ABOUT THE WRITER

A playwright, director and translator who is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Kico Gonzalez-Risso has had his plays produced at various theatres, including The Arts Club, Waterfront Theatre, Richmond Gateway Theatre, Calgary's Lunchbox Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects and Calgary Opera Association.  In 1993 Kico was invited to be Assistant Director at San Diego's prestigious Old Globe Theatre.
Playwright's photo
 
Directing credits include THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, TWELFTH NIGHT, AS YOU LIKE IT; Moliere's DOM JUAN; Feydeau's 13 RUE DE L'AMOUR; Calderon's LIFE IS A DREAM and Lorca's THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA. He also directed Mozart's THE MAGIC FLUTE for Western Washington University and Menotti's THE TELEPHONE for Northwest Opera. In 1994 Kico directed his translation of Lope de Vega's classic comedy DOG IN THE MANGER for the International Siglo de Oro (Golden Age) Theatre Festival in El Paso, Texas.

Last season Kico's English version of THE MAGIC FLUTE was broadcast on CBC's SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT THE OPERA. He also directed his play, HARP & SOLO (a monologue featuring acclaimed harpist Rita Costanzi) for Vancouver's prestigious Music in the Morning series. He is the lyricist for the world beat band, OLAM (CD, Foreign Dreams). Other directing credits include Bizet's DOCTOR MIRACLE and Menotti's THE TELEPHONE for Opera Breve, and his translation of Donizetti's DON PASQUALE for Burnaby Lyric Opera.  He also directed COSI FAN TUTTE for Portland State University Opera.

Other projects include directing Benjamin Britten's CURLEW RIVER for Festival Vancouver, writing a new English version of Lope's DOG IN THE MANGER, directing Peter Maxwell Davies' EIGHT SONGS FOR A MAD KING for the Helikon Ensemble, and composing the lyrics for a song cycle called O,SISTER which was broadcast on CBC's Debut Performance series. Last season Kico wrote and directed three shows for Festival Vancouver's SONG CIRCLE CAFE, and wrote two Radio Cabaret Musicals, GHOSTS IN LOVE, and THE CASE OF THE MISSING HUSBAND. In April 2004 the chamber opera BRUSH which he wrote with composer Koji Nakano will be premiered in Toronto by Tapestry New Opera Works. Kico was recently the recipient of an Opera Creation Award from Opera Canada.

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