Announcing the 2016 Open Space Participants

Canadian-Bulgarian soprano Adanya Dunn, graduated in May 2016 from Dawn Upshaw’s Graduate Vocal Arts Program at Bard College Conservatory of Music, where she also studied with Kayo Iwama, Edith Bers, Erika Switzer, and Patricia Misslin. Previous degrees include: M.Mus. Opera & B.Mus. Voice Performance from University of Toronto, having studied with Dr. Lorna MacDonald. Recent highlights: Carnegie Hall debut with The Song Continues (2015) and an Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Buffalo-Toronto District (2014). At Marilyn Horne's Music Academy of the West (2015, 2014), Dunn performed the role of Clorinda in Rossini’s La Cenerentola and covered Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen. Previous summer programs: Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme, Opera NUOVA, and Vancouver International Song Institute. Dunn is a member of Toronto’s interdisciplinary arts collective, FAWN Chamber Creative. This summer, Adanya is participating in the Toronto Summer Music Festival and in Richard Margison’s Highlands Opera Studio. She is absolutely thrilled to be a part of The Banff Centre’s Opera in the 21st Century Program!! 

Anna Theodosakis completed her Diploma in Operatic Stage Direction at The University of Toronto this spring. In November she had the honour of being the first student director of a University of Toronto Opera mainstage production with The Medium. Past productions with UofT Opera as an assistant director/choreographer include Postcard from Morocco with Michael Cavanagh, HMS Pinafore with Michael Albano, as well as Tim Albery’s Last Days and The Fatal Gaze. In January Theodosakis joined Joel Ivany as assistant director for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s staged Mozart Requiem. This spring she directed MYOpera’s production of The Rape of Lucretia. Theodosakis will be travelling from The Banff Centre to Winnipeg to direct Manitoba Underground Opera’s The Magic Flute. Then she will return to Ontario to direct Eugene Onegin for The Muskoka Opera Festival in August.  

Beste Kalender, mezzo soprano, is a recent graduate from The Rebanks Family Fellowship at The Royal Conservatory of Music. Kalender was an Emerging Artist with Calgary Opera during season 2014-2015 where she made her main stage debut in the title role of Bizet’s Carmen. Kalender has been named Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques du Canada for a third time in 2015. So far, Kalender has performed with Les Chorégies D’Orange (France), The Music Academy of The West Summer Music Festival, The Song Continues at Carnegie Hall, International Vocal Arts Institute, and Opera On The Avalon. Next season Kalender will be performing at The International Sori Festival in Korea and will be making her European role debut with Teatro Comunale di Bologna (Italy). Kalender’s operatic roles include: Carmen (Carmen), Cenerentola (La Cenerentola), Hansel (Hansel & Gretel), Mercedes (Carmen), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Cherubino (La Nozze di Figaro), Cornelia (Giulio Cesare) and Tancredi (Tancredi). 

Latest news: Title role in Pacific Opera Victoria’s touring production of Mary’s Wedding.  Soprano soloist in Carmina Burana with the Okanagan Symphony

Soprano Caitlin Wood grew up in St. Albert, Alberta, and in 2013 received the Richard Bradshaw Graduate Fellowship in Opera from the University of Toronto’s Opera School. As a member of Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program, Caitlin sang Frasquita in Carmen and Johanna in Sweeney Todd. At Banff in 2015, she sang Despina in Against the Grain Theatre’s “A Little too Cosy”. This season, Caitlin stars as Mary in Pacific Opera Victoria’s touring production of Mary’s Wedding and is a soloist in Carmina Burana with Okanagan Symphony. Caitlin reprises her feisty Despina in AGT’s Toronto production of “A Little Too Cozy”. Caitlin looks forward to “Kisses on Broadway” at Westben Festival in Campbellford Ontario in July, and her debut as Clorinda in Edmonton Opera’s comic gem, La Cenerentola.  Caitlin is thrilled to star as Susanna in Vancouver Opera’s Marriage of Figaro in 2017.

