with the Amadeus Choir on March 28, 2008with the Amadeus Choir on March 28, 2008 The Peterborough Singers

concert series information


2007-2008 Concert Series

YULETIDE CHEER
Saturday, November 24, 2007, 7:30 pm
George St. United Church

Handel's MESSIAH
Monday, December 17 & Tuesday, December 18, 2007, 7:30 pm
George St. United Church

VALENTINE CONCERT
Saturday, Feb 16, 2008, 7:30 pm
George St. United Church

ST. MATTHEW PASSION
Saturday, May 10, 2008, 7:30 pm
George St. United Church



CONCERT DETAILS

YULETIDE CHEER

Saturday, November 24, 2007, 7:30 pm
George St. United Church
FEATURING: Canadian Staff Band Of The Salvation Army

CANADIAN STAFF BAND OF THE SALVATION ARMY Formed in 1969, the band has established a worldwide reputation for the finest in brass band playing. Wherever the group has gone it has shown its ability to present clearly and convincingly the spirit and significance of great music.

Members are selected from officers and employees at The Salvation Army's Territorial Headquarters for Canada and Bermuda, or from various corps bands located within easy access of Toronto. They have a variety of occupations including sales managers, university students and teachers.

The band visits Salvation Army centres throughout Canada and the United States once a month, seven months a year. North American engagements have included performances at Disney World in Florida and the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. Several international tours have been undertaken by the band including visits to England, Holland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.

The band displays its virtuosity by using a widely diversified repertoire including traditional symphonic works from the great masters, reverent meditations based on well-known hymn tunes, brilliant and exciting marches, and selections from the latest in contemporary Christian music.

Band members are completely dedicated to The Salvation Army's prime task of winning men and women for Christ, and it is in His name that they serve.

 

 

Handel's MESSIAH


Monday December 17 and Tuesday December 18, 2007
7:30 pm   George St. United Church

FEATURING:
Monday Tuesday
  Sally Dibblee, soprano
  Jennifer Enns Modolo, mezzo-soprano
  Adam Bishop, tenor
  Fr. Paul Massel, bass
  Ian Sadler, organist

  Pamela Birrell, soprano
  Mia Lennox-Williams, mezzo-soprano
  Mark Dubois, tenor
  Gary Relyea, bass
  Ian Sadler, organist


For over 250 years, this extraordinary work has united the hearts of listeners and performers. Make it your tradition and share an evening of joyous and majestic music as the Peterborough Singers performs one of the most beloved works ever written.

 

SALLY DIBBLEE - Messiah, Monday, Dec. 17
Canadian soprano Sally Dibblee has appeared regularly on opera stages across the country. With Opera Ontario she has appeared as Anna in Nabucco, Clorinda in La Cenerentola, the Lady in Waiting in Macbeth, Musetta in La Boheme, Despina in Cosi fan tutte, Zerlina in Don Giovanni and the title role in Susannah, which she also sang for Vancouver Opera. With the Canadian Opera Company she created the role of Camilla in the world premier of Randolf Peter's Nosferatu. Ms. Dibblee has been featured by Pacific Opera Victoria as Adina in L'elisir d'amore and with Edmonton Opera, Toronto Operetta Theatre and the Banff Centre for the Arts.

On the concert stage, Ms. Dibblee has appeared with the Calgary Philharmonic in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and in Handel's Messiah with the McGill Chamber Orchestra, the Elmer Iseler Singers and the Aldeburgh Connection among others. She can be heard on the CBC Centredisc recording entitled "Le Souvenir; Canadian Songs for Parlour and Stage."

Sally's many appearances with the Peterborough Singers have made her part of our family. She has even ventured onto the Birrell houseboat for adventures on Stoney Lake.what a thrill for the churchgoers that day at St. Peters-on-the-Rock! Over the years, Sally has been our guest soloist at Christmas, Messiah, Valentines or the Spring Oratorio, and always delighted the audience with her superlative performances.

 

PAMELA BIRRELL, A.R.C.T., B.A.S.(Hon.) - Messiah, Tuesday, Dec. 18
Pamela was born and bred in Peterborough, the youngest in a family where five older brothers towered over her. High school at PCVS was followed by a scholarship to Trent University, where Pam studied business, and did very well at it. But though she was top of the class, Dean's List, assisting profs in their marking and tutorials, her academic interest was elsewhere, The Royal Conservatory of Music to be precise, where she was taking singing lessons. Traveling this scholarly road led to an Honours degree from Trent, with several offers from prestigious firms to pursue a career in business, and a first class honours Performers Associateship Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto. Guess which one she chose. Oh, along the way she married her music theory teacher and accompanist, one Syd Birrell, presently writing this.

So instead of enriching the bottom line of clients and companies, Pamela has made a career of enriching the hearts of listeners, for it is not possible to hear Pam sing without being touched deeply by the beauty of her voice. The ongoing marvel is that her gift of song has not been stifled by her own fight as a young mother with breast cancer, nor by the staggering loss of her young son James to cancer, but has emerged even more beautiful, powerful, compelling, and comforting. Pamela's deep understanding of both the technique and the emotion of singing, along with her extraordinary skills as a communicator, has helped establish her reputation as a gifted vocal teacher.

