| Joni Henson |
Introduction "Henson has a thrilling, lilting voice and is clearly heading for a glittering career … she out-sang everyone else on stage" Opera Canada, Paula Citron
Biography
Soprano Joni Henson is one of Canada’s most thrilling young performers. Recent successes include Elisabetta in DON CARLOS, Fiordiligi in Mozart’s COSI FAN TUTTE, the Foreign Princess in RUSALKA and Gutrune in Wagner’s GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG, all for the Canadian Opera Company. Ms. Henson’s 2010-2011 season begins with James Somerville and the Hamilton Philharmonic singing the last scene from Strauss’ CAPRICCIO. This will be followed by an opera gala with Manitoba Opera and Verdi’s REQUIEM with Tovey and the Vancouver Symphony. She debuts with the Detroit Symphony conducted by Slatkin singing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and will be in Calgary for Mahler’s Symphony No.2 and later in Regina for a reprise of Verdi’s REQUIEM. On the opera stage, she stars as Santuzza in CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA for Opera Hamilton. Highlights of last season include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Vancouver Symphony (Tovey), Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Orchestre Metropolitain du Grand Montreal (Yannick Nezet-Seguin) in Ottawa and Montreal, and a gala opera evening for the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. She also covered Desdemona in OTELLO for the COC. During the 2008-2009 season, she was with the Vancouver Symphony for Britten’s WAR REQUIEM (Tovey), Toronto’s Mendelssohn Choir (Noel Edison) for ELIJAH, and the Hamilton Philharmonic for Berlioz and Mendelssohn. She appeared in special concerts with the Kingston and Sault Ste. Marie symphonies, and presented a debut recital for Music Toronto at the St. Lawrence Centre in Toronto with pianist Stephen Ralls. Further credits include Desdemona in OTELLO with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, Santuzza in CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA with the Windsor Symphony, Marie in DIE TOTE STADT for Opera in Concert and concerts with the Aldeburgh Connection of Toronto and the Elora Festival of Ontario. Ms. Henson earned her Bachelor in Vocal Performance degree from the University of Toronto. She also received her Artist Diploma from the University of Toronto’s Opera Division. Other roles include Nedda in Leoncavallo’s PAGLIACCI, Mrs. Ford in Nicolai’s MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR and Female Chorus in Britten’s THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA. In 2003, Ms. Henson was awarded the Opera Grand Prize at the XVth Concours International de Chant de Verviers Competition in Belgium. She also received the First Place Opera and French Melodie Awards at the Concours International de Chant de Marmande Competition in France. In 2006 Ms. Henson was a semi-finalist in the Metropolitan National Council Auditions. Ms. Henson attended the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California where she studied with Marilyn Horne. In excerpts, she was seen there as Vitellia in Mozart’s LA CLEMENZA DI TITO and Donna Anna in DON GIOVANNI. She was honoured to receive Encouragement Awards in the Marilyn Horne Foundation Vocal Competition. As a former member of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio, she was heard as Alisa in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR and other ensemble roles with the company included Lady Billows in ALBERT HERRING, Inez in IL TROVATORE, and First Lady in THE MAGIC FLUTE. August 2010
For further information, please visit www.jonihensonsoprano.com. Full RepertoireOPERA
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RECITAL REPERTOIRE
Complete repertoire list available on request. Engaged By
Reviews
“Soprano Joni Henson proved once again that she has one of the most thrilling voices among young Canadian singers. The bright sound combined with her soaring, arching phrases and tonal heft is absolutely compelling.” (Toronto Mendelssohn Choir – Elijah)
“Soprano Joni Henson sang Dich, teure Halle from Tannhauser with a more focused presentation than she could manage even a few months ago. It’s not hard to imagine this singer performing major Wagner roles in important opera houses within the next few years.” The Globe & Mail, Robert Everett-Green “Henson has a thrilling, lilting voice and is clearly heading for a glittering career...she out sang everyone else on stage.” Opera Canada, Paula Citron“Joni Henson (Marie/Marietta) and Anthony Flynn (Paul) both acquitted themselves exceptionally well, etching the troubled characters with panache...Henson has a huge voice…and as in her recent work for the Canadian Opera Company, she looks set for success in the heavier dramatic roles in the German repertoire.” Opera Canada, Wayne Gooding |