Photos from the Canadian Opera Company's production of Love From Afar, by Kaija Saariaho.

All photos by Michael Cooper and Chris Hutcheson - Copyright Canadian Opera Company

"The COC production is presented by Daniele Finzi Pasca, best known for his work with Cirque du Soleil’s Corteo and the creation of the closing ceremonies of the XX Olympic Winter Games in Torino in 2006.  In Love from Afar, Finzi Pasca also serves as lighting designer, working with set designer Jean Rabasse and costume designer Kevin Pollard.  He brings his signature style to a visually arresting new production that uses innovative Cirque-like techniques to extend the range of effects possible on stage.  Acrobats gliding through the air, backgrounds of silk and coloured lights, and costumes with seemingly endless silken extensions seductively weave this 12th-century love affair with the 21st century."

View the full gallery after the jump