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Singer 2
the diary of one who disappeared
Last season, Canadian-American soprano Sarah Halmarson appeared with the Saskatoon Opera in Purcell’s King Arthur, performed Handel’s Messiah with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and was a guest performer at the Cluster New Music Festival.
Other recent engagements included her Manitoba Opera debut as First Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas with Opera on the Avalon, and performances of John Estacio’s Lillian Alling at the Banff Centre. She has also performed as the soprano soloist in Carmina Burana with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Banff Centre for the Arts, and the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble.
Next season, Ms. Halmarson will interpret the music of Gershwin, Bernstein, and Sondheim in American Salon: Syncopated City with Off Centre Music Salon. She will also make her Against the Grain Theatre debut, and will perform throughout the season with the Theatre of Early Music, under the direction of Daniel Taylor.
Ms. Halmarson placed first in the 2008 WMC Doris McLellan Competition and has received generous support from the Manitoba Arts Council, Winnipeg Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts.
Soprano
the diary of one who disappeared
Lesley Emma Bouza is a graduate of The University of Guelph where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in music as a saxophone major. During her time at Guelph Lesley discovered singing and chose to pursue her post-graduate studies in voice at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, Wales, where she earned her Artist Diploma.
Lesley is a versatile singer who is equally comfortable performing jazz, classical and opera. In the past few years her accomplishments have included competing in the Ricardo Zandonai Competition in Italy where she was the receipient of the Riva del Garda Festival Prize, winning the Classical Music Consort’s Handel Competition and touring Taiwan with the Swingle Singers. She has also been chosen as a laureate of the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques for the 2012-2013 season.
Figaro
Previously for AtG: Colline in La Bohème, Performer in Super Villains.
A graduate of Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal, Stephen Hegedus made his Opéra de Montréal debut as Silvano (Un ballo in maschera) and appeared with the company as Sprecher (Die Zauberflöte), Angelotti (Tosca), Grégorio (Roméo et Juliette), Fiorello (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Il Commissario (Madama Butterfly) and Sicario (Macbeth). With Atelier lyrique, he sang Don Alfonso (Cosi fan tutte) and Don Inigo Gomez (L’heure Espagnole).
He has performed with Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Chile, San Antonio Symphony, Houston Symphony, Edmonton Symphony, the André-Turp Musical Society The Aldeburgh Connection, the Lamèque International Baroque Festival, La Sinfonia de Lanaudière, the Aldeburgh Festival and the International Bach Festival in Toronto. He made his Carnegie Hall debut singing Bach’s Mass in B-minor with the Oratorio Society of New York and returned in 2010 singing Handel’s Messiah.
Mr. Hegedus holds a Master’s of Music in Opera from the University of Toronto and has pursued further studies at the Banff Centre, the Britten-Pears Programme (Aldeburgh, England), The Canadian Vocal Arts Institute (Montreal), The International Vocal Arts Institute (Tel Aviv) and the Centre for Opera in Sulmona, Italy.
2013 ARTISTS
Come to an Against the Grain performance this fall and here's who you may meet (in alphabetical order):
Music Director
Pianist
the diary of one who disappeared
Previously for AtG: Music Director and pianist for La Bohème & The Turn of the Screw.
Music Director Topher Mokrzewski occupies a unique niche between the solo and collaborative piano disciplines. He is a graduate of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, where he served as apprentice vocal coach and répétiteur for several mainstage operas and Ensemble Studio productions.
Most recently he participated on the music staff for the COC’s critically-acclaimed 2011 production of Rigoletto as a coach and répétiteur, and gave several well-received recitals in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Topher holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance from the Eastman School of Music, and is a graduate of the Vocal Piano Program at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California, where he studied with renowned vocal coach and collaborator Warren Jones.
This spring Topher looks forward to a jazz collaboration with soprano Lauren Margison, a concert of Schubert leider with baritone Adrian Kramer, and a solo piano program of Brahms and Liszt.
He will also serve as head coach and répétiteur for Saskatoon Opera’s spring 2012 production of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale.
