynn Grills - Treasurer Zohreh Gervais - Director Rob Herriot - Director Odette Heyn C.M., LL.D - Director Darrell Marleau - Director Maybelle Pacak - Director Eldene Spencer - DirectorDirectors Emeritus
Diane Berger Don Larsen Peter Klymkiw
Michelle Berger
Michelle had the privilege of having a mother who was a fervent artist. Earliest memories involve afternoons spent together cutting and glueing construction paper characters to recount storybook scenes. Her truck-driving father would bring home huge discarded rolls of paper that never went to waste. When at a loss for words, Michelle draws or paints and leaves it to others to decide if anything has been said.
Kathleen Hamman Buckoski
Originally from British Columbia, Kathleen began as an art educator before moving to Manitoba in 1982 and expanding her exhibition career. Her work blends realism and imagination, inspired first by the rugged landscapes of southeastern B.C. and later by travels across North America. Now retired from teaching, she continues to create in watercolour, acrylic, and mixed media.
Margot Harding
UBC‑trained and Salzburg‑honed, Margot has sung across Europe and Canada with companies including Manitoba Opera, Vancouver Opera, the Winnipeg Symphony, Carnegie Hall, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She premiered Schafer’s The Falcon’s Trumpet and earned acclaim as Sharon Graham in Master Class at MTC and the National Arts Centre.
Joanna Loepp Thiessen
Equally at home in dramatic and comedic repertoire, Joanna Loepp Thiessen has recently appeared with Manitoba Opera and Manitoba Underground Opera. She was the 2026 winner of the Rose Bowl. She recently completed her Masters in Vocal Performance at the University of Manitoba, where she studied with Tracy Dahl and Monica Huisman.
Don Larsen - Emcee / Ensemble
Bass‑baritone Don Larsen is a veteran of Winnipeg’s professional choruses and a long-time performer with the Little Opera Company. His LOC roles include the High Priest (The Magic Flute), Tom/John (The Face on the Barroom Floor), Zuniga (La Tragédie de Carmen), and Melchior (Amahl and the Night Visitors). He looks forward to guiding you through tonight’s cabaret.
Judith Panson
Judith Panson was born in England and lived in the Interlake of Manitoba for over fifty years before moving to Winnipeg. Her work includes paintings, prints and quilted wall hangings and show that they are mainly inspired by nature and its variety, depth and spirituality.
ARTISTS
ENSEMBLE
VISUAL ARTISTS
Creative Team
Sara Schabas, Narration
Praised for her “beautifully clear, light lyric soprano” (Ludwig Van), Canadian soprano Sara Schabas' work reimagines the classical canon with playfulness, collaboration, deeply felt performances, and the centering of unheard voices. When she’s not singing, she volunteers as editor of Art Song Canada magazine, teaches at the Desautels Faculty of Music, and is finishing her doctoral studies at McGill’s Schulich School of Music. Her first libretto project in collaboration with composer Danika Lorèn is currently being developed by the University of Toronto Opera School. saraschabas.com
Spencer Duncanson, Artistic Director
Welcome to Life, Love, and Longing: A Musical Cabaret. Tonight’s program invites us into a world where opera and musical theatre meet—two traditions often seen as distant cousins, yet united by their devotion to storytelling through music. Whether drawn from the Golden Age of Broadway, the jazz‑infused world of Gershwin, or the sweeping emotional landscapes of contemporary theatre, each song you’ll hear tonight shares opera’s essential heartbeat: characters in moments of profound transformation. This repertoire traces the full arc of human experience. We begin with the exuberance of Carousel’s “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over,” then move through the earnest self‑discovery of Camelot and West Side Story. Longing takes many forms—romantic, hopeful, uncertain—and pieces like “I Have Dreamed,” “Vanilla Ice Cream,” and “Is It Really Me?” reveal how music gives voice to emotions too complex for speech alone. From the timeless beauty of Porgy and Bess to the moral clarity of South Pacific, from the aching introspection of Les Misérables to the luminous optimism of Candide, these songs remind us that great musical storytelling transcends genre. Opera and musical theatre both ask performers to inhabit characters fully, to sing with vulnerability and courage, and to invite audiences into shared emotional space. I am deeply proud of our artists, whose versatility and generosity bring this program to life. Thank you for joining us this evening. May these songs stir your memories, spark your imagination, and remind you of the extraordinary power of music to illuminate the human heart. Spencer Duncanson Artistic Director The Little Opera Company
BEHIND THE SCENES
Marketing
Greg KlassenGraphic Design
Stephen C. BoydWeb Design / Email Marketing
Don Larsen
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Looking for a fun night
out?
The Little Opera Company (LOC) presents a musical cabaret that dances on the line between opera and musical theatre. Showcasing well-known Winnipeg vocalists (Donnalynn Grills, Margot Harding, Joanna Loepp Thiessen, Sloan Smith, Nolan Kehler, Matt Pauls, Raymond Sokalski) and pianist, Cary Denby, this “come-as- you-are” concert will feature performances of some of your favourite songs, epicurean delights from Capital Grill, and refreshments (cash bar).
Cary Denby
Cary Denby, a sought‑after collaborative pianist, returns to the Little Opera Company following performances in The Walk from the Garden and The House Without a Christmas Tree. Her recent work includes MTC’s Lawyer’s Play Crazy for You. She has collaborated widely with Canzona, the Winnipeg Singers, Rainbow Stage, the WSO, and numerous local artists.
