MattHEW Dalen
Praised in Opera Canada for his “warm tone and good connection to text,” Canadian tenor Matthew Dalen is enjoying a burgeoning career on both the opera and concert stages. Matthew's 23/24 season includes the world premiere of Laura Kaminsky’s February with Opera on the Avalon, Carmen (Don Jose) with Orchestre symphonique de Trois Rivières and Mozart’s Requiem with Orchestre classique de Montréal. In 22/23, Matthew returned to l’Opéra de Montréal as Hermann Göring in their world premiere of Bilodeau’s La beauté du monde and debuted with the Ottawa Choral Society in Britten’s St. Nicolas. Other recent engagements include Roméo in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette for Opéra du Royaume and Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières.
Past appearances include Handel’s Messiah with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Puccini’s La Bohème with Opéra du Royaume as Rodolfo, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with Orchestre Classique de Montréal, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Niagara Symphony and l’Orchestre Symphonique de Gatineau. In 2022, Matthew made a role debut as Der erster geharnischter with Opéra de Montréal for Barrie Kosky’s acclaimed Die Zauberflöte.
Dalen has been featured by VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert in the title role of Schubert’s Fierabras in its North American Premiere in Toronto and as Borsa in Edmonton Opera’s Rigoletto. He recently understudied Alfredo in Edmonton Opera’s La Traviata and has performed numerous roles as a young artist with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, including Gastone in La traviata, and Leo Hubbard in Blitzstein’s Regina. Matthew also appeared as Major Baker and Private Carter in the world premiere of Ruo’s An American Soldier with OTSL. Other roles in his repertoire include Lensky in Eugene Onegin, Werther in Werther, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Camille in The Merry Widow, and Tamino in Die Zauberflöte.
Matthew is a graduate of the Vancouver Opera Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program, the Atelier Lyrique of Opéra de Montréal, and has been selected as a prizewinner with the Jeunes Ambassadeurs lyriques for several seasons.
Currently, Matthew holds the position of Artistic Director for the Peace Region Music Series in his hometown of Grand Prairie, Alberta.
March 2024
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“Singing the title role, tenor Mathew Dalen delivered a blistering Moor, all smouldering looks and angry young man, top notes exploding like fireworks, sparkling and incandescent. “Was quälst du mich, o Mißgeschick?” (“O misfortune, why do you torment me?”), Fierabras cries, battling to suppress his passion for forbidden Frankish princess Emma. Dalen dazzled, tearing into Schubert’s aria with ferocious abandon, his bright, crystalline tone ringing through the semi-darkness.”
