Young artists hailing from coast to coast showed off their incredible vocal talents at the COC’s annual Ensemble Studio Competition on November 1, 2018, hosted by opera superstar Ben Heppner.  

It was a remarkably strong field of singers, leaving our panel of judges with some very difficult decisions to make.

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Here’s the recap:  

 

First Prize

Matthew Cairns, tenor

St. Catharines, ON

Aria: “Ô souverain, ô juge, ô père" from Massenet’s Le Cid

Prize: $5,000 and a performance opportunity at Ontario’s Elora Festival

 

Second Prize

Vartan Gabrielian, bass-baritone

Toronto, ON

Aria: “Vi ravviso, o luoghi ameni” from Bellini’s La Sonnambula

Prize: $3,000

 

Third Prize

Jamie Groote, mezzo-soprano

Toronto, ON

Aria: “Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle” from Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette

Prize: $1,500

 

Audience Choice Award

Andrea Lett, soprano

Prince Albert, SK

Aria: “Caro nome,” from Verdi’s Rigoletto

Prize: $1,500

CBC Music Young Artist Development Prize

Judges awarding the new CBC Music Young Artist Development Prize were so impressed by the talent on display, two winners were selected to win a professional studio recording session for future broadcast: Andrea Lett and Matthew Cairns.

 

Rounding out the competitive field of finalists were:

Vanessa Croome, soprano

Nanaimo, BC

Aria: “Tornami a vagheggiar” from Handel’s Alcina

 

Aaron Dimoff, bass-baritone

Owen Sound, ON

Aria: “O du, mein holder Abendstern” from Wagner’s Tannhäuser

 

Rocco Rupolo, tenor

Toronto, ON

Aria: “Che gelida manina” from Puccini’s La Bohème

 

Noelle Slaney, soprano

Centreville, NL

Aria: “Je suis encore tout étourdie” from Massenet’s Manon

 

To see more photos of this event, please visit our Facebook.

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Thank you for joining Centre Stage: A Night of Voices on November 1,  2018 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

For more informations, visit COCCentreStage.ca

Photo credits:(top to bottom) All Ensemble Studio Competition winners and finalists Centre Stage 2018. Photos by Michael Cooper; First Prize and CBC Music Young Artist Development Prize winner tenor Matthew Cairns, Second Prize winner bass-baritone Vartan Gabrielian, Third Prize winner mezzo-soprano Jamie Groote, Audience Choice Award and CBC Music Young Artist Development Prize winner soprano Andrea Lett, finalist soprano Vanessa Croome, finalist bass-baritone Aaron Dimoff, finalist tenor Rocco Rupolo,  finalist soprano Noelle Slaney, Banner photo: (l-r) Ensemble Studio Competition Second Prize winner Vartan Gabrielian, Third Prize winner Jamie Groote, Audience Choice Award and CBC Music Young Artist Development Prize winner Andrea Lett, and First Prize and CBC Music Young Artist Development Prize winner Matthew Cairns, Centre Stage 2018. Photo: Michael Cooper.