Susanna
Previously for AtG: Mimi in La Bohème, The Governess in The Turn of the Screw.
Ms. Khalil returned to Glyndebourne in the summer of 2011 for one performance and to cover the role of Almirena in Handel’s RINALDO. Previously for Glyndebourne Ms. Khalil has covered the roles of Zerlina in DON GIOVANNI and Cleopatra in Handel’s GIULIO CESARE. She was enthusiastically received when she stepped in at the very last second to replace an indisposed Danielle de Niese as Cleopatra. Further credits include Mimi in LA BOHÈME with Opera Hamilton, Musetta in LA BOHEME with Edmonton Opera, Susanna in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO with Opera Lyra Ottawa, Empress Marie in THE BIRD SELLER and Carolina in Torroba’s LUISA FERNANDA for Toronto Operetta Theatre, Elizabeth D’Aulnières in Charles Wilson’s KAMOURASKA with Opera in Concert, Toronto, and an Opera Gala with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. She will be heard this season as Frasquita in CARMEN for Pacific Opera Victoria and debuts with the Thunder Bay Symphony in Raminsh’s REQUIEM.
A member of the prestigious Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, she sang such roles as Leah in James Rolfe’s world premier of SWOON, Laura in LUISA MILLER, the Confidante in ELEKTRA, and Pamina in THE MAGIC FLUTE. She was acclaimed for her interpretations of Susanna in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Fata Morgana in L’AMOUR DES TROIS ORANGES, Governess in THE TURN OF THE SCREW, Micaëla in CARMEN and Dido in DIDO AND AENEAS.
A graduate of The Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music, Miriam holds an Artist Diploma in Voice, and a Bachelor’s Degree in vocal performance from the University of Ottawa. In 2007 she won first place in the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions for the Great Lakes Region. She is a recent member of both The Steans Institute for Young Artists at Ravinia and The Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme.
Violin
Praised for “always finding the music behind the notes” and her “fearless competence” (Winnipeg Free Press), violinist Kerry DuWors has performed across North America, Europe and New Zealand. At home in many musical settings she has collaborated with internationally-acclaimed soloists, ensembles and composers, including James Ehnes, Denise Djokic, Marc/André Hamelin, the St. Lawrence String Quartet and Krzystof Penderecki. Recent performances in Jordan Hall (Boston), Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, Beethovenfest (Bonn), RadialSystem V Festival, Vancouver Recital Society. She joined The Knights in 2010, an ensemble based in New York City for performances with Yo-Yo Ma, a tour of Germany, recording projects and commissions. May 2011, Ms. DuWors was featured artist at Prairie Scene at the National Arts Centre, a festival devoted to combining rural and urban, traditional and contemporary, shaking stereotypes and celebrating new voices.
During studies at the University of Victora, University of Toronto, and Banff Centre for the Arts, Ms. DuWors received many prestigious awards including grand prize at the 26th Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition, Eaton Graduate Scholarship, Yo-Yo Ma Fellowship, Felix Galimir Award for Chamber Music Excellence and two Canada Council Career Development Grants. Assistant Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at Brandon University, Ms. DuWors is also pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at the Eastman School of Music.
She plays on the 1902 Enrico Rocca violin generously on loan from the Canada Council for the ARts Fine Instrument Bank and an anonymous donor.
Mezzo-soprano
the diary of one who disappeared
Mezzo-soprano Lauren Segal – the only Canadian chosen to participate in the inaugural Salzburg Festival Young Artist Project – is an alumna of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio. The company featured her this past season as The Muse/Nicklausse in Les Contes d'Hoffmann and Diana in Iphigénie en Tauride. Other with the Canadian Opera Company have included Aljeja in Janáček’s From the House of the Dead, Mercedes in Carmen, Sonya in War and Peace and Dritte Dame in The Magic Flute. Past peformances have also included Maddalena in Rigoletto (l'Opéra de Montréal), Dorabella in Così fan tutte (Pacific Opera Victoria) and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly (Manitoba Opera). Her past season included Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Hamilton and the title role in Carmen with the Brott Festival, a role she then covered with Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, Italy under the baton of Lorin Maazel.