Canadian soprano Chelsea Rus is a recent graduate of McGill University (M.Mus) and winner of the Elizabeth Wirth Vocal Competition. This coming year, Rus will be joining the Atelier Lyrique at the Opéra de Montréal for their 2016-2017 season. Rus has appeared repeatedly as a soloist with many of the prominent symphonies on the west coast of Canada, including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. Recent roles include Venus (Venus & Adonis, Opera McGill, 2014), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi, Opera McGill, 2015), Countess (The Marriage of Figaro, Kelowna Opera, 2015), Beth (Little Women, Opera McGill, 2015), and Adina (L’Elisir D’Amore, Opera McGill, 2016). This summer, Rus will perform the role of Female Chorus in The Banff Centre’s production of Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia as a part of the Open Space: Opera in the 21st Century festival.

David Diston’s artistry is quickly gaining him recognition as a ‘sonorous baritone’ (Huffpost Alberta) with ‘full-throated and characterful singing’ (Calgary Herald). A 2016 graduate of the Calgary Opera Emerging Artist program, Diston’s professional credits include Frederic (Lakmé), Pish-Tush (The Mikado), Moralès (Carmen), des Grieux (Le portrait de Manon), L’horloge & Le chat (L’Enfant et les sortilèges), William Dale in the Canadian premiere of Putt’s Silent Night, and in his international debut, Dr. Mann in the world premiere of Vehar’s SHOT! with Nickel City Opera. While pursuing operatic studies at Western University and the University of Toronto, Diston had the pleasure of performing Don Giovanni, Falke (Die Fledermaus), Count Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Mr. Gedge (Albert Herring), and Dr. Malatesta (Don Pasquale). On the concert stage, Diston recently made his debuts with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in their Orchestra Moves series. 

Latest news: sang with the Bethlehem Bach Choir and Theatre of Early Music. Will be returning to the Banff Centre for summer 2016

"Young rising star, soprano Ellen McAteer," (CBC Radio) is the two-time recipient of the Richard Bradshaw Graduate Fellowship in Opera and has been awarded a Ruby Mercer Opera Award, Schulich Scholarship, Gaelyne Gabora Memorial Prize and E. M. Wirth Scholarship. McAteer’s recent appearance as Lola in James Rolfe’s new opera Crush at The Banff Centre was hailed, “Ellen McAteer was stunning as Lola. Universally admired, McAteer braved Rolfe's challenging score with virtuoso daring, and her eloquently played characterization became the hinging point of success for the entire opera.” (Opera Canada). Upcoming performances include Handel’s Messiah with the Peterborough Singers and Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Bethlehem Bach Festival and First Witch / Second Woman in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas with Toronto’s Opera Atelier. McAteer holds a M.Mus in Voice Performance from the University of Toronto and B.Mus in Voice Performance from McGill University.

American - Canadian mezzo-soprano, Emma Char’s recent operatic performances include Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, The Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors (Atelier lyrique de L’Opéra de Montréal) Mallika in Lakmé , Rosette in Manon (L’Opéra de Montréal) and Ramiro in Ensemble Caprice’s Production of Vivaldi’s Motezuma. Char has also covered the roles of Margret in Wozzeck and Mrs. Umeya in the North American Premiere of Dr. Sun Yat-sen for The Santa Fe Opera. Char’s concert performances include the Alto soloist in the Mozart Requiem (I Musici de Montréal) and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with Les Violons du Roy. Char received her BM from The Eastman School of Music, MM from Florida State University, and Artist Diploma from The University of Cincinnati, College – Conservatory of Music.  Char’s professional training includes apprenticeships with The Santa Fe Opera, Opera Saratoga, and The Atelier Lyrique de L’opéra de Montréal. 

Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio graduate and Brockville, Ontario native bass-baritoneIain MacNeil recently appeared with the COC as Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly, and in the role of Fiorello in the company’s mainstage production of The Barber of Seville and Doctor Bartolo in the Ensemble Studio performance. In 2014 he claimed Third Prize in the COC’s Third Annual Ensemble Studio Competition. He studied at the University of Toronto’s Opera Division and received a bachelor of music degree from Dalhousie University. Credits include Guglielmo in Così fan tutte and Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro (Centre for Opera Studies in Italy); Sid in Albert Herring (University of Toronto Opera School); Bobby in Kurt Weill’s Mahagonny-Songspiel, the title role in Sweeney Todd, Brewer in Comedy on the Bridgeand Tom/John in The Face on the Barroom Floor (Dalhousie Opera Workshop). In the COC’s 2015/2016 season, Mr. MacNeil sang the title role in the Ensemble Studio performance of The Marriage of Figaro, the Marquis d’Obigny in La Traviata and Le Dancaïre in Carmen.

