2021 - Vocal Master Teacher
Biography
Tracy Dahl, C.M. Canada’s premiere coloratura soprano, has appeared with the Metropolitan Opera; the San Francisco, Houston Grand, Santa Fe and Calgary operas; the Canadian Opera Company; Teatro alla Scala (Milan), and the Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris). Alongside her impressive performing career, she values and promotes education, and is a Professor of Voice at the University of Manitoba. Ms. Dahl has served on the faculties of Opera Nuova, the Merola Opera Program in San Francisco, Santa Fe Opera and Opera Theatre of St Louis. She is a guest instructor for the Calgary Opera Emerging Artist program and for the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble. In July 2017, Tracy Dahl had the high honour of being appointed to the Order of Canada for her accomplishments as an opera singer and for her commitment to mentoring the next generation of Canadian singers. Upcoming engagements include Carmina Burana with the Quebec Symphony orchestra, the 50th Anniversary celebration concert for Calgary opera and Despina in Cosi Fan Tutti for Manitoba opera.
Among her many notable debuts are Adele in Die Fledermaus at the Metropolitan Opera, where she later returned as Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, Florestine in the world premiere of The Ghosts of Versailles, and Valencienne The Merry Widow. Her San Francisco Opera debut was performing Olympia in Les contes d’Hoffmann, and she returned as Oscar in Un ballo in maschera, and in the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor. Other performances include Cunegonde in Bernstein’s Candide with the Vancouver and Toronto Symphony Orchestras; Despina in Così fan tutte with the Canadian Opera Company and Santa Fe Opera; Gilda in Rigoletto for Edmonton and Manitoba Operas; the title roles in Lucia di Lammermoor and Maria Stuarda with Pacific Opera Victoria; the world premieres of Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland and Peter Ash’s The Golden Ticket with Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Frequently sung roles include Madame Mao in Nixon in China with OTSL, Opera Colorado, Portland Opera, and Vancouver Opera and Marie in Fille du Regiment across Canada and the US.
On concert stages, Ms. Dahl’s many appearances include Brahms’ A German Requiem, an evening of Gershwin songs with the Philadelphia Orchestra; the Cleveland Orchestra at The Blossom Festival; the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall, at the Vail Summer Music Festival and in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne concert halls. She has sung Carmina Burana, Mahler’s 4th and 8th Symphonies, Britten’s Les Illuminations, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, and concert works by Bach and Mozart. Her discography includes A Disney Spectacular with the Cincinnati Pops (Telarc), Glitter and Be Gay with the Calgary Philharmonic (CBC), A Gilbert and Sullivan Gala with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (CBC), Love Walked In, a Gershwin collection with the Bramwell Tovey Trio (Red Phone Box Company) and Nixon in China (Naxos).
Born in Winnipeg, Tracy Dahl began her vocal training at age 12, and had her heart set on a career in musical theatre. She debuted as Barbarina in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro with the Manitoba Opera, while simultaneously performing in Side by Side by Sondheim for the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. It was at the Banff Centre where Dahl met her mentor and teacher Mary Morrison and developed her technique.