Her current season includes Maddalena for both Manitoba Opera and Opera Hamilton, The Muse/Nicklausse/Voice with Edmonton Opera, Elijah with the Richard Eaton Singers, Messiah with The Brott Music Festival and recitals with the Canadian Art Song Project at The Music Gallery and with the Off Center Salon.
Soprano
Soprano Jacqueline Woodley is a former member of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble, where she was heard as the Page in Rigoletto and First Priestess in Iphigénie en Tauride. After her success as the “deliciously sexy” Papagena in the COC Ensemble production Die Zauberflöte, she sang Iris in Handel’s Semele. Ms Woodley starred in the world premiere of Ana Sokolovic’s opera Svadba-Wedding, produced by Queen of Puddings Music Theatre. She sang the role of Milice, the bride, to rave reviews and joins the company for the European and Canadian tours of Svadba in 2012-13.
Other recent operatic highlights include the Lace Seller (Death in Venice), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Lisette (La Rondine), Miss Wordsworth (Albert Herring), Despina (Cosí fan tutte) and Belinda (Dido and Aeneas). Possessing a strong affinity for oratorio and concert work, she has performed Bach’s St. John Passion, Handel’s Messiah, Fauré’s Requiem, Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore, and Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio for concert groups and summer festivals including the Brott Music Festival, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival and Music at Sharon. Ms Woodley holds her master’s in opera from McGill University with further studies at the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv and is the 2012 winner of the Ottawa Choral Society’s New Discoveries Auditions.
Stage Director
Previously for AtG: Stage Director for La Bohème, The Seven Deadly Sins & The Turn of the Screw.
Stage director Joel Ivany is the founder and artistic director of Against the Grain Theatre. He recently served as assistant director for the critically-acclaimed Canadian Opera Company production of Iphigénie en Tauride under renowned director Robert Carsen. Other credits include directing Così fan Tutte for the Banff Centre, Le Nozze di Figaro at Norwegian National Opera, knotty together (a new work composed by Njo Kong Kie and performed in Dublin) and the world premiere of Dean Burry’s The Secret World of Og in Toronto.
Joel holds a music degree from the University of Western Ontario and an artist diploma in opera directing from the University of Toronto. He was a recent finalist and prizewinner in the European Opera-Directing Prize for his concept of Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi with designers Camellia Koo and Jason Hand.
Upcoming projects include serving as associate director at Washington National Opera for its production of Verdi's Nabucco, reviing the same production at Minnesota Opera and directing a new production of Les Contes D'Hoffmann for Edmonton Opera in 2013.
Set Designer
Kafka Fragments / the diary of one who disappeared
Michael Gianfrancesco is a Toronto based set and costume designer.
Michael’s theatre, opera and dance credits include: Trouble in Tahiti, In Good King Charles’s Golden Days, One Touch of Venus at the Shaw Festival; The Drowsy Chaperone (set) at the RMTC/Theatre Calgary; Rodin/Claudel, Kaleidoscope (set) with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens; Parade at Studio 180/Acting Up Stage; Svadba, Beauty Dissolves in a Brief Hour with the Queen of Puddings Music Theatre; In Colour at the National Ballet of Canada; A View From the Bridge (set) at Segal Theatre; Rock ‘n’ Roll at the Canadian Stage/Citadel; The Overwhelming (set), Blackbird, Stuff Happens, The Arab-Israeli Cookbook (set), The Laramie Project (set) at Studio 180; It’s A Wonderful Life, Little Shop of Horrors (set) at Canadian Stage; The Rocky Horror Show (set) with the Canadian Stage/RMTC; The Wizard of Oz, Seussical (set) at Young People’s Theatre; The Spitfire Grill (costumes) at The Grand Theatre.
