Baritone
Bio
Operatic highlights for Benjamin include the title role in 2007 of Frobisher (Estacio) and Demetrius in Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream, both at Banff Festival of Arts. With Calgary Opera, Benjamin has sung the roles of Wagner (Faust) as well as Jacob and Dandy 3 in The Ballad of Baby Doe. His oratorio performances include Carmina Burana with Chorus Niagara, Messiah with Victoria Symphony Orchestra and Bach’s Cantatas No.70 and 110 with Maestro Helmut Rilling at the International Bach Festival.
A former member of Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artist Development Program, Benjamin sang Figaro in Ann Hodge’s version of The Barber of Seville, The Clock in Ravel’s L’enfant et les Sortileges and Des Grieux in Massenet’s Le Portrait de Manon. Roles performed while obtaining his Masters of Opera degree at University of Toronto include Tarquinius in Rape of Lucretia and Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus.
In 2007, Benjamin was an Encouragement Award winner at the Metropolitan Opera Competition in Vancouver.
On the concert stage, this gifted recitalist is a frequent guest artist with the Aldeburgh Connection of Toronto and has performed with Regina Symphony, (Messiah), Peterborough Singers (St. Matthew Passion), the Guelph Symphony (Haydn Lord Nelson Mass) and Hamilton’s Bach Elgar Choir (Mozart Requiem and Vespers). With Calgary’s Festival Chorus in 2008, Benjamin was a featured soloist in Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Christmas Carol.
Displaying his passion for contemporary music, Benjamin premiered the role of George in Dean Burry’s upcoming CBC Radio serial opera Baby Kintyre, sang in R. Murray Schafer’s Princess of the Stars and performed in Peter Hatch’s Guerrilla Sound Works at Les Escales de Montreal Improbables. In addition, he has sung lead roles in workshops of both Bramwell Tovey’s The Inventor for Calgary Opera and John Estacio’s Lillian Alling for Vancouver Opera.
Highlights of Mr. Covey’s current season include Marullo (Rigoletto) with Edmonton Opera, Morales/Doncairo in Manitoba Opera's Carmen, Messiah with St. Matthew’s Church in Ottawa, and Aldeburgh Connection’s May 2010 concert “City of Villages”. Benjamin joins San Francisco's prestigious Merola Opera Program to sing Belcore in their July 2010 production of L'Elisir d'Amore and returns to Edmonton Opera in October as Schaunard in La Boheme.