Proudly Local
Flipside Opera & Art Song Collective is a Canadian non-profit, volunteer-run vocal arts performance organization based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Who we are
At Flipside, we find purpose through connection, community, and creativity. As a volunteer-run organization with a committed working board, we are energized by our vibrant community of artists and audience members, to whom we bring creative, welcoming, cohesive opera & art song experiences.
Our mission is to bring classical music to the people. We are passionate about offering performances that satisfy both seasoned opera lovers and newcomers. Everyone belongs on the Flipside!
What We Do
Since its inception in 2011, Flipside performances have run the gamut from fully staged operas (The Medium, 2019; Gisela in Her Bathtub, 2016) to intimate song recitals (Heavyweights, 2016; Opera on the the Lake, 2018-20), to multidisciplinary productions using film and visual art (Love Languages, 2025; Bloody Jack, 2021) – but the constant has been our commitment to making classical vocal music that is enjoyable for aficionados and accessible for newcomers. Acclaimed artists such as Tracy Dahl, Clarence Frazer, James McLennan, Lara Ciekiewicz, and Lizzy Hoyt have graced our stages, and directors Jacqueline Loewen and Donna Fletcher have helped bring our visions to life. We have collaborated with local arts organizations including Womenâs Musical Club of Winnipeg, The Little Opera Company, Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society, Proximus 5, and Groundswell. Our âBingeworthyâ series, putting the spotlight on one composer, set, or style, has featured the works of Manitoban John Greer (Greeriad, 2017), the complete Italienisches Liederbuch of Hugo Wolf (Love Languages, 2025), and a concert of songs written by Black African-American women (In Plain Sight, 2022).
In tandem with our thoughtful and innovative programming, Flipside has a vibrant community presence that helps to break down any barriers between singers and audiences. Opera by the Pint has been a free, accessible event at Little Brown Jug Brewing Co since January 2018 that has featured over 100 unique singers, from emerging to established. Each event has a new lineup of singers and repertoire, charmingly emceed by Artistic Director Judith Oatway. There is ample time for socializing between audience members and performers, and the evening ends with an audience singalong. It is an exciting opportunity to hear operatic singing up close and personal; as one audience member commented, âThereâs a real person behind all that sound!â
Flipside has also hosted Opera Idol, a friendly competition that showcases emerging artists for audience votes, complete with âjudgesâ from the arts community. From 2021-2024, we held Every-Bocce Loves Opera!, a bocce ball tournament featuring performances of Italian opera. This lighthearted event was a joyful opportunity for sports fans, opera fans, children, and opera artists to connect in a casual summer outdoor setting. This event also facilitated a rewarding partnership between Flipside and Riverview Health Centre; RHC generously loaned us the bocce ball sets in return for a concert for their health care facilityâs community members.
At Flipside, we are proud of the work we have done to create new fans of opera and art song. One supporter called Opera by the Pint a âgatewayâ event, âtruly a âgoosebump experience,ââ which led to their attending a performance of ours in the concert hall later that year, âan amazing performance of piano, song, and art, combined so flawlessly and with great humourâŠit blew any expectations out of the water.â We have encountered countless examples of people who assumed they wouldnât like opera or were intimidated by the traditional setting, but through Flipside events they have experienced the intense emotional and sonic power of opera and song.
Artistic Team
Lisa Rumpel
flipsideopera [at] gmail.com
Praised for her “fierce artistryâ and poetic pianism, âpowerhouseâ Winnipeg-based pianist and coach Lisa Rumpel is an active member of Manitobaâs arts scene. Lisaâs vibrant and varied freelance piano career has included performances with many of Manitobaâs esteemed arts organizations. An alumnus of Opera NUOVA, Franz Schubert Institute, and Vancouver International Song Institute, she has had the opportunity to work and perform with a multitude of exceptional artists including Tracy Dahl, Monica Huisman, Clarence Frazer, Lara Ciekiewicz, James McLennan, Lizzy Hoyt, and Kerson Leong. Since completing her Master of Music (Collaborative Piano) at the University of Manitoba in 2015, Lisa has built her reputation as a coach and pianist for musicians of all experience levels.
Alongside her demanding performance schedule, Lisa is the General Manager of Flipside Opera & Art Song Collective, fulfilling her love of creating unique and accessible programming for classical music lovers and newcomers alike. She has sat on the boards of The Little Opera Company, The Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg, and Living Room Live, and teaches at the Winnipeg Conservatory of Music. Lisa lives in Winnipeg with her husband and young daughter.
Judith Oatway
adflipsideopera [at] gmail.com
Winnipeg soprano Judith Oatway has a passion for singing and a lifelong commitment to vocal performance and education. Her performances have been described as ‘polished and dramatic’ (Opera Composer Blog).
Judith’s training has included a Master of Literature and Music Performance from the University of Western Ontario; Opera NUOVA; and Orford Music Academy. Recent performance highlights include a Manitoba tour of the music of John Greer, and singing La Ciesca (Gianna Schicchi) with Manitoba Underground Opera. Other past roles include Zwei Dame (Die Zauberflöte), Magda Sorel (The Consul), Mother (Hansel & Gretel), Anne Maurrant (Street Scene) and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni). She has performed with Manitoba Underground Opera, The Little Opera Company, Kitchener Opera, Halifax Summer Opera, and others.
Judith is a sessional instructor of voice and vocal pedagogy at the Canadian Mennonite University and at the University of Manitoba’s Desautels Faculty of Music. Judith is the Director of Community School of Music & Arts at CMU, a co-founder and the Artistic Director of Flipside Opera & Art Song Collective, and co-founder of the Summer Music Academy, a summer program for young singers in Winnipeg. She has served on the boards of the Associated Manitoba Arts Festivals and the Manitoba chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Judith believes the future of the vocal arts is alive and well in Canada.
Board of Directors
Ashley Boychuk, President
Mark Glucki, Vice-President
Aaron Hutton, Treasurer
Meagan Reimer, Secretary
Amber Casselman, Member at large
Jared McKetiak, Member at large
Abi Desserre, Member at large
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