Phantom of the Opera Sing-A-Long (2014)

Renée Brad (Carlotta)

Canadian mezzo-soprano Renée Brad has performed in opera, oratorio, musical theatre, and chamber and solo recitals throughout Canada and in New York. Renée recently premiered her new cabaret Motherhood: The Second Oldest Profession for the Golden Apple Theatre Company. She has appeared with Edmonton Opera, delighting audiences as Cousin Hebe in their Sterling Award winning production of HMS Pinafore. Also for Edmonton Opera, she has sung Kate in Pirates of Penzance, Annina in La Traviata, Berta in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and the Dama/Hexe in Macbeth. She appeared as The Mother in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors and The Witch in Hansel and Gretel with Opera NUOVA. Roles for Opera Saskatchewan include Tisbe in La Cenerentola, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and Berta in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. She has sung Mercedes in Carmen with Saskatoon Opera, Popova in Walton’s The Bear, and Kate in Elizabeth Raum’s The Dream of Nicholas Flood Davin with the Regina Centenary Project. Favourite theatre roles include Rose in The Secret Garden, Meg Page in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Katisha in The Mikado, Amy in Company, and Ella in Bells are Ringing. A frequent soloist with orchestras, Renée has sung Karl Jenkin’s Stabat Mater, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and Paukenmesse, Schubert’s Mass in E-flat, Bruckner’s Te Deum, Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Requiem, Bach’s Weihnachts Oratorium and Johannes Passion, Vivaldi’s Magnificat and Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Renée’s recording of Elizabeth Raum’s How Bodies Leave Ecstatic Marks with the Contrasts Trio for the CMC Centrediscs label won a 2008 Western Canadian Music Award. Renée lives in Edmonton with her husband Vern and their children Zara and Gabriel.

Matthew Bruce (Raoul)

Matthew Bruce’s love for music was inspired from an early age. His foundation in, and appreciation for the performing arts was formed through his parents’ influence, both of whom are professional musicians. Matthew’s passion for performing inspired him to relocate to Victoria, BC to study voice (Dr. Marvin Regier), acting, and dance at the Canadian College of Performing Arts. Upon graduating, he continued his vocal training at the Victoria Conservatory of Music where he performed in the Opera Studio programs and studied privately under the vocal instruction of Ms. Nancy Argenta. Matthew completed Opera NUOVA’s summer intensive program in 2014 and now resides in Calgary, where he will begin his second season as a member of the Calgary Opera Emerging Artist Development Program.

Kallie Clayton (Meg)

Soprano, Kallie Clayton, is from Red Deer, Alberta. She is currently in her final year of a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of Alberta, studying with Elizabeth Turnbull. Kallie attended Opera NUOVA in 2013 and performed the role of Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof. She was also a participant in Opera NUOVA’s one week intensive program in 2012. Kallie has also performed the role of Cupidon in the University of Alberta’s Opera Workshop performance of Orphée aux Enfers directed by Kim Mattice Wanat.

Natalie Fagnan (Christine)

Praised as a soprano with “a youthful beauty and a real knack for infusing emotion and heart into her voice” (YYC Music 2013), “sure of her own ability to charm, which is exemplified by her luscious tonal quality” (Opera Canada 2011), Natalie Fagnan has most recently appeared as Christine in Phantom of the Opera with Cowtown Opera, and Despina in Così fan tutte with Opera By Request. Natalie holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Oberlin Conservatory where she appeared as Maria in West Side Story. Continuing her post graduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, she appeared as Jenny Lind in Barnum’s Bird, and Yum-Yum in The Mikado. Other performances include Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, Poppea in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Pamina in The Magic Flute, Dalinda in Ariodante, the title role in Alcina, Handel’s Messiah with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and Webber’s Requiem with the Winston Salem and Portland Maine Symphony Orchestras. Natalie is an alumnus of Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artist Program and is also the 2011 winner of the Metropolitan Opera District competition.

