Lauren Margison, soprano; Timothy Cheung, piano / Jason Jestadt, piano; Tom Jestadt, drums; George Koller, bass; Rob Piltch, guitars. Koerner Hall, August 2, 2025.
Like father like daughter, you say? Absolutely.
I am referring to celebrated Canadian tenor Richard Margison and his daughter, rising opera soprano Lauren Margison. They both have wonderful operatic voices, combining beauty of tone with hall-filling volume, a surfeit of squillo supported by solid technique and enviable musicality.
Father Richard, now retired, enjoyed a distinguished international career while his daughter Lauren is following in his footsteps. Equally remarkable is their versatility. Father Richard began as a folksinger-songwriter, singing Gordon Lightfoot tunes in local cafes in his hometown of Victoria BC, before embarking on a big opera career.
Similarly, daughter Lauren began in folk and jazz. When she was still in high school, she was a member of the jazz group Real Divas. There’s a wonderful video clip of a very young Lauren with her pals in Tea For Two here. Now in a full fledged classical career, Lauren Margison continues to include jazz and folk in her performances.
Lauren Margison
I first heard her sing jazz and pop in a noon-hour concert at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, maybe as long as fifteen years ago. I knew nothing about her at that time. I was extremely impressed by her amazing voice and her remarkably idiomatic delivery. If truth be told, with very rare exceptions — Eileen Farrell comes to mind — very few classical singers can cross musical genres with such ease.
I’ve heard her several times in opera, but not in a mixed program like this one. Luckily I was invited by Adrianne Pieczonka to attend this concert at Koerner Hall, presented as part of the International Congress of Voice Teachers’ meetings in Toronto. It was a program of classical songs and arias and pop and jazz standards. Given it’s an audience of voice teachers, I can only imagine how nerve-wracking it could be!
Performance
With Timothy Cheung at the piano, Margison opened with that solemn ode to the power of music, Schubert’s “An die Musik,” a song that never fails to move me. It was followed by the great aria “Do not utter a word,” sung by Vanessa in Samuel Barber’s opera by the same name.
Her full lyric soprano sounded great in Elsa’s Dream, a role tailormade for her. For a big voice, her agility is impressive, as evidenced in “Come scoglio,” with runs up to a high C, no less. The first half concluded with a brilliant “Song to the Moon” from Rusalka.
The second half of seven songs opened with the familiar “Losing My Mind” from Stephen Sondheim’s Follies. Margison sang it with warm, unforced, mellow tone, altogether a fabulous rendition. She’s not afraid to bring the chest voice up high, necessary in pop singing but basically verboten in classical voice. The use of a mic meant she didn’t have to push the chest register.
I am being totally honest when I say that her “Fly Me to the Moon” was as beautifully delivered as any I’ve heard. This song also showed off the wonderful Jason Jestadt Ensemble, a band that Margison has worked with a great deal. She also sang one of her own pieces, a heartfelt “Chasing Shooting Stars,” well applauded by the enthusiastic audience.
Final Thoughts
The formal part of the program concluded with “Maybe this Time” from Cabaret, with Margison showing that she can belt with the best of them.
She was brought back repeatedly — and when you’re so loved by an audience of voice teachers, you know you’re doing something right!
Her encore was one of my favourite arias, “Ebben? ne andro lontana” from La Wally, ending with a huge B natural, a fantastic end to a great recital.
Are you looking to promote an event? Have a news tip? Need to know the best events happening this weekend? Send us a note.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.
Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox HERE.
- SCRUTINY | Toronto Mendelssohn Choir Opens Season With Deeply Moving Brahms Requiem - November 10, 2025
- PREVIEW| A Critic’s Pick Of The Met Opera Live In HD 2025-26 Season - September 29, 2025
- SCRUTINY | Ukrainian Art Song Summer Institute 2025 Concert A Deeply Moving Experience - August 20, 2025
