VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert is delighted to welcome two of Canada’s most renowned artists to our stage for the Canadian Premiere of Gluck’s Alceste! OIC patrons will remember Lauren Margison for her deeply insightful interpretation of Barber’s Vanessa in 2022 and she was heard for the COC as Mimi in La Bohème. She will soon reprise this role for the Montreal Opera, staged by François Racine with Simon Rivard as conductor. Her career has expanded to Germany where she most recently starred as Desdemona in Otello in Mainz. She was also heard as Nedda in Pagliacci and the title role in Puccini’s Le villi. 

Tenor Colin Ainsworth has appeared with leading opera companies and orchestras throughout North America. He was OIC’s Castor in Castor et Pollux for both the live performance and the OIC Naxos Label recording. Onstage, he was heard as Lenski in Eugene Onegin for the Seattle Opera and was Jupiter in Semele for the COC performances at Brooklyn’s Academy of Music in New York. Colin is set to add another arrow to his quiver with a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Toronto. Opera in Concert is delighted to welcome these two distinguished artists back to our stage for the company’s debut at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St Paul’s Centre (427 Bloor St West, Toronto) on Sunday, January 12, 2025.

VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert presents the Canadian Premiere of Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Alceste on Sunday, 12 January 2025 at 2:30 pm at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre. “We are thrilled to be making our VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert debut at this esteemed, acoustically excellent hall”, says OIC’s Silva-Marin. “Named in honour of Tafelmusik’s late Music Director, the intimacy will add greater impact to our performances of rarely heard opera performed by emerging and established Canadian artists”.

CHRISTOPH WILLIBALD GLUCK

Alceste

A French Opera with English Surtitles

Sunday, January 12, 2025 2:30 pm

at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul's Centre

This timeless masterpiece is celebrated for its emotional depth and the reformative approach Gluck took to operatic composition, focusing on dramatic expression and simplicity.

The story follows the noble Queen Alceste, who sacrifices herself to save her husband, only to be saved by the gods in the end. It combines powerful storytelling with beautiful music that will captivate your senses.

Robert Cooper, Chorus Director

Suzy Smith, Music Director and Pianist

Featuring:

Lauren Margison as Alceste

Colin Ainsworth as King Admète

Sebastien Belcourt as Hercule

Joseph Ernst as Apollo

Taylor Gibbs as Herald, Oracle

Austin Larusson as High Priest

Ryan Hofman as Infernal God

Marcus Tranquilli as Evandre

Anastasia Pogorelova as Soprano 1

Jada Alexiou as Soprano 2

For tickets visit www.rcmusic.com