Jasper Leever has finished his studies at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague in The Netherlands last May with Frans Fiselier as his teacher, and Phyllis Ferwerda as his coach. There he has built a strong feeling for various styles of singing like Gregorian chant, early music, lied, oratorio, and opera. He also followed masterclasses with Claron McFadden, Michael Chance, and Marcel Rijans. As for opera, Leever has started out with the role of Don Bazilio in Il Barbiere di Seviglia by Rossini in France in 2015. Then Il Commendatore in Mozart’s Don Giovanni as a guest singer with the Dutch National Opera Academy at the start of 2016. He also sang the role of Christ from the St. Matthew and the St. John passions by J.S. Bach on Gran Canaria. Leever also worked together with various conductors throughout Europe.

Pianist Maria Fuller, from southern Saskatchewan, began studying trumpet and piano at age six. She holds a Masters Degree, (College-Conservatory of Music, Cincinnati), and a BMus, (McGill University), in piano performance and is currently obtaining an Artist Diploma in Opera Coaching, CCM, under Marie-France Lefebvre. Fuller has had success in the major solo Canadian competitions, and has competed in chamber music competitions in the States (including the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, and Plowman). Most recently Fuller performed the Liszt Concerto No. 1 with the Longview Symphony Orchestra, Texas, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Cincinnati Ballet. Fuller attended the Franz Schubert Institute and the Mozarteum in Austria on full scholarship and was chosen as pianist for the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. She has been heard on CBC radio performing with Canadian bass-baritone, Philippe Sly, as well as with her family ensemble, “Fuller Brass.” Fuller is also a skilled trumpeter, receiving the provincial brass title thrice by age 15, and is a commissioned composer.

A native of Saint John, New Brunswick, Owen McCausland is a recent graduate of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio. He recently appeared with the COC as Testo in Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, Juan in Don Quichotte, Lord Cecil in Roberto Devereux, Ferrando in Così fan tutte (Ensemble Studio performance), and Reverend Horace Adams in Peter Grimes. In 2013, he stepped into the title role in La clemenza di Tito for several performances on the COC mainstage, in addition to singing the role in the Ensemble Studio performance. Other roles include the title role in Werther (Chautauqua Institution); Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi (Opera on the Avalon) and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni (Centre for Opera Studies in Italy). In the upcoming 2016/2017 season McCausland will appear as Lurcanio in Ariodante with the COC and also Tamino in Die Zauberflöte.

San Francisco native, Filipino-American baritone Peter Rolfe Dauz’s performance highlights include Don Alfonso (Cosi fan tutte), Leporello (Don Giovanni), Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), Achilla (Giulio Cesare), and Claudio (Agrippina).  In 2014, Dauz began his Master’s Degree at McGill University and performed the title role in Le nozze di Figaro as well as Betto in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi.  Currently, Dauz is a first year graduate student of the Vocal Arts Program at Bard College Conservatory where he works with Sanford Sylvan, Dawn Upshaw, Kayo Iwama and Erika Switzer. This season at Bard, Dauz sang the role of the Sprecher in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, was a soloist in Handel’s Messiah under maestro Leon Botstein, and collaborated with Dawn Upshaw in part-songs on the Haydn Project. He made his New York State symphonic debut as the Bass soloist in Handel’s Alexander’s Feast with the Broad Street Orchestra in Kinderhook, New York. Dauz is thrilled to be part of The Banff Centre’s Opera Program with Against the Grain Theatre, and the Canadian Opera Company.

Stephanie Hradsky holds a Masters degree in Voice and Opera from McGill University and a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from the University of Michigan.  Most recently Hradsky performed the role of Erste Knabe in Calgary Opera’s production of Die Zauberflöte.  In recent years Hradsky took part in the Opera as Theatre program run through The Banff Centre, as well as the Moravian Master Class where Hradsky performed in the eastern Czech Republic.  Equally at home in opera and musical theatre, past productions include Don Giovanni (Zerlina), Rinaldo (Almirena), Le Nozze di Figaro (Barbarina), The Magic Flute (Papagena), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Peaseblossom), The Full Monty, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, and Merton of the Movies (Flips Montague, Canadian Premiere).  This past year, Hradsky has been on faculty with The Young Canadians School of Performing Arts, as well as coaching various vocal groups around Calgary.  

