Ariana Maubach, Angelo Moretti, Nicholas Murphy, Emma Pennell, and Ben Wallace — the Canadian Opera Firm has introduced the names of the 5 new members of the Ensemble Studio for 2025/26. They’ll be becoming a member of returning members soprano Emily Rocha and bass Duncan Stenhouse.
Soprano Emma Pennell, mezzo-soprano Ariana Maubach, tenor Angelo Moretti, baritone Ben Wallace, and bass-baritone Nicholas Murphy had been chosen for this system after a nationwide audition tour. Maubach (First Prize and Viewers Alternative Award), Pennell (Second Prize), and Murphy all positioned as finalists on the COC’s eleventh annual Centre Stage: Ensemble Studio Competitors.
“We’re thrilled to welcome these 5 extremely proficient singers into our longstanding skilled improvement program for rising opera artists,” says Dorian Cox, Director of the Ensemble Studio in an announcement.
“This new cohort will convey a recent vitality to this system with every singer bringing their distinctive voice and fervour for opera. I look ahead to seeing how they develop over the course of this new journey and contribute to the way forward for this artwork kind!”
The Ensemble Studio is a useful profession constructing program that features sensible {and professional} expertise, together with teaching, mentoring and different skilled improvement actions geared to the contributors. Members of the Ensemble Studio join with visiting artists, and work with the COC’s management all through the method.
It’s the forty fifth anniversary of the COC’s progressive program, which incorporates pianists in addition to singers. This system’s present pianist/coaches, Brian Cho and Mattia Senesi, might be finishing their time period with the Ensemble Studio. Auditions for the pianist/coach positions are being held at the moment, with the profitable candidates to be introduced later this yr.
Ensemble Studio Members New & Previous
At the moment a second yr Resident Artist on the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia, PA, soprano Ariana Maubach is a graduate of the Music Academy of the West, Faculty Conservatory of Music at College of Cincinnati, The Glenn Gould Faculty, and Eastman Faculty of Music.
Acadian bass-baritone Nicholas Murphy is at the moment in residence with Calgary Opera’s McPhee Artist Growth Program. He’s carried out with Brott Opera, Opera McGill, and Highlands Opera Studio. Together with the Ensemble Studio Competitors, he’s positioned as a finalist within the Wirth Vocal Prize and Atelier lyrique’s Expertise Gala.
Tenor Angelo Moretti had his skilled debut in 2022 in Verdi’s Il Trovatore at Opéra de Montréal, the place he’s carried out a number of roles since then. He lately carried out as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah with Orchestre Classique de Montreal.
Soprano Emma Pennell is a Two-Spirit opera singer with Mi’kmaw roots from South River in Northern Ontario. They studied voice efficiency and Indigenous Research at Western College, Cambrian Faculty, and The Glenn Gould Faculty. Notable performances embrace debuts at Koerner Corridor and the Banff Centre.
Baritone Ben Wallace at the moment research on the College of Toronto. He earned a Bachelor of Music at Wilfrid Laurier College, the place he additionally received the Laurier Concerto Competitors. He’s carried out with Highlands Opera Studio, UofT Opera, Opera Laurier and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.
4 of the present singers might be finishing their time period with the Ensemble Studio on the finish of this season. Soprano Karoline Podolak might be taking the stage on the 4 Seasons Centre quickly as Kate Pinkerton within the COC’s manufacturing of Madama Butterfly. Mezzo-soprano Queen Hezumuryango might be singing the function of Ebba Sparre within the COC’s upcoming La Reine-garçon, and Lola in Cavalleria rusticana. Tenor Wesley Harrison carried out in COC productions of Fidelio, La Bohème, and Nabucco throughout his time with this system. Baritone Korin Thomas-Smith carried out in COC productions of La Bohème and Faust, and might be one of many apprentices within the forged of Wozzeck this spring.
Opera lovers will have the ability to expertise performances of all six of the graduating Ensemble Studio members at two farewell live shows. A part of the Free Live performance Collection within the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, they’ll happen on Might 20 and 29, 2025.
For subsequent gen opera singers: the subsequent COC Ensemble Studio Competitors is scheduled for October 23, 2025, and nationwide auditions might be introduced this spring.
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Anya Wassenberg is a Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. She is an skilled freelance author, blogger and writing teacher.