penelope dreamwalker
PENELOPE DREAMWALKER – GHOST OF SHIRREFF HALL
Women’s Council House
989 Young Street, Halifax
March 1st to 4th, 6th to 8th, AND 13th to 15th
Buy tickets HERE or at the door
– seating is limited to 25 people per performance
Janice Isabel Jackson, soprano
Sarah Frank – violin, soprano
Emily Jewer – director
Arianne Pollet-Brannen – costumes
Dylan Hay – tech director
The operas are:
*The House Rules of Order of Shirreff Hall by Sophie Dupuis with Monica Pearce, libretto
Penelope: Dreamwalker by Janice I Jackson
*Do you hear me by James Rolfe with Luke Hathaway, libretto
*World Premieres
A century-old Dalhousie legend comes to life in Penelope Dreamwalker, a trio of new operas inspired by the ghost said to haunt Shirreff Hall. Passed down through generations of students, Penelope’s story—rooted in love, betrayal, and the harsh judgments faced by young women in the 1920s—continues to echo today.
Each composer and librettist has reimagined Penelope from different angles: her life and isolation, the cruelty she endured, and her lingering presence as she forms an unexpected bond with a modern gender-diverse student. Together, these operas explore how her story transcends time, identity, and campus folklore.
Made possible by a grant from Arts Nova Scotia.
About Vocalypse
Vocalypse Productions is a non-profit society based in Halifax, Nova Scotia with Janice Isabel Jackson, soprano in the role of Artistic Director. Vocalypse Productions creates, commissions, and presents unique and exciting musical events which expand the boundaries of contemporary classical music including: new opera, art song, improvisational vocal music which include extended vocal techniques. Read More