Dean Artists News

Justin Welsh as Queequeg in Moby Dick

“Bass baritone, Justin Welsh’s exotic Queequeg had vocal heft, but also a vulnerability that gave his scenes with Ainsworth a sweet flavour of brotherly love.”

Globe and Mail, William Rankin [Calgary Opera, Moby Dick, January 2012]

“Justin Welsh brings a finely drawn vocal technical to the part, his voice beautiful throughout the registers. Dramatically, too, Welsh’s role was exceptionally well realized, a major accomplishment as a singing actor.”

Calgary Herald, Kenneth Delong

Dean Artists Get Around


Carrol Anne Curry and Alia Rosenstock with Lucia Cesaroni on the opening night of West Side Story for Vancouver Opera	Henry Ingram with Allyson McHardy at the Paris Opera after one of her performances of Annio in Clemenza di Tito

Nathalie's Birthday in Wexford

Dean Artists Update Fall 2011

The fall opera season got off to an early start in Ottawa where Carrol Anne Curry and Alia Rosenstock traveled to hear Dean Artists Wallis Giunta, Antonio Figueroa and Emilia Boteva in Opera Lyra’s double bill, CAVELLERIA RUSTICANA and GIANNI SCHICCHI. The COC opened its season with Lauren Segal in IPHIGENIE EN TAURIDE and Megan Latham and Alain Coulombe in RIGOLETTO. Travels continue in October when Carrol Anne gmoes to Victoria to see Pacific Opera Victoria’s production of THE FLYING DUTCHMAN featuring Joni Henson, Michael Colvin, John Fanning and Robert Künzli, with Glynis Leyshon directing and Tim Vernon conducting, all from the Dean Artists roster. She’ll then make the short hop Soprano Leslie Ann Bradley over to Vancouver where Alia will join her to see the opening of WEST SIDE STORY with Lucia Cesaroni as Maria and Colin Ainsworth as Tony.

Soprano Leslie Ann Bradley took top honours this summer with the Tecumseh Sherman Rogers Graduating Award, earning her Masters degree from the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto. Ms. Bradley makes her debut with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir this fall. September saw baritone Dominique Cote win the prestigious 9th Festival International de Chant Lyrique de Canari, in Corsica France. Praised by the jury for both his singing and his acting, M. Cote beat 32 other competitors from around the world for the top prize.

Allyson McHardy to the far left as Annio at L’Opéra National de Paris Henry Ingram was in Paris for a week this September where he was able to catch a performance at L’Opéra Nationale de Paris (Palais Garnier) of mezzo-soprano Allyson McHardy singing the role of Annio in CLEMENZA DI TITO. He was also able to catch a performance of Salome at the Bastille, having battled his way into the theatre through a throng of protesters filling the Place de la Bastille. Our other artists performing in Europe were David Curry touring as Quint in TURN OF THE SCREW (France), Betty Waynne Allison as Alice in FALSTAFF (France), Nathalie Paulin as La Baronne in LA COUR DE CELIMENE at the Wexford Opera Festival and Ileana Montalbetti in ELEKTRA at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. Ivars Taurins conducts Tafelmusik’s Sing-along Messiah

Conductor Ivars Taurins was nominated for a Gemini for his role in Tafelmusik’s SING-ALONG MESSIAH filmed by 90^th Parallel Productions and first aired on Bravo TV. Now celebrating its 25^th anniversary, this festive sing-along with the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir and Orchestra, led by a feisty Maestro Handel (aka conductor Ivars Taurins) is an annual tradition that sells out every year. Earlier this fall Taurins was invited by Kent Nagano to be guest choir director in preparing a combined Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Tafelmusik choir for concerts and a recording of Beethoven’s NINTH SYMPHONY.

Congratulations are in order for Stephen Hegedus and his wife Martha on the birth of their daughter born July 14, 2011!

More Articles...