Ryan Downey
Candide
A proud Newfoundlander, tenor Ryan Downey is quickly gaining nationwide recognition for his “nimbleness of voice” (Bachtrack) and “attractive lyric tenor colour” (Edmonton Journal).
You’ll have seen Ryan on the opera stage recently with the Canadian Opera Company, Vancouver Opera, Toronto Operetta Theatre and Opera in Concert. Recent solo credits include Ralph Rackstraw in HMS Pinafore, and Count Boni in Czardas Princess, Rodolfo in La boheme, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, Goro (Pinkerton cover) in Madama Butterfly, the Gingerbread Witch in Hansel and Gretel and Basilio and Curzio Le nozze di Figaro. This season at the Canadian Opera Company, Ryan has covered the roles of Remendado in Carmen and Spoletta in Tosca.
On the concert stage, Ryan has recently sung Handel’s Messiah with the Edmonton Symphony and Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Mozart’s Requiem with the Windsor Symphony, Beethoven’s Mass in C with the Guelph Symphony as well as making his Kennedy Centre debut in Washington, DC, singing Adolphus Hailstork’s I will lift up mine eyes.
Midori Marsh
Cunegonde
Midori Marsh is an American-Canadian soprano, hailing from Cleveland, Ohio. She received her Bachelors in Music at Wilfrid Laurier in 2017 and her Masters in Opera at the University of Toronto in 2020.
In fall 2019 she took home both first prize and audience choice award at the Canadian Opera Company’s Centre Stage competition and is currently in her third year with the COC’s young artist ensemble.
While at the COC she has been seen as Nella in Gianni Schicchi, the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem in collaboration with Against the Grain Theatre, Annina in La Traviata, Papagena in Die Zauberflote and Frasquita in Carmen. A “polished and poised performer”, with “a truly gorgeous, expressive sound” she is a known quantity in the Canadian Opera scene.
In 2020 she was named one of the CBC’s “30 hot Classical Musicians under 30” and in 2022 she was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for her portrayal of Papagena in the COC’s 2022 production of The Magic Flute. She is a semifinalist in the Metropolitan Opera’s 2023 Laffont competition and a 2023 Lotte Lenya finalist. She is a spicy food fanatic, cat person, and a Gemini sun.
George Theodorakopoulos
Pangloss / Martin
George Theodorakopoulos is a passionate and lively baritone from Toronto, Ontario. He received his Bachelors in vocal performance from the University of Toronto in 2022, and is entering his second year of his Masters in opera at UofT, studying under the guidance of baritone Peter Barnes.
His recent roles with UofT Opera include Sidney Carton in A.Benjamin’s Tale of Two Cities, Dr.Gregg in D.Moore’s Gallantry, and Claudius in the premiere of Disobedience. George also sang excerpts as Michael in an early workshop for Mikael Karlsson’s new opera Melancholia, in collaboration with the Royal Swedish Opera. Previous roles include Dr.Bartolo in The Marriage of Figaro, Mr.Kofner in The Consul, Grandpa Moss in The Tender Land, and Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
Alessia Vitali
Old Lady
Italian-Canadian mezzo-soprano Alesia Vitali has been heard in a wide variety of roles including Rosina in Rossini’s I Barbiere di Siviglia, Ma Moss in Copland’s The Tender Land, Carmen in La Tragédie de Carmen by Bizet, and Cherubino in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. In the Canadian premiere of Jonathan Dove’s Mansfield Park, she was the cover
for the role of Fanny Price and premiered new works by student composers all while a member of the University of Toronto Opera School.
During the summer of 2022, Alessia performed the title role in Handel’s Serse with Chicago Summer Opera and was a participant in the St. Andrew’s Arts Council Opera Workshop in New Brunswick, working with Wendy Nielsen, Jennifer Swan, Tom Diamond, and Peter Tiefenbach.
Alessia received a Master of Music in Opera Performance and a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the University of Toronto where she was the recipient of several scholarships such as the Sandra H. Opera Scholarship and the ARIAS Selma & Bruno Zlemit Scholarship. Alessia has participated in masterclasses with renowned artists such as Susan Graham, Denyce Graves, Joyce El-Khoury, Emily D’Angelo, and more.
