Conductor
Bio
Rigoletto,
Vancouver Opera
Bernard Jacobson, Seen and Heard International -
MusicWeb.uk.net
"The Vancouver Opera Orchestra under the baton of
Maestro Leslie Dala is note-perfect and especially
compelling in their interpretation of the harrowing
thunderstorm in the final act."
Rigoletto,
Vancouver Opera
John Jane, Review Vancouver
"Under the assured baton of Leslie Dala, the VO
orchestra and chorus produce a fine and consistent
Verdi sound, with plenty of passion and lots of
drama."
Rigoletto,
Vancouver Opera
David Gordon Duke, Vancouver Sun
Dynamic young conductor Leslie Dala steps onto the
podium in 2010 as the newly appointed Music Director of
Vancouver Bach Choir. In his first
season with this established ensemble, Maestro Dala
conducts performances of Handel's Messiah,
Rachmaninoff Vespers, and Berlioz'
Damnation of Faust, starring John Relyea.
Equally at home with symphonic music, opera and
contemporary music, Leslie is steadily in demand across
the country. In 2009, Leslie was chosen as Principal
Conductor of the Vancouver Academy of
Music. Now in his eighth (and final) season as
Music Director and Conductor of the Prince
George Symphony, he is the longest-serving
Music Director in the history of the organization.
During his tenure, the orchestra has presented several
premieres of newly-commissioned works and given many
performances of important 20th Century works.
As Associate Conductor and Chorus Master of the
Vancouver Opera, Leslie has prepared
over fifty mainstage productions and conducted the
company premiere of Kurt Weill's Threepenny
Opera in 2004 and performances of
Rigoletto in 2009. In 2007 he conducted the
Festival Vancouver Opera Gala concert
with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra and
soloists Measha Bruggergosman and Richard Margison.
Leslie has collaborated with the UBC Opera Ensemble for
several seasons in productions of Cosi fan
Tutte, La Boheme, Die Fledermaus, Don
Giovanni, The Magic Flute, HMS Pinafore, and the
popular "Merry Evening of Opera" concerts presented by
the Bard on the Beach Festival.
Leslie Dala was the cover conductor for the 2010 world
premiere of Lewis Spratlan's opera Life is a
Dream at the prestigious Santa Fe Opera
Festival, where he also covered Kaija
Saariaho's Adriana Mater in 2008, served as
music staff on Verdi's Falstaff, and in 2009
covered Gluck's Alceste starring Christine
Brewer.
Previously held positions for this versatile conductor
include Music Director of Les Jeunes Voix du
Rhin, in Strasbourg, France (2001/2) and the
Opera as Theatre program at Banff
Centre (2002-04). He has worked with the
Canadian Opera Company,
Edmonton Opera, Soundstreams
Canada, Tapestry New Opera,
Vancouver New Music and the
Okanagan Vocal Arts Festival. An avid
performer of contemporary music, Leslie as recorded
three dramatic works by Canadian composer Harry Somers,
including Death of Enkidu starring tenor David
Pomeroy for Centrediscs, and worked with all of the
leading contemporary music ensembles in Vancouver,
including the Hard Rubber Orchestra,
Standing Wave and the Turning
Point Ensemble.
In 2009, Leslie joined baritone Russell Braun in
northern B.C. performing Schubert's Die
Winterreise in recital. Guest conducting
appearances include Nutcracker with
Vancouver Opera Orchestra for Goh
Ballet, and in March he leads Ottawa's Thirteen
Strings Chamber Orchestra, featuring bass
baritone Giles Tomkins in a program including Samuel
Barber's Dover Beach.