Art Song - my/maSCENA

Browsing: Art Song

Spotlight | CMIM Voice 2025

By La Scena Musicale Team on 7 June 2025 Art Song, Classical Music, Montreal, Music Competition, Opera, Vocal

La Scena Musicale is covering CMIM Voice 2025 (May 25 to June 6). Here are links to the articles, predictions, reports and videos. ReWatch Finals (June 6, 2025, 7:30 pm) Articles CMIM: Big Changes for 2025 Vocal Edition CMIM 2025: Our Predictions Reports/News Report | CMIM 2025 Aria Final: A Last Evening Full of Surprises News | Australian Mezzo-soprano Fleuranne Brockway Wins CMIM 2025 CMIM Aria Finals: La Scena Predictions Report | CMIM Aria Semi-Final II: A Momentum for Fleuranne Brockway? Report | CMIM Art Song Final: Laureano Quant, Pure Talent News | CMIM 2025: Colombian Baritone Laureano Quant Wins…

Laureano Quant, baryton, reçoit son prix des mains de la présidente du jury, Adrianne Pieczonka. Photo: TamPhotography

Report | CMIM Art Song Final: Laureano Quant, Pure Talent

By Justin Bernard on 1 June 2025 Art Song, Concert Reviews, Music Competition, Vocal

When Laureano Quant’s victory was announced last night, Saturday, May 31, at around 10:15 p.m., a great cheer echoed through Bourgie Hall, packed for this grand finale of Art Song. The Colombian baritone’s fans came out in force to support him, proudly displaying their country’s flag, just as they would during a World Cup victory for the national team. Yet, Quant wasn’t the favourite to win. He faced two candidates, Russian soprano Julia Muzychenko-Greenhalgh and UK baritone Theodore Platt, who already seemed to possess all the attributes of experienced singers, confidence in their talents, and a great artistic sense. The…

Yewon Han, soprano. © Tam Photography

Report | CMIM Day 3: Excitement before the Semifinals

By Justin Bernard on 28 May 2025 Art Song, Concert Reviews, Music Competition, Opera

The last session of the CMIM Aria category before the semifinals sees a final push from the remaining competitors! On the evening of May 27, four candidates closed the first round, including singers we had counted among the competition’s favorites. Chinese mezzo Jingjing Xu received warm applause as she entered the Bourgie Hall stage. In a short pre-recorded presentation video projected on a big screen, Xu, who completed part of her studies at McGill University, showcased the masculine posture she would have the pleasure of adopting in Handel’s “Dopo Notte.” However, once she reached this aria from Ariodante, the singer…

Chanhee Cho, baryton-basse; Esther Gonthier, piano. Capture d'écran sur le site web du CMIM.

Report | CMIM Day 2: Are the Evening Session More Favourable to the Candidates?

By Justin Bernard on 27 May 2025 Art Song, Concert Reviews, Montreal, Music Competition, Opera

The sessions at the CMIM that follow one another are all different. So far, the one constant is that we hear the most remarkable voices in the evening. Could this be a coincidence, or does the timing of the performance have something to do with it? Aria I – Afternoon This second day started rather well with Katerina Burton. The American soprano was generous in her interpretation and legato, but her repertoire choice was very cautious. Later in the evening, other competitors in her voice category took real vocal risks that were rewarded in the end. Given his vocal qualities…

Julia Muzychenko-Greenhalgh, soprano; Ian Tindale, piano. Capture d'écran sur le site web du CMIM.

Report | CMIM Day 1: The Competition Begins

By Justin Bernard on 26 May 2025 Art Song, Concert Reviews, Montreal, Music Competition, Opera

The Montreal International Musical Competition (CMIM) is officially launched! May 25 marked the beginning of the first rounds in the Voice – Aria category. Ten candidates entered the competition out of the 24 selected. They included Hedvig Haugerud, Ruby Dibble, Karoline Podolak, and Ihor Mostovoi, whom we had already identified in our predictions. Afternoon Session The verdict? Many of these singers gave it their all, instead of letting their enthusiasm cool. This was the case for Mexican bass Daniel Noyola. The first to take the stage, the performer occupied the space well, both with his body and his voice, but…

