FASHION Magazine
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Centre Stage 2015: Inside the Canadian Opera Company’s annual vocal competition
At last night’s Centre Stage gala, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts transformed into Simon Fullersville for the third annual live opera competition. Eight mega-talented hopefuls belted out their best Mozart (and Verdi, Rossini and Puccini…) arias for a chance to win cash prizes in support of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio. […]
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Inside the first-ever Centre Stage gala: Opera hopefuls compete for a place at the top
Photography by Jenna Marie Wakani See the Centre Stage gala photos »
Last Tuesday night, the Canadian Opera Company held its first annual Centre Stage gala at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto. The event focused around the company’s Ensemble Studio, a training program for emerging opera talents. Part benefit, part performance audition, Centre Stage pit nine hopefuls against one another in the battle for entry into the ensemble as well as a few hella generous cash prizes. And because no singing competition can do without some showmanship, Rufus Wainwright lent his skills, playing the host role for the night in a sparkling Moschino suit. He even surprised the crowd by performing a few of this favourite songs including “Les feux d’artifice t’appellent” from his opera Prima Donna.
After each finalist performed a piece from the likes of Verdi, Bizet and Mozart, soprano Karine Boucher was crowned winner of the judges’ award as well as the night’s audience award. She won the fashion award too, in a floor-length gown covered in gold sequins and featuring a diva apropos plunging neckline. Tenor Jean-Philippe Fortier-Lazure and bass-baritone Iain MacNeil place second and third respectively.