Back to the future... of OPERA!

Vickie Zhao, Alex Ionescu, and the adventures of La Reine-garçon

Text: François Ulrich

Photo: Tam Photography

Montréal natives Vickie Zhao and Alex Ionescu return to their hometown after 10 years in the United States. From Silicon Valley to the St. Lawrence Valley, the young parents decided to get closer to their family and reconnect with their community, including the artistic community. “We are two Montrealers, this is our city, our daughter was eight years old and it was time to come home.”

Fostering innovation

Vickie and Alex embody a new generation of cultural philanthropists. What motivates them to support the Opéra de Montréal? Above all, a commitment to innovation and accessibility:

“During our American episode, we would always seek to support cultural institutions that best represented the city we were in, its talent, its energy. In Seattle, for example, it was MoPOP, the famous museum dedicated to pop culture. In Montréal, we quickly settled on the Opéra de Montréal. Not so much because it’s a prestigious institution. But because it’s one of the most creative, daring to reinvent opera as a contemporary art form, an art form that speaks to everyone and is accessible to all,” explains Alex.

Fostering boldness and inclusivity

And when it comes to opera, this philanthropic couple know what they’re talking about. “When we were in San Francisco, we lived across the street from the opera house,” says Vickie. “We definitely took full advantage of the opportunity to see quite a few productions. But the experience was… let’s say… very conventional, both on stage and in the hall. Over there, opera remains a luxury form of entertainment reserved for the elite in tuxedos and gowns… I didn’t feel like I was part of the party, I didn’t feel myself.”

“What we liked about the Opéra de Montréal was its bold approach,” adds her husband. “The audacity to create new works, like La Beauté du monde about the Second World War. The audacity to put punk and tattooed characters on posters. The audacity to tackle 2SLGBTQ+ issues, as will be the case in La Reine-garçon.”

“It’s this audacity that keeps opera alive. And it’s this audacity that we want to support.”

Vickie and Alex are generous sponsors of Michel Marc Bouchard and Julien Bilodeau’s original production, which opens on February 3. “And our daughter will be with us for the show, as she has been for almost every production for the past two years!”

Fostering a caring community

In addition to providing financial support for the creation of new works, this couple of philanthropists is very involved with the Opéra de Montréal. Vickie even joined the Board of Directors in fall 2023:

“There are some great projects on the table, for schools, for vulnerable people, for young talent. We feel that the company is at a turning point in its history, that there’s enormous potential for growth, positive impacts both for the opera and for Montréal’s entire cultural ecosystem. It’s very gratifying for philanthropists to feel that we’re taking part in a worthy project that helps our city shine.”

The world premiere of La Reine-garçon is presented at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier on February 3, 6, 8 and 11. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.