Pam's world does not stop at music. She has become friend and mentor to many women facing breast cancer, and is an active advocate for families facing childhood cancer. She has worked hard to help bring the ban on cosmetic pesticides in Peterborough, and is deeply involved in the James Fund in its quest for a cure for the childhood cancer neuroblastoma. Pamela was recently inducted into the Peterborough Walkway of Fame in recognition of her many contributions to the City of Peterborough.

 

JENNIFER ENNS MODOLO - Messiah, Monday, Dec. 17
Canadian mezzo Jennifer Enns Modolo is a graduate of the vocal performance program at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo. She has been heard by audiences throughout Ontario, and recently made her European debut in Spain and southern France with the Consort Caritatis and Catalan Festival Orchestra. She also made her debut in England in August 2005 at the Snape Proms as part of the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme.

Ms. Enns Modolo has performed as a featured soloist with such groups as the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, the Toronto Classical Singers, Pax Christi Chorale, the Elora Festival Singers, the Kitchener-Waterloo Philharmonic, and the Menno Singers. In concert she has premiered works by several Canadian composers, including Imant Raminsch, Michael Purves-Smith and Peter Skoggard. She has appeared as the guest soloist with the Grand River Baroque Festival, the early music ensemble Greensleaves, the Leith Quartet, and the Waterloo Chamber Players.

On the opera stage, Ms Enns Modolo has sung the title role in Rossini's La Cerentola, Juno in Eccles' The Judgement of Paris, Florence Pike in Britten's Albert Herring, Third Lady in Mozart's The Magic Flute, and Jennie Hildebrand in Weill's Street Scene. Her discography includes the role of Eustazio in Handel's Rinaldo, recorded on the Naxos label under the baton of Kevin Mallon.

Performances for this season include Mozart's Requiem with the Cellar Singers and the Guelph Chamber Choir, Bach's Cantatas 4 and 106 with the Ottawa Valley Festival, and a concert with Toronto's avant-garde I FURIOSI Baroque Ensemble. Ms Enns Modolo is also a laureate with Les Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques.

 

MIA LENNOX-WILLIAMS - Messiah, Tuesday, Dec. 18
Mezzo soprano Mia Lennox-Williams has established herself as a young artist of note in Canada, Europe and the United States. As a member of l'Atelier Lyrique de l'Opera de Montreal, she sang the role of Dryad and covered the role of der Komponist in l'Opera de Montreal's production of ARIADNE AUF NAXOS. She toured the Maritimes and Quebec as die Hexe in HANSEL UND GRETEL for Atelier Lyrique and also appeared as the Sorceress in the Montreal production of DIDO AND AENEAS. The bilingual mezzo was a semi-finalist in the Concours Musical de Montreal and appeared in recital at La Chapelle Historique du Bon- Pasteur in Montreal as a winner of the Debut Young Artists Competition. In Halifax, she was Dame Quickly in FALSTAFF under the baton of Raffi Armenian for the Nova Scotia Opera Association and appeared as guest soloist for the Nova Scotia Opera Valentine's Gala. She recently debuted for Pacific Opera Victoria as Bianca in Britten's RAPE OF LUCRETIA conducted by Timothy Vernon. Engagements for 2006-2007 include performances at the Toronto International Bach Festival with Helmuth Rilling, the role of Tisbe in LA CENERENTOLA for the Calgary Opera and Bach's MAGNIFICAT with Orchestra London.

Ms. Lennox-Williams was a winner of the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques competition in Toronto and subsequently was chosen to participate in the Centre National d'Insertion Professionelle d'Artistes Lyriques (CNIPAL) as one of 13 singers selected internationally. While in Europe, she sang the role of die Mutter in HANSEL UND GRETEL at the Bayreuth Staatsoper with the Deutsch-Franzosischen Forum Junger Kunst. She was also featured at CNIPAL'S "Fete de la Musique" at l'Opera de Marseilles singing Maddelena, and Dame Quickly in a staged concert of opera excerpts. With L'Orchestre d'Aix en Provence she appeared as alto soloist in Mozart's KRONUNGSMESSE. In the U.S., she attended the Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts as an Art Song Fellow and was the Soprano II soloist in Bach's MAGNIFICAT under the baton of Maestro Seiji Ozawa.

Engagements have included de Falla's EL AMOR BRUJO and CARMEN excerpts with the Oakville Symphony, concerts at the Glenn Gould Studio with the Talisker Players and a premiere of Alexander Rapoport's NORTHSCAPES, a work written for mezzo-soprano and string quartet. She also appeared with l'Orchestre symphonique de Montreal in a concert series designed for young audiences singing excerpts from DIE ZAUBERFLOTE and HANSEL UND GRETEL.

A native of Newmarket, Ontario, now residing in Hamilton, she received her Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Toronto and won the Canadian Women's Art Association Luella McCleary Award at her graduation, an award that is given annually to an outstanding female graduate. She holds a Diploma in Operatic Performance from the University of Toronto's Opera Division, where she performed such roles as Mrs. Peachum in Weill's THREEPENNY OPERA, Oberon in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, Orlovsky in DIE FLEDERMAUS, Camilla in IL GIOVEDI GRASSO and in excerpts from DER ROSENKAVALIER, LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, LA CENERENTOLA and COSI FAN TUTTE.

