From winning the Québec Provincial Gymnastics Championship on Floor in 1990 to thrilling audiences with her “exquisite vocal command of a three octave range” and the possession of a “warm, agile mezzo-soprano voice”, Canadian mezzo soprano Barbara King is no stranger to the stage.

Ms. King recently sang the role of Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier with Opera by Request in Toronto, made her debut as a soloist with the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra and with Opera Kelowna as The Third Lady in The Magic Flute and was pleased to return to Edmonton Opera in their recent production of Elektra as The Confidante.

Barbara’s credits include Carmen (Carmen), Laura (La Gioconda), Dorabella (Così Fan Tutte), Maddalena (Rigoletto), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Romeo (I Capuleti Ed I Montecchi), Charlotte (Werther), La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica), Berta (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Mistress Quickly (Falstaff), The Third Lady (The Magic Flute), Frugola (Il Tabarro), Olga (The Merry Widow) The Confidante (Elektra) and Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier).

Ms. King has had the pleasure of singing with Calgary Opera, Edmonton Opera, Opera Kelowna, Opera Nuova, Tuscia Opera Festival in Viterbo, Italy, Mercury Opera, Opera by Request, Amalfi Coast Music Festival in Italy, Barrie’s Colours of Music Festival, Cowtown Opera, Calgary Concert Opera Company, Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra and Calgary ProArts Society.

International concert performances include Carnegie Hall (Weill Recital Hall, New York), Felton Fleet Academy (Surrey, England), The Opera Institute of California (San Jose), Coesfeld Germany, and the Canadian Vocal Arts Institute in Montréal.

A native of Montréal, Québec, Barbara currently resides in Calgary, Alberta, where she and her husband founded Calgary Concert Opera Company.

 

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Ms. King will be joined by Calgary born soprano Anna Mendham, who has become an integral member of the city’s music community since returning a year ago. She has established herself as a committed music educator and an accomplished and versatile performer with an affinity for new music. Most recently Anna performed the role of Desi in Cowtown Opera’s original production of Prison Divas. Other roles include Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Noémie (Cendrillon), Sara (Black Burned Wood), Circle (Numera). Anna holds a Masters Degree in Music Performance from the University of Maryland. 

Piano accompanist Eleanor May, originally from Nova Scotia, studied music at London’s Royal College of Music. She has had a long, active career in Canada, as an accompanist, repetiteur, conductor, vocal coach and teacher. She and her husband, Philip May, taught at Dalhousie University in Halifax, and at the University of Regina.

Over the years, Eleanor and Philip have mounted countless operas, both at the student and professional level.

Since retiring from university teaching in 1996 they have taught privately in Calgary.