The Canadian Opera Company have announced Midori Marsh of Cleveland, Ohio as First Prize and the Audience Choice Award at the Ninth Annual Ensemble Studio Competition of the Canadian Opera Company on October 30, 2019 at the Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts.
As Canada’s leading competitions for young opera talent, the event makes a turning point for singers vying for a chance to participate in the COC’s Ensemble Studio.
March will take home a total of $7,000 in prize money, and a performance during the Elora Festival next summer.
Second Prize went to bass-baritone Alex Halliday (St. John’s). Third Prize was awarded to soprano Charlotte Siegel (Toronto). The CBC Music Young Artist Development Prize went to tenor Marcel d’Entremont (Merigomish, NS).
Selected from a pool of 109 applicants and live auditions across Canada, the seven finalists performed a final aria each for the judges and the audience, accompanied by the COC Orchestra led by COC Music Director Johannes Debus. Midori’s winning selection was “Quel guardo, il cavaliere” from Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti.
The COC Orchestra also performed an excerpt from Verdi’s classic opera Luisa Miller, which was last staged by the COC in 2007.
“Each of this year’s Ensemble Studio Competition finalists should be exceptionally proud of what they’ve accomplished,” said COC General Director Alexander Neef. “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.”
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