 

ADAM BISHOP - Monday, Dec 17
An avid performer since the age of four Adam has entertained audiences throughout Ontario, Nova Scotia and Austria. Adam is a graduate of Lakefield College School. While a student there he studied instrumental music under the direction of John Kraus and vocal music under the direction of Arlene Gray and Fr. Paul Massel. During his high school years Adam was a member of The Peterborough Singers. Recently, his highlights have included the roles of Count Almaviva in Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Nemorino in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore. In addition, Adam has participated in numerous concerts both in choirs, as a guest soloist and in a number of recitals. Adam has been a featured performer and a backup performer on a number of CD recordings. In the summer of 2007 Adam worked with Canadian Tenor Richard Margison. Adam is a fourth year student studying Vocal Performance at the Queen's University School of Music in Kingston Ontario. Upon graduation from Queen's Adam hopes to establish a career in music and medicine.

Handel's Messiah is one of Adam's favourite to perform and he is thrilled to be returning to perform with The Peterborough Singers.

 

MARK DUBOIS - Messiah, Tuesday, Dec. 18
Mark Dubois has been universally acclaimed for the exceptional clarity and tonal purity of his outstanding lyric-tenor voice. His extraordinary versatility garners plaudits in all genres of music, whether opera, operetta, oratorio, lieder, baroque or the classics of Broadway and modern musical theatre.

He has performed with every major orchestra in his native Canada and with several in the United States, including those of Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Rochester and San Francisco. Mark DuBois' busy career on opera and concert stages has taken him across Canada, the United States, Italy, France, Belgium, Hungary, Austria, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

He is frequently heard on national and commercial radio network broadcasts in a wide variety of performances and has appeared in several television specials, including The Life of Emmerich Kalman, the Bach Magnificat, as the Chevalier in Dialogues des Carmelites, Handels' Messiah conducted by Trevor Pinnock and in the lead role of Shanty in the Canadian premiere of Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio under the baton of co-composer Carl Davis.

Mark DuBois is featured on several commercial recordings released by Fanfare, CBC, Marquis, CentreDiscs, and Pro-Arte record companies. The more recent releases are his solo recording Viens, Gentile Dame - Romantic Arias for Lyric Tenor from CBC Records, and as featured artist in Baroque Cantatas with Period Instruments from IBS Records, Sweet Airs That Give Delight from Attic Records for the Stratford Shakespearean Festival 40th Anniversary Album and , from CBC Records, A Night in Venice and Other Operetta Excerpts with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony conducted by Raffi Armenian.

 

FATHER PAUL MASSEL - Messiah, Monday, Dec 17
Paul Massel has been widely acclaimed in the United States and Canada for his outstanding performances in opera, music theatre and the concert stage. His career reached international prominence with principal roles in the Stratford festival productions of The Mikado, The Gondaliers, Iolanthe and the Mirvish production of HMS Pinafore. These productions were all broadcast on CBC-TV and toured England, Canada and the US with the Tony award-winning Mikado being Mr. Massel's debut on Broadway.

Paul holds Bachelor and Master's degrees in music from the University of Western Ontario and a diploma in Opera performance from the University of Toronto. He was the recipient of a senior Canada Council arts grant to study voice in New York in 1980 and subsequently taught voice at the Royal Conservatory of Music from 1980 until 1997. He also received two Tyrone Guthrie Awards and an ACTRA Best-Actor nomination for distinguished work at the Stratford Festival.

In 1994, Paul completed a five year run starring in the Canadian production of The Phantom of the Opera in the role of Andre. Following the Phantom, he began a 6-year program of studies culminating in his ordination to the Catholic priesthood for the diocese of Peterborough in May 2000. He is presently the administrator of St. Alphonsus Parish and liturgist for the diocese of Peterborough. Paul continues to serve as examiner for the Royal Conservatory and for music festivals throughout Canada.

 

 

VALENTINE CONCERT

featuring

CARMINA BURANA by Carl Orff


Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, 7:30 pm
George St. United Church
GUEST ARTISTS:
  Leslie Fagan, soprano
  Daniel Taylor, countertenor
  Gregory Dahl, baritone
  Peterborough Children's Chamber Choir

 

LESLIE FAGAN
Coloratura soprano Leslie Fagan's exceptional artistry and talent continue to garner much attention on both the national and international stage. Ms. Fagan has delighted audiences and critics alike at Roy Thompson Hall, Royal Albert Hall and Carnegie Hall, performing with such renowned conductors as Sir David Willcocks, Daniel Lipton, Hans Graf, Elmer Iseler, and Simon Preston. Highlights of her stunning career include a special tribute to Nicholas Goldschmidt, an Opera Gala with Maureen Forrester, Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 2 with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the premiere performance of Ode to Common Things by the American composer Cary Ratcliffe with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Oratorio Society. Ms. Fagan was also featured as a guest artist in the first all-Canadian recording of Handel's Messiah in fifty years with Janis Taylor, Mark DuBois, and Gary Relyea.

