Organizers of the Montreal International Voice Competition tonight announced the 16 semi-finalists in the 2012 contest. Eight of them are Canadian singers.
The semi-final round recitals begin Friday, June 1, at 7:30 p.m. at the new Salle Bourgie recital hall next door to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
The first semi-final session includes three Canadians, including Toronto soprano Miriam Khalil who, just days ago, was singing the lead role of the Governess in a Toronto production of Benjamin Britten’s opera, The Turn of the Screw.
Five more Canadians, including two voices familiar to Torontonians — sopranos Jacqueline Woodley and Jennifer Taverner — perform on Saturday.
There are only two tenors among the 2012 semi-finalists: Yuri Gorodeski, from Belarus, and South Korean Won Whi Choi.
The semi-finals are being broadcast by Radio Canada’s Espace musique chain, which can be heard in Toronto on 90.3 FM. Saturday’s two sessions begin at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The broadcasts will also stream on the Radio-Canada website.
For all the details on the semi-finalists, a link to their profiles and programmes, and broadcast details, click here.
John Terauds