Matthew Cairns Wins First Prize At Canadian Opera Company's 2018 Ensemble Studio Competition

Matthew Cairns of St. Catharines, ON took home First Prize at the Canadian Opera Company's annual Ensemble Studio Competitionon November 1, 2018 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The competition is the feature event of the COC gala fundraiser Centre Stage, an annual celebration of Canada's best young opera artists. Cairns was selected from eight finalists to receive the $5,000 award, supported by the Chair of the COC's Board of Directors, as well as a performance opportunity at Ontario's Elora Festival. Vartan Gabrielian of Toronto won the Second Prize of $3,000, and Jamie Groote of Toronto was awarded the Third Prize of $1,500. Andrea Lett of Prince Albert, SK took home the Audience Choice Award, worth $1,500. In a surprising moment, judges awarding the new CBC Music Young Artist Development Prize were so impressed by the strength of performances, two winners were selected to win a professional studio recording session for future broadcast: Matthew Cairns and Andrea Lett.

"This year's Centre Stage points to an exciting future for opera in Canada," says COC General Director Alexander Neef. "Tonight our audience heard incredible young talent, from every corner of this country. It's new voices like these, from diverse backgrounds of experience, that are crucial to the growth and evolution of the art form. Congratulations to all of our finalists on a superb performance! We look forward to welcoming them back to our stage."

Eight finalists were selected from a pool of 123 applicants and the ensuing series of nationwide auditions. On November 1, Centre Stage attendees heard each finalist perform an aria accompanied by the COC Orchestra led by COC Music Director Johannes Debus. The competition jury comprised COC General Director Alexander Neef; COC Director of Music and Artistic Administration Roberto Mauro; COC Director of Access and Training Nina Dragani?; Head of the COC Ensemble Studio Liz Upchurch; and Canadian soprano and Ensemble Studio Head Vocal Consultant Wendy Nielsen - also a graduate of the COC's program. Joining the judges' table for 2018 was seasoned tenor and voice instructor J. Patrick Raftery and Evamaria Wieser, Director of Artistic Administration of the Salzburg Festival and European Casting Consultant for the Lyric Opera of Chicago. CBC Music Executive Producer Denise Ball, in consultation with famed Canadian tenor and CBC Radio broadcaster Ben Heppner, selected the winner of the CBC Music Young Artist Development Prize. Heppner, an Ensemble Studio graduate himself, was most recently seen onstage in the COC's world premiere of Hadrian this fall and reprised his role as host of this year's Centre Stage event.

The evening opened with the overture to Leonard Bernstein's Candide performed by the COC Orchestra, led by COC Music Director Johannes Debus. Guests were also treated to a special appearance by mezzo-soprano Emily D'Angelo, winner of the 2015 Centre Stage Ensemble Studio Competition; she recently took home first prize, among other top awards, at the 2018 international Operalia competition in Lisbon. D'Angelo's "rich mezzo, assertive coloratura, and stage poise" (The Wall Street Journal) were on full display with her performance of "Una voce poco fa" from Rossini's The Barber of Seville and "Sein wir wieder gut" from R. Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos.

Centre Stage finalists were also vying for an invitation to join the 2019/2020 Ensemble Studio, Canada's premier training program for young opera professionals. COC artistic staff will confirm the 19/20 Ensemble Studio line-up at a later date. Those invited to the Ensemble Studio will join a prestigious program that, since its inception in 1980, has launched the careers of over 230 Canadian singers, opera coaches, stage directors and conductors, including Isabel Bayrakdarian, John Fanning, Joseph Kaiser, David Pomeroy, Krisztina Szabó, Allyson McHardy and Lauren Segal.

During the pre-competition cocktail reception, Centre Stage guests enjoyed a selection of cheese and charcuterie, as well as a seasonal roasted heirloom squash, endive, and pumpkin seed salad, provided by Cheese Boutique. Following the competition, Centre Stage gala guests went on to enjoy an elegant formal dinner on stage of R. Fraser Elliott Hall stage, joined by competition finalists and winners, as well as notable COC artists and key supporters of the opera company.

The Centre Stage gala dinner was prepared by Toronto-based chef David Lee and provided a unique opportunity to enjoy his inventive take on culinary creation outside of Nota Bene, where Lee is executive chef. This year's menu included appetizers of local hubbard squash and Nova Scotia haddock, a main course of slow braised beef forestiere with farmers' market root vegetables and beef jus, and a classic crème caramel with oranges à la Grand Marnier for dessert.

Gala dinner guests were treated to additional performances from members of the COC Ensemble Studio. Soprano Lauren Eberwein was joined by baritone Samuel Chan, bass-baritone Joel Allison, and soprano Lauren Margison for "Musetta's Waltz" from Puccini's La Bohème. Margison and mezzo-soprano Simone McIntosh then led the group in the Barcarolle ("Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour") from Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann. And, in a fitting selection for a night of celebration, Ensemble Studio members finished their set with the Champagne Song ("Im Feuerstrom der Reben") from J. Strauss' Die Fledermaus.

Proceeds from Centre Stage on November 1 were raised in support of the COC and will go towards the company's Ensemble Studio.

Photo Credit: Michael Cooper

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