Past engagements include numerous recitals as well as Orff's Carmina Burana with the Toronto Symphony under Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Schubert's Stabat Mater with the Vancouver Chamber Choir, Mozart's Exultate Jubilate with the Alberta Baroque Ensemble, a light operatic evening featuring the works of Rodgers and Hammerstein, and a performance of Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass. Ms. Fagan made her debut at the Ford Centre for The Performing Arts singing Handel's Messiah. She performed the role of Elvira in Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri with Opera in Concert and performed at the 30th Season Gala Opening of the Guelph Spring Festival.

Recent engagements include performances of Bach's St. Matthew Passion with the London Fanshawe Symphonic Chorus, Poulenc's Gloria, and Menotti's Muero Porque non Muero (Rochester), Puccini's La Boheme (as Musetta) with Orchestra London, and Yeoman of the Guard with the Toronto Operetta Theatre. A protege of Lois Marshall and Maureen Forrester, Leslie's career encompasses the full depth of opera and oratorio across North America and Europe. Her recent solo performance of Debussy and Stravinsky Orchestral Songs in Bordeaux, France was received with critical acclaim. On the opera stage, Leslie has performed the title role of Linda di Chamounix , Pamina in Die Zauberflote , Nanetta in Falstaff, and Tytania in A Midsummer Night's Dream. In October 2005, Ms. Fagan makes a return engagement with Orchestra London, singing Orff's Carmina Burana.

 

DANIEL TAYLOR
The Canadian counter-tenor, Daniel Taylor, completed his undergraduate studies in English, philosophy and music at McGill University (Montreal) and his graduate work in religion and music at the University of Montreal, furthering his studies with the leaders of Britain's baroque specialist groups. He continues now with Jan Simons and Michael Chance. Daniel Taylor's Glyndebourne debut in the 1997 Peter Sellar's production of Handel's Theodora was greeted with critical praise and followed on an equally successful operatic debut in the Jonathan Miller production of Handel's Rodelinda (recorded for EMI). His other operatic roles have included Nerone in Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea, Eustazio and Gottfredo in Handel's Rinaldo, Athamas in Handel's Semele, and Tolomeo in Handel's Giulio Cesare. In addition to opera, Taylor's repertory includes a wide range of sacred works, lute songs, and contemporary works such as Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and Sakamoto's Life. He has performed with many leading orchestras and ensembles such as Les Arts Florissants, Les Violons du Roy, Les Voix Humaines, the American Bach Soloists, the Philadelphia Orchestra, Collegium Vocale de Ghent, the Academy of Ancient Music, the English Baroque Soloists and others. Daniel Taylor has made a good number of recordings including several solo recordings of songs by Dowland, Byrd and Purcell and a recording of Bach arias. He has also recorded soundtracks for La Corriveau, the Orphans of Duplessis and Cyrano de Bergerac.

 

GREGORY DAHL

Gregory Dahl has boldly staked his claim to a position of prominence among baritones of his generation with performances notable for richness of characterization and a remarkable vocal authority. Mr. Dahl first came to national attention as Francis Chancy in the World Premiere of James Rolfe's BEATRICE CHANCY and has since been hailed in such roles as Sharpless in MADAMA BUTTERFLY (Vancouver Opera), Malatesta in DON PASQUALE (Opera Ontario) and Belcore in L'ELISIR D'AMORE (Manitoba Opera). In another world premiere performance, he impressed international audiences with his creation of Charlie in Calgary Opera's production of Estacio's FILUMENA, a role he reprised during the 05/06 season for the Edmonton Opera. His Edmonton FILUMENA was filmed for release in the DVD format and joins BEATRICE CHANCY on his growing list of operas-on-film.

Noted for his dedication to music of our time, Mr. Dahl has - in addition to premieres for Queen of Puddings Music Theatre and Calgary Opera - created roles for Tapestry New Opera Works (Robert Peary in Smith's FACING SOUTH) and The Alchemist in Schafer's THE PALACE OF THE CINNABAR PHOENIX. Highlights from past seasons include Marcello in LA BOHEME with Opera Ontario, the title role in MIKADO for Toronto Operetta Theatre, Frank in DIE FLEDERMAUS and Morales in CARMEN for Vancouver Opera, Papageno in DIE ZAUBERFLOTE and Figaro in IL BARBIERE DI SIGVIGLIA for Saskatoon Opera, Antonio in IL VIAGGIO A REIMS and Junius in THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA with the Canadian Opera Company and Baron Douphol in LA TRAVIATA for the Edmonton Opera.

Works by Bach, Handel, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Vaughan Williams figure prominently in the imposing Winnipegger's schedule with symphonies and choral organizations across Canada and he is frequently heard on CBC Radio Two. He studied at the University of Manitoba, The Banff Centre for the Arts and the University of Toronto Opera Division.

 

PETERBOROUGH CHILDREN'S CHAMBER CHOIR
The Peterborough Children's Chorus (PCC), under the direction of Maureen Harris-Lowe, consists of a Junior Choir of children ages 8 - 11, a Concert Choir of children ages 11- 16 and a Youth Choir of young people ages 15- 21. Membership is the choir is open to all children and youth living in Peterborough and the surrounding community.

Each year the choirs perform two major concerts and are guests at several other venues. The purpose of the Chorus is to promote enjoyment of music and to provide opportunities for young people to develop their musical expertise through a variety of repertoire and concert performances. The PCC Chamber Choir is a select group of singers from the PCC who were chosen for their musical ability, attitude and their love of singing. For more information about the choir, visit their website at www.peterboroughchildrenschorus.com.

