Chinese-Canadian mezzo-soprano Emma Parkinson is a dynamic, modern artist, praised for “an outstanding voice… hall-filling, supple, rich, dark-tinged, with a golden sheen” (La Scena Musicale).

The 25/26 season begins with a return to the mainstage of Vancouver Opera as Maddalena in Rigoletto. Subsequently, she joins the Vancouver Bach Choir as the alto soloist for Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, the Victoria Symphony for Mozart’s Requiem with the Choir of King’s College of Cambridge, and Belle Spirale Dance Projects for a world premiere dance piece by Wen Wei Wang.

Last season, Emma debuted on the mainstage of Pacific Opera Victoria as The Fox in Portman’s The Little Prince, made her symphony debuts with symphonies of Victoria, Kamloops, and Regina for Handel’s Messiah, and joined the Victoria Philharmonic Choir for their presentation of Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Emma also appeared with the orchestra of the PRISMA Festival under maestro Arthur Arnold for performances of Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’été and Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder. To round out her 24/25 season, Emma appeared with Opera Kelowna for their annual Opera Under the Stars, and with Early Music Vancouver in Silk Strings - A Chinese- Baroque Musical Dialogue in which she sang the premieres of two song cycles by Dorothy Chang and Edward Top. She returned to Early Music Vancouver for their summer festival performance of Mozart’s Requiem with the Pacific Baroque Orchestra and the Vancouver Cantata Singers.

Recent operatic credits include Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte (Vancouver Opera), Suzuki in Madama Butterfly (Burnaby Lyric Opera), Jade Boucher in Heggie’s Dead Man Walking (Vancouver Opera), Isabelle Eberhardt in Songs from the Uproar (City Opera Vancouver, cover), Flora in La traviata (Opéra de Massy, Brott Opera), and both Mercedes (Seefestspiele Berlin) and the titular role of Carmen (Burnaby Lyric Opera). A former young artist with the prestigious Atelier lyrique of Opéra de Montréal, Emma performed Orlofsky in Opéra de Montréal’s production of Die Fledermaus and Wood Sprite in Rusalka.

No stranger to contemporary works, Emma created the role of Anna in the world premiere of Alice Ping Yee Ho’s Chinatown with City Opera Vancouver, performed the role of Female Customer in the Canadian premiere of Du Yun’s Angel’s Bone (re:Naissance Opera, Sound the Alarm Music Theatre, Loose Tea Music Theatre), appeared as Florrie in the Canadian premiere of Stokes’ Rattenbury with Pacific Opera Victoria, performed the roles of Narrator/Minister in the Canadian premiere of George Benjamin’s Into the Little Hill with Astrolabe Musik Theatre, and sang the role of Orpheus in re:Naissance Opera’s ward-winning Live from the Underworld. Emma has been fortunate to workshop many new operas with Vancouver Opera, re:Naissance Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, Opera 5, Astrolabe Musik Theatre, and City Opera Vancouver.

Emma has been engaged by the Vancouver Island Symphony, Victoria Baroque, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, Ballet BC, Les Chorégies d’Orange in France, Vancouver Bach Choir, the Okanagan Festival Singers, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Alberta Baroque Ensemble, Kingston Symphony Orchestra, Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, and Orchestre Métropolitain. Her repertoire includes Bach’s St. John Passion, Monteverdi’s Vespers, Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, the Duruflé, Verdi, and Fauré Requeims, various Bach motets and cantatas, alongside her staple of Handel’s Messiah.

A three-time laureate of the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques in Montreal, Emma performed an operatic concert tour of six cities in China, and has won numerous prizes including the Prix Jeune Espoir Lyrique Canadien. Emma is also a recipient of the prestigious Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award.

September 2025

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