IN THE SPOTLIGHT
ASITHA TENNEKOON | TENOR
Congratulations to tenor Asitha Tennekoon for his brilliant debut as Peter Quint/Prologue with Toronto’s Opera 5 in The Turn of the Screw.
NEWS
July 2024
Photo by Alexandra Lennox
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OFF STAGE
DOMONEY ARTISTS BEHIND THE SCENES
Kathy Domoney with Melody Courage, Music in the Garden
Kathy Domoney with Hillary Tufford, Carmen, Toronto City Opera
Kathy Domoney with Asitha Tennekoon, The Turn of the Screw, Opera 5
Dion Mazerolle with Carmina Burana colleagues, Pax Christi Chorale
Giles Tomkins, Dion Mazerolle & Kathy celebrating opening night of Das Rheingold, Edmonton Opera
French Squeeze (Jacques Arsenault & Marjorie Maltais) with Kathy Domoney at Hugh’s Room Live
Kathy Domoney with Ernesto Ramirez, post Tosca, Mississauga Symphony Orchestra
Kathy Domoney with Jacques Arsenault, after Tapestry Opera, Le Kitchen Party
Ernesto Ramirez, Marion Newman and Jorell Williams with Beethoven 9 colleagues, Symphony Nova Scotia
BRAVO!
WONDERFUL REVIEWS FOR JORELL WILLIAMS AS MADUKA IN THE WORLD PREMIERE OF OF THE SEA WITH OBSIDIAN THEATRE COMPANY & TAPESTRY OPERA
"...for a variety of reasons, seeing Black stories and performers take the opera stage is a powerful thing to witness. Jorrell Williams, who plays the lead role in Of The Sea, says it's something he doesn't take for granted.
'Being able to share the stage and being represented with people who look like me, is such a special thing,' he said. This is now in the canon and can be in the canon of grand scale opera. To be able to have representation in the biggest form — it's really amazing.'"
CBC
"Maduka has found a perfect home inside the body of Jorell Williams. His powerful, clear tone, ease and flexibility of dynamics, and a remarkable capability for intense physicality brought this Father’s heartbreaking yet inspiring story. I was particularly impressed [with] the beauty of his tone [and] his immaculate diction... Williams was spectacular."
Greg Finney, Schmopera
"Appearing in the principal role of Maduka..., baritone Jorell Williams turns in a performance of enormous energy and virtuosity. 'If I must be water, I will not be calm and blue!', he rages, his voice drenched with fury and frustration. An inexhaustible source of defiance in the face of crushing pressure to surrender his desperate hold on hope. Williams clearly understands the level of jeopardy in play here. An extraordinary characterization."
Ian Ritchie, Opera Going Toronto
IN PERFORMANCE
DOMONEY ARTISTS ON STAGE & SCREEN
Hillary Tufford as Carmen with Toronto City Opera
Giles Tomkins as Badger in Cunning Little Vixen with the Canadian Opera Company
Janna Sailor conducting the Calgary Philharmonic
Clarence Frazer as Papageno in Magic Flute with Vancouver Opera; Photo, Emily Cooper
Janna Sailor conducting the Calgary Philharmonic IndigiDivas concert with Melody Courage & Marion Newman
Ernesto Ramirez as Cavaradossi in Tosca with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra
Ernesto Ramirez as Cavaradossi in Tosca with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra
Ernesto Ramirez as Cavaradossi in Tosca with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra
Clarence Frazer as Demetrius in Midsummer Night's Dream with Vancouver Opera
Melody Courage in Wreckonciliation with Opera Kelowna
Jean-Philippe Lazure with Bach Elgar Choir
Melody Courage and Marion Newman in Wreckonciliation with Opera Kelowna
Marion Newman in Wreckonciliation with Opera Kelowna
Janna Sailor conducting Saskatoon Symphony for the "YXE Divas" concert
Janna Sailor conducting Saskatoon Symphony for the "YXE Divas" concert
IN PRINT & ONLINE
RECENT PRESS
Giles Tomkins as Badger and Priest in The Cunning Little Vixen with Canadian Opera Company –
“Bass-baritone Giles Tomkins sank his teeth firmly into The Badger as well as the Priest. As always, his singing was top-notch and really seemed to be having fun with the role.”
Greg Finney, Schmopera
Jennifer Maines as Brunnhilde in Die Walküre with Pacific Opera Victoria –
“Maines brought a packed energy, even sparkle, to the role of Brünnhilde.”
Sylvia L’ecuyer, Opera Magazine
Clarence Frazer as Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Vancouver Opera –
“Frazer’s baritone was full and powerful, and wonderfully matched with Sills’ agile soprano.”
Melissa Ratcliff, Schmopera
Kudos to Charlotte Knight –
"Charlotte Knight is the real deal! Her musicality, charm and ability to tell a story was outstanding. Audiences and musicians alike revelled in her performances. Catch her before she ends up starring on Broadway!."
Rupert Franz, Windsor Symphony conductor
François Racine directing L'adorable Belboul with Festival Classica –
"L’adorable Belboul is unabashed commedia dell’arte,... with François Racine as director of the stage production. This, you could say, is a follow-up to the Massenet box set issued a few months ago by Atma Classique records."
Justin Bernard, La Scena Musicale
FULL ARTICLE
Hillary Tufford as Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream with Vancouver Opera –
"Mezzo Tufford is warm and fun as Hermia..."
Janet Smith, Stir Vancouver
FULL REVIEW
Asitha Tennekoon as Flute in A Midsummer Night's Dream with Vancouver Opera –
"...rising tenor Asitha Tennekoon, playing Flute, shows he’s as strong with farcical physical comedy as arias."
Janet Smith, Stir Vancouver
FULL REVIEW