 

ST. MATTHEW PASSION


Saturday, May 10, 2008, 7:30 pm
George St. United Church

FEATURING:
  Agnes Zsigovics, soprano
  Anita Krause, mezzo-soprano
  Eric Shaw, tenor
  Gary Relyea, bass
  Benjamin Covey, baritone
  Ian Sadler, organist
  Erika Raum, violinist

 

AGNES ZSIGOVICS
Young Canadian Soprano Agnes Zsigovics "whose clear, liquid soprano voice makes her arias soar," appears with leading orchestras and choirs around Canada. Last fall she made her debut with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in Bach's St. John Passion under the direction of Maestro Helmuth Rilling.

This past October Ms. Zsigovics was a guest artist at the Soundstreams' Byzantine Festival where she performed Micheal Oesterle's Chaucer Canticles with British soprano Patricia Rozario. She was also the soprano soloist at the Toronto Bach Festival's performance of the St. John Passion.

Last summer she was guest soloist at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival where she performed in concert with Nancy Argenta, Daniel Taylor, James Bowman and Charles Daniels, and was given a "ravishing review," in the Ottawa Citizen. Also this summer, Ms. Zsigovics recorded Bach duets with Daniel Taylor on a CD for Sony BMG records.

After her performance of Brahms' German Requiem under the direction of Howard Dyck, Ms. Zsigovics received the following review: "She sent a thrill down my spine when she hit the first note of her solo squarely and pure." (May 18th, 2007 in Dundas Star News)

Other engagements this past year include: A Lute Song Recital with Daniel Taylor in Quebec, Handel's Messiah with the Bach Elgar Choir, Windsor Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Niagara, Mozart's Coronation Mass and Requiem, J.S. Bach's Cantata BWV 4, 71 and 84 and Poulenc's Gloria.

Her additional solo performance credits include: Schubert's Mass in G Major, Vivaldi's Gloria, The Faure Requiem, J.S. Bach's Cantata BWV: 23, 106, 137, 140, and Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem.

Ms. Zsigovics is currently completing her Masters in Voice Performance.

 

Anita Krause
Celebrated for her gorgeous voice and impeccable musicianship, Canadian mezzo-soprano Anita Krause is equally esteemed in the concert hall and on the opera stage. She has performed with many of North America's leading orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, l'Orchestre symphonique de Montreal, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Symphony. Ms. Krause has also appeared with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Grant Park Symphony, and Les Violons du Roy, as well as with the orchestras of Vancouver, Calgary, Quebec, Edmonton, Kitchener-Waterloo and the Canadian Opera Company. She has collaborated with such leading conductors as Christoph Eschenbach, Charles Dutoit, Hans Graf, Eliahu Inbal, Kent Nagano, Paavo Jarvi, Gerard Schwarz, Stefan Lano, Carlos Kalmar, Bernard Labadie, Bramwell Tovey and Yoav Talmi.

Ms. Krause's 2007 summer festival season included ELIJAH at the Grant Park Festival at the Gehry designed Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago and Beethoven's Choral Symphony and EUGENE ONEGIN at the Lanaudiere International Festival in Quebec. She returns to the Beethoven symphony to begin her fall season in Ottawa with Zukerman conducting the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Mahler's RUCKERT LIEDER takes her to the Vancouver Symphony and other performances on the West Coast include MESSIAH with the Vancouver Bach Choir and IL TRAMONTO with the CBC Vancouver Orchestra. She also looks forward to Mahler's Symphony No. 8 with Talmi and l'Orchestre symphonique de Quebec, MESSIAH with the Elmer Iseler Singers, a return to Chicago for Beethoven's MISSA SOLEMNIS and Giovanna Seymour in ANNA BOLENA for Opera in Concert.

Anita Krause has demonstrated impressive versatility as a concert artist, singing Mozart arias with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Mahler's Symphony No. 8, MESSIAH, BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE, WOZZECK and Stravinsky's MAVRA with l'Orchestre symphonique de Montreal, BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE with the Baltimore Symphony, MESSIAH and Elgar's SEA PICTURES with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, ELIJAH and Mahler's Symphony No. 3 with l'Orchestre symphonique de Quebec. Further credits include Mozart's REQUIEM and Mass in C Minor and Haydn's LORD NELSON MASS with Les Violons du Roy, Stravinsky's PULCINELLA with the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the COC Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestra London Canada, and Verdi's REQUIEM with Orchestra London Canada, the Elora Festival Orchestra and the Kingston Symphony Orchestra.

Ms. Krause has appeared to enthusiastic acclaim with the Canadian Opera Company in such roles as Suzuki in MADAMA BUTTERFLY, Emilia in OTELLO, Ursule in BEATRICE ET BENEDICT, the madrigal singer in MANON LESCAUT, and the title role in Gary Kulesha's RED EMMA. She has also enjoyed success in SALOME with Seattle Opera and Opera Lyra Ottawa, MADAMA BUTTERFLY with Glimmerglass Opera, SEMELE with Chicago Opera Theater, Adalgisa in NORMA and Cornelia in GUILIO CESARE with Pacific Opera Victoria, Mallika in LAKME with Opera Ontario and Offenbach's BARBE BLEU with l'opera francais de New York. In addition, she has performed with the opera companies of Vancouver, Calgary, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Ms. Krause has been hailed as a "recitalist of rare intelligence and integrity" (National Post, Toronto). She has appeared at the St. Lawrence Centre on the prestigious Music Toronto Series, the Aldeburgh Connection series Toronto, the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, the Virtuosi Series in Winnipeg, the Aeolian chamber music series in London, Ontario, the Guelph Spring Festival, and Rendez-Vous Musical de Laterriere in Quebec. Her performances are frequently broadcast across Canada on CBC radio.