Tonatiuh Abrego, tenor, is the winner of the 2016 St. Andrew's International Aria Competition. He was last seen in Jeunesses Musicales du Canada's tours of Romeo et Juliette singing Romeo. Previous roles include the Male Chorus in Calgary Opera's The Rape of Lucretia, Nemorino in Opera Nuova's L'Elisir d'amore; 'Don Ottavio' and 'Mr. Craven' in Banff Centre productions of Don Giovanni and The Secret Garden. After completing his Masters degree in Voice performance at McGill University,Abrego graduated from Calgary Opera's Emerging Artist program; he is also a laureate of the Jeunessses Ambassadeurs Lyriques du Canada. Abrego was a semi-finalist in the prestigious Lotte Lenya Competition, the recipient of the McGill Elizabeth Wirth Opera Scholarship, the winner of the St-Georges Provincial Music Festival in the Maestoso Category, a finalist in the Ottawa Orchestra Concerto competition, and a winner of the Ontario Provincial Music festival for Classical Voice.

Vanessa Oude-Reimerink is a young soprano who is quickly gaining recognition for her performances in opera, music theatre and contemporary collaborations. Next season, she will be joining Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program where she will perform Sandman/Dewfairy in Hansel and Gretel and make appearances at the inaugural Vancouver Opera Festival. A previous Emerging Artist with Calgary Opera, Oude-Reimerink made her mainstage debut as Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro. Last season, Oude-Reimerink performed with the Toronto Summer Music Festival as Cathy in The Last Five Years, FestivalOpéra St. Eustache in the title role of Viardot’s Cendrillon, Against the Grain Theatre and Arcady Ensemble in Messiah performances, and Edmonton Opera as Frasquita in Carmen and as their understudy of Maria in Maria Stuarda. Other roles include Tytania, Susanna, Pamina, Miss Wordsworth, Clara in The Light in the Piazza, and Rapunzel in Into the Woods. 

Latest news: Entered the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble program and made his debut in Maometto II.

Native of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Aaron studied at McGill University with Sanford Sylvan. He is a current Young Artist at the Atelier Lyrique de l’ Opéra de Montréal and last summer he was a Young Artist with the Salzburg Festival. Credits include Pedrillo in Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, and Monostatos in Die Zauberflote as part of the Salzburg Festival, Pong in Turandot, Hadji in Dead Man Walking and Joe’s Brother in Dead Man Walking with l’Opera de Montreal, Ferrando with the Jeunesses Musicales du Canada, and Tamino (Die Zauberflote) and Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi) with McGill University and the McGill Chamber Orchestra. Upcoming engagements include Kronprinz in Silent night. Aaron is a recent winner of the Metropolitan Opera Competition Western Canada Region, and a prize -winner of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble competition.  

Latest news: National tour of Così fan tutte with the Nederlandse Reisopera, and performance of Fiordiligi at the Concertgebouw

Lyric soprano Shantelle Przybylo is a recent graduate of Washington National Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. At WNO, she sang Pamina and Papagena in The Magic Flute, Giannetta in L’Elisir d’Amore, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, as well as Zerlina in Don Giovanni, a role which she reprised at the Green Mountain Opera Festival in summer 2013. Upcoming engagements include concert performances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam as well as her European debut singing Fiordiligi with the Nationale Reisopera. She is a Regional finalist of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and winner of the Prix Jeune Espoir Lyrique Canadien in the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques competition in 2012. Other roles performed include Arminda in La Finta Giardiniera, Miss Titmouse in Too Many Sopranos, Rose in Street Scene, Nataliya in The Enslavementand Liberation of Oksana G., and Edith in the Pirates of Penzance.

