Introduction

“Soprano Monica Whicher was superb as Mérope, whose hopeless love for Persée makes her the emotional center of the piece.  She sang with lustrous tone and true poignancy that humanized the entire opera.”

Globe and Mail – Christopher Hoile

Biography

Style and musical elegance combined with an intuitive theatrical sense are the hallmarks of soprano Monica Whicher's performances on the concert and opera stage. In 2010-2011, Ms Whicher debuted with Houston’s Mercury Baroque as Asprano in Vivaldi’s MONTEZUMA, a presentation that represents the work’s premiere in North America.  Her discography expanded with the release of “Lullabies and Carols for Christmas” with world-renowned Harpist Judy Loman for Naxos as well as two CD boxed sets featuring the art songs of Mykola Lysenko and Yakiv Stepovyi, part of an ongoing series produced by the Ukrainian Art Song Project. In addition to her residency at the Colours of Music Festival, her many recitals include Lysenko at Toronto’s Koerner Hall, return engagements with the Talisker Players and the Aldeburgh Connection, the University of Toronto’s Faculty Artists Series with soprano Nathalie Paulin, the Ottawa Chamber Festival, the Leith Festival and the Indian River Festival. With Toronto’s Bach Consort, she performed Handel’s SILETI VENTI under the baton of Harry Bickett. The varied aspects of her artistry are reflected in recent performances including Strauss’ VIER LETZTE LIEDER with Peter Oundjian and the Toronto Symphony, ELIJAH with the Calgary Philharmonic, the title role in THAÏS for Pacific Opera Victoria, Bach’s JOHANNES PASSION for the Amadeus Choir, Bach’s WEIHNACHTSORATORIUM with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Mozart’s MASS IN C MINOR with the Kingston Symphony, and Grieg’s PEER GYNT with the Victoria Symphony.

The current season includes concerts with Orchestra London, Thunder Bay Symphony, Toronto’s Art of Time Ensemble, Symphony Nova Scotia and Ottawa’s Thirteen Strings in repertoire ranging from opera to Villa Lobos to Faure and Bach.  

Credits from the recent past include the Strauss songs for Orchestra London, the Hamilton Philharmonic and the Ottawa Symphony; MESSIAH with the Colorado Symphony and the Elmer Iseler Singers, the title role in Purcell’s DIDO & AENEAS for Opera Atelier’s tour of Korea, repeating the role for Toronto Masque Theatre; ARMIDE and ORFEO for Opera Atelier and a return to Pacific Opera Victoria for Female Chorus in THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA, (having previously appeared there as Cleopatra in Handel’s GIULIO CESARE), ELIJAH with the Vancouver Symphony, DIE SCHÖPFUNG for Orchestra London,  Bach’s MASS in B MINOR for the Vancouver Bach Choir and Mozart’s REQUIEM with the Victoria Symphony.

She has been featured in MESSIAH with the Toronto Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic and the Edmonton Symphony, as Drusilla in Monteverdi’s CORONATION OF POPPEA for the Cleveland Opera and she was lavishly praised for her Naxos recording of CASTOR ET POLLUX with Opera in Concert of Toronto. For Opera Atelier, she starred as the Countess in Mozart’s LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, and her many appearances with the Aldeburgh Connection have included  Wolf’s ITALIENISCHES LIEDERBUCH with baritone Russell Braun and premieres of works by John Beckwith, John Greer and Gary Kulesha. She appeared at the Nürnberg Chamber Music Festival as the Governess in TURN OF THE SCREW and Female Chorus in THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA, the latter recorded for broadcast by Bayerischer Rundfunk. Other festivals have included Lanaudière, Westben, Festival of the Sound, Lamèque Baroque, Winnipeg New Music, Toronto Summer Music and the Michoacàn Festival of Music and Culture in Mexico. Her concerts are frequently broadcast by CBC radio.

Further performance credits include Mozart’s MASS IN C MINOR and EXULTATE, JUBILATE with Helmuth Rilling in Bilbao, Spain and appearances with the symphonies of Barcelona, Utah, Hartford and Minnesota. She has sung Pamina in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE for Opera Lyra in Ottawa, Elisa in IL RE PASTORE and Erste Dame in DIE ZAUBERFLOTE for the Canadian Opera Company, Zerlina in DON GIOVANNI for Vancouver Opera, Gorecki’s SYMPHONY OF SORROWFUL SONGS with the National Ballet of Canada, and, for CBC television, the inaugural Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards, where she sang in honour of Leopold Simoneau.

Winner of the George London Award, Ms. Whicher has been nominated for a Juno Award for “Singing Somers Theatre (Centrediscs) as well as two Dora Mavor Moore awards (LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, DIDO AND AENEAS) and is featured on the Juno-award winning CD’s “Beethoven Lives Upstairs”, “Mozarts’ Magic Fantasy” and “Daydreams and Lullabies”.  Her recordings of Bach, Schubert and Hatzis are available on Marquis Classics and other labels and her critically acclaimed portrayal of Mérope can be seen in the EuroArts DVD of Lully’s PERSÉE.  Ms.  Whicher is on the faculty of both the Glenn Gould School and the University of Toronto.

