The Canadian Opera Company’s ninth annual Ensemble Studio Competition is being held on October 30, 2019 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The 2019  finalists are: sopranos Kirsten LeBlanc (Moncton, NB), Midori Marsh (Cleveland, Ohio), and Charlotte Siegel (Toronto, ON); mezzo-soprano Sarah Bissonnette (Boucherville, QC); tenor Marcel d’Entremont (Merigomish, NS); bass-baritone Alex Halliday (St. John’s, NL); and bass Brenden Friesen (Langham, SK).

I have seen three of these singers perform.  Indeed I saw Midori Marsh yesterday and she’s sounding quite impressive.  I saw Brendan Friesen as Leporello in UoT Opera’s Don Giovanni a couple of years ago when he was still billed as a bass-baritone and opined that he might well turn out to be a bass.  I haven’t heard Marcel d’Entremont for three years or so but back then he was a stylish and quite impressive tenor.  Charlotte Siegel was at one point at UoT but I think she went on to McGill and I haven’t heard her.  The others are unknown to me.