YOUR OPERA GUIDE : Iain Scott

Iain Scott is perhaps Canada’s best known and most popular opera tour designer-leader and is an evangelist opera educator (lectures, courses and weekend seminars).

Iain enjoyed a 30-year corporate business career (working with Engineers in SHELL, with Chartered Accountants in DELOITTE, and with Consulting Actuaries in MERCER). He found this work materially rewarding, but ultimately unfulfilling for the soul.

Throughout his business career, he taught evening classes on opera appreciation at the University of Toronto, York University, Ryerson University, the Royal Conservatory and in many other educational institutions, associations and Community Centres throughout Canada and the USA.

He retired from corporate life over twenty years ago (in 2002) – and founded his own enterprise : OPERA IS – Travel and Learning (the IS stands for “Iain Scott’) to design and lead opera tours, to develop opera appreciation courses, and to produce opera guides. He has never been happier in his life.

You may also be interested to know that …

• Iain grew up in Scotland and came to Canada in 1972.
  
• He has two Masters Degrees (an Honours MA in Medieval History and an MBA in Organizational Behaviour).

• He represented Scotland in fencing at two weapons (foil and epee).

• He was a regular guest on “Saturday Afternoon at the Opera” (CBC radio) for 25 years.

• He was a frequent panelist on the “Texaco Opera Quiz” from the Metropolitan Opera for 8 seasons.

• He has lectured for the Smithsonian, the Chautauqua Institution, the Great Books Foundation, Opera Guilds International, and many more – including many Wagner Societies across North America.

• He has served on many Boards including the Canadian Opera Company, the Vancouver Opera, Opera Canada Magazine, the Toronto Arts Council, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and the University of Toronto’s Opera School.

• He was honoured with the University of Toronto’s “Outstanding Teacher Award”.