A prizewinner at the Salzburg International Mozart Competition, Anita Krause has also garnered awards from the George London Foundation, the Jean Chalmers Fund, and the Canada Council. She was awarded 1st Prize at the Canadian Young Mozart Singers Competition and the Silver Medal at the CBC Young Artists Competition. Ms. Krause has been a fellow at the Steans Institute at the Ravinia Festival. Her discography includes Vivaldi Sacred Music with the Aradia Ensemble on the Naxos label, and "Verdi and Rossini Rarities" with the COC Orchestra for CBC discs.

 

ERIC SHAW
Tenor Eric Shaw has established an international reputation through performances at a number of renowned musical centres. From Wexford to Lincoln Center to Tanglewood and Genoa he has been lauded for "singing and acting with fluent ease and charm" (Michael Kennedy, Sunday Telegraph, London, UK). This season he returned to New York for performances with Leon Botstein and the American Symphony Orchestra in Schumann's rarely heard DAS PARADIES UND DIE PERI at Lincoln Center and was most recently in Toronto for the World Premiere of Chan Ka Nin's THE WEAVING MAIDEN for Soundstreams. He was heard as Tybalt in ROMEO ET JULIETTE for Opera Ontario, at the Sugar Creek Festival of Song in the U.S. for Ramiro in LA CENERENTOLA and as the Evangelist in Bach's ST. MATTHEW PASSION with the Victoria Symphony. Ramiro in LA CENERENTOLA took him to Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, Sicily.

Among his engagements for next season are Mozart's REQUIEM for the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and MESSIAH for the Elora Festival Singers, plus featured roles in DIE ZAUBERFLOTE for Toronto's Opera Atelier and Schafer's THE PALACE OF THE CINNABAR PHOENIX for Patria Music Theatre.

Fluent in French and English, he debuted at the Wexford Festival as Gaston in DIE DREI PINTOS by Weber/Mahler (recording later released by Naxos) and returned for Claudio in Braunfels' PRINZESSIN BRAMBILLA, a performance that also has been released internationally on the Naxos label. His Italian debut came in Bologna in Schubert's DIE FREUNDE VON SALAMANCA and further performances in Italy have included the title role in CANDIDE for the opera house in Genoa. At Tanglewood he was chosen to create the role of Philip the Handsome in RAGE D'AMOUR and he returned to Lincoln Center with Botstein and the American Symphony Orchestra singing the role of Tum Tum in the biting Hindemith satire DAS NUSCH NUSCHI. In Canada Mr. Shaw Shaw appeared as the White Stag in the World Premiere of R. Murray Schafer's THE ENCHANTED FOREST. The Jubilee Hall itself was the scene of his debut at the esteemed Aldeburgh Festival where he was featured in the role of Lysander in Britten's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.

Mr. Shaw was chosen for the Calgary Opera's production of Weill's SEVEN DEADLY SINS and further recent engagements have included Idreno in Rossini's SEMIRAMIDE for Opera in Concert, MESSIAH in Hamilton, Ontario, CARMINA BURANA for the Victoria Symphony, Nanki Poo in MIKADO for Toronto Operetta Theatre and Bach's ST. JOHN PASSION with the Fanshawe Chorus of London, Ontario. He has also appeared with Opera Lyra Ottawa, Pacific Opera Victoria, the Grand Philharmonic Choir and in Bangor, Maine, singing Orff, Handel, Johann and Richard Strauss and Bach. Past seasons have been highlighted by IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA with the Kingston Symphony, Puccini's MESSA DI GLORIA with the Hamilton Philharmonic and Bach's MAGNIFICAT for the Melos Ensemble in Kingston. The McGill University graduate was also heard as Leo in the legendary Canadian operetta, LEO THE ROYAL CADET for the Toronto Operetta Theatre and was engaged by Utah Opera for Almaviva in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, St. Brioche in MERRY WIDOW and Bardolfo in FALSTAFF.

Other roles include Le Pecheur in LE ROSSIGNOL, Little Bat in Floyd's SUSANNAH, Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. PINAFORE, Johnny Inkslinger in PAUL BUNYAN, Frederic in PIRATES OF PENZANCE and Belfiore in LA FINTA GIARDINIERA. He has appeared in Mozart's MASS IN C MINOR with the Amadeus Choir of Toronto and on radio in CREATION, MESSIAH, and JUDAS MACCABAEUS. Further oratorio repertoire includes Dvorak's MASS IN D, Schubert's MASS IN Eb, Charpentier's CHRISTMAS MASS and Mozart's MISSA BREVIS.

