The explosion of construction of cultural edifices in Toronto marks an important and exciting sea change in public awareness of what a great city should be. The bread-not-circuses mentality seems at last to have passed. But what is being done to make our great cultural institutions financially viable? There are grave troubles in the operating budgets of arts organizations throughout Canada. How should the arts be funded? What is the responsibility of government? What is the responsibility of leading financial institutions? Is there really a cultural renaissance in Toronto?
Richard Bradshaw has worked with the Canadian Opera Company for the past 15 years. Over that time he has conducted more than 50 operas; both traditional operatic fare, and cutting edge productions such as Bluebeard’s Castle/Erwartung, Salome, Mario and the Magician, Jenufa and Oedipus Rex with Symphony of Psalms, forging a strong artistic identity for the company both at home and abroad.
In addition to his duties as General Director of the COC, Mr. Bradshaw maintains an active international conducting career. Recent guest appearances have included: The Rape of Lucretia in Amsterdam; Verdi’s Requiem at the Mtskheta International Festival in Tbilisi, Georgia; Shostakovich in Aachen; Schubert in Nice; an all-Verdi centenary gala concert at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and Peter Grimes at the Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse.
Mr. Bradshaw is a Senior Fellow of Massey College and Distinguished Visitor in Music, University of Toronto; Honorary Fellow of the Royal Conservatory of Music and Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters of the Republic of France. In June 2003, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa from the University of Toronto and he received a Ruby award as Opera Builder from Opera Canada in October 2003.
