Toronto City Opera (TCO) has announced the eight finalists selected for the third annual Macina Voice Competition. The event will take place on February 21, 2026, featuring some of Canada’s most promising young opera singers.
The Macina Voice Competition was established to honour TCO’s longtime Artistic Director, Giuseppe Macina, and carry forward his commitment to providing opportunities for emerging opera artists.
“Giuseppe Macina inspired and mentored many young talents, helping them hone their craft and find their voices on stage,” says John Minardi, Board President and long-time TCO Chorus member. “This competition continues his legacy by offering a platform for the next generation of opera stars.”
The Finalists
The competition drew a record 150 video submissions from vocalists across the country. The eight finalists will compete in front of a live audience for cash prizes totalling $5,000, along with future performance opportunities.
The finalists will demonstrate their skill and talent by performing two arias that showcase dramatic interpretation and stage presence along with technical skill and artistry in front of a panel of industry professionals.
Camila Montefusco, Mezzo-Soprano
Brazilian-born mezzo-soprano Camila Montefusco is currently in her second year with l’Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal. She won Second Prize at the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio Competition and Third Prize at the Marmande International Singing Competition. Recent appearances include Rychtarka in Jenůfa, Offred in The Handmaid’s Tale, Annio in La clemenza di Tito, Maman in L’Enfant et les sortilèges, and Madame Flora in The Medium, alongside her debut in Handel’s Messiah with the Orchestre classique de Montréal. Camila began her musical journey as a professional violinist, and earned a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from the University of São Paulo. She performed with symphony orchestras in Brazil before coming to Canada to study voice, subsequently earned a Master of Music in Voice from Western University.
George Theodorakopoulos, Baritone
Greek-Canadian baritone George Theodorakopoulos is a Greek-Canadian baritone is based in Toronto. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and a Master of Music in Opera from the University of Toronto. During the 2025/26 season, George joined Calgary Opera for his first year in the McPhee Artist Development Program, as well as Edmonton Opera as part of their Emerging Artist Program. Recent performances include Moralès & Le Dancaïre in Carmen as part of the Brott Music Festival, Danilo in The Merry Widow as part of the Highlands Opera Studio, Sacristan in Tosca with Edmonton Opera (in collaboration with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Yukon Arts Centre, and the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra), as well as Officer in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Yakusidé in Madama Butterfly, both with Calgary Opera.
Hillary Tufford, Mezzo-Soprano
Canadian mezzo soprano Hillary Tufford earned a Masters in Literature and Performance from Western University, and was invited to join the Yulanda M.Faris Young Artist Program at Vancouver Opera, where she debuted in the role of Lola in their performance of Cavalleria Rusticana. Hillary has sung with The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra in Messiah twice, and made her Soundstreams debut in The Garden of Vanished Pleasures in 2025. In previous seasons, she’s performed with the Elmer Eisler Singers, Victoria Philharmonic Choir, Vancouver Bach Choir, Tapestry Opera, and the Kingston Symphony.
Jaclyn Grossman, Soprano
Jaclyn Grossmanis an alumna of the Opera America Leadership Intensive, Opera Europa Management Course, and the Rebanks Family Fellowship at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She is a recipient of the Wagner Society of New York Bayreuth Stipendium, the Olga Forrai Singers Grant, the Sylva Gelber Foundation Award, and the Ben Steinberg Musical Legacy Award. Recent performances include Brünnhilde in Die Walküre and Freia in Das Rheingold with Edmonton Opera, Nedda in Pagliacci and Nella in Gianni Schicchi with Opera Kelowna, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Buffalo Philharmonic under JoAnn Falletta. She will return to Edmonton Opera in May 2026 to perform as Brünnhilde in Siegfried, and joins City Opera Vancouver for Salam-Shalom: Echoes of Home. She is co-founder of the Likht Ensemble, a duo that performs Jewish Holocaust music. Their appearances include performances at the Canadian Opera Company, the Schulich School of Music, the Harold Green Jewish Theatre, at the Leah Posluns Chamber Series, and with the Chattanooga Symphony. Likht Ensemble recently debuted at Salle Bourgie, Ehrbar Saal (Vienna), and ausArten (Munich).
Jamal Al Titi, Baritone
Belarusian-born Canadian baritone Jamal Al Titi joined the International Meistersinger Academy in Germany in 2025 and sang the title role in Gianni Schicchi at the Netherlands Lyric Opera Festival. He is a district winner of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, and recently appeared at Carnegie Hall for the Premier Opera Foundation International Vocal Competition, where he received the Athena Music Foundation Prize. He has performed Handel’s Messiah with the Orchestre Classique de Montréal and Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. At the Opéra de Montréal, he has covered Figaro and Marcello and appeared as Dancairo in Carmen.
Marion Germain, Soprano
Marion Germain earned a Master’s degree in Classical Singing Interpretation from the University of Montreal (UdeM), and has also been taking private lessons with soprano Lyne Fortin since 2017. At UdeM, she portrayed Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, and sang Die Königin der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte, and Gertrude in Hänsel und Gretel. She sang the role of Contessa di Ceprano in Rigoletto, along with Sechs Mädchen in the premiere of Kurt Weill’s Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny at Staatsoper Stuttgart. Other roles include Gilda in Rigoletto and Mimì in La Bohème Violetta in La Traviata, and Lucia (cover) in Lucia di Lammermoor at the Mediterranean Opera Studio and Festival.
Nicholas Kluftinger, Tenor
Canadian tenor Nicholas Kluftinger is the recipient of the Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation and Thomas Logan Vocal Scholarships. He studied both jazz and classical voice at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music, and is currently in his final year of working towards his Bachelor’s degree at the Glenn Gould School. He participated in the 2025 Franz-Schubert-Institut (Austria), and the 2024 Ukrainian Art Song Project Summer Institute (Canada), and has performed in multiple operatic and recital appearances at the Glenn Gould School, including Le Petit Vieillard in “L’Enfant et les Sortilèges”, Erster Geharnischtermann in “Die Zauberflöte”, and Gehrardo in “Gianni Schicchi”. Nicholas has also performed at Toronto’s Off Centre Music Salon.
Olivia LaPointe, Soprano
Canadian soprano Olivia LaPointe is a 2025 Laureate of the JAL of Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20, Met Laffont District Winner, Lotte Lenya Competition finalist, and Third Prize winner in the 2024 COC Centre Stage Competition. She has an impressive background that includes opera, musical theatre, jazz and pop, including recent roles as Valencienne (The Merry Widow, Highlands Opera), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni, VIMA Italy), Angelica (Orlando) and Giulietta (Un giorno di regno, Opera McGill), Lily (The Secret Garden, Opera NUOVA), and Antonia (Les contes d’Hoffmann, HSOF). She made her European debut in 2023 as a Voice Fellow with Opernfest Prague, and performs with her family’s vocal group, The LaPointes. She earned a Master of Music in Opera and Voice from McGill University and a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance (Honours) from the University of Toronto.
The Macina Voice Competition: Live
The judging panel includes:
- Wendy Nielsen, Soprano & Head Vocal Consultant Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, Associate Professor in Voice, University of Toronto
- Tom Diamond, Stage Director & Senior Acting Coach, Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio
- Morgan Reid, Artist Manager, Dean Artists Management
- Guillermo Silva-Marin, General Manager, Toronto Operetta Theatre & Voicebox: Opera in Concert
- Jennifer Tung, Conductor, Artistic Director, Toronto City Opera
During the live performance on February 21, the audience will have a chance to vote for the Audience Prize, which will be awarded to one of the finalists.
- Find tickets and event details [HERE].
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