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Program:
A Holiday Trip Around the World: Our Operatic & Musical Favourites
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) – R. Wells and M. Tormé -Performed by Darren Martens and Ana Toumine
Italy:
- Passeggiata from The Light in the Piazza – A. Guettel
Performed by Darren Martens - O mio Babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi – G. Puccini
Performed by Ana Toumine
New York/Paris:
- One Song from Rent – J. Larson
Performed by Darren Martens - Donde lieta from La Bohème – G. Puccini
Performed by Ana Toumine
Russia:
- In a Crowd of Thousands from Anastasia – S. Flaherty
Performed by Darren Martens and Ana Toumine
A Land of Dreams:
- Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém (Song to the Moon) from Rusalka – A.Dvorák
Performed by Ana Toumine - Corner of the Sky from Pippin – S. Schwartz
Performed by Darren Martens
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas from Meet Me in St. Louis – H. Martin and R. Blane – Performed by Darren Martens and Ana Toumine
Ana Toumine Biography: As a “personal favourite” (Vancouver Arts Review), soprano Ana Toumine is actively establishing herself as an accomplished singing-actress. Toumine was recently named a 30 under 30 artist with the Alberta Council of Ukrainian Arts, the 2020 Flipside Opera Idol, the 2019 winner of the North Dakota-Manitoba District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and the 2019 second prize winner of the Vancouver Opera’s VOX Gala competition. This season, she can be seen as a member of the Edmonton Opera Emerging Artists Studio, as well as a contributing fellow of the Association for Opera in Canada – LINK RBC Future Launch Emerging Artist Fellowship Program.
In past years, Toumine distinguished herself as an artist in residence at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, in addition to receiving a Training and Career Development Grant from the Alberta Foundation of the Arts.
Toumine’s 2019-2020 season included a recital through L’Oasis Musicale Concert Series, numerous community engagement concerts with Edmonton Opera, Manitoba Opera, Flipside Opera, and Little Opera Company; and a performance of Brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzer, Op. 52, as an alumna soloist in the Cantilon Choirs 20th Anniversary Concert.
Recent highlights include Toumine’s debut with Opera Kelowna as Mimí in La Bohème, as well as notable roles including Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), the title role of Alcina, and Anna Glawari (The Merry Widow).
Toumine holds a M.Mus from McGill University, a B.Mus from the University of British Columbia, and a Performance Diploma from the University of Manitoba.
For more information and upcoming concerts, please visit: https://anatoumine.com/
Darren Martens Biography: Darren Martens’ “perfectly princely voice and effortless stage presence” (The Winnipeg Free Press) has granted him a flourishing career in Musical Theatre, Theatre, and Film in Winnipeg. This versatile performance presence earned him an Evie nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Play or Musical for his multi-track performance as The Lecturer in Reefer Madness. This season Martens can be seen in Hallmark’s Christmas by Starlight as Lyle. Martens started this season appearing as Jack in a production of Elizabeth Rex in the Winnipeg Master Playwrights Festival. Unfortunately due to Covid-19, Martens suffered multiple postponements, which included an exciting new year with the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre as Casey in The Legend of Georgia McBride, and Aramis in The Three Musketeers. Notable roles featured Martens as Prince Topher in Rainbow Stage’s production of Cinderella, as well as Charles Bingley in RMTC’s production of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. Additional credits include Alice Through the Looking Glass, A Christmas Carol, The Producers, Les Misérables, A Little Shop of Horrors, A Chorus Line, Breaking Up is Hard to Do, Beauty and the Beast, Heathers: The Musical, American Idiot: The Musical, Avenue Q, The Addams Family, A Little Night Music, Another Way Home, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, and Into the Woods. Martens holds a Bachelors in Vocal Performance from the University of Manitoba, has trained in the Rainbow Stage Actor’s Intensive, and is an alumni of Opera NUOVA.