Jason Erhardt – CONDUCTOR

Jason Erhardt is a native Calgarian, a conductor, singer, cellist and producer actively involved in the local performing arts community. As a choral and orchestral conductor he has directed many of the great choral masterworks including Brahms’ Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Mendelsohn’s Elijah, Dubois’ the Seven Last Words of Christ, Stainer’s Crucifixion as well as famous opera arias and choruses. Jason is Director of the Core Concert Choir, is a member of the Da Capo String quartet and is a choral director with The Youth Singers of Calgary. Last year, he was the orchestra conductor and music director of Cowtown Opera’s Phantom of the Opera Sing Along production and has also sung operatic roles with Cowtown Opera and the Calgary Concert Opera Company. He was guest conductor with the Mexico City Chamber Orchestra, and was conductor of the Mount Royal Junior string orchestra for 8 years. Other highlights include performing as conductor/producer of the annual Concert of Hope and music theatre productions of First Alliance Church where he served as fulltime Minister of Worship Arts for twenty-two years. Jason currently serves as part-time Worship Director at Grace Baptist Church in Airdrie. He has a Bachelor of Music degree from Biola University and a Masters of Music in cello performance from the University of Southern California.

Tyler Fitzgerald (Erik / Phantom)

Baritone Tyler Fitzgerald recently completed his second year in the Emerging Artists Program at Calgary Opera. He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Opera Performance from Wilfrid Laurier University under the guidance of Canadian mezzo-soprano Kimberly Barber. Some upcoming performances include: Mordred in Camelot and Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly (Pacific Opera Victoria), bass soloist in Haydn’s The Creation and Handel’s Messiah (Peterborough Singers). Other recent roles include: The Governor/Judge (Candide), The Bonze (Madama Butterfly) Tarquinius (The Rape of Lucretia) Marquis d’Obigny (La Traviata), Don Inigo Gomez (L’Heure espagnol), Count Gill (Il Segreto di Susanna), baritone soloist in Carmina Burana, Count Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Pistola (Falstaff), Jimmy (Mahagonny Songspiel), Aeneas (Dido and Aeneas), King Melchoir (Amahl and the Night Visitors), and Le Marquis (Dialogues des Carmélites). Tyler is thrilled to be singing the role of the Phantom for the first time in this exciting concert experience!

Kim Mattice Wanat – STAGE DIRECTOR

Kim Mattice Wanat is a performer, teacher and director. She founded Opera NUOVA in 1998 and has acted as the Artistic Director and Administrative Director since its inception. She has produced and directed several of Opera NUOVA’s productions including this year’s production of Massenet’s Cendrillon, Fiddler on the Roof (2013), Smetana’s The Bartered Bride, Offenbach’s La Périchole, Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Canadian Première of Mark Adamo’s Little Women and all of NUOVA’s school touring productions, most notably, a Canada Council commissioned opera written by NUOVA alumnus Isaiah Bell entitled The Lives of Lesser Things, and Dean Burry’s Isis and the Seven Scorpions and The Brothers Grimm. She is presently an instructor at the University of Alberta in the drama department and regularly works as a clinician for voice and choral teachers and as a musical director for musical theatre productions. Her commitment to sharing her expertise with young singers, actors, teachers and choral directors has earned her extensive recognition including Global Edmonton Television’s Woman of Vision Award, The City of Edmonton’s Salute to Excellence in the Arts Award and The YWCA’s Woman of Distinction in Arts and Culture Award. Most recently, she was 1 of 100 Albertans chosen by the Alberta Centennial Celebrations committee who recognized her significant achievement and contribution as a voice teacher and artistic director. In 2006, she wrote and published a vocal pedagogy book entitled, Unleashing the Expressive Resonant Voice.

Ian Robertson – MUSIC DIRECTOR/PIANIST

Ian Robertson is a freelance pianist residing in Calgary and originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia. He completed a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Masters of Music in Performance at the University of Western Ontario, with a specialization in historical keyboard studies. As a solo and collaborative pianist and voice coach, he has performed across Canada, the United States, Holland, Belgium, and in Dubai. He has music directed and performed for Original Kids Theatre Company, Musical Theatre Productions, and Diva Lounge Productions in London, Ontario, and in Calgary, he has been rehearsal pianist and music director for Front Row Centre Players, Cowtown Opera Company, Cappuccino Musical Theatre, Morpheus Theatre, and Storybook Theatre. He is co-founder of a new theatre arts company called Hurricane Lamp Creations.