Story
Carnegie Community Centre, with support from the Downtown Eastside community, the Vancouver Opera, and the SFU School of Contemporary Arts, worked with local residents and artists to create a community opera. The Carnegie Community Opera entitled Condemned - A work in progress tackles the theme of homelessness, and was written by five Downtown Eastside writers. It was performed by 22 community participants to sold-out houses in October 2006. Many more were involved in the early stages with an initial community meeting attended by 70 people who brainstormed ideas for the opera’s theme. A volunteer advisory made decisions each step of the way and worked with the stage director, composer, voice coach, and others.
Project funding of $20,700 by Innovations allowed the group to explore words and music together to illuminate the community and its residents. The community was showcased in a way that instilled pride in the Downtown Eastside. The group has since received funding from the BC Arts Council and the Spirit of BC and produced a libretto, mounting a second opera in 2008.
