YELLOWKNIFE - The Edmonton Journal called it "a dazzling voyage."

Organizers called it "a beautiful production."

In Yellowknife, they're calling it a "great opportunity."

Next week, Calgary Opera's Emerging Artists Program will bring touches of Frobisher, a new and nationally-acclaimed opera, to Yellowknife as they tour the North. Their trip will take them from Iqaluit to Norman Wells to perform community concerts, run workshops and take in Northern culture.

Laura Whalen as Anna and Marc Hervieux as Michael in the Calgary Opera world premiere of Frobisher. - photo courtesy of Trudie Lee

"It's a wonderful trading of talents," said Mel Kirby, the program's co-ordinator, who will accompany the eight-person group on its journey. Frobisher, which debuted to strong reviews in Calgary Jan. 27, is a modern imagining Martin Frobisher's 16th-Century journeys to the far North. It follows a modern day pair in their struggle to make a film about the British explorer.

The eight members represent a small part of Frobisher's massive cast (nearly 100 strong), performing excerpts from the opera, as well as a selection of other famous arias and duets.

Kirby said creators John Estacio and John Murrell were involved in creating the program that will travel north, choosing appropriate pieces and drawing narrative links between them.

He said the Emerging Artist program consists of some of the country's brightest young vocal talents, on the cusp of their professional careers.

"We're trying to give young, promising singers who have completed their advanced training a leg up on the professional world," he said. Though they are relatively young, Kirby said, many are experienced performers and instructors.

Aside from their performances, the group also plans to hold a series of workshops at N.J. MacPherson and Sir John Franklin schools Feb. 9, as well as a masterclass, an intensive workshop for classical performers Feb. 10.

This is music to the ears of Classics On Stage Yellowknife and the Yellowknife Choral Society, who will be working closely with the group.

"This is an exciting opportunity because we haven't had this calibre of vocalists come to Yellowknife in the time I've been here, and that's 12 years," said choral society co-artistic director Margo Nightingale.

"There is no telling when this opportunity will come again."

Nightingale said this will be a unique opportunity for music lovers as well, since Frobisher is usually performed to crowds in the thousands.

"They will be within arms reach," she said. "Well, almost."

Kirby said the trip was bankrolled almost entirely by Canadian North, who paid for the group's airfare and accommodation.

The Emerging Artists perform selections from Frobisher at Calvary church Feb. 9.