Stratagem Artists Announces Venture into Canada's Operatic Scene

Stratagem Artists has announced its bold venture into Canada's energetic operatic scene. Building on its robust history of artist-driven representation, Stratagem welcomes seven new Canadians to its roster: Soprano Lucia Cesaroni, soprano Aviva Fortunata, mezzo-soprano Reilly Nelson, baritone Phillip Addis, composer Cecilia Livingston, conductor Robert Tweten, and director Aria Umezawa. These artists join tenor Adrian Kramer and bass-baritone James Demler, two Canadian singers already on the roster.

In addition to its Canadian expansion, Stratagem also launches its new division of off-stage creatives. Alongside Livingston, Tweten, and Umezawa, the roster now proudly includes conductors Kamna Gupta and Geoff McDonald, directors Ellen Jackson, Laine Rettmer, and Marcus Shields, and composers Lembit Beecher and Rene Orth.

In response to its growing roster, Stratagem Artists brings on new Associate Artist Manager Jenna Simeonov. Based in Toronto, ON, Ms. Simeonov comes to Stratagem from dual backgrounds in arts journalism and opera coaching. She is a regular contributor to The Globe and Mail and Opera Canada, and she is the founder and editor of Schmopera. Her coaching experience, marked by her work at the Canadian Opera Company and Against the Grain Theatre, makes Ms. Simeonov uniquely qualified to represent working artists.

These carefully selected artists represent the diversity and talent that are vital to the success of opera in the 21st-century. While stages have largely remained closed due to COVID-19, Stratagem emphasized readying its artists for the post-pandemic operatic industry. The agency's new website features recent high-quality video recordings for all singers, video and audio clips for composers and conductors, and production photos for directors.

A boutique agency founded in 2018, Stratagem Artists prides itself on its individualistic artist driven collaboration. With its expanded representation and the addition of off-stage creatives to the roster, Stratagem is ready to address the immediate and long-term needs of its clients and the producing organizations for which they work.