Tenor
Bio
With a Bachelor of Music degree from the Houghton College School of Music in New York, a Masters degree in Opera Performance from State Glinka Conservatoire of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, Paul continued his vocal studies at the University of Manitoba. In 2007, while a student in the Opera Diploma program at the University of Toronto, he starred as Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, where he was reviewed by Opera Canada as "a very pleasing tenor with Italianate colour, lovely phrasing and even the requisite sob" who can "play with his voice for nuance and has lots of power when needed.”
Fluent in Russian, Paul appeared as the Czar with Toronto's Opera in Concert in Rimsky-Korsakov's The Snow Maiden in April 2008. The Globe and Mail declared "High tenor Paul Williamson, as the czar, had some ecstatic moments; his springtime aria was a high point" while Opera Canada's review of this performance stated, "lyric tenor Paul Williamson impressed as the czar." As an opera apprentice with the University of Manitoba, Paul performed the role of Wilhelm in school tours of Dean Burry’s popular The Brothers Grimm. He recently starred as Umberto in Rossini's La Donna del Lago with Opera in Concert.
Oratorio performances include Bruckner's Te Deum (University of Toronto Combined Choirs and Orchestra), Britten's St Nicolas Cantata (Tryptych, Toronto), and the Beethoven Mass in C with MasterWorks of Oakville. Mr. Williamson recently placed second in the Barry Alexander International Vocal Competition in New York.
In February 2010, Paul appears in recital for the Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region