Edward Franko

Edward Franko has distinguished himself in his career as a stage director, lyric tenor, educator and producer. A graduate of the University of Toronto, Edward has directed over 60 operatic, musical theatre and theatrical works. A big proponent of new works, he has directed the world premiere of Brian Finley/ Ken Tizzard’s musical The Selfish Giant at Westben Arts Festival Theatre where he had a cast of 60 including 35 children and youth. For TrypTych Concert and Opera, (which he is co-artistic director), he directed the world premiere of Andrew Ager’s Frankenstein to great critical acclaim. Mr. Franko has directed a workshop of a new Canadian opera by Mark Richards’s based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet and American Composer's Mark Adamo’s Little Women for Halifax Summer Opera Workshop. Edward has also been artistic director of Bytown Operaworks in Ottawa. His work has been seen in the Czech Republic, and Great Britain. Among his favourite works were the Canadian premiere of Grigori Frid’s powerful one-woman opera, The Diary of Anne Frank, Menotti’s The Consul, and Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress. He also acts as the stage director for the annual operatic production of Prov Voce Studios in Toronto. As a lyric tenor, he has performed with Opera Hamilton, The Canadian Opera Company, Opera York, Opera Anonymous, Maritime Concert Opera and many other groups. His singing career has covered repertoire from sacred music to opera to musical theatre to oratorio to popular song which is reflected in the popular A Tale of Two Tenors One, A Tale of Two Tenors Two and The American Caruso: The Tragedy of Mario Lanza.