At long last, the Canadian Opera Company‘s Ensemble Studio Competition has drawn to a close, and with it Canada’s top young opera singer has been found: Midori Marsh, the super soprano from Cleveland, Ohio took home both the First Prize ($5000) and the Audience Choice Award ($2000) with a beautiful rendition of “Quel guardo, il cavaliere” from Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti.
Ms. Marsh is currently completing her Master of Music in opera at the University of Toronto after undergraduate studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, where she presented a senior recital built around the works of female composers.
Winners of the second ($3500) and third prize ($2000) were Bass-Baritone Alex Halliday of St. John’s, NL and Charlotte Siegel of Toronto respectively. Tenor Marcel d’Entremont of Merigomish, NS won The CBC Music Young Artist Development Prize, which includes recording sessions for future broadcast.
“Canada’s wealth of operatic talent continues to impress me. Each of this year’s Ensemble Studio Competition finalists should be exceptionally proud of what they’ve accomplished,” says Alexander Neef, General Director for the COC. “The competition may be over, but their journeys are just beginning and I think I speak for everyone in the audience last night when I say I can’t wait to see what comes next for them.”
Congratulations to Ms. Marsh, and to fellow finalists Kirsten LeBlanc, Sarah Bissonnette, and Brenden Friesen. We look forward to all your future performances!
Left to right: COC Music Director Johannes Debus, Alex Halliday (bass-baritone), Midori Marsh (soprano), Brenden Friesen (bass-baritone), Charlotte Siegel (soprano), Marcel d’Entremont (tenor), Kirsten LeBlanc (soprano), Sarah Bissonnette (mezzo-soprano) and COC General Director Alexander Neef—Photo: Michael Cooper