Michael has spent nine seasons at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, starting as an assistant designer. He has designed productions at the Festival, Avon and Studio Theatres, including sets and costumes for The Triumph of Love, Edward II, The Blonde, The Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead, Much Ado About Nothing and the sets for An Ideal Husband, The Comedy of Errors, Hosanna and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.
Lighting Designer
Previously for AtG: Lighting Designer for La Bohème & The Turn of the Screw
Jason Hand’s theatre credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Winter’s Tale (Canadian Stage), The Trespassers (Stratford), The Amorous Adventures of Anatol (Tarragon Theatre), The Ugly One (Theatre Smash), See How They Run (Theatre Aquarius), Gorey Story, Peer Gynt (The Thistle Project), Man of Mode, Princess Ivona (George Brown College), and The Melville Boys, Self Help, and The Fly Fisher’s Companion (Lighthouse Theatre Festival). He has worked on operas including Turn of the Screw, La Bohème, (Against the Grain Theatre), Dido & Aeneas (Opera on the Avalon) and Guilio Cesare (Orchestra London). He has been the assistant lighting designer on over 25 operas at the Canadian Opera Company. Upcoming projects include This (Canadian Stage), Blue Planet (Young People’s Theatre) and Figaro’s Wedding (Against the Grain). A previous collaboration with Joel Ivany and Camellia Koo on a production of I Capuletti e i Montecchi placed third in the biennial European Opera-Directing Prize. This year, Jason was named as a protégé in the 2012 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre.
Costume Designer
Previously for AtG: Costume Designer for The Turn of the Screw
Mezzo-soprano
the diary of one who disappeared
Praised for her supple and lustrous voice, Eugenia Dermentzis has been hailed as “[…] a mezzo-soprano to watch, clear of voice with a hearty sound in development.” (Opera Canada Summer 2011) Having recently graduated with a Masters of Music in Voice Literature and Performance at the University of Western Ontario, Eugenia has spent the past few years performing in and around Toronto, across Canada, and in Europe.
Most recently, Eugenia has performed the role of the Penelope in Accademia Europea de L’Opera’s production of IL RITORNO D’ULISSE IN PATRIA, and the title role in Halifax Summer Opera Workshop’s production of CARMEN. She also sang the role of Elizabeth Simcoe in the Canadian premier of TAPTOO, and the role of Mariana for Toronto Operetta Theatre’s production of the zarzuela LUISA FERNANDA to high acclaim. Other roles and performance experience include: Hansel in HANSEL AND GRETEL (Scenes) (Arsmusica), Sorceress in DIDO AND AENEAS (Opera on the Avalon), Lapàk in THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN (Banff Opera as Theatre), Dritte Dame in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE (Opera Nuova), Alto Soloist for Vivaldi’s GLORIA (Orchestra London), La Zia Principessa in SUOR ANGELICA (UWOpera), and Nicklausse in THE TALES OF HOFFMANN (Summer Opera Lyric Theatre).
The Count
British-Canadian Alexander Dobson has been praised for his musicality and dramatic awareness on both opera and concert stages. Recent highlights include title roles in both Wozzek and Don Giovanni conducted by Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte with Opera Hamilton, Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette for l’Opéra de Montréal, Silvio in Opera Quebec’s
Pagliacci, Marcello in BRAVO’s TV rendition of La Bohème, and made his Royal Opera Covent Garden debut with The Midnight Court.
Recent concert work includes Messiah with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Bass soloist for the past two summers at the Carmel Bach Fetival and Britten Canticles with the Aldeburgh Connection. Upcoming engagements will be Mercutio in Manitoba Opera's production of Romeo and Juliette and St. Mathew Passion with Orchestre Metropoliatin and Yannick Nezet-Seguin conducting.