Latest news: Title role in Pacific Opera Victoria’s touring production of Mary’s Wedding.  Soprano soloist in Carmina Burana with the Okanagan Symphony

Soprano Caitlin Wood grew up in St. Albert, Alberta, and in 2013 received the Richard Bradshaw Graduate Fellowship in Opera from the University of Toronto’s Opera School. As a member of Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program, Caitlin sang Frasquita in Carmen and Johanna in Sweeney Todd. At Banff in 2015, she sang Despina in Against the Grain Theatre’s “A Little too Cosy”. This season, Caitlin stars as Mary in Pacific Opera Victoria’s touring production of Mary’s Wedding and is a soloist in Carmina Burana with Okanagan Symphony. Caitlin reprises her feisty Despina in AGT’s Toronto production of “A Little Too Cozy”. Caitlin looks forward to “Kisses on Broadway” at Westben Festival in Campbellford Ontario in July, and her debut as Clorinda in Edmonton Opera’s comic gem, La Cenerentola.  Caitlin is thrilled to star as Susanna in Vancouver Opera’s Marriage of Figaro in 2017.

Latest news: made her debut with Opera de Montreal as Kate Pinkerton and a tour with Jeunesses Musicales du Canada

Mezzo-soprano Pascale Spinney, from Montreal QC, is completing her first year as a young artist at the Atelier Lyrique of the Opéra de Montréal.  She obtained her Master’s degree from the Schulich School of Music of McGill University. Several roles at McGill stand out, such as Miles in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Epicene in the Canadian premiere of John Musto and Mark Campbell’s Volpone, Eustazio in Rinaldo; a role for which Le Devoir described her as a “...voice of great presence…”, and culminating in the title role in Giulio Cesare in Egitto. Outside of academia, she sang overseas as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro in a CO-SI production, Hänsel in a concert version of Hänsel und Gretel in Vancouver and at Opera Nuova as Zerlina in Don Giovanni. Since graduating in 2013, Pascale has been hired by Opera McGill to cover the role of Hippolyta (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), to sing the role of Véronique in a Stu&Jess Production of Bizet’s Le Docteur Miracle, and to coach Italian diction for the Halifax Summer Opera Festival’s production of Giulio Cesare in Egitto. Recently, she has received an encouragement award from the National Council Auditions of the Metropolitan Opera.

Latest news: sang Dr. Falke with Vero Beach Opera and debuted Donald L. Fonzo with Against the Grain Theatre in Toronto

Having been praised for his "exceptionally expressive instrument" (Bachtrack) and "clear, ringing forthright sound (The Montreal Gazette) Cairan Ryan has embarked on a promising young career. He was born in Belgium and emigrated to Calgary, recently completing his 2-year tenure at the Atelier Lyrique de L'Opéra de Montréal. In the 2014-15 Season, he sang Papageno in The Magic Flute at Opera Lyra Ottawa, appeared in the 2014 Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques Gala, was baritone soloist for the Choeur Polyphonique de Montreal and CAMMAC Messiah, soloist for University of Ottawa's Ein Deutsches Requiem, and soloist in The Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul's Church's B Minor Mass, under the baton of Jordan de Souza. In July 2015, he appears as soloist at the Festival de Lanaudière, in Bruckner’s Mass No. 3 in f minor, with the Orchestre Metropolitain de Montreal, with Jannick Nézét-Seguin at the podium. 

Latest news: competed in the COC Centre Stage competition and will be a member in the 2016-17 Ensemble

Soprano Samantha Pickett is from Kitchener, Ontario and is currently completing her Masters of Opera and Voice at McGill University under Professor Sanford Sylvan. Miss Pickett is an alumna of Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, ON), where she earned a Bachelor's of Voice Performance (2012) and Opera Diploma (2013). Engagements with Opera McGill in 2015 included Contessa Almaviva inLe Nozze di Figaro, La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, as well as understudy for the title role in Suor Angelica. In Opera McGill’s Lisl Wirth Black Box Festival, Miss Pickett appeared as Magda Sorel in scenes from The Consul. Miss Pickett’s recent roles include Micaëla in Carmen and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni (Opera NUOVA), and Elle inLa Voix humaine (Opera McGill).

