Hailed in Opera News as "one of the most beautiful young lyric tenor instruments around" and "a perfect model of the 'bel canto' style of singing" (Sun Newspaper), Irish-Canadian tenor Michael Colvin has appeared to critical acclaim on opera and concert stages around the world with performances throughout Canada, the United States, Great Britain and Europe.
Michael Colvin’s 2007-08 season features an exciting mix of debuts and important return engagements including Ramiro in Rossini’s La Cerentola with Portland Opera, Don Ottavio in Chicago Opera Theater's new production of Don Giovanni and his English National Opera debut in Donzetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. Concert highlights this season include Elgar's Dream of Gerontius for the Elora Festival, Beethoven's Symphony No.9 with Pinchas Zuckerman and the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah with the Rochester Philharmonic and Symphony Nova Scotia and Verdi's Requiem with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Beethoven Symphony No.9 with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Future highlights include his Minnesota Opera debut as Belmonte Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Haydn’s Creation with the Rochester Philharmonic and a return to ENO as Bob Boles and Peter Grimes (cover) in David Alden’s new production in 2009.
Last season Michael sang Ferrando in Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte in the opening production of the Canadian Opera Company’s new Four Seasons Centre for the Perfoming Arts, Count Almaviva in Opera Lyra Ottawa's The Barber of Seville and he made his critically acclaimed UK opera debut as Rodrigo di Dhu in La Donna del Lago for Garsington Opera. Concert appearances included a return to San Francisco for Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium with Nic McGegan and his Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast, Beethoven's Symphony No.9 and Mozart’s Requiem with Peter Oundjian and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde for the National Ballet of Canada.
Other operatic engagements include his U.S. debut as Almaviva in Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s The Barber of Seville, Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Belmonte), Rape of Lucretia and Semele for Chicago Opera Theater, Canadian Opera Company's Rodelinda conducted by Harry Bicket, his role debut as Argirio opposite Ewa Podles in the Canadian Opera Company’s Tancredi, Oedipus Rex (Shepherd) for the Edinburgh International Festival, Portland Opera's Il Viaggio a Reims (Belfiore), L’Italiana in Algeri with Opera Festival of New Jersey, The Magic Flute (Tamino) for Manitoba Opera and Arizona Opera’s The Mikado. For the COC he has sung in L’Italiana in Algeri, Il Viaggio a Reims, Don Giovanni and The Barber of Seville. Other credits include a big-screen debut as Don Ottavio in the internationally acclaimed film Don Giovanni Unmasked alongside baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky and recordings on the NAXOS, CBC and Warner Music labels.
Recent orchestral appearances include the Mozart Requiem for Chicago’s Grant Park Festival and Handel’s Messiah with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Glover), San Francisco’s Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (McGegan) and National Arts Centre Orchestra (Pinnock), Schubert’s Mass in A flat with Helmut Rilling and Festival Vancouver, Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, l’Orchestre symphonique de Quebec (Talmi), Elora Festival and Festival de Lanuadière and Haydn's Die Shöpfung and Verdi’s Requiem for the Elora Festival of the Arts, Britten's Serenade for tenor, horn and strings with Richard Bradshaw and the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, Dvorak's Stabat Mater with Andrey Boreyko and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Vaughan Williams’ On Wenlock Edge; all broadcast nationally on CBC Radio.
Recital highlights include Brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzer for CBC Radio, Schubert's Die Schöne Mullerin at Toronto's Glenn Gould Studio as well as regular appearances with Toronto’s Aldeburgh Connection and Off Centre Music Salon.
Mr. Colvin trained with the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio, the Britten-Pears School in Aldeburgh, England and Canada’s Banff Centre for the Arts. He has been the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships, most notably the Canadian Opera Foundation Award and a Chalmers Performing Arts Award.
Michael Colvin is represented by Intermusica.
March 2008 / 785 words Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.