Directory
Tenor
A member of the prestigious Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio, tenor
Michael Colvin recently leapt to prominence as Count Almaviva in the COC's
production of The Barber of Seville, and: says OPERA Magazine,
"technique, tone and stage presence."
Other COC appearances include The Scholar in the world premiere of Randolph Peter's The Golden Ass, with a libretto by the late Robertson Davies, Flavio in Norma, conducted by Stephen Lord, and Apollo/Aegeus in the COC Ensemble Studio production of Cavalli's Giasone. Michael continues his association with the COC this season, appearing as Gastone in La Traviata under the baton of Maestro Richard Bradshaw, Male Chorus in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni. In addition to regular appearances with the COC, Michael has also appeared to critical acclaim in such roles as Johnny Inkslinger in Britten's Paul Bunyan, Count Belfiore in Mozart's La finta giardiniera and Tamino in Die Zauberflöte.
This fall, Michael makes his film debut as Don Ottavio in the Rhombus Media production Leporello starring baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, with a soundtrack recording for CBC Records, conducted by Richard Bradshaw.
Equally at home on the concert stage, he has appeared as guest soloist with Tafelmusik, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Ottawa Choral Society, Amadeus Choir, Orpheus Choir, Bell'Arte Singers and Aradia Baroque Ensemble in a wide range of repertoire including Bach's Magnificat and B-minor Mass, Britten's Serenade for tenor, horn & strings, Haydn's Nelson Mass, Handel's Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, Mozart's Requiem and Mendelssohn's Elijah. He has also given recitals for the Aldeburgh Connection, the University of Toronto's Music & Poetry Recital Series, and the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto. Michael especially enjoys performing in an ongoing series of duet recitals with his fiancée, soprano Mary Bella.
Upcoming engagements include Rossini's Stabat Mater with Chorus Niagara, Bruckner's Te Deum with the Ottawa Choral Society and Vaughan Williams' On Wenlock Edge at Toronto's Glenn Gould Studio. Michael will also appear south of the border in Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin with pianist Gregory Oh at the University of Michigan, returning to Toronto for recitals with the Aldeburgh Connection and Off-Centre Music.
Born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, Michael came to Canada at a very young age, beginning his musical studies at St. Michael's Choir School in Toronto. After completing his Bachelor of Science in Immunology at the University of Toronto, Michael returned to music, graduating with honours from the Opera Division at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Music. Further training has taken him to the Britten-Pears School in Aldeburgh, England, the Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta, Canada, and the International Opera Workshop in Opava, Czech Republic.
Michael's performances have been broadcast on CBC Radio, CFMX and CJRT and can be heard on the soon-to-be released NAXOS recording of Purcell's The Tempest. A finalist in the 1997 Young Canadian Mozart Singers Competition, he has been the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships; most notably the 1998 Canadian Opera Women's Committee Distinguished Graduate Award, and a 1997 Chalmers Performing Arts Award.
Contact details and further information
E-mail Michael Colvin
For further details, see Michael Colvin