Latest news: sang the role of Jean in Julie with Canadian Stage and made his debut with Pacific Opera Victoria as Figaro in The Barber of Seville

Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio member and Mississauga native baritone Clarence Frazer is praised for having a “silvery baritone that retains its silky texture through his entire range (London Free Press)” and “possesses a powerful, robust voice (Paula Citron).” Mr. Frazer recently appeared with the COC as Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly, Customs House Sergeant in La Bohème and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte. Future engagements include: Figaro inIl Barbiere di Siviglia (Canadian Opera Company; Spring 2015); Sam in Crush by James Rolfe and commissioned by the Canadian Opera Company (The Banff Centre and Against the Grain Theatre; Summer 2015); Jean in Julie by Philippe Boesmans (Canadian Stage/ Soundstreams; Fall 2015) and Moralès/Le Dancaïre in Carmen (Edmonton Opera; Winter 2016).

Latest news: sang with the Bethlehem Bach Choir and Theatre of Early Music. Will be returning to the Banff Centre for summer 2016

"Young rising star, soprano Ellen McAteer," (CBC Radio) is the two-time recipient of the Richard Bradshaw Graduate Fellowship in Opera and has been awarded a Ruby Mercer Opera Award, Schulich Scholarship, Gaelyne Gabora Memorial Prize and E. M. Wirth Scholarship. McAteer’s recent appearance as Lola in James Rolfe’s new opera Crush at The Banff Centre was hailed, “Ellen McAteer was stunning as Lola. Universally admired, McAteer braved Rolfe's challenging score with virtuoso daring, and her eloquently played characterization became the hinging point of success for the entire opera.” (Opera Canada). Upcoming performances include Handel’s Messiah with the Peterborough Singers and Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Bethlehem Bach Festival and First Witch / Second Woman in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas with Toronto’s Opera Atelier. McAteer holds a M.Mus in Voice Performance from the University of Toronto and B.Mus in Voice Performance from McGill University.

Latest news: sang the role of Meg with Opera McGill, featured soloist with the Windwor Symphony Orchestra

Coming from a musical family in Vancouver B.C., Simone McIntosh set out to pursue her passion for singing at the University of British Columbia, receiving a BMus in Opera. Simone distinguished herself as a principal soloist with the UBC Opera Ensemble, with leading roles such as: Giulietta (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), the Fox (The Cunning Little Vixen), Alexander Jr. (The Inventor, Bramwell Tovey), and Harry (Albert Herring). Additionally, Simone was a finalist in the 2014 UBC Concerto Competition, performing Britten’s Our Hunting Fathers. After a successful participation with Vancouver Opera in Schools, Simone was invited by the Vancouver Opera Association to perform the role of Cis in their mainstage production of Albert Herring, directed by Glynis Leyshon, under the baton of Leslie Dala in 2013. In February 2014, Simone performed Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, with the Burnaby Lyric Opera Company under the direction of Richard Berg and conductor Michael Onwood. Upcoming engagements include the title role in Béatrice et Bénédict with Metro Youth Opera, Donna in Crush and Mozart’s Regina Coeli, K. 127 with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra.

Latest news: won third prize in the COC Ensemble Centre Stage competition; will be a member in the 2016-17 Ensemble

A native of the Montreal area, baritone Bruno Roy undertook a Bachelor of Music at McGill University. In 2013, he was invited to Texas to sing the role of Raoul de Gardefeu in the Opera Without Borders production of La Vie Parisienne. That summer, he also participated in the Franco American Vocal Academy’s Salzburg workshop where he performed as Masetto in Don Giovanni. During 2013-14, he participated in McGill’s Song Interpretation class under the guidance of distinguished professor Michael McMahon and performed the role of Papageno in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte at a workshop in Indiana. January 2015 marked his Opera McGill debut as Il Conte Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro. In summer 2015, as well as participating in the Open Space program at The Banff Centre, he will also perform as The Clock/The Cat in L’enfant et les sortilèges at Opera on Avalon.

Latest news: sang the role of Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore with the Lanaudière Sinfonia and the role of Rodrigo in Otello with Opera de Montreal

Hailing from Montreal, tenor Pasquale D’Alessio is completing his first year at the Atelier Lyrique of L’Opéra de Montréal. He is a recent graduate from McGill University having performed many times with Opera McGill. His roles there included Lysander from Britten’s Midsummer Nights Dream, and Tebaldo from Bellini’s I Capuletti e I Montecchi. In summer 2014, he premiered an Opera written by Colin Doruschuk Évangéline. He has performed several roles with Opera de Montreal including Abdallo from Verdi’s Nabucco and Messager from Saint-Saëns’ Samson and Delilah.