Centre Stage
Thank you for attending Centre Stage: A Night of Voices on November 1, 2018 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
Visit us here for photos and a recap of this year's winners.
Read more about this year's eight finalists.
Finalists from across the country perform from the
Eight lucky singers compete for a chance to enter the prestigious Ensemble Studio training program.
The 2018 Centre Stage finalists are:
Tenor Matthew Cairns of St. Catharines, ON
Soprano Vanessa Croome of Nanaimo, BC
Bass-baritone Aaron Dimoff of Owen Sound, ON
Bass-baritone Vartan Gabrielian of Toronto, ON
Tenor Rocco Rupolo of Toronto, ON
Mezzo-soprano Jamie Groote of Oakville, ON
Soprano Andrea Lett of Prince Albert, SK
Soprano Noelle Slaney of Centerville, NL
This Year’s Special Guest: Centre Stage 2015 Winner Mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo
Mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo is no stranger to the Centre Stage Ensemble Studio Competition – she claimed both First Prize and Audience Choice Award at the annual event in 2015 and was invited to join the COC’s prestigious Ensemble Studio from 2016 to 2017.
Since then, Ms. D’Angelo has gone on to sing at some of the greatest opera houses in the world and, most recently, swept the top prize categories at this year’s international Operalia competition. The 2018/2019 season marks Ms. D’Angelo’s return to the COC for her role debut as Dorabella in Così fan tutte.
Ensemble Studio Competition First Prize and Audience Choice Award winner mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, Centre Stage 2015, photo: Michael Cooper.
Under 30? We've got you covered with $35 tickets to Centre Stage.
To purchase tickets for the Gala Dinner, (includes open bar, reception, competition, and onstage dinner following), please email CentreStageGala@coc.ca or call 416-363-5801.
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Competition A Night of Voices
The COC Ensemble Studio Competition highlights the finest young talent from across the country. The audience at the vocal competition will hear artists following in the footsteps of such renowned Ensemble Studio graduates as Ben Heppner, Isabel Bayrakdarian, and Wendy Nielsen, among others.The live audition process sees COC artistic staff travel to Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto and New York to audition hopeful singers. Following a callback audition, the finalists are selected to perform at the Ensemble Studio Competition.
At its heart, Centre Stage is about community-oriented philanthropy, with 100% of proceeds going towards supporting the COC’s Ensemble Studio. These young artists undertake an intense training regimen that includes hundreds of hours of vocal coaching, acting classes, language and diction training, as well as body movement and fitness instruction.
Learn more about the Ensemble Studio and its current members.
5:30 p.m.
Cocktail Reception6:30 p.m.
Ensemble Studio CompetitionGala Dinner A Night at the Opera
Join us for an intimate black-tie dinner on the stage of R. Fraser Elliott Hall featuring a special performance. The uniqueness of the gala evening is further highlighted by the rare opportunity to enjoy the onsite catering stylings of critically acclaimed Nota Bene Executive Chef David Lee.
5:30 p.m.
Cocktail Reception6:30 p.m.
Ensemble Studio CompetitionDinner on stage to follow
Dinner styled by Nota Bene Executive Chef David Lee
Featuring a special dinner performanceTickets to the Centre Stage Gala start at $1,500. For more information about the event and how to purchase tickets to the Gala Dinner, please CentreStageGala@coc.ca or call 416-363-5801.
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Canadian Opera Company General Director Alexander Neef, Centre Stage 2017, photo: Michael Cooper 
Host Ben Heppner, Centre Stage 2017, photo: Michael Cooper 
Ensemble Studio Competition Third Prize winner soprano Anna-Sophie Neher, Centre Stage 2017, photo: Michael Cooper 
Ensemble Studio Competition Second Prize winner bass-baritone Joel Allison, Centre Stage 2017, photo: Michael Cooper 
Ensemble Studio Competition First Prize and Audience Choice Award winner mezzo-soprano Simona Genga, Centre Stage 2017, photo: Michael Cooper 
(foreground) Ensemble Studio Competition First Prize and Audience Choice Award winner mezzo-soprano Simona Genga with finalists of the Ensemble Studio Competition and COC Music Director Johannes Debus (third from left), Centre Stage 2017, photo: Michael Cooper 
COC Board of Directors Chair Justin Linden & party guests, Centre Stage 2017, photo: Ryan Emberley 
Centre Stage Gala, photo: Ryan Emberley 
Centre Stage Gala, photo: Ryan Emberley 
Centre Stage 2017, photo: Ryan Emberley 
Centre Stage 2017, photo: Gaetz Photography 
Centre Stage 2017, photo: Gaetz Photography 
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Competition Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
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