Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory – Dean Burry’s Pandora’s Locker

reviewed by Paula Citron
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Pandora’s Locker
Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory
Libretto and music by Dean Burry
Directed by Jennifer Parr
Starring Wallis Giunta, Sean Catheroy Michelle Danese, Taylor Strande and Ryan Allen
At Mazzoleni Hall on Dec. 11 and 13
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Composer Dean Burry wrote both the libretto and the music for Pandora’s Locker, a new opera commissioned by the Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory, and it’s a winner.

Pandora’s Locker is aimed at teenagers. At the beginning of the opera, Pandora (played by soaring-voiced Wallis Giunta) is given an envelope from her mother that contains the name of her father. What follows is Pandora’s various nightmares of what this man might be like. As the opera ends, Pandora, like her ancient Greek namesake, opens up the envelope to unloose the consequences. In the meantime, she has grown in understanding as to who she is in her own skin.

Burry’s been clever to include teenage colloquialisms, including the odd four-letter word. Gilding his attractive score is DJ Fields McQueen who adds hip-hop beats and scratch tracks to make the opera more youth-oriented. It’s a terrific musical effect.

Pandora’s Locker continues at Mazzoleni Hall on Dec. 11 and 13.