Asitha Tennekoon. Photo: Simon Karmal

Review | Asitha Tennekoon Interrogates the Immigrant Experience at WMCT

By John Gilks on 9 May 2025 Art Song, Concert Reviews, Piano, Strings, Toronto, Vocal

Tenor Asitha Tennekoon’s May 8th recital at the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto explored the idea of Belonging. The first set, Vaughan Williams’ setting of six poems from Housman’s On Wenlock Edge explored a geographically settled but psychologically unsettled sense of self. The accompaniment of piano quintet (Steven Philcox, piano; Yolanda Bruno and Aysel Taghi-Zada, violins; Laurence Schaufele, viola and Amahl Arulanandam, cello) provided lots of colour for these sometimes lyrical, sometimes dramatic, but always death-obsessed poems. Tennekoon sang them with perfect diction and great expressiveness, navigating the tricky dialogue in “Is my team ploughing?” very effectively. Ian Cusson’s Where…

OCM & JMC's Opéra-bonbon: L’aventure gourmande d’Hansel et Gretel (2022). Photo: Brent Calis

Review | OCM — Jeunesses Musicales Opéra-bonbon: A Sweet Success!

By Adrian Rodriguez on 7 April 2025 Art Song, Classical Music, Concert Reviews, Montreal, Musical Theatre, Opera, Orchestral, Theatre, Vocal

On Apr. 6, Orchestre classique de Montréal (OCM) and Jeunesses Musicales Canada (JMC) delivered a delectable treat with Opéra-bonbon: L’aventure gourmande d’Hansel et Gretel, a 60-minute operatic initiation for young audiences that managed to entertain, educate, and enchant in equal measure. Adapted and narrated in French, the show reimagines the iconic fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel, enriched with musical additions, including selections from Humperdinck’s own Hänsel und Gretel, as well as works by Beethoven, Handel, Mozart, and Bizet. Pascal Blanchet’s adaptation is a highlight: brisk, witty, and perfectly paced to keep even the youngest minds engaged from start to…

Midori Marsh. Photo: Sam Gaetz.

Review | Midori Marsh Travels Through Generations of Sisterhood

By John Gilks on 4 April 2025 Art Song, Classical Music, Concert Reviews, Opera, Piano, Toronto, Vocal

The Women’s Musical Club of Toronto’s Music in the Afternoon series continued at Walter Hall on April 3rd with a song recital by soprano Midori Marsh and pianist Frances Armstrong. The theme was “sisters,” with each set designed to explore a particular aspect of sisterhood. The first set dealt with religious sisterhood. It began with the duet, Bone Jesu, fons amoris, by the Benedictine nun Chiara Margarita Cozzollani for which Midori was joined by mezzo-soprano Alex Hetherington. It’s a very lovely piece which sounds more polyphonic than two voices should. The blend was excellent too, with just the right difference…

Opera & Vocal Guide

By La Scena Musicale Team on 1 April 2025 Art Song, Arts Industry, Education, Guides, Music Competition, Opera, Vocal

AGENTS Domoney Artists Management www.domoneyartists.com Domoney Artists Management was created by Director Kathy Domoney in 2008, bringing her wealth of knowledge and expertise to this position after more than 25 years as a lyric soprano. This boutique company is a dynamic, flexible and respected agency, nurturing emerging and established artists in their careers. Domoney Artists Management is proud to represent our distinguished roster of Emerging and Established Classical/Opera Singers, Stage Director François Racine and conductor Janna Sailor. Artistic Directors of Opera Companies, Symphony Orchestras, Chamber Ensembles, Choirs and Contemporary music ensembles recognize the excellence of our artists, with outstanding performances…

Thomas Hampson. Photo: Chris Singer

Thomas Hampson: A Song of Freedom

By Justin Bernard on 31 March 2025 Art Song, Interviews, Opera, Quebec City

Thomas Hampson needs no introduction. At nearly 70 years old, the American lyric baritone continues to travel the world, not only as a singer and recitalist, but also as a singing teacher. He studied with teachers who themselves had learned from the great masters. Today, he passes on his passion for vocal arts to young artists, notably at the Lied Academy in Heidelberg. On April 26, he will present a recital at the Club musical de Québec and, a few days before that, will sing Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte at the Maison symphonique. La Scena Musicale spoke to…