Anna Shill, Jan van der Hooft, & Kinza Tyrrell
Wednesday June 17, 2020
7 pm MDT
Opera NUOVA thanks Bill & Heather Ritchie (pictured below) for offering their home as the venue for this recital.
Hosted by Ben Butterfield
with Isaiah Bell, Rebecca Hass, and Anne Grimm
Special thanks to the University of Victoria for partnering with Opera NUOVA by providing audio and visual support to make this event a success.
This recital series is made possible by the generosity of the

On June 17, our artists hailing from Victoria take the stage. NUOVA Alumni Anna Shill and Jan van der Hooft will be joined by NUOVA Faculty Member Kinza Tyrrell at the piano. These three phenomenal artists will present a stunning eclectic program of art song, opera arias, and music theatre selections.
LINKS TO WATCH
YouTube: https://youtu.be/tb6SxNW2zQU
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OperaNUOVA.VAF/posts/3416683168344582
VIRTUAL RECEPTION
- There will be a Virtual Reception via Zoom held immediately following the first viewing at 8 pm MDT.
- These Virtual Receptions serve as a way for you to connect with our artists and hosts as you would be able to at a live event. Everyone is welcome!
- If you forgot to RSVP or would like to join at the last minute here is the info
- Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82441544160?pwd=cnRQR1FaODgwc0EyaXRjNFFuSnQzZz09
Meeting ID: 824 4154 4160
Password: 304172
ARTISTS
Canadian lyric tenor Jan van der Hooft has been described as “a rare breed, comfortable with high tessitura, and showing an exciting lyricism in the sound.” Despite being cut short due to pandemic, the 2019-20 season included several notable performances. Jan made his west coast debut with both Pacific Opera Victoria (Il Trittico and Missing) and Vancouver Opera (Flight of the Hummingbird), as well as other Vancouver Island groups including the Victoria Civic Orchestra (Messiah) and the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus. This spring Jan was also scheduled to appear with the Victoria Philharmonic (Creation), The Victoria Mendelssohn Choir (Petite Messe Solennelle) and Bach on the Rock. Prior to the current season, Jan was a resident artist with the Calgary Young Artist program between 2017 and 2019 where his performance credits included a company debut as Tybalt in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette and The Nephew, in the world premier of Veronika Krauses’ Ghost Opera. Jan’s connection to Opera NUOVA stretches back to 2012 and 2013, where he sang The Mayor in Britten’s Albert Herring, and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni respectively. In 2018, Jan was part of the Cabaret Series, and it was during his first summer as an attendee, where he met his fiancé, soprano Anna Shill. Together, they live, work, teach and sing in Victoria, British Columbia.
“[Possessing] a lovely voice, artistry in spades and a delightful stage presence”(Music in Victoria), soprano Anna Shill has been recognized for her work in concert and opera, performing repertoire from Bach to Boechler. Anna is a graduate of the UBC Opera Bachelors of Music Program, completing her Masters at UVic in Voice Performance. She is also a GVPAF Rosebowl Winner and an alumni of Opera NUOVA where she met her fiancé, Jan van der Hooft. Anna is a versatile performer, with singing, acting and dancing credits in a wide range of opera, musical theatre and oratorio productions. Her passion is new Canadian works. Most recently she premiered the role of Belle and wrote the libretto for Beauty’s Beast by Allison Cociani with East Van Opera. When not performing she can be found teaching her students at Kaleidoscope Theatre For Young People or travelling around to Victoria schools with Geoff Malcolm and the Pacific Opera Victoria Living Opera Program, sharing her passion for Opera with the next generation.
The year 2020 marks the 43rd year that Dr. Kinza Tyrrell has been playing the piano. A native of Victoria, BC, she is one of Canada’s finest collaborators. Kinza is also a steadily rising figure in the world of Canadian Opera. She has extensive experience in choral conducting, vocal coaching and accompaniment, having been a graduate of the Merola Opera Program, Tanglewood Festival and the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio. Some career highlights include singing with the UofT Gospel Choir, touring B.C. with operatic Tenor Richard Margison and touring the United States with violin duo Bending the Bows, performing with Measha Brueggergosman at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, recording Hollywood movie soundtrack music with the Vancouver Film Orchestra, being the organist on an episode of IZombie and conducting Nico Muhly’s opera Dark Sisters. Kinza’s most memorable NUOVA moments are masterclasses with Nico Castel where he shared entertaining stories related to diction and language.
Recital Program: June 17 Program and Translations