Come Away Death
An Anthology of Opera Ghost Stories
Presented by the Holy Trinity Cathedral with support from Opera Unbound
October 31, 2025 at 7:30PM
514 Carnavon Street, New Westminster
Submitted for your approval:
a collection of haunted vignettes
Step into the unknown with this collection of haunted vignettes – tales of madness, magic, and the supernatural. Journey with us through music, projection, and narration from once-grand cities to the depths of the sea.
Featuring excerpts from U-29, a new horror opera by Roan Shankaruk commissioned by Opera Unbound.
Emma Jang – soprano
Chinese-Canadian soprano Emma Jang is hailed for her “voice like a crystal clear jewel”. She holds her MMus in Opera Performance from the University of British Columbia where highlights included her European debut as Despina (Così fan tutte), Vixen (Přihody Lišky Bystroušky), and Gretel (Hansel and Gretel). Emma has performed with local companies such as City Opera Vancouver (Song from the Uproar), Opera Unbound (U-29), and Players & Singers (Dido and Aeneas), and understudied the role of Dukdukdiya for Vancouver Opera’s touring production of The Flight of the Hummingbird. She has been a featured soloist with Opera Kelowna, the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra (Brahms Requiem), the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra, and the North Czech Philharmonic. Emma made her debut in Asia this spring, completing a tour of the Mandarin language opera Thunderstorm as the lead character Fan Yi.
Taryn Plater – mezzo
Taryn Plater is a versatile singer and creator, recognized for her “dramatic and vocal thrust”, “strong yet lyrical mezzo-soprano”, and “excellent acting chops” (Opera Canada). Driven by an interest in opera’s relationship to different genres and mediums, her portfolio focuses on Ukrainian art song, new works, and the intersection of jazz and classical music. As a founding member of Opera Unbound, Taryn pursues projects that open new avenues for artistic collaboration. Taryn was a 2024 emerging artist with Manitoba Opera and a 2021-2022 RBC Artist Fellow with the Association for Opera in Canada. She has been part of developing new works with Good Mess Opera Theatre, Belle Spirale, and the Or Festival. In 2021, Taryn created the digital artist statement First Steps through Against the Grain’s National Opera Intensive, and she continues to explore non-traditional opera creation with the development of her original multi-media performance piece, Pamyatayesh.
Matthew Kim – baritone
Matthew is a lyric baritone and financial operations analyst. Following two degrees in opera performance at the University of British Columbia, he completed several professional contracts throughout Canada and now works with a San Francisco-based financial technology startup. Matthew enjoys singing contemporary works and telling new stories to current audiences. He had the unique opportunity to sing the roles of Edmund Bertram and William Dale in Mansfield Park and Silent Night – both composed in the last decade. He originated the titular role of Alfred in Vancouver composer Anthony Knight’s premiere of Oh, Alfred!. As a co-director of Opera Unbound, Matthew has supported the development of two new operas, among other cross-medium collaborative projects. Matthew also has a strong fondness for classical and romantic opera and German lieder.
Richard Epp – piano
Richard Epp is a Vancouver based vocal coach, pianist, and conductor. He was senior opera coach for the Opera Workshop at UBC and sessional instructor in the School of Music for many years. At UBC, he conducted Serse, Die Gärtnerin aus Liebe, Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte, Hänsel und Gretel, Der Fledermaus, Die lustige Witwe, Brundibar, Cabaret, and Weisse Rose, among others. In the past year, he has worked for Vancouver Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, Vancouver City Opera, and in the young artist program at Kelowna Opera. In the past, he worked at Vancouver Opera as pianist for their Resident Artist Program for five years and has also been on the faculty at the Vancouver Academy of Music. He has appeared in concert for both Vancouver Early Music and Vancouver New Music. He has premiered numerous Canadian works and has appeared in recital on CBC on numerous occasions.