Opera Atelier is delighted to announce the appointment of Canadian Soprano Measha Brueggergosman as Artist In Residence for the company’s reimagined 2020/21 season.

Brueggergosman has enjoyed a long and significant history with Opera Atelier. She first appeared with the company in 2008 as Elettra in Mozart’s Idomeneo - a performance which earned her the coveted Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best Performance in an Opera Production. Her distinguished career in the concert hall has taken her to many of the world’s leading orchestras including L'Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National de France, The San Francisco Symphony, and the BBC Symphony, among many others. Brueggergosman’s lauded appearances on the opera stage include performances for the Dresden Semperoper, the Finnish National Opera, the Rome Opera, and Teatro Real Madrid, in addition to multiple mainstage roles for Opera Atelier. Brueggergosman holds honorary doctorates from Acadia University, St Thomas University, the University of New Brunswick, and Concordia University. She served as the Canadian Goodwill Ambassador for the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) in 2007, a charity for Better Health in Africa with whom she still works today, and she has led Canadian children across the country in song, in celebration of the annual nationwide Music Monday events in support of music education.

As Artist In Residence, Brueggergosman will have a significant presence in Opera Atelier’s popular Making of an Opera (MOAO) program - a free program, which launched in 1995, designed to introduce all aspects of opera to middle school and high school students from diverse backgrounds, and in particular, from Toronto’s Neighbourhood Improvement areas. Brueggergosman will work closely with Opera Atelier as it reimagines MOAO as a virtual experience for the COVID-19 world, offering streamed video and livestreamed masterclasses, coaching sessions, and workshops. Throughout the season, she will have an active voice on Opera Atelier’s digital channels, sharing blog posts, photos, interviews, and unique musical content. Brueggergosman will also be conducting a public livestreamed masterclass for young professional singers in Spring 2021.

“Measha always delivers performances of extraordinary power and depth. Her commitment to every role she undertakes is nothing short of exceptional, and it comes as no surprise to us that she applies the same work ethic and principles when acting as an educator and ambassador of opera,” says Marshall Pynkoski, Opera Atelier Co-Artistic Director. “As an exceptional crossover artist, Measha will have a unique rapport with students, offering expertise and guidance whether they are interested in jazz, hip hop, musical theatre - or indeed opera.”

“We are deeply honoured and incredibly excited that Measha has joined Opera Atelier as Artist In Residence this season to help continue to foster a greater appreciation and understanding of the singular artform of opera for the next generation,” says Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg, Opera Atelier Co-Artistic Director.

“I will never stop striving to cultivate new levels of excellence and beauty as we elevate ourselves as a society and embrace our greatest potential. As such, I am proud and excited to assume the role of Artist In Residence with Opera Atelier during this unprecedented time,” says Brueggergosman. “Throughout my life, I have been a recipient of much benevolence and grace and, in challenging times like these, it is artists and the cultural community at large who champion the way forward - educating, empowering and uniting us all. As Artist In Residence, I look forward to sharing my immense passion for music and opera with students from Opera Atelier’s youth program. I am also honoured to be an ambassador to new, diverse audiences and generations, while continuing to serve my loyal and devoted ‘Nearest & Dearests’ who have made my lifelong career possible.”

Brueggergosman joins Opera Atelier as the company’s second Artist In Residence; the first residency was held by Canadian Tenor Colin Ainsworth in 2018/19.

Brueggergosman will perform in Opera Atelier’s upcoming livestreamed production of Something Rich & Strange, Saturday, December 12, 2020.

For further details on Opera Atelier’s Artist In Residence program, visit: OperaAtelier.com

Tickets and information to the livestreamed production of Something Rich & Strange: OperaAtelier.com

Photo: Measha Brueggergosman. © 2018 Annette Cheung.