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WINNERS OF THE 2018 ENSEMBLE STUDIO COMPETITION
By COC StaffPosted in Centre Stage
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.
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
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.