Full Repertoire

OPERA

CONCERT/ORATORIO

EDUCATION

Diploma in Opera Performance, University of Toronto (1990)
Honours Bachelor of Music, University of Toronto (1988)
Primary Vocal Instructor: Lois Marshall (1986-1997)
Coaches: Stuart Hamilton, Don Tarnawski, Steven Blier

OTHER TRAINING

AWARDS

DISCOGRAPHY

The Bach Consort at L'Arche
The Bach Consort
Monica Whicher, Elizabeth Turnbull, Michael Schade, Russell Braun
L'Arche Daybreak (1997)

Omar Daniel: My Angel
performing My Angel
Rachel Gauk, guitar
Marquis Classics (1997)

Christos Hatzis: Erotikos Logos
performing Three Songs on Poems by Sappho and Arcana
Robert Aitken, conductor, Joaquin Valdepeñas, clarinet; Steven Dann, viola; David Heatherington,
violoncello; Marc Widner, piano; Trevor Tureski, percussion;
Marquis Classics ERAD 197 (1996)

The Bach Consort at Camphill
The Bach Consort
Monica Whicher, Elizabeth Turnbull, Michiel Schrey, Russell Braun
Camphill Village Ontario (1995)

Forgotten Dreams
with Thirteen Strings, singing Schubert's Salve Regina (1995)

Canadian Music for Voice, Harp and Oboe
CBC Records

Hallelujah Handel
Classical Kids (1995)

Daydreams and Lullabies
Classical Kids

Mozart's Magic Fantasy - Juno Award-Winner
Classical Kids

Beethoven Lives Upstairs - Juno Award-Winner
Classical Kids

Rameau, Castor et Pollux
Opera in Concert, Aradia Ensemble(Julie Wedman, Concertmaster) Kevin Mallon
NAXOS 2004

Somers, H., Singing Somers Theatre (A Window on Somers)
Centredisc 2001

Engaged By

Aldeburgh Connection
Calgary Opera
Calgary Philharmonic
Canadian Opera Company
Choeur St-Laurent
Cleveland Opera
Colorado Symphony
Edmonton Symphony
Festival de Lanaudière, Québec
Hartford Symphony
Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony
Lamèque Baroque Festival
Mercury Baroque
Minnesota Orchestra
National Arts Centre Orchestra, Ottawa
Nuremberg International Chamber
Music Festival
Opera Atelier, Toronto
Opera Lyra, Ottawa
Orchestra London
Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
Ottawa Chamber Music Festival
Pacific Opera Victoria
Seoul Arts Center, Korea
Toronto Symphony
Vancouver Bach Choir
Victoria Symphony
Utah Symphony

Reviews

“Monica Whicher’s dignified Dido reached a magnificent climax in her confrontation scene with Aeneas: Here, Whicher completely entered the Purcell “zone”, catching every nuance of emotion as his harmonies and rhythms set Dido’s words aflame.”
The Globe and Mail

“Soprano Monica Whicher, a favourite of Edwards, surmounted the orchestra effortlessly and unleashed many a sterling high note.”
Montreal Gazette

“Monica Whicher emporte l’adhésion dans unbouleversant ‘Ah, je garderai bien mon coeur…Son timbre agréeable, l’importance qu’elle accorde au texte et ses talents de comédienne s’expriment particulièrement bien dans les scènes de désespoir…”
forumopéra.com

“The principals have fresh, personable voices and understand the French Baroque style, above all Monica Whicher, who gives a poignantly expressive account of Telaïre’s sublime lament ‘Tristes apprêts’.”
The Guardian

“The recital’s biggest treats were the two Canadian singers who dared to plumb these turbulent musical waters:  soprano Monica Whicher and baritone Russell Braun.  They were perfectly matched in having large, flexible voices, superb vocal control and a clear sense of where to draw the line between drama and bathos.  It is a rare and wonderful treat to hear two singers at the peak of their powers singing in an intimate setting…”
Toronto Star

“Soprano Monica Whicher, who is making her debut in the role of the Countess, is the strongest of all, singing with a smooth, elegant line, but also conveying passion and hurt.  Her big aria, ‘Dove Sono’ is the highlight of the night.”
Toronto Star

“Soprano Monica Whicher was superb as Mérope, whose hopeless love for Persée makes her the emotional center of the piece.  She sang with lustrous tone and true poignancy that humanized the entire opera.”
Globe and Mail – Christopher Hoile

“Monica Whicher’s fresh, lustrous soprano illuminated four songs, including an unforgettable Litanei auf das Fest Allerseelen: the singer’s wonderful legato…made the repeated “All souls rest in peace” a musical epiphany.”
Globe and Mail - Urjo Kareda

“Soprano Monica Whicher’s song-suffering Télaïre is magnificent in the gorgeous ‘Tristes apprêts’.
Whole Note – Pamela Margles

“Soprano Monica Whicher found the emotional truth in the recitative Thy rebuke hath broken his heart and sang as agile Rejoice Greatly, even at Rilling’s somewhat unyielding fast pace.
Star Tribune, Minneapolis-St. Paul

“ Monica Whicher, the soprano was magnificent.  What a pure voice.  In both pieces (Mozart’s REQUIEM, Handel’s  DIXIT DOMINUM) she displayed a striking, controlled, wide-ranging passion.”
Desert News, Salt Lake City

“Among the lovers, Monica Whicher’s Mérope was outstanding; vocally assured, with an engaging stage presence, she carried the three arias Lully assigned to her with power and wit.”
UK Opera Magazine

 "Whicher has a gorgeous, serene voice…She’s one of those rare singers who can make something as taxing as Bach sound effortless.”
Kitchener-Waterloo Record

“Monica Whicher est certainment la plus belle Telaïre qu’on puis entendre au disque…La voix a une beauté de timbre, une largeur de register, un aisance à orner qui forcent l’admiration.  Le sublime “Tristes apprêts’ est un des grand moments de cet enregistration.  Personne n’échappera a l’émotion intense d’égagé par la progression qui mène au poignant “non” de la reprise le l’air…avec un ineffable pianissimo dans l’aigu.
L’Avant-Scène Opéra

“Soprano Monica Whicher possesses…a gleaming instrument that she uses with confidence and fire.”
The Calgary Herald – Eric Dawson