| Eric Shaw |
Introduction "Eric Shaw was in commanding form from the outset, securely threading together a remarkably wide range of vocal colours... never losing the fluid continuity of the line." National Post, Brian Hunt BiographyTenor Eric Shaw has established an international reputation through performances at a number of renowned musical centres. From Wexford to Lincoln Center to Tanglewood and Genoa he has been lauded for “singing and acting with fluent ease and charm” (Michael Kennedy, Sunday Telegraph, London, UK). Heard in New York with Botstein and the American Symphony Orchestra in Schumann’s DAS PARADIES UND DIE PERI at Lincoln Center, he was in Toronto for the World Premiere of Chan Ka Nin’s THE WEAVING MAIDEN for Soundstreams, and in ROMÉO ET JULIETTE as Tybalt for Opera Ontario. He sang the Evangelist in Bach’s MATTHAUS PASSION with the Victoria Symphony and was Ramiro in LA CENERENTOLA at Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania. He recently sang Beethoven’s Mass in C for the Elora Festival and looks forward to recording Louie’s POLITICS IS CRUEL: THE OPERA for Rhombus media, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in Windsor and Thunder Bay and Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. He debuted with the National Chorale in New York in DIE SCHÖPFUNG and sang Rossini’s PETITE MESSE SOLENNELLE for the Grand Philharmonic Choir (Kitchener-Waterloo) and the Bach Elgar Choir of Hamilton. As well, he reprised his role in DIE DREI PINTOS for Toronto’s Opera in Concert, sang Bach’s Passions in Toronto and Peterborough, and appeared for Manitoba Opera in JASON AND HANNA. His schedule has also included performances with the Vancouver Island Symphony, Regina Philharmonic Chorus, and the Guelph Chamber choir singing works of Beethoven, Handel and Bach. Also among his credits are Mozart’s REQUIEM for the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, MESSIAH for the Elora Festival Singers and Okanagen Festival Choir and a return to the Wexford Festival for Donizetti’s RITA and Haydn’s DIE SCHÖPFUNG. As well he was featured in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE by Toronto’s Opera Atelier and Schafer’s THE PALACE OF THE CINNABAR PHOENIX for Patria Music Theatre. Fluent in French and English, he debuted at the Wexford Festival as Gaston in DIE DREI PINTOS by Weber/Mahler (recording later released by Naxos) and returned for Claudio in Braunfels’ PRINZESSIN BRAMBILLA, also a Naxos release. His Italian debut came in Bologna in Schubert’s DIE FREUNDE VON SALAMANCA and further performances in Italy have included the title role in CANDIDE in Genoa. At Tanglewood he created the role of Philip the Handsome in RAGE D’AMOUR and he returned to Lincoln Center with Botstein and the American Symphony Orchestra singing the role of Tum Tum in Hindemith’s DAS NUSCH NUSCHI. In Canada Mr. Shaw appeared as the White Stag in the World Premiere of R. Murray Schafer’s THE ENCHANTED FOREST. The Jubilee Hall was the scene of his debut at the Aldeburgh Festival where he was featured as Lysander in Britten's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. Mr. Shaw was chosen for the Calgary Opera’s production of Weill’s SEVEN DEADLY SINS and further recent engagements have included Idreno in Rossini’s SEMIRAMIDE for Opera in Concert, MESSIAH in Hamilton, Ontario, CARMINA BURANA for the Victoria Symphony, Nanki Poo in MIKADO for Toronto Operetta Theatre and Bach’s ST. JOHN PASSION with the Fanshawe Chorus of London, Ontario. He has also appeared with Opera Lyra Ottawa, Pacific Opera Victoria, the Grand Philharmonic Choir and in Bangor, Maine, singing Orff, Handel, Johann and Richard Strauss and Bach. Past seasons have been highlighted by IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA with the Kingston Symphony, Puccini's MESSA DI GLORIA with the Hamilton Philharmonic and Bach's MAGNIFICAT for the Melos Ensemble in Kingston. The McGill University graduate was also heard as Leo in the Canadian operetta, LEO THE ROYAL CADET for the Toronto Operetta Theatre and was engaged by Utah Opera for Almaviva in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, St. Brioche in MERRY WIDOW and Bardolfo in FALSTAFF. Other roles include Le Pecheur in LE ROSSIGNOL, Little Bat in Floyd’s SUSANNAH, Ralph in H.M.S. PINAFORE, Inkslinger in PAUL BUNYAN, Frederic in PIRATES OF PENZANCE and Belfiore in LA FINTA GIARDINIERA. He has appeared in Mozart's MASS IN C MINOR with the Amadeus Choir of Toronto and on radio in CREATION and JUDAS MACCABAEUS. August 2010
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Reviews“Canadian tenor Eric Shaw repeated the success he had last year in the Weber/Mahler Die drei Pintos. He sang and acted with fluent ease and charm.” The Sunday Telegraph (Wexford) – Michael Kennedy “Eric Shaw set the pace for the soloists with Comfort Ye and Every Valley. He combined a sustained lyric tone with interpretative intensity.” The Morning Star – Dave Nordstrom “Eric Shaw provided a wonderful Leo, his clarion tenor making the most of both the big sentimental tune The days of long ago and the call to battle To the field; his decent, straightforward presence anchored the show.” The Globe and Mail – Urjo Karedo “The gifted young tenor Eric Shaw, who has just one piece, was worth his weight in gold.” University of Waterloo Gazette – Jan Narveson “Eric Shaw was in commanding form, securely threading together a remarkably wide range of vocal colours. He was able to give sharp focus to the vivid images in the surrealist poetry that Poulenc loved to set, while never losing the fluid continuity of the line.” National Post – Brian Hunt “Eric Shaw’s highly focused voice coped admirably as Rossini threw Gianetto’s part constantly into the upper reaches of the tenor range.” The Toronto Star – John Lehr “…from the moment Eric Shaw opened his mouth, it was evident that this role was in the safest of hands, vocally. Shaw has a glorious voice and made it all seem effortless (which it isn’t).” Toronto Star – Robert Crew “With his pitch-perfect and ringing tenor Eric Shaw who tripled as Apollo/Pyrrhuis/Sailor was outstanding. The Hamilton Spectator – Leonard Turnevicius “Shaw was wonderful here, displaying the agony of the bird on the spit with whimpers, wails and gestures, yet making it into a delicious piece of black humour.” The Record (Kitchener-Waterloo) – Harry Currie |