 

GARY RELYEA - Messiah, Tuesday, Dec. 18 & St. Matthew Passion
Renowned for the richness of his voice and his compelling musical insights, bass-baritone Gary Relyea is one of the most distinguished artists currently before the public. He has thrilled audiences in Britten's WAR REQUIEM, Handel's MESSIAH, Mahler's Symphony No. 8 and Verdi's REQUIEM with prestigious orchestras including those of Cleveland, Montreal, Toronto, Baltimore, Detroit, San Francisco, Calgary, Vancouver and Ottawa's National Arts Centre Orchestra. He debuted with the Philadelphia Orchestra in Schonberg's GURRELIEDER conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, with performances in both Philadelphia and at Carnegie Hall and later repeated the work with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Concerts upcoming this season include Beethoven's SYMPHONY NO. 9 with the Costa Rica Symphony, Bach's ST. MATTHEW PASSION and Handel's MESSIAH with the Peterborough Singers, and Mendelssohn's ELIJAH with the Amadeus Choir of Toronto.

In 2006-2007, Mr. Relyea's recent performances included MESSIAH with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and with the Colorado Symphony, ELIJAH with Orchestra London, Commendatore in DON GIOVANNI in Victoria, BC and London, Ont. and Beethoven's MISSA SOLEMNIS at the Kennedy Center with the Choral Arts Society of Washington conducted by Norman Scribner.

During his 2005-2006 season, Mr. Relyea fulfilled engagements with the Rochester Philharmonic, Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, Symphony Nova Scotia, Calgary Philharmonic, Syracuse Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, L'Orchestre symphonique de Longueuil and the Grand Philharmonic Choir performing such works as Schubert's MASS IN A Flat, Bach's MASS IN B MINOR, Beethoven's SYMPHONY NO. 9 and the REQUIEMs of Verdi and Mozart. Of special interest was his appearance in Costa Rico in ELIJAH and the Defiant Requiem (based of Verdi's Requiem) at Terezin in the Czech Republic with Murry Sidlin.

Mr. Relyea's 2004-2005 season included MESSIAH with Trevor Pinnock for the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, BELSHAZZER'S FEAST with the Toledo and Florida (Tampa) orchestras, ELIJAH for the Kitchener Waterloo Philharmonic Choir, the Newfoundland Symphony and the Kingston Symphony, plus works such as Vaughan Williams' SEA SYMPHONY, Dvorak's STABAT MATER and Bach's JOHANNES PASSION with choral groups across Ontario.

Mr. Relyea performs extensively in opera singing such roles as Raimondo in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR and Friar Laurence in Gounod's ROMEO ET JULIETTE. His debut as Rocco in Beethoven's FIDELIO coincided with the release of his CBC disc featuring scenes from BORIS GODUNOV and LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR with the Vancouver Symphony. Titled "Thine Angel's Spirits", the disc also contains arias from Elgar's DREAM OF GERONTIUS and Mendelssohn's ELIJAH. He is featured on CBC's "Rarities by Rossini and Verdi", and starred in TV productions of THE BEAR by William Walton, ABERFAN by Raymond Pannell, and as the Commendatore in LEPORELLO'S REVENGE, Rhombus Production's take on Don Giovanni.

 

BENJAMIN COVEY
Benjamin Covey is a member of the Emerging Artist Development Program with Calgary Opera. His career highlights include performing the title role in Frobisher at The Banff Summer Arts Festival, concert performances including Messiah with Regina Symphony Orchestra, Hamilton Symphony Orchestra, Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass with Guelph Symphony Orchestra, and Mozart's Requiem with Hamilton's Bach-Elgar Choir. A frequent soloist with the Aldeburgh Connection, Benjamin has also sung Cantatas 67, 70 and 110 with Helmut Rilling at the International Bach Festival.

Recent opera credits include Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia and Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus. Mr. Covey has recently completed his Masters of Opera degree at the University of Toronto, where he studied with Darryl Edwards, and is a recent Encouragement Award recipient at the Metropolitan Opera Competition in Vancouver. Benjamin was also a soloist in the 2007 production of The Princess of the Stars (Schafer) with Patria Music Theatre.

Future engagements include Bach's St. Matthew Passion with the Peterborough Singers in May 2008, and Handel's Messiah in December 2008 with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Covey most recently performed the roles of Jacob & Dandy 3 in Calgary Opera's Canadian Premiere of The Ballad of Baby Doe.

This summer, Benjamin will be singing the role of Demetrius in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Carmina Burana at the Banff Festival of the Arts, and next season he will sing the role of Wagner in Faust with Calgary Opera.

