It is 20 years since the Civil Marriage Act gave all couples — regardless of assigned sex at birth of the parties therein — equal access to the legality of marriage here in that part of Turtle Island sometimes known as Canada. This program of ancient and modern texts and tunes celebrates queer weddings and queered weddings: the ways in which we commit ourselves to our partners and our friends, our children and our communities; the ways in which we enter into conversation with the Biblical stories of radical union and communion; the ways in which we turn to poetry and music both to make and to renew our vows. This program will be presented by ANIMA, a metamorphosing ensemble, a place where old texts & melodies are animated by spirit & voice.
Toronto-based soprano Lesley Emma Bouza studied voice at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Some of her career highlights include Lesley Sings Joni, a Joni Mitchell tribute concert, Steve Reich at 80 with Soundstreams, Dido and Aeneas at Carnegie Hall with Les Violons du Roy, and a tour of Taiwan as a member of the Swingle Singers. In addition to being a busy performer, Lesley is an accredited music therapist.
Daniel Cabena sings, plays, writes, and teaches. He loves making things with ANIMA and teaching singing, historically-inspired performance, and Alexander Technique at the Laurier Academy of Music and Arts. He also makes music with his hands, playing modern and Baroque violin, as well as vièle, viola da gamba, and recorders.
Luke Hathaway is a poet, librettist, and theatre-maker who lives in Kjipuktuk/Halifax, and frequently returns to the K-W area — his old home-place — to make things with ANIMA. Luke is the author of four collections of poems and co-creator of many works for theatre including the immersive XR opera Eurydice Fragments (re:naissance opera, 2022).
Henry Oswald Peirson (he/him) is an actor-dramaturge-musician based in Toronto. Since graduating from George Brown Theatre School, he has performed across Canada and Germany. With ANIMA, Henry has dramaturged Caeneus, a new work by Luke Hathaway and James Rolfe, and proudly appeared with the group at the 2024 American Musicological Society conference.
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