Marcellina
Loralie Kirkpatrick is an active singer who has performed with orchestras and opera companies in Canada and the United States. With repertoire extending from early music to contemporary she is establishing herself as a versatile and dynamic performer. Hailed as a strong singer and actress by Opera Canada, Loralie has performed with both Tony and Dora Award winning organizations. She has sung with companies including Soundstreams Canada, the Black Creek Festival Chorus, Toronto’s Opera in Concert, Toronto Operetta Theatre, The Aradia Ensemble, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, The Northern Lights Music Festival, the Manitoba Opera Association, and Rainbow Stage musical theatre. Recent engagements include Brian Current’s Canadian Premier of Airline Icarus, alto soloist for Choir 21’s performance of The Love That Moves The Universe for Soundstreams Canada, and the role of La Maestra delle Novizie in Suor Angelica with Opera on the Avalon. Loralie holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Minnesota and is a member of the voice faculty at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
Antonio/Bartolo
Previously for AtG: La Bohème
Ecstatic to return after his hilarious outing as Benoit/Alcindoro in ATG’s hit production of LA BOHEME, Gregory Finney has been hailed as a “comedic force” who “elicit[s] laughter with ease” One of Toronto's busiest singers, he was seen this summer as Il Conte (LE NOZZE DI FIGARO); Papageno (DIE ZAUBERFLOTE) and as Figaro (LA MERE COUPABLE). Other notable roles include: Ebenezer in the World Premiere of TAPTOO; BEAUTY AND THE BEAST; FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL; THE MIKADO; and he was seen in the Canadian premieres of JERRY SPRINGER: THE OPERA, LUISA FERNANDA, KATE AND THE DEVIL and KNICKERBOCKER HOLIDAY and the world premieres of KAMOURASKA and Eric Idles NOT THE MESSIAH. On the opera stage, DIE FLEDERMAUS (Orlofsky), FALSTAFF (Bardolfo), DIDO AND AENEAS (Sailor), LA VIDA BREVE (El Tio Sarvaor), CARMEN (El Dancairo), LA DONNA DEL LAGO (Serano), LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (Don Curzio)., CENDRILLON (Le Maitre de Plaisirs). Coming Up this season you can catch Gregory in THE MERRY WIDOW and LA VIE PARISIENNE (Toronto Operetta Theatre); ARMIDA and THAIS (Opera In Concert) and COSI FAN TUTTE (Opera by Request).
Don Curzio/Don Basilio
Michael Ciufo (choo-foe), is quickly gaining recognition for his vocal prowess, electric stage presence, “bright sound…and ingratiating tone” (La Scena Musicale).
Michael’s schedule includes a newly developed solo show, as well as operatic roles and recital performances. His most recent performances include being the featured Tenor in “Cantabile: an Evening of Italian Song” with Andrew Burashko and the Art of Time Ensemble at the Enwave Theatre in Toronto (February 2012); “Diego” in the Canadian Premier of Schubert’s Die Freunde von Salamanka with Opera in Concert (March 2012); “Alfredo” in the Summer Opera Lyric Theatre’s production of Verdi’s La Traviata (August 2011); as well as performing in his own shows across Ontario to support his latest recording, Momento, which debuted at #15 on the Canadian Classical Charts in November 2011.
Most recently, Michael was selected as the tenor for Pinchas Zukerman and The National Arts Centre’s Summer Music Institute in Ottawa (June 2011 & 2012) Michael has just released a Christmas EP of four songs, entitled Perfect Gift and he will be touring his brand-new Christmas show in Niagara Falls, Oakville, Toronto, and Kitchener/Waterloo. For more information about Michael and his upcoming performances, please visit www.michaelciufo.com.
Set Designer
Patrick is a Toronto based stage designer working in the areas of set, costume, lighting and projection design.
Work includes : Death of a Salesman, As You Like It & The Fantastics – Blue Bridge Rep; Bird Brain – LKTYP; Betrayal – Theatre & Co Turn of The Screw & A Number - Belfry Theatre; Betrayal - Theatre and Co.; Bird Brain – LKTYP; Chasing the Moment – Arcola Theatre, (London UK); Anne of Green Gables the musical - Kaleidoscope Theatre; Hysteria, A Dolls House, Dialogue and Rebuttal, and Trojan Women for the University of Alberta; Dark of the Moon and The Monument for Phoenix Theatre U-Vic. Other work includes Nowhere Revolution created in association with the Belfry Theatre.
