Introduction

“Particularly striking was mezzo-soprano Lauren Segal (Sesto), who has a beautifully expressive tone and solid technique, and was totally at ease, dramatically and musically”
Opera Canada, Renée Maheu

Biography

Mezzo-soprano Lauren Segal – the only North American 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 as Mercedes in CARMEN and she has also been heard with the company as Siébel in FAUST, Aljeja in Janáček’s FROM THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD and as Popova in Walton’s THE BEAR. Other COC assignments have included the Third Lady in Mozart’s THE MAGIC FLUTE and Dritte Magd in Strauss’ ELEKTRA. Ms. Segal has performed in Calgary Opera’s production of Allan Bell’s TURTLE WAKES as part of their Emerging Artist Program and the role of Sesto in CLEMENZA DI TITO at the Orford Arts Festival. Recent and upcoming engagements during 2009-2010, included Dorabella in COSI FAN TUTTE for Pacific Opera Victoria, Orlovsky in DIE FLEDERMAUS for Opera Hamilton, MESSIAH for the Grand Philharmonic Choir and the Bach Elgar Choir and an Opera Gala for the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.

This summer, she appeared at the Westben Festival in Schumann’s FRAUENLIEBE UND LEBEN, in recitals for FestiVoix in Trois Rivieres and the Aldeburgh Connection in Bayfield and at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa in ‘Opera under the Stars’. Her 2010-2011 season includes Maddalena in RIGOLETTO for Opéra de Montréal, MESSIAH for Vancouver Bach Choir, Beethoven’s SYMPHONY NO. 9 for the Windsor Symphony, a Gala Opera Evening for Manitoba Opera and she returns to the COC for productions of NIXON IN CHINA, ARIADNE AUF NAXOS and DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE.

Engagements in the 2008-2009 season included Sonya in Prokofiev’s WAR & PEACE and Dorabella in COSI FAN TUTTE with the Canadian Opera Company, ELIJAH for Nezet-Seguin and Orchestra Metropolitain du Grand Montreal, MESSIAH with the Victoria Symphony, Suzuki in Puccini’s MADAMA BUTTERFLY with Manitoba Opera and Opera Hamilton, and Beethoven’s SYMPHONY NO. 9 with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Past performances include Rosina in THE BARBER OF SEVILLE for Toronto Summer Music, Cherubino in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO at The Banff Centre, Agnese in Bellini’s BEATRICE DI TENDA Fenena in NABUCCO and Smeton in ANNA BOLENA with Toronto’s Opera in Concert, Hansel in HANSEL AND GRETEL in Hamilton as well as Tisbe (LA CENERENTOLA), Flora (LA TRAVIATA), Valencienne (THE MERRY WIDOW) and Erika (VANESSA). A recipient of two Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Encouragement Awards, Ms. Segal’s concert performances include ELIJAH for the Amadeus Choir of Toronto, Bach’s Cantata BMV 147, Bruckner’s Mass in F minor and Haydn’s NELSON MESSE. Born in South Africa, Ms. Segal holds a Master’s of Science degree from the Department of Physics at the University of Toronto.

August 2010

 

Full Repertoire

Opera

Adams	Nancy T'sang	NIXON IN CHINA
Barber	Erika	VANESSA
Bellini	Agnese	BEATRICE DI TENDA
Bizet	Carmen/Mercedes	CARMEN
Donizetti	Smeton	ANNA BOLENA
Dvořák	Zweite Elfe	RUSALKA
Gluck	Orfeo	ORFEO ED EURIDICE
Gounod	Siebel Stephano	FAUST ROMÉO ET JULIETTE
Humperdinck	Hänsel	HÄNSEL UND GRETEL
Janáček	Aljeja	FROM THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD
Lehár	Valencienne	THE MERRY WIDOW
Mozart	Dorabella Cherubino Sesto Dritte Dame/Zweite Dame	COSI FAN TUTTE LE NOZZE DI FIGARO LA CLEMENZA DI TITO DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE
Offenbach	Nicklaus/Muse	LES CONTES D'HOFFMAN
Puccini Prokofiev	Suzuki Sonya	MADAMA BUTTERFLY WAR AND PEACE
Romberg	Princess Margaret	THE STUDENT PRINCE
Rossini	Tisbe Rosina	LA CENERENTOLA IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA
Strauss, J.	Orlofsky	DIE FLEDERMAUS
Shostakovich	Sonyetka	LADY MACBETH OF MTSENSK
Strauss, R.	Dritte Magd Dryad/Komponist	ELEKTRA ARIADNE AUF NAXOS
Verdi	Maddalena Flora/Annina Fenena	RIGOLETTO LA TRAVIATA NABUCCO
Wagner	Wellgunde Rossweisse/Siegrune Wellgunde/Flosshilde	DAS RHEINGOLD DIE WALKÜRE GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Walton	Popova	THE BEAR

Concert

Bach	Cantata BMW 147 Magnificat
Beethoven	Symphony No. 9
Bruckner	Mass in F minor
De Falla	Siete Canciones Populares Españolas
Dvořák	Ciganske Melodie
Handel	Messiah
Haydn Janáček	Nelson Messe Diary of the One Who Disappeared
Mahler	Leider eines fahrenden Gesellen
Mendelssohn	Elijah
Mozart	Mass in C minor
Schumann	Frauenlieben und Leben
Vaughan Williams	Serenade to Music

Engaged By

Amadeus Choir
Banff Centre
Canadian Opera Company
Calgary Opera
CBC Radio Two

Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony
Mississauga Symphony
Opéra de Montréal
Opera in Concert, Toronto
Opera Hamilton
Opera in Concert (Toronto)

Opera Lyra Ottawa
Opera York
Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal
Orford Arts Centre
Pacific Opera Victoria
Toronto Operetta Theatre

Victoria Symphony
Westben Festival

Reviews

“Opera in Concert’s production of Donizetti’s bel canto Anna Bolena was uncommonly good led by music director Nathalie Doucet Lalkens who showed a deep understanding of interpretation. Mezzo-soprano Lauren Segal as Smeton always impresses with her honey-coated, distinctive, lush tone.”

“I also found the singing quite strong with talented Canadians – (including) mezzo-soprano Lauren Segal as Siébel – giving a very good account of themselves.”

“Particularly striking was mezzo-soprano Lauren Segal (Sesto), who has a beautifully expressive tone and solid technique, and was totally at ease, dramatically and musically.”