Creative Team
Jennifer Tung
Artistic Director
A Dora nominated conductor, Jennifer Tung is the artistic director of Toronto City Opera and assistant conductor of the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra. She leads a uniquely versatile career as music director, collaborative pianist and soprano. In 2020/21, she joined Tapestry Opera as a conducting fellow in the inaugural year of the Women in Musical Leadership program, in partnership with Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Pacific Opera Victoria.
Jennifer debuted with the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival conducting The Mikado in 2017 and has returned to conduct Sweeney Todd and Tragedy of Carmen. In 2019, she debuted with Opera York in La Traviata and assisted Tapestry Opera and Opera on the Avalon’s joint production of the Dora Award winning opera Shanawdithit by Dean Burry and Yvette Nolan. Recently, she conducted the world premiere of Gould’s Wall by Brian Current and Liza Balken, a joint production with the Royal Conservatory of Music and Tapestry Opera.
Jennifer is on faculty at Toronto’s Glenn Gould School, and is a sought-after faculty member for summer programs internationally. She holds degrees in vocal performance and collaborative piano from the Eastman School of Music and studies conducting with Maestro Denis Mastromonaco.
Ivan Jovanovic
Music Director
Ivan Jovanovic is a sought-after collaborative pianist and vocal coach recognized for his rich understanding of the classical canon and Slavic opera repertoire. Jovanovic’s music education began in Serbia at the Belgrade University of Arts, Faculty of Music where he completed his BMus and MMus in piano performance. During his studies in Belgrade, Jovanovic was recognized for his solo piano performances, claiming prestigious awards at state competitions. In 2004, he joined Belgrade Opera Orchestra as a répétiteur and concert pianist, firstly at the Young Artist Program (Operatic Studio). In 2005 he joined the staff as a principal vocal coach, mastering an enormous opera repertoire under the baton of the chief conductor Dejan Savic. While working with Maestro Savic, Jovanovic honed his skills both at the piano and harpsichord for productions of Orfeo ed Euridice (Gluck), Le nozze di Figaro (Mozart), Don Giovanni (Mozart), Il matrimonio segreto (Cimarosa), L'Italiana in Algeri (Rossini), Hassan-Aga’s Wife (Kambasković), and L'amour des trois oranges (Prokofiev).
In the Belgrade National Theatre, Jovanovic had the extraordinary opportunity to work closely with internationally celebrated conductors, such as Dorian Wilson, Mladen Jagust, Jon Janku, Ilmar Lapins, Simone Fermani, Srboljub Dinic, Marco Berdondini and David Porcelijn. During composer/conductor Johannes Harneit’s residency in Belgrade, Jovanovic was the main répétiteur for the productions of Salome (Strauss) and Carmen (Bizet).
After a recital series in Toronto, Jovanovic fell in love with Canada. He returned to Toronto to complete his MMus. in Collaborative Piano from the University of Toronto under the professorship of Steven Philcox, to further his knowledge of opera, art song, and oratorio. After winning the 2013 prestigious Gwendolyn Williams Koldofsky Prize in Accompanying, he joined the UofT Opera Division as a vocal coach and pianist. Presently, he is a regular vocal coach and harpsichordist in UofT’s Early Music Department and Schola Cantorum. In 2018, Jovanovic began his collaboration with Toronto Lyric Opera as the primary vocal coach/harpsichordist. From 2014 to present, Jovanovic has been the accompanist at Toronto City Opera and in 2017 extended his role to Music Director. Jovanovic loves how his work with TCO brings him even closer to the Toronto music community and audience.
Richard Paradiso / Paradiso International
Strategic Advisor
Richard Paradiso is the Strategic Advisor for Toronto City Opera bringing his talents and skills to enable TCO's continued growth and development in delivering great opera experiences for you.
As a director and advisor on boards along with years in charitable arts management, Richard brings to TCO his experience of focusing on innovative solutions to strategy challenges. In the performing arts sector, he has provided trusted strategic advice and insight to leaders on major projects and led tactical initiatives including sales and marketing, fundraising and donor cultivation. He has particular expertise in communications strategy, strategic planning, presentation coaching, team-building and diversity and inclusion (meritocratic opportunity with successful training of individuals who applied themselves).
Over recent years Richard has been a vocal champion of TCO Artistic Director Jennifer Tung, especially because of her work with Tapestry Opera where he sits on the board.
Richard is driven solely by his dedication to the arts as intrinsic to complete health, articulating to all the importance of participation in the languages of the imagination. He has years of experience in Toronto's underground scene through producing and performing along with years in management at the Canadian Opera Company and contracts with other Toronto arts institutions. But he cares most about quality, that in order for works of art to stand the test of time they need to be vital and to be expressed vitally - speaking to the shared universal human experience.
Richard is from Toronto and knows Toronto. His path has given him a unique knowledge of the breadth of the city’s economic and cultural mosaic through his lived experience. He thinks in some ways Toronto realities are global realities and Richard is happy to share his authenticity with that of TCO to produce great opera for everyone.
Recently, Richard was featured on the Ducarelli podcast talking about:
1. His Italian heritage 0:00 to 1:20
2. His travels in Italy last fall to Matera, where he was awarded the Mondi Lucani award, and elsewhere 1:20 to 5:52
3. The mission and history of TCO 5:52 to 15:42
4. TCO's pivot to digital during this pandemic 15:42 to 23:15
5. What the near future holds for TCO 23:15 to 26:14
6. Connecting with and supporting TCO 26:14 to 31:03 (FIN)
In English and Italian with translation.
The original podcast is available at
https://www.spreaker.com/user/12497172/richard-paradiso-the-toronto-city-opera-