Bird Brain was nominated for Best TYA production at the 2008 Dora Awards in Toronto. Patrick was awarded the Victoria Critics’ Choice Award for Best Set Design and Best Lighting Design for Turn of the Screw (2007/08) and Best Set Design in greater Victoria 2001-2002 theatre season for The Monument, and Nowhere Revolution was nominated for Best New Play (2002/03).
Patrick holds a BFA from the University of Victoria and an MFA from the University of Alberta.
Rosina (The Countess)
Toronto native, Lisa DiMaria, has been described by critics as a “focused, sweet lyric soprano” (La Scena Musicale). She’s garnering the reputation as a singing actress for her ability to play not only the sassy soubrette, but also to express the languid lyric soprano repertoire.
Recently Lisa appeared as Papagena in the Canadian Opera Company's new production of Die Zauberflöte where she returned as a graduate of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio programme, where she was featured in many main stage productions as Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro, Dunyasha in War and Peace, the Second Wood Nymph in Rusalka, the Prostitute in From the House of the Dead, and Despina and Donna Anna/Maturina in the Ensemble Studio productions of Così fan tutte, and Gazzaniga’s Don Giovanni.
2012 Lisa debuted with both Calgary Opera in the Canadian premier of Heggie's Moby Dick as well as with and Pacific Opera Victoria as Anna in Donizetti's Maria Stuarda and today continues to expand her repertoire.
Tenor
the diary of one who disappeared
Canadian tenor Colin Ainsworth has distinguished himself as an up and coming tenor by his exceptional singing and diverse repertoire. His many role have included the title roles in Orphée et Euridice, Pygmalion, Castor et Pollux , Roberto Devereux and Albert Herring; Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Ernesto in Don Pasquale, Rinnucio in Gianni Schicchi, Fenton in Falstaff, Tonio in La Fille du Régiment, Nadir in Les Pêcheurs de Perles, Pylades in Iphigénie en Tauride, Renaud in Lully’s Armide, Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress, and Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Also an supporter of new works, he has appeared in the world premieres of John Estacio’s Lillian Alling at the Vancouver Opera, Stuart MacRae’s The Assassin Tree at the Edinburgh International Festival, Victor Davies’ The Transit of Venus with the Manitoba Opera, and Rufus Wainwright’s Prima Donna at Sadler’s Wells in London and at the Luminato Festival. Other past opera engagements have included appearances at the Chicago Opera Theatre, Glimmerglass Opera, Lake George Opera, L’Opéra de Français, Opera Atelier, Pacific Opera Victoria, Edmonton Opera, and the Greek National Opera.
This season, Mr. Ainsworth returns to the Calgary Opera for Otello and Opera Atelier for Die Zauberflöte. He also appears in concert with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, and in various performing arts venues in Toronto.
Cherubino
Canadian soprano Teiya Kasahara is becoming known to audiences for her “flair for drama and blazing high notes” (La Scena Musicale). She is quickly making her mark as the next Queen of the Night of our generation (Vancouver Opera, Highlands Opera Studio, Opera Kitchener). Alongside the traditional operatic repertoire Teiya is discovering a niche in 20th/21st century music and theatre, collaborating with Tapestry New Opera Works, CanStage and the Queer Arts Festival (QAF). This season she makes her company debuts with Edmonton Opera as Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann, Vancouver Opera as Queen of the Night in their first nations interpretation of The Magic Flute, and Against the Grain Theatre as Cherubino in their new production of The Marriage of Figaro. Teiya will also understudy the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor with the Canadian Opera Company (COC). To finish the 2012/13 season she will premiere Leslie Uyeda’s new opera When the Sun Comes Out at the QAF. Teiya is a two-time regional finalist of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and 1st place awardee of the Canadian Music Competition. She is a graduate of COC Ensemble Studio and the University of British Columbia. For more information please visit her official website: www.teiyakasahara.com