One of the most commanding and exciting singers of his generation, French-Canadian bass Alain Coulombe has been enjoying a thirty-year international singing career. He has collaborated with outstanding conductors such as Seiji Ozawa, Kent Nagano, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Richard Bradshaw, Helmut Rilling, Bernard Labadie, Alain Altinoglu, Ingo Metzmacher and Richard Bonynge. Highlights from recent opera seasons include Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Salzburg Festival, Der Doktor in Wozzeck and Archangel Uriel in the world premiere of CO2 at Il Teatro alla Scala, ...


Alex Chen is a collaborative pianist, baritone, and vocal coach whose curiosity brings fresh perspectives on a diverse body of musical works. In the words of his mentor John Hess, he is "an immensely musical and sensitive player" with "a deeply inquisitive mind." Alex performs regularly both as a singer and collaborative pianist in the Victoria music community, exploring genres such as art song, opera, and choral music. Moreover, as a faculty member at the Victoria Conservatory of Music he supports a wide variety of students and young professional singers from the piano. He currently studies ...


Erin Bardua is primarily a singer, voice teacher, and stage director. Like many performers, much of Ms. Bardua's most recent work has been on film and online. In 2020, her company Essential Opera produced two operatic films: Mirror, mirror, by Anna Pidgorna; and December, by Monica Pearce. In 2021, Erin created a solo programme of contemporary and original music for unaccompanied voice and voice with flute titled Afterwards-Day, which premiered at Sappyfest: Infinite Variety, a 24-hour streamed performance event. She also played the role of Helen in a hybrid live and streaming production of ...


Celebrated for her warm voice and sense of dramatic immediacy, Canadian soprano Frédérique Vézina has performed with many opera companies including the Canadian Opera Company and Washington National Opera. A young artist with the Canadian Opera Company and the Juilliard Opera Center (New York), Mrs. Vézina made her mainstage debut as Liza in Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades during her first season as an ensemble member at the COC. She has collaborated with internationally renowned conductors including Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Richard Bradshaw, James Conlon, Hans Fricke, Bernard Labadie, Jacques ...


Maureen focusses on celebrating Canadian classical contemporary repertoire by collaborating with established and emerging composers to commission, premie`re, and re-perform their works. Her discography includesLighthousewith Grej (ECMA Winner Classical Recording of the Year 2022);Breathing in the Shadows(JUNO nomination 2022);Aunt Helen(ECMA and Music NS nominations 2021-2);Mirror, Mirror; andLady of the Lake(ECMA and Music NS nominations 2017-8). She is the co-artistic director with Erin Bardua of Essential Opera, an opera company founded in 2010. In 2015, Maureen founded Crossing Borders, a ...


Queer, gender non-binary, and Chinese-Canadian tenor Mike Fan | ??? (they) astonishes audiences with their versatility, passion, and commitment to social justice. Fluent in 7 languages Mike performs in 10 languages across Canada, Finland, Italy, USA, and Australia. As a host, pianist, educator, and actor, Mike brings their quicksilver wit to numerous engagements crossing disciplines, most recently as McGill University’s PGSS/AÉCSUM Equity & Diversity Commissioner and BIPOC Graduate Network founder. Mike is also Founder and Artistic Director of a ground-breaking company Opéra Queens which ...


French-Canadian bassSimon Chalifouxcompleted his master’s degree at Université de Montréal. In 2016-2017 he was part ofCalgary Opera Emerging Artist Program. His most recent performances includeQuince,A Midsumer Night’s Dream;Colline,La Bohème;Figaro,Le Nozze di Figaro;Gremin,Eugene Onegin;Harasta and Farar,Cunning Little Vixen;Georges Benton,Dead Man Walking;Dr. Gibbs,Our Town. He also sang the bass and Jesus in BachSt.John Passion, and the bass in BachCoffee Cantata.During the 2019-2020 season, he made his debut with Emdonton Opera in the title role of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. He also ...