Singing Our History: A Canada 150 Celebration – Saturday, May 13, 2017

Explore Canada’s rich and diverse musical heritage at Singing Our History: A Canada 150 Celebration. This all-Canadian evening of music, presented by Music at St. Andrew’s, will feature classically-trained singers drawn from Canada’s multicultural mosaic. They’ll perform an eclectic, wide-ranging program spanning traditional Acadian, Greek and Chinese folk songs, African-Canadian spirituals, selections from Canadian musical theatre productions (The Drowsy Chaperone, Anne of Green Gables) as well as operas (Filumena) and more.

Tonight’s superb lineup of singers includes a member of St. Andrew’s renowned professional church choir. Soprano Allison Angelo, the creative force behind Singing Our History, has performed with the TSO and other symphony orchestras across Canada, as well as the Boston Pops, the Elora Festival and Toronto’s Luminato Festival. Allison’s new CD, Moon Loves its Light, is nominated for a 2017 East Coast Music Award.

Also on tonight’s roster:

Musical theatre star Nicole Joy-Fraser - Original Toronto cast member of Mamma Mia! Made her West End, London debut in Jerry Springer: The Opera. Nicole found her way back to her Native culture while working with Toronto's Aboriginal theatre companies and organizations.

Mezzo-soprano Ariana Chris, who sang the Greek national anthem at the closing ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and who has performed with the New York City Opera, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the Canadian Opera Company

Soprano Larissa Koniuk, artistic director and founder of the Bicycle Opera Project

Soprano Vania Lizbeth Chan, premiered the role of the Light Moon in Toronto Masque Theatre's Dora Award-winning opera, The Lesson of Da Ji. Other roles: Toronto Operetta Theatre's The Land of Smiles; VOICEBOX: Opera In Theatre's Hippolyte et Aricie.

Baritone Geoffrey Sirett (Edmonton Opera's The Merry Widow and Carmen; Calgary Philharmonic's Damnation of Faust; Opera In Concert's Prince Igor)

Tenor Jacques Arsenault (The Bells of Baddeck, Edmonton Opera's The Merry Widow, Opera on the Avalon's La Traviata)

Tenor Joseph Angelo (Luminato's The Children's Crusade, the Banff Centre, Toronto Opera Theatre.)

Soprano Jonelle Sills, a student at The Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Later this year, Jonelle will sing the role of Micaela in Bizet's Carmen with the Summer Opera Lyric Theatre.

Pianist Steven Philcox will accompany the singers on St. Andrew's fine Bösendorfer Imperial piano. Steven is one of Canada's finest collaborators. He's worked on 35 productions of the Canadian Opera Company during his 11
years there. He's also co-founder and co-artistic director of the Canadian Art Song Project, which promotes art songs written by Canadian composers for Canadian musicians.

A reception will follow the concert. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Ticket Discounts Available:

Group Discount: $20 each if you buy four or more tickets online.

Arts Workers: $15 at the door (card required)

Special thanks to Music at St. Andrew’s media sponsor, Classical 96.3 FM