January 11, 7:30 PM
Caroline | Caroline’s Sweeper | Open Waters Festival
Joseph Strug Concert Hall
Fountain School of Performing Arts
1385 Seymour St, Halifax, NS B3H 3M6
Tickets HERE
Caroline’s Sweeper follows Caroline Herschel, 16th century comet huntress, as she discovers eight comets. Largely overshadowed by the success of her astronomer brother William Herschel, she was the first woman to receive a salary as a scientist and was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. In this chamber opera, Caroline Herschel’s life and work is unfolded through a series of vignettes exploring her astronomical discoveries.
Composed by Michael Donovan with libretto by Monica Pearce, Caroline’s Sweeper was commissioned by Maureen Batt with support from the Canada Council for the Arts.
Maureen Batt, soprano, as Caroline Herschel
Chamber Ensemble:
Music director and pianist: Tara Scott
Conductor: Jodie Alcorn-Miller
Electric guitar: Geordie Haley
Electric bass: Richard Belding
Double bass: Megan Chandler
Creative Team
Composer: Michael Donovan
Librettist: Monica Pearce
Stage director: Erin Bardua
Projection and lighting consultant: Matt Downey
Costume designer: Diego Cavedon
Festival info and tickets: https://upstreammusic.org/event/carolines-sweeper
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December 22, 2025 – January 22, 2026
Virtual Premiere | Five Formosa Songs | Crossing Borders
WORLD PREMIERE ONLINE
December 22 @ 7:30p.m. AST
December 23 @ 7:30a.m. TST
Maureen Batt, soprano
Tara Scott, piano
Chia Yin Wu, composer
Chen Mo Lin, poet
Jeremy VanSlyke, producer, post-production
Ally Cribb, assistant recording engineer
Luke Fraser, director
Chin Yi Lin, poster artwork
Chia Yin Wu, English poetic translations
Phín-tsì Kí, lyric diction coach, copy editing, translation
