December is a lighthearted story about travel, family, holiday stress, relationships, and remembering not to wrap your presents before you fly. Julia and Natasha are in the first year of their relationship and they are preparing to meet Julia’s parents for the first time. They are taking a trip to Julia’s family home for Christmas and the opera follows them as they prepare and pack for the trip, and their time waiting/stressing at the airport security line. Their trip is with the fictional Top Priority Air, represented by a Top Priority Air spokesperson, a customer service representative, and a security officer.

“It’s quite touching with some very funny episodes involving the Batt characters. The best scene features Top Priority Air’s customer service. It’s the all too familiar saga of endless holds, infinite for this, press X’ lists and general useless indifference. Batt gets this just right…..”

~John Gilks, Opera Canada

December originally premiered as a short opera film in 2020. Watch the Making-of and Behind-The-Scenes video here: https://youtu.be/btLq7kFDIII

Film credits:

Cast: Erin Bardua, Maureen Batt, and Danielle Buonaiuto, sopranos

Music Director/Conductor: Tara Scott
String Quartet: Jennifer Jones, violin; Anne Simons, violin; Alexandra Bates, viola; Hilary Brown, cello

Video Director: Halley Davies
Video Editor: Claire Fraser
Videographer NYC: Elizabeth van Os

Audio Engineering NS: Leaf Music; Ben B. Creelman, producer
Audio Engineering NYC: Jennifer Nulsen, Swan Studios NYC

Graphic design: Tom Belding
Production assistant: Laura Thornton, Thornton Communications

Lighting assistant: Kwasi Asare

Background extras: Kwasi Asare, Erin Bardua, Halley Davies, Claire Fraser

Video trailers: Anna Shepard

“December” was written for Essential Opera with support from the SOCAN Foundation commissioning matching program and private donors.

This film production is funded by Arts Nova Scotia and the Canada Council for the Arts.