Donnalynn Grills
Donnalynn is thrilled to be back performing with The Little Opera Company singing Broadway tunes, which are some of her “favourite things”. She was last seen with The Little Opera Company as Grandma Mills in their Christmas production of The House Without a Christmas Tree. When not rehearsing for one performance or another, Donnalynn can be found at the U of M Desautels Faculty of Music as the program coordinator for the Prep Studies Division. She is also a proud “pawrent” to her wee Westie, Joey.
Nolan Kehler
Treaty One-based tenor Nolan Kehler has recently performed with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Banff Centre, Manitoba Opera, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Little Opera Company of Winnipeg and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. When not performing, Nolan is a radio host with Winnipeg’s Classic 107, where he covers Manitoba’s fine arts community.
Matthew Pauls
Canadian baritone Matthew Pauls is an Assistant Professor of Music at Canadian Mennonite University by day, and occasionally a cabaret accomplice by night. Though much of his performance career as unfolded in the dignified world of oratorio, he relishes any excuse to stir in a little theatrical—and perhaps just a hint of well-tuned irreverence.
Sloan Smith
Sloan Smith is a 22-year-old soprano that has just completed her undergraduate degree in vocal performance studying with Tracy Dahl at the University of Manitoba. She has received a full scholarship from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music to begin her master's degree in music performance this coming fall.
Raymond Sokalski
Raymond Sokalski has performed with the Manitoba Opera Chorus since 1990. He appeared in the LOC production of Amahl and the Night Visitors (2011) and played Omar Khayyam in Kismet (2016). Having taught Histoire canadienne in the classroom over three decades, Raymond now serves as an Educational Interpreter at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Jyoti Jhass
Jyoti Jhass is an emerging Winnipeg artist who recently appeared in LOC’s The House Without a Christmas Tree. An alumnus of the Winnipeg Boys’ Choir, he studies voice with Monica Huisman while completing his BA at the Desautels Faculty of Music. A past LOC scholarship winner, he continues to grow as a compelling young performer.
Jackson Lotz
A veteran tenor of both the Winnipeg Boys, and Winnipeg Philharmonic Choirs, Jackson Lotz is incredibly honoured to be joining the Little Opera Company for their Live, Love and Longing Musical Cabaret. Jackson is also tremendously excited to share that he will be traveling to Scotland in the Fall, to begin his Law degree at the University of Edinburgh.Season’s Funders
Gail Asper Family Foundation, Inc Zita and Mark Bernstein Family Foundation, Inc The Winnipeg Foundation Winnipeg Arts Council Manitoba Arts CouncilCorporate Sponsors
David Kraemer Financial Services Fidelity Investments CanadaThank You
Sara Schabas Rob Herriot Nathalie Waite Staff at First Unitarian Universalist Church of WinnipegBoard of Directors
Spencer Duncanson - Artistic Director Robert Campbell - Board Chair Donnalynn Grills - Treasurer Zohreh Gervais - Director Rob Herriot - Director Odette Heyn C.M., LL.D - Director Darrell Marleau - Director Maybelle Pacak - Director Eldene Spencer - DirectorDirectors Emeritus
Diane Berger Don Larsen Peter Klymkiw
Michelle Berger
Michelle had the privilege of having a mother who was a fervent artist. Earliest memories involve afternoons spent together cutting and glueing construction paper characters to recount storybook scenes. Her truck- driving father would bring home huge discarded rolls of paper that never went to waste. When at a loss for words, Michelle draws or paints and leaves it to others to decide if anything has been said.
Kathleen Hamman Buckoski
Originally from British Columbia, Kathleen began as an art educator before moving to Manitoba in 1982 and expanding her exhibition career. Her work blends realism and imagination, inspired first by the rugged landscapes of southeastern B.C. and later by travels across North America. Now retired from teaching, she continues to create in watercolour, acrylic, and mixed media.
Margot Harding
UBC‑trained and Salzburg‑honed, Margot has sung across Europe and Canada with companies including Manitoba Opera, Vancouver Opera, the Winnipeg Symphony, Carnegie Hall, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She premiered Schafer’s The Falcon’s Trumpet and earned acclaim as Sharon Graham in Master Class at MTC and the National Arts Centre.
Joanna Loepp Thiessen
Equally at home in dramatic and comedic repertoire, Joanna Loepp Thiessen has recently appeared with Manitoba Opera and Manitoba Underground Opera. She was the 2026 winner of the Rose Bowl. She recently completed her Masters in Vocal Performance at the University of Manitoba, where she studied with Tracy Dahl and Monica Huisman.
Don Larsen - Emcee / Ensemble
Bass‑baritone Don Larsen is a veteran of Winnipeg’s professional choruses and a long-time performer with the Little Opera Company. His LOC roles include the High Priest (The Magic Flute), Tom/John (The Face on the Barroom Floor), Zuniga (La Tragédie de Carmen), and Melchior (Amahl and the Night Visitors). He looks forward to guiding you through tonight’s cabaret.
Judith Panson
Judith Panson was born in England and lived in the Interlake of Manitoba for over fifty years before moving to Winnipeg. Her work includes paintings, prints and quilted wall hangings and show that they are mainly inspired by nature and its variety, depth and spirituality.
ARTISTS
ENSEMBLE
VISUAL ARTISTS
Creative Team
Sara Schabas, Narration
Praised for her “beautifully clear, light lyric soprano” (Ludwig Van), Canadian soprano Sara Schabas' work reimagines the classical canon with playfulness, collaboration, deeply felt performances, and the centering of unheard voices. When she’s not singing, she volunteers as editor of Art Song Canada magazine, teaches at the Desautels Faculty of Music, and is finishing her doctoral studies at McGill’s Schulich School of Music. Her first libretto project in collaboration with composer Danika Lorèn is currently being developed by the University of Toronto Opera School. saraschabas.com
