ANN SUMMERS DOSSENA, Presenter/Producer/Manager
From her 1958 start in New York, through her years in Rome (1968-1977) to her Toronto base since 1977, Ann Summers Dossena has represented international artists in their career development, and been successful as a presenter and producer of concerts, tours and events, earning acclaim for innovative and creative ideas in audience development, and arts marketing. In 1983 she created the International Resource Centre for Performing Artists as a Canadian, non-profit, charitable organization to assist emerging artists.
After studying at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Ms. Summers gained management experience by working for several unions in Toronto, and Actors Equity Council in New York. Recognizing a need for development of musicians as artists, she became a personal representative in 1958, and incorporated Ann Summers Management Inc. in New York in 1960.
The “Extended Engagement Plan” was initiated in New York to develop and create full–time employment for chamber music artists, and at the same time stimulate the interest of concert goers. The program, now known as the “Artist in Residence” program is funded by the National Endowment of the Arts and Chamber Music America. Chamber groups, including jazz ensembles, were organized as membership corporations, which stabilized many groups with long-term planning.
Ms. Summers produced the first series of concerts at Carnegie Hall, including the “Visiting Orchestra” series which still remains today. She created the”Concert Party” series of informal concert presentations that developed audience-building and marketing techniques that have become traditional in many cities including Toronto’s “Bach Brunch” series.
In 1969 “Concert Party” extended to Rome, Italy. Marriage to Rai TV Director, the late Armando Dossena, lead to a base in Rome where she worked as a presenter and producer of many high profile arts events, including a tour of the Los Angeles Philharmonic with Zubin Mehta in Rome, the Music and Architecture Festival featuring over 200 Canadian artists in L’Aquila, a tour of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet to Israel, and two tours of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Italy. The creation of Serate Musicali Foundation Inc. in New York, supported an electronic music lab, restored the organ of Buxtehude and sponsored the Bach and Organ Festivals in Rome.
Returning to Toronto in 1977, Ms. Summers established Ann Summers International, with a focus on serving both artists and audiences internationally. In 1983, The International Resource Centre for Performing Artists, a non-profit charitable organization founded in Toronto, with a mandate to help young artists move into their careers. The “Careers in Focus” program includes “Encounters with Employers” and “Business in Performing” workshops. Activities have included a Singers Round-Table, A Parents of Gifted Children seminar, Balletto Classico, a company of 6 classical ballet artists, “Singing Stars of Tomorrow” concerts, and Sumptuous Sunday Brunches, showcasing young performers.
In 1985 the first edition of “Getting It All Together” was published by Scarecrow Press and distributed to schools and libraries. A second edition will soon be released.
Several managers have apprenticed in the New York and Toronto offices. Currently two are being mentored in Hanover, Germany, and Rome.
In 1993, at the request of the International Institute of Vocal Arts in New York, Ms. Summers found the Villa Mazzotti in Chiari, Italy, as a centre for a 4-week study program for singers, coaches, pianists, with a distinguished faculty including staff members of the Metropolitan and New York City opera companies, Mignon Dunn, Sherrill Milnes, Regina Resnick, and Italian coaches Bruno Rigacci and Marco Boemi. Ms. Summers coordinated the program in Italy through its seventh season.
Ann Summers Dossena was awarded the first Manager of the Year Award at the 2012 annual Awards Ceremony and Luncheon of NAPAMA – the North American Association of Performing Arts Managers and Agents – and APAP – the Association of Performing Arts Presenters. The presentation was made by Robert Baird, Toronto artist manager and president of NAPAMA, at the Hilton New York.
Ms. Summers is an Honorary Life Member of the International Society of Performing Arts (ISPA), founding member of the North American (formerly National) Association of Performing Arts Managers and Agents NAPAMA) in the U.S., Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Canadian Italian Chamber of Commerce in Ontario, and Team Italia Canada.
- Click here for Article from Intl. Arts Manager Magazine, U.K. Feb 2012 [JPG].
- Click here for Interview, Tandem, Corriere Canadese, Toronto, Feb. 5, 2012 [PDF].
CLARICE CARSON, Soprano
Clarice Carson, one of Canada’s most prominent opera singers, retired from performance in 1986 after many years with the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden Scottish Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Netherlands Opera, La Fenice in Venice, Teatro Regio in Torino, as well as companies in Frankfurt, Barcelona, Houston, San Francisco, Quebec, Vancouver, L’Opera de Montreal, Canadian Opera, and companies in Latin America among others.