Alessia has also completed many intensive training programs with the Orford Music Academy, the Centre for Opera Studies in Italy, Long Reach Opera, and the Against the Grain National Opera intensive. During her training with Against the Grain Opera, she had the chance to create and produce a project that featured traditional folk song from the south of Italy inspired by her Italian heritage, with guidance from Miriam Khalil and Joel Ivany.
Chad Quigley
Maximilian / Captain
Canadian baritone Chad Quigley (he/him) graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with an Honours Bachelor Music in Vocal Performance studying with mezzo-soprano Kimberly Barber.
During a production of Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opera Laurier), he was singled out by Nicole Stumpf of The Cord who wrote, “[Chad] was able to to play [The Four Villains] with ease…each character had their own distinct mannerisms…never felt like the same person was playing different characters.” Chad’s energy and dominating presence on the operatic stage is clear in his artistry and dramatic abilities. Some of his roles include: Luther/Schlemil (Les contes d’Hoffmann), Toronto City Opera; Masetto (Don Giovanni), Portland Summer Opera Workshop; Le roi (Cendrillon), Four Villains (Les contes d’Hoffmann), Musiklehrer (Ariadne auf Naxos), Harašta (The Cunning Little Vixen), Opera Laurier; Marco (Gianni Schicchi), Halifax Summer Opera Festival; Hugh Dorsey (Parade) and Giuseppe (The Gondoliers), Opera NUOVA.
As a performer Chad has had the distinguished pleasure to place in the top spots of Laurier’s Concerto Competition to perform Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with the Laurier Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Paul Pulford. Most recently, Chad has performed in two World Premieres, the first was of Dylann Miller’s The Covenant (Vera Causa Opera) and the second was of Stephanie Martin’s The Llandovery Castle (Laurier Opera).
Christina Bell
Paquette
Soprano Christina Bell hails from Goderich, Ontario. Christina is frequently featured in Concert, Opera, and Oratorio across North America. Upcoming performances a recital tour across Southwestern Ontario in August of 2023.
A graduate from University of Toronto with a Diploma in Operatic Performance Christina sang the roles of Mrs. Baggett in Footsteps in Campbell House, Lady with a Cake Box in Dominick Argentos’ Postcard from Morocco, Lady Billows in Brittens’ Albert Herring, Donatella in Encounters, as well as being a part of Last Days. a new production with Tim Albery and David Fallis. Over the recent years Christina has attended the Mainstage/Ensemble Programs at Opera on the Avalon (2015, 2014), The Centre for Opera Studies in Italy (2013, 2015), Halifax Summer Opera Festival (2014), St.Andrews Summer Opera Workshop (2016). Other recent operatic performances include Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Vitellia in La Clemenza di Tito, Liliana in Miracle Flight 571 with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Portia in Le marchand de Venise, Cousin Hebe from Gilbert & Sullivans’ HMS Pinafore, Mrs.Grose in The Turn of the Screw, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Helena in Brittens’ A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
In 2015 Christina had the privilege of representing Canada with the Toronto Korean-Canadian Choir as a soloist for Vivaldis’ Gloria and sang Arirang as the soprano soloist during the performance of the Korean Folk Songs with Symphonia Toronto. Christina has been a member of the Canadian Opera Company Chorus since 2015 and when she is not on a stage, she can be found exploring her passion for arts administration and management.
David Walsh
Governor / Vanderdendur
David Walsh, born and raised in Toronto, recently finished his Diploma of Opera Performance at the University of Toronto with Honours in 2022.
From there David has participated in a wide range of vocal performances. In the winter of 2023, David made his debut with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra as Count Almaviva in a performance of The Barber of Seville. In fall 2022, David sang with the Canadian Opera Company Chorus in both Bizet’s Carmen and Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman and will be singing with them again in the Spring. He made his role debut as Martin in Aaron Copland’s opera The Tender Land in Spring 2022 with U of T Opera. A highlight of 2022 was when he was asked to perform as the Tenor soloist in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with Chorus Niagara and Robert Cooper. At U of T Opera in Fall 2021, he made his role debut as Count Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
As well as an avid singer, David is an avid biker. This form of transportation is the way he practices a lot of his repertoire. So, if you ever see a blur of red hair and hear some Rossini or Fauré on the downtown streets of Toronto, you have most likely encountered David Walsh.