 

IAN SADLER, organist - Messiah & St. Matthew Passion
Since winning 1st Prize in The Syracuse International Organ Playing Competition in 1986, Ian Sadler has devoted himself almost entirely to the concert platform, dividing his time between presenting organ recitals and conducting choral concerts. He has presented recitals in Sweden, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary, Denmark, France and England. In Canada, he has commissioned and given premiers of many Canadian works, including music by Derek Holman, Gerald Bales, Victor Mio, Robert Evans, Stephen Hatfield and Ruth Watson Henderson. Ian has recorded a series of CD's on major organs in Toronto (Thomson Hall, Yorkminster Park Baptist Church and St. James' Cathedral) followed by a CD from Stratford of organ recital favourites entitled 'The Sadler Selection' and most recently, a CD devoted to the music of Mozart for the 250th Anniversary Celebrations. Ian has recorded many programmes for the CBC and was recently featured on BBC's Radio 2 performing Vaughan Williams. In 1999, he won a JunoThe Reverend Nicholas Morkel is the Assistant Curate at St. George?s Memorial Anglican Church, Oshawa. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto where he achieved his Bachelor of Music at the Faculty of Music and his Master of Divinity from Trinity College. He continues to study with Gary Relyea. He has performed oratorios and recitals in Toronto with his wife Catherine Palmer who is his accompanist. Award and in the same year he represented Canada as a member of the International Jury for the Liszt Organ Playing Competition in Budapest, Hungary. Ian's extensive concerto repertoire has led to performances with The Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, The Hamilton Philharmonic and The Toronto Philharmonic Orchestras. In the 2006-07 season Ian has a return performance with the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony and further concerto appearances with Ontario's Timmins and North Bay Symphony Orchestras and will perform the monumental Reubke Sonata in the North American International Liszt Festival. In July, 2006, Ian presented recitals in Denmark and in August acted as 'Organist-in-residence' for a week at Britain's Gloucester Cathedral followed by a week at York Minster.

Born in England, Ian began his musical training as a boy chorister for five years at St. Paul's Cathedral, London. He attended The King's School, Canterbury from where he won the Organ Scholarship to Bristol University. During postgraduate study at London University, Ian was Organ Scholar at St. Paul's Cathedral for two years. Ian holds degrees in musicology and education, with organ diplomas from Trinity College of Music and The Royal College of Organists in London. Before moving to Canada his final engagement in the UK was to pay the organ in the movie, Chariots of Fire. In 1980, Ian moved to Canada following his appointment as Director of Music at Toronto's Grace Church on-the-Hill and Choral Director at Upper Canada College.

Ian is currently Artistic Director of the Stratford Concert Choir, Founder and Conductor of the Stratford Youth Orchestra and Founder and Conductor of the Stratford Children's Concert Choir. Since 1999, he has been Adjunct Professor of Music at Laurentian University in Sudbury.

In 2000, Ian and his wife Catharine founded The Cathedral Singers Of Ontario (www.cathedralsingers.com). Each August this choir sings daily services for a week as choir-in-residence at a British Cathedral. Since August 2000, the choir has sung at the cathedrals in Edinburgh, Exeter, Wells, Canterbury, Winchester, Salisbury and Gloucester. The Cathedral Singers have further presented concerts at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, York Minster, Coventry Cathedral and St. Paul's Cathedral in London England.

 

Erika Raum, violinist
Known for her "engaging sensitivity and a gorgeously full tone," [THE STRAD], Canadian violinist Erika Raum continues developing a following here in her native country and internationally. Playing professionally since the age of twelve, Ms. Raum quickly rose through the ranks by taking first place at the 1992 Joseph Szigeti International Violin Competition in Budapest as well as the award for best interpretation of a Mozart concerto. She has returned on many occasions to perform in Hungary, Portugal, Sweden, Austria, Germany, England, Italy and France. She has appeared as guest artist with such orchestras as the Budapest Radio Orchestra, the Szombathely Symphony Orchestra, the Austro-Hungarian Orchestra, and the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra.

A distinguished musician abroad, Erika also performs frequently throughout her homeland with orchestral appearances in cities such as Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa, Victoria, Halifax, and Edmonton. Both a recitalist and chamber musician, some of her recent international highlights include the Festival Pablo Casals in Prades France, Beethoven Festival in Warsaw, the BargeMusic Festival in New York, Seattle Chamber Music Festival and past invitation include the Budapest Spring Festival, Szombathely Festival in Hungary, Carnegie Hall as well as the Caramoor and Prussia Cove festivals. Last summer saw her perform at the Festival Pablo Casals and at the Chamber Festival in Perpigman, France. Her performances are often heard on an array of radio networks like CBC across Canada and the NPR in the USA.

As a recording artist, Erika joined internationally renowned pianist Anton Kuerti in releasing the world premiere recording of Carl Czerny's piano and violin works. Recorded on this country's most active label, Musica Viva of CBC Records, this premiere recording highlights the masterfully composed, powerfully expressive works by the precocious composer during his teen years. Her most recent release for the Arktos label consisted of the Brahms Horn Trio and another recording premiere: Pantheon by the esteemed composer (and mother!) Elizabeth Raum. With pianist Lydia Wong, they will soon record the complete violin and piano works of Krystof Penderecki.

In 1993, Elizabeth Raum wrote her a violin concerto entitled "Faces of Woman." The work was commissioned by the Regina Symphony Orchestra and broadcast nationally by the CBC. Erika's sister, Jessica Raum, produced and directed the award winning documentary "Like Mother, Like Daughter" which recorded the event.

Erika is a graduate of the University of Toronto where she studied with the late Professor Lorand Fenyves and was awarded the prestigious Eaton Scholarship upon her graduation. She is also a recipient of The Canada Council for the Arts - Career Development Grant. Ms. Raum is currently on the faculties of the Glenn Gould School at The Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto and the University of Toronto. She continues her presence on the summer faculty of The Banff Centre for the Arts and has been a guest teacher at the Orford Arts Centre this summer.