Marshall Pynkoski — Director
Marshall Pynkoski’s fascination with music, theatre and dance of the 17th and 18th centuries began in classes with the late Leonard Crainford and John Marshall, respectively Chairman and Major Examiner, Royal Academy of Dancing in London. His further studies with Florentina Lojekova (Master Artist of Czech Republic) and David Moroni (the Royal Winnipeg Ballet) were pivotal in his decision to pursue a career in ballet.
Early in Mr. Pynkoski’s professional career, he had the opportunity to undertake in-depth studies of Baroque opera and ballet in Paris. His studies continued with renowned Baroque dramaturge Professor Dene Barnett at Flinders University in South Australia. In 1985 he founded Opera Atelier with his partner Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg and he has since directed a wide range of period productions of Baroque and early Classical opera and ballet in close collaboration with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. He has acted as guest instructor at the Centre for Baroque Studies, Versailles under conductor Marc Minkowski with whom he premiered North America’s first period productions of The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni.
Mr. Pynkoski has collaborated with many of the finest artists in the world of early music and his productions of opera and ballet have toured throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
He is a recipient of numerous awards including the Toronto Arts Award, the Ruby Award for outstanding contribution to opera in Canada, and the TIME Magazine award for Classical music. He has been named Chevalier dans L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Government of France. In 2013 Mr. Pynkoski had his Salzburg Festival debut with Mozart’s Lucio Silla and he recently made his directorial debut at La Scala in Milan. In August 2018, he was joined by OA’s entire creative team to direct and open a new production of Rossini’s Ricciardo e Zoraide for the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Italy.
Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg — Choreographer
Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg has performed and choreographed internationally for more than two decades. She received her training in London, Copenhagen and Paris. She credits her teachers (including her most important teacher/mentors — John Marshall and Florentina Lojekova) with instilling in her a love for dance history.
As a young dancer, she relocated to Paris where she undertook in-depth studies of Baroque dancing from original source material. These studies were supplemented by intensive training in North America by Wendy Hilton and Sandra Caverly — experts in Baroque dancing and Bournonville techniquerespectively. Since then, Ms Zingg has choreographed and performed in morethan 70 productions for Opera Atelier, which she founded in 1985 with herpartner, Marshall Pynkoski.
Opera Atelier productions have been performed in Versailles, at the BBC Proms, Houston Grand Opera and the Glimmerglass Festival. Opera Atelier has also introduced period productions of Mozart to audiences in Japan, Singapore and Korea.
Ms Zingg has received numerous awards including the prestigious Toronto Arts Award, the Opera Canada Ruby Award for outstanding achievement in the field of opera in Canada in addition to having been named by TIME Magazine as one of Canada’s most influential artists in the field of Classical music. She has collaborated with conductors Marc Minkowski, Christopher Hogwood, Andrew Parrott, David Fallis and Stefano Montanari and choreographed for dancers from the National Ballet of Canada, The Scapino Ballet, The Dutch National Ballet, La Scala Ballet, and Opera Atelier. She has also choreographed and performed in numerous film projects including Rhombus Media’s Master Peter’s Puppet Show, Romeos and Juliets and The Sorceress opposite Dame Kiri te Kanawa. In 2013
Ms Zingg had her Salzburg Festival debut with Mozart’s Lucio Silla, and in 2015 she made her choreographic debut at La Scala in Milan. In August 2018, she choreographed the opening production for the Pesaro Rossini Opera Festival featuring dancers from La Scala. Vestris. As a young dancer, she relocated to Paris where she undertook in–‐depth studies of Baroque dancing from original source material. These studies were supplemented by intensive training in North America by Wendy Hilton and Sandra Caverly – experts in Baroque dancing and Bournonville technique respectively. Since then, Ms Zingg has choreographed and performed in more than 70 productions for Opera Atelier, which she founded in 1985 with her partner, Marshall Pynkoski.
Opera Atelier productions have been performed in Versailles, at the BBC Proms, Houston Grand Opera and the Glimmerglass Festival. Opera Atelier has also introduced period productions of Mozart to audiences in Japan, Singapore and Korea.
Ms Zingg has received numerous awards including the prestigious Toronto Arts Award, the Opera Canada “Rubies Award” for outstanding achievement in the field of opera in Canada in addition to having been named by TIME Magazine as one of Canada’s most influential artists in the field of Classical music. She has collaborated with conductors Marc Minkowski, Christopher Hogwood, Andrew Parrott, David Fallis and Stefano Montanari and choreographed for dancers from the National Ballet of Canada, The Scapino Ballet, The Dutch National Ballet and Opera Atelier. She has also choreographed and performed in numerous film projects including Rhombus Media’s Master Peter’s Puppet Show, “Romeos and Juliets” and The Sorceress opposite Dame Kiri te Kanawa. In the summer of 2013, Ms Zingg choreographed dances for Mozart's Lucio Silla for the Salzburg Festival. In 2017 Ms Zingg makes her choreographic debut at La Scala, Milan, and at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Italy, in 2018.