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 ...


Born on the auspicious Feast Day of Bach, Handel and Purcell, it was surely fated that Alexander Cappellazzo would immerse himself in music!Starting with Strauss’ Die Fledermaus in 2017, he has since performed roles like Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Lensky (Eugene Onegin), Acis (Acis & Galatea), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Oronte (Alcina) and many more with companies across Canada including: VOICEBOX: Opera In Concert, Toronto City Opera, Opera By Request, OperOttawa, Nózki Opera, Opéra Queens, Cantabile Chorale, the Ashkenaz Festival, 23 Degree Theatre, the Halifax Summer Opera Festival and ...


Camille Rogers (they/them) has been praised for their “tremendous stage presence” and “real flair for comedy” (Operaramblings).Camille’s “gossamer mezzo-soprano” (Mooney on Theatre) has been described as “even-keeled and grounded even in times of intense physicality” (Schmopera).Opera roles include Suli/Suzie in Buddies in Bad Times’s world premiere of Pomegranate, Lake in FAWN's collectively improvised techno opera Belladonna, Young Girl in The Marriage of Figaro with Opera Atelier, and the title role of L’Italiana in Algeri with MYOpera.Camille has also been featured as a soloist with Pax ...


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 ...


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 ...


Michaela Chiste is a soprano hailing from Okotoks, Alberta. Originally trained as a stage actor, she spent most of her life studying and performing in the dramatic arts and musical theatre before crossing over to the world of classical singing in 2013. She completed her Bachelor of Musicunder the tutelage of John Tessierat the University of Alberta in 2017. She is currently working towards her Master's degree in Vocal Literature and Performance at the University of Western Ontario. She has performed as a concert soloist and recitalist both internationally and across Canada. She has served as ...


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 ...


Morgan Reid is a Nova Scotian-born portfolio artist whose diverse skillset informs her career as a performer, administrator, and academic. Morgan works as a freelance social media manager/consultant for a handful of arts organizations and individuals, was the administrator for COSA Canada’s 2020-2021 online season, and has worked as an administrative assistant and teaching assistant with Voice Studies at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music. Additionally in 2020-2021, Morgan was selected as an RBC Future Launch/LINK Emerging Artist Fellow with the Association for Opera in Canada. As a ...


TenorSpencer McKnighthas been described as “one of the finest tenor voices” in Canada.His voice is described as fresh and brassy with stratospheric high notes. McKnight began singing at the age of 17. He was encouraged to pursue music by an adjudicator who heard him sing at his local music festival. His passion for music finds him frequently immersed in the music of Handel, Rossini, and Britten. Spencer’s garnered much attention both in concert and in competition over the course of the last six years, including multiple awards at a national level, and the 2018 winner of the Gordon C. Wallis ...


Mezzo-soprano Taryn Plater is a versatile performer and creator with a strong investment in the future of opera and civic artistry. With affinities for performance and production, she is active both on and off stage. An advocate for Ukrainian opera and song, Taryn created the digital artist statementFirst Stepsthrough Against the Grain's 2021 National Opera Intensive, exploring her cultural heritage through Ukrainian art song and dance. Taryn is a mentor with Opera InReach, the Founding Aristic Director ofOpera Unbound, and a 2021-2022 Artist Fellow with the Association for Opera in Canada. ...