Hailed in Opera News as "one of the most beautiful young lyric tenor instruments around" and "a perfect model of the 'bel canto' style of singing" (Sun Newspaper), Irish-Canadian tenor Michael Colvin has appeared to critical acclaim on opera and concert stages throughout Canada, the USA, UK and Europe.
In the 07-08 season Michael sang Ramiro La Cenerentola Portland Opera, Don Ottavio Don Giovanni Chicago Opera Theater, and made his English National Opera debut in Donzetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. Concert highlights included Dream of Gerontius for the Elora Festival, Beethoven 9 the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah with the Rochester Philharmonic and Verdi's Requiem with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.
Operatic roles include Ferrando Così Fan Tutte Canadian Opera Company, Count Almaviva The Barber of Seville Opera Lyra Ottawa's and Lyric Opera of Kansas City, critically acclaimed UK opera debut as Rodrigo di Dhu La Donna del Lago Garsington Opera, Belmonte Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Rape of Lucretia and Semele for Chicago Opera Theater, L’Italiana in Algeri, Il Viaggio a Reims, Don Giovanni, The Barber of Seville, Rodelinda conducted by Harry Bicket, and Argirio Tancredi for the Canadian Opera Company, Shepherd Oedipus Rex Edinburgh International Festival, Belfiore Il Viaggio a Reims Portland Opera, Tamino Die Zauberflote Manitoba Opera and L’Italiana in Algeri with Opera Festival of New Jersey.
In concert Michael has sung the Mozart Requiem for Chicago’s Grant Park Festival and Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah and Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium with Nicholas McGegan and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Messiah with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra / Glover and National Arts Centre Orchestra / Pinnock, Schubert’s Mass in A flat with Helmut Rilling and Festival Vancouver, Beethoven 9 with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Haydn's Die Schöpfung and Verdi’s Requiem for the Elora Festival, Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings with Richard Bradshaw and the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, Dvorak's Stabat Mater with Andrey Boreyko and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Vaughan Williams’ On Wenlock Edge, Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast, and Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde for the National Ballet of Canada.
Michael was trained at the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio, the Britten-Pears School in Aldeburgh, England and Canada’s Banff Centre for the Arts. He has been the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships, most notably the Canadian Opera Foundation Award and a Chalmers Performing Arts Award. He made his big-screen debut as Don Ottavio in the internationally acclaimed film Don Giovanni Unmasked alongside Dmitri Hvorostovsky and has recorded for NAXOS, CBC and Warner Music labels.
Engagements in 08/09 season include his Minnesota Opera debut as Belmonte Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Haydn’s Creation with the Rochester Philharmonic, a return to ENO as Bob Boles Peter Grimes in David Alden’s new production conducted by Edward Gardner, Arbace Idomeneo for the Canadian Opera Company, Goro Madame Buttefly in Anthony Minghella’s acclaimed production for ENO and Haydn’s Creation and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Northern Sinfonia at the Sage Gateshead and on tour to the Hong Kong Arts Festival.
Michael Colvin is represented by Intermusica.
December 2008 / 506 words Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.