Named one of CBC’s 2025 30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30, bass-baritone Alex Halliday has been praised for his ability in finding a “beautiful balance between strapping and lyric” (Globe and Mail) and “touch of superior vocal class” (Ludwig van Toronto) in his performances. Underlining his exciting career trajectory, the 25/26 season saw Alex make his company debuts with Pacific Opera Victoria (Angelotti/Tosca), Vancouver Opera (Colline/La bohème), and Edmonton Opera (Fafner/Siegfried), alongside a return to the Canadian Opera Company (Duke/Roméo et Juliette).

Upcoming, Halliday debuts with Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (Virée Classique) for Beethoven’s Ninth under the baton of Rafael Payare, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir for Mozart’s Requiem and Mass in C Minor, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra for Handel’s Messiah, Orchestre symphonique de Québec for Beethoven’s Mass in C major, and Symphony New Brunswick for Verdi’s Requiem. He also joins the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra as the bass soloist for Beethoven’s Ninth in a one-night-only anniversary celebration of the Four Seasons Centre for the Arts. On the operatic stage, he bookends his season with Dottore Grenvil in Verdi’s La traviata for both the Canadian Opera Company and Orchestre philharmonique et Chœur de Mélomanes.

Additional recent engagements included concerts with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and Bach Elgar Choir (Handel’s Messiah), and the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra (Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah), as well as performances of Beethoven’s Ninth at Toronto’s Koerner Hall and the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony.

Recently, Alex made his house debut with Manitoba Opera as Colline in Puccini’s La bohème, and returned to the COC for several cover assignments, including Méphistophéles in Gounod’s Faust, Leporello in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and Frère Laurent in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. During the 23/24 season, Alex most notably appeared in the title role in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale for the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio performance. Other credits that season included The Notary (Don Pasquale), The Poacher (The Cunning Little Vixen), and Captain of the Guard (Medea), as well as several cover assignments.

Past seasons saw Alex as Morales in Bizet’s Carmen, as well as featured roles in Puccini’s Tosca, Verdi's Macbeth, Strauss’ Salome, all with the Canadian Opera Company. Other notable assignments with the COC include Guccio in Gianni Schicchi (2021), and Noah in the 2022 world premiere of Fantasma by Ian Cusson and Colleen Murphy. Through these engagements, Alex has performed under the batons of Johannes Debus, Jacques Lacombe, Lorenzo Passerini, and Speranza Scappucci, and worked with directors such as Sir David McVicar, Paul Curran, Atom Egoyan, and Jamie Manton.

On the concert stage, he performed Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle with Société d’art vocal de Montréal, and appeared as the bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah for the Bach Elgar Choir, the Durham Youth Orchestra, and the Peterborough Singers. Alex also had the pleasure of performing Colline in Puccini’s La bohème in concert with Orchestre Philharmonique et Choeur des Mélomanes at Montréal’s Maison Symphonique.

Alex hails from St. John's, Newfoundland where he began his journey in opera at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, subsequently graduating from the University of Toronto’s opera program. He is an alumnus of the Canadian Opera Company’s prestigious Ensemble Studio, winning second place in their Centre Stage competition. Alex is a Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition District Winner, and the third place winner of Edmonton Opera’s 2024 Rumbold Prize.

July 2026

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