Her colleagues have included: Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Louis Quilico, Franco Corelli, Renata Tebaldi, Cornell MacNeil, George Shirley, Richard Tucker, Leopold Simoneau, and conductors Zubin Mehta, Eugene Ormandi, James Levine, Karl Ancerl, Richard Bonynge, Charles MacKerras and Daniel Barenboim.
A native of Montreal, Ms Carson sang her first operatic roles in 1959, and performed many performances with L’Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, and the McGill Chamber Orchestra. During the 1965-66 season, she made her New York debut at the New York City Opera; the following season she toured with the Metropolitan Opera National Company and made her debut with the Metropolitan in New York. She is remembered for her “Tosca” for Radio-Canada television in 1970 with Louis Quilico. Her other roles included Aida, Suor Angelica, First Prioress (Carmelites), Desdemona (Otello with Jon Vickers), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Fiordiligi (Cosi fan Tutte), Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly), Contessa (Nozze di Figaro), Violetta (La Traviata), Mimi and Musetta (La Boheme), Senta (Flying Dutchman), Elizabeth (Tannhauser), Salome, Leonora (Trovatore and Forza del Destino).
Described by the press in Montreal “Clarice Carson has shown herself to be an artist blessed with exceptional talent and a magnificent soprano voice which permitted her to take on a wide variety of roles”
In December 1998, Miss Carson was inducted in The Opera Hall of Fame at Place des Arts by L’Opera de Montreal. In her acceptance speech Carson thanked them for their recognition and congratulated L’Opera de Montreal for making admirable efforts to engage many of our splendid Canadian singers and hoped this policy would continue. “Per capita, Canada has produced more great international opera singers than many other countries.”
A resident of Toronto for the past 24 years, Carson enjoys her family, brother Allen Katz, son attorney Neil Ornstein, daughter Dr. Melanie Ornstein, their families, including three grandchildren. Carson is an active member of the Board of the International Resource Centre for Performing Artists where, with her vast stage experience, she often gives wardrobe consultations to young artists, mentors singers and acts as consultant for their careers.
ELEANOR DEBRA FRIEDLAND, Consumer Advocate
Eleanor Debra Friedland was born and raised in Toronto, one of three children (brother, Norm Perry, former Television host with CTV, CBC and TVO, sister, Marlene Perry, former CBC Producer, The Fifth Estate, all retired.)
Eleanor holds a Masters degree in Sociology from the University of Toronto and prior to retirement was a 30 year career civil servant with the Ontario Government. Her last 25 year tenure was with the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations. In her capacity as Executive Policy Advisor, she her staff developed policy for approximately 10 pieces of consumer legislation, including The Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, Real Estate and Business Brokers Act and the Condominium Act, to name a few.
Since her retirement Ms. Friedland has been an active member of the Consumers Council of Canada (CCC) and is the former Vice President and media spokesperson, she is currently Vice President of the Consumers Council of Canada Foundation. Eleanor represents the CCC on the Advertising Standards Canada’s National Consumer Response Council, as well as the federal government’s Fraud Prevention Forum.
Eleanor Friedland has been an active member of The Associates of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra since 1996. and has been its president for the past 8 years. The Associates sponsors and organizes 5 chamber music concerts featuring members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. These Concerts take place at the Trinity -St. Paul’s Centre. In addition, the Associates hold 10 monthly musical evenings called Informals where musicians perform and knowledgeable speakers educate members respecting all aspects of music.
With her late husband, Professor Seymour Friedland (York University), she built a major art collection featuring both Canadian and American contemporary Art.
KRISTA DELBAERE, Arts Manager
Krista Delbaere has been involved in arts management for several years as the mother of four professional musicians. Known as the Metis Fiddler Quartet, the Delbaere’s family ensemble has now developed into a national professional performing arts group. Under Krista’s guidance and encouragement, the Metis Fiddle Quartet now runs as an independent business partnership and recent not for profit. The group has received numerous grants and awards, and continues to bring Aboriginal fiddle music to new audiences.
