Brian Deedrick is delighted to be here for the very first time with Opera Kelowna, and equally excited for this first foray into Berlioz’s joyous and wonderful BEATRICE ET BENEDICT. A freelance theatre and opera director, Brian’s hundred-plus productions have taken him back and forth across Canada and the US, with occasional forays as far afield as Italy, Germany and Israel.  It feels like every opera becomes a favourite, but some of the greatest pleasures include a just-finished CONSUL for Opera Nuova; MEFISTOFELE and THE ELIXIR OF LOVE for Knoxville Opera; TOSCA in Rheinsberg, Germany; TURANDOT in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver; OTELLO for L’Opera de Quebec; FALSTAFF, WEILL IN WEIMAR and FIDELIO for Edmonton Opera; EUGENE ONEGIN for Opera Carolina; LA BOHEME for Manitoba Opera; LAKME in Tel Aviv; and AIDA practically everywhere.  Upcoming, another favourite: DER FLIEGENDE HOLLAENDER for Vancouver Opera.  Having flown directly to Kelowna from Berlin, where he works summers as tour guide (no, really!), Brian leaves immediately following the opening of B&B to return to Berlin, in order to continue his passion for storytelling, albeit in a very different  form than opera, on the streets of the greatest city in the world.