Krista is a founding Director of the Metis Artists’ Collective, an organization dedicated to giving emerging Metis artists support to pursue their art. As a member of the Metis Artists’ Collective festival committee, Krista helped organize the Metis Arts Festivals at Black Creek Pioneer village from 2004-2008, and events at City of Toronto for Aboriginal Day and Louis Riel Day to celebrate Metis culture. She was the project manager of the Fiddle Stories project that brought together Aboriginal Elders and Youth fiddlers from across Canada to learn the old fiddle styles and tunes that are unique to the elder’s community. The Fiddle Stories project concert at the University of Toronto Hart House was broadcast on APTN national news.
Dedicated to helping artists develop their art business, Krista is well aware of the challenges that emerging artists face in understanding their business. She has worked with many emerging Aboriginal artists to develop their business planning strategies through grant writing, business set up, and career direction. She has also assisted James Flett, the Artistic Director of the Omeigwessi Ensemble, an elder and youth Aboriginal music group, to pursue grant opportunities and international engagements.
JEANNIE KIM, Concert Pianist
Toronto pianist Jeannie Kim, has given numerous solo and chamber music performances. She has been heard at the George Weston Recital, at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, and at Mazzoleni Hall at the Royal Conservatory of Music earning a reputation as a passionate and intuitive musician equally at home as a soloist and collaborative artist. In her native South Korea, she has performed recitals in the Chopin Hall, the KBS Hall and Korean television.
Since moving to Toronto in 1996, Ms Kim maintains an active profile on the classical music scene as a founding member of The Mendelssohn Piano Trio, in addition to her collaboration with other Toronto based ensembles such as the Choirs of Royal Conservatory of Music and North Toronto. In Korea she was the official accompanist of the Seoul Oratorio Choir.
Born and raised in Seoul, Ms Kim was introduced to piano at age seven and began her studies with pianist Jung-Ae, Son. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree, she moved to Canada where her principal teachers include: Professor Boris Lysenko, Diane Werner and Professor Andrew Markow.
Jeannie Kim currently lives in Toronto where she is an active participant in community outreach concerts and cultivating today’s young and talented generation of artists.
LINDA LITWACK, Arts Publicist
Linda Litwack has worked four decades as a publicist, mostly at CBC, where she was the Radio Music publicist for 20 years, and then a publicist with Television Arts and Entertainment. In 1997, she moved into the freelance market through her company, Linda Litwack Publicity, and has continued to promote music (mostly classical), along with television programs and a variety of other arts. She began her career as a summer reporter with the Winnipeg Tribune, and became a publicist with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet before moving to Toronto in 1972. As a sideline, she has written musical arrangements that have been performed by singers and choirs; with her partner Charlie Sise published two novels through their company Groundhog Press, and served as an artistic advisor, writer and editor for a CD by soprano Denise Williams.
JOHN LOPES, Treasurer
John was born near and grew up in Granby, Quebec. He studied Electrical Engineering at the University of New Brunswick, after which he joined IBM in Montreal. During his time at IBM he was involved with a number of applications, mostly associated with software development and maintenance for the finance industry. He worked on an Expo 67 project on blood analysis using computers in partnership with Hôpital Nôtre-Dame in Montreal, then with the provincial government in Quebec City when Revenu Québec was automating its tax collection system.
In 1969 he was transferred to Toronto, where he joined the IBM Laboratory to work on the development of an enhanced Datacentre Services system for the Brokerage industry. Continuing with Datacentre Services, he then worked with the Online Banking system which had just been installed for a number of customers. After a break from financial applications for a Systems Programming position in the Toronto Computing Centre, he returned to Datacentre Services to work again on software development and maintenance for the Banking and the Brokerage (now called Securities) industries.
In the eighties the Securities system was migrating from a batch-oriented system to one that used online processing. He was involved with the development and maintenance of software for this system, and continued to be so as a further migration to the Internet took place.
Outside the workplace, John acted as Treasurer for a number of small charitable organizations including the Associates of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the International Resource Centre for Performing Artists, and the St. James’ Cathedral Guild of Change Ringers. Upon retirement from IBM in 2004, he continued with these activities.
John enjoys music and attends symphonic, chamber music, opera and ballet performances with his wife, Sheila.
LOIS MCDONALL, Soprano, Actress
In an operatic career that spans more than 40 years, Ms. McDonall has performed to capacity audiences on three continents in more than 40 principal operatic roles, primarily with the English National Opera.
The Canadian soprano has participated in recordings of numerous rare operas in the Bel Canto repertoire, sung in command performances for German and British Royalty, including an invitation to Buckingham Palace, and developed young talent in both voice and piano disciplines. Her commitment to the singer as a whole, and not just the voice, speaks to the integrity of her work and her respect for the music, which has graced her life. Currently she has several students working internationally.
Ms. McDonall is a graduate of the opera division of the University of Toronto Faculty of Music. Following graduation she went on an audition tour of Europe assisted by a grant from the Canada Council. She obtained her first professional contract in Flensburg, Germany, where she stayed for one season. After spending the 1969-70 season with the Stadische Buhnen in Flensburg, she was engaged as the principal soloist with the English National Opera in 1970. During her years (1970-84) with the ENO, as well as other British and European companies, she performed many roles to great acclaim, including the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, the title roles in Tosca and Arabella, Violetta in La Traviata, Leonora in Il Trovatore, Amelia in Simon Boccanegra, and Elsa in Lohengrin.
While in Great Britain she appeared with all the major opera companies, and established herself on the concert platform and in radio, where she appeared frequently in both light music and classical programs. On the concert platform she became noted as an exponent of the rare ‘Bel Canto Repertoire’, primarily that of Donizetti.
British composer Iain Hamilton composed several works for her. His grand opera Anna Karenina, Cleopatra, a scena for soprano and orchestra; his Passion According to St. Mark’s Gospel, and the role of Guinevere in his opera Sir Lancelot. Ms.McDonall appeared in the world premieres of all of these works except Sir Lancelot.
She has made several recordings of rare operas for the BBC, mot notable the only complete Rienzi, in which she sang Irene, Liszt’s one opera, Don Sanche, in which she sang Elzire, and Deliu’s only opera Margot La Rouge, in which she sang the title role.
Ms. McDonall has taken part in many special musical events, notably the world premiere performance of the works composed especially for her by Iain Hamilton and several Royal Gala Performances, culminating with her presentation to Queen Elizabeth II in 1981.
After leaving the ENO, she taught at the Banff School of Fine Arts in 1984 at the Royal Conservatory of Music and at the University of Toronto from 1986 to 1993. She currently teaches in her private studio in Toronto and mentors artists through the International Resource Centre for Performing Artists.
SHEILA ROSE, Reflexologist
After spending 25 years in Real Estate development, Ms. Rose returned to her preferred vocation obtaining accreditation in a number of fields pertaining to complimentary medicine. Previous initiatives include working as a cosmetic adviser and specialist in Ontario to major companies in retail marketing and promotion, and as a make-up artist for television commercials and feature films.
In her school years, Ms Rose studied violin and performed with the University of Toronto Orchestra and the Etobicoke Symphony. She is currently a member of the Associates of the Toronto Symphony as well as a board member of the IRCPA
ALAN SPERLING, Lawyer (retired)
Born and educated primarily in Australia, Alan holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Sydney. In 1960, he graduated from Harvard Law School with a Masters of Law degree. He has held a number of important corporate positions including Director of Legal Services for a major international corporation.
Since his retirement, Alan has pursued his interests in music as a member of the Executive of he Associates of The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, of which he was the founding Secretary, as a Director of Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra (of which he is currently Secretary) and as a Director of the International Resource Centre for Performing Artists. He is currently President of his condominium corporation and is a Director/Secretary of the Yonge Corridor Condominium Association.
In the past, Alan has served as a Director of The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and in that capacity served on the orchestra’s Education Committee and Music Committee. He heads the Grassroots Committee of The Associates of The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and has re-instituted this programme of bringing small groups of Toronto Symphony Orchestra musicians to retirement homes, prisons, hospitals and other institutions where residents would not otherwise likely hear and enjoy music of high calbre. He is also heading the Celebration Committee for the opening of the currently being built new St. George’s Anglican Church in North York expected in April 0f 2011, as well as the Church’s Music Outreach Programme.
ANGELA CAPUZZOLO, Educator
HONORARY ADVISORY BOARD
Faye Perkins, President of Real World Artists Management
David Mirvish, Producer
Sara Riboldi, Attorney
Sheila Singer, Stager
