Allison Arends

Lyric-Coloratura Soprano, Allison Cecilia Arends, began this season with a non-profit fundraiser concert as guest soloist with Windago Choir in Toronto, and as a member of Black Creek Festival's Chorus. Allison will reprise the role of Musetta, join the Tallis Choir as soprano soloist in Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, and perform with baritone Peter McGillivray, mezzo-soprano Leigh-Anne Martin, clarinetist Peter Stoll, and pianist Robert Kortgaard in recital, all at the Colours of Music Festival in Barrie this fall. Allison has also been engaged by the Calgary Civic Symphony and Philharmonic Chorus for Orff’s Carmina Burana, the Pax Christi Chorale for Handel’s Messiah, the Regina Philharmonic Chorus for Mendelssohn’s Magnificat and Mozart’s Requiem, and the Toronto Classical Singers for a period performance of Verdi’s Requiem. She will appear in recital with the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg and Saskatoon Opera, both with pianist Rachel Andrist, Toronto’s Birthday Series for a recital of songs by Marx, and Toronto's Off Centre Music Salon. In the fall, she will appear in a noon hour concert of highlights from La Bohème at the Arts and Letters Club in Toronto and in December she will join the Green Door Cabaret in their Christmas concert.

Previously recorded and broadcast by CBC Radio, Allison’s awards include being named a Laureate of the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques, third place in the Spazio Musica International Competition, the Hnatyshyn Foundation Governor General’s Award for Classical Voice, a Senior Award through the B.C. Arts Council, an Encouragement Award through the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the Holbrook Opera Tour Graduating Award, and scholarships from the Johann Strauss Foundation, the Wagner Society, the COVC, and the Universities of Toronto and Victoria.

Ms Arends is a recent graduate of Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artist Program and completed a Masters of Music at the University of Toronto Opera School under the esteemed tutelage of Mary Morrison, OC, with whom she now continues private studies. She has completed summer studies at the Britten-Pears Young Artist Program, Highland Opera Studio, Centre for Opera Studies in Italy, International Vocal Arts Institute in Israel, Song and Scenes Program with Queen of Puddings Music Theatre in Toronto, Banff Opera as Theatre program, Franz Schubert-Institut in Austria, and Stuttgart Festival International Choir under the direction of Maestro Helmuth Rilling.

Lisa Marie Baldwin

Lisa Marie Baldwin completed a Bachelor of Music Performance at the University of Regina and later participated in the NUOVA Summer Opera Program in Edmonton where she worked with teachers from all across Canada. She has been a featured soloist in recent performances of Bach’s Cantata No 82 “Ich Habe Genug” and Cantata No 51 “Jauchzet Gott” (Prairie Virtuosi), Vivaldi’s Gloria (Cecilian Singers/Prairie Virtuosi), Faure’s Requiem, Dubois’ Seven Last Words of Christ (Cecilian Singers) and Poulenc’s Gloria with the University of Saskatchewan Chorus. She has also appeared as guest artist with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra in Handel’s Messiah and Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915. Lisa Marie resides in Saskatoon and in addition to singing, she maintains a full-time Massage Therapy Practice.

Lisa Marie Baldwin is elated to be playing Mother Abbess. From an early age, she studied voice with Michele Hupaelo before completing a Bachelor of Music Degree in Regina. No stranger to Saskatoon Summer Players, her first show was Annie in 1988 and fondly remembers playing Mable in Pirates of Penzance SK. Lisa Marie was last seen singing with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra performing Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915. Outside of music, she has been a Registered Massage Therapist since 2003. She would like to dedicate this performance to her entire family in thanks for their continued support of her musical efforts.

Michael Harris

Tenor Michael Harris completed his Bachelor of Music at the University of Manitoba, and earned an Advanced Performance Diploma at the Welsh College of Music and Drama. In addition to his operatic and oratorio performances, Michael is also a participant in Voci Strane, a local Early Music vocal collective. He currently resides in Saskatoon with his wife Taunya and children William and Branwen, where he maintains an active voice studio, and is an executive member of the Saskatchewan Registered Music Teachers’ Association. Michael is the Musical Director of the Saskatoon francophone choir Choeur des plaines, and was Chorus Master for the SOA productions of La Bohème and La Traviata. Saskatchewan performances have included Handel’s Messiah in Saskatoon, Yorkton, Swift Current and Regina, Haydn’s Creation and Clausen's A New Beginning in Swift Current, Britten's Serenade with the Prairie Virtuosi, and the Saskatchewan Music Festival Centennial performance of Sterndale Bennett’s May Queen in Regina.

Sarah Halmarson

Soprano Sarah Halmarson has been praised as a “gifted actor” whose “clear voice spun as golden as her locks” (Opera Canada). Recent engagements included her Manitoba Opera debut as First Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas with Opera on the Avalon and Despina (cover) in Così fan tutte with Banff Opera as Theatre. She has also performed with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (Bastien und Bastienne, Holiday Express Tour), Royal Winnipeg Ballet (Carmina Burana, The Magic Flute), Saskatoon Opera (Giannetta in L’elisir d’Amore, Rosie in The Barber of Boomtown), Banff Opera as Theatre (Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, Carmina Burana, Lillian Alling), Winnipeg Wind Ensemble (Carmina Burana), The Little Opera Company (Dortchen in The Brothers Grimm), and Off Centre Music Salon. She was a Regional Finalist in the 2008 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and won First Prize in the 2008 Doris McLellan Competition. Ms. Halmarson received her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the University of Manitoba, and completed further training through the University of Manitoba Opera Apprenticeship Program and the Banff Centre for the Arts. She was the recipient of a 2010 Manitoba Arts Council Emerging Artist Grant, and has also received generous support from the Winnipeg Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts. She will perform Handel’s Messiah with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in December 2011.

William Lewans

Praised by Ken Winters in The Globe and Mail (2010) for his “compact, vibrant, rock-steady sound,” bass-baritone William Lewans is a Masters graduate from the University of Western Ontario. Recent operatic roles include Don Alfonso in Cosi fan tutte, Frank in Die Fledermaus, Doctor Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Sivilglia, and The Bonze in Madama Butterfly; all with Opera Kitchener, Marquese D’Obigny in La Traviata and Antonio in Le Nozze di Figaro with Saskatoon Opera as well as the title role in Le Nozze di Figaro with Halifax Summer Opera Workshop. Other operatic credits include Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Crespel in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, and Mr. Olsen in Street Scene. Orchestra appearances include the role of Pan in Bach’s Die Streit zwischen Phoebus und Pan with Orchestra London.

William Lewans, a native of Saskatchewan, returned to his home province this May to sing recitals at the Lyell Gustin Recital Series and Marysburg Recital series with well-known Saskatoon pianist Gregory Schulte. Future roles include Masetto in Don Giovanni and a tour of China with Opera Jeunesse. In addition to a Masters in Voice, Saskatchewan native William Lewans holds a Masters in Piano Performance from the University of British Columbia.

Garry Gable

Garry Gable, bass-baritone, resides in Saskatoon where he teaches vocal studies and directs the Music Theatre Ensemble at the University of Saskatchewan. Garry was named a recipient of the 2011 Provost’s Awards for Outstanding Teaching at the University of Saskatchewan. Among his many students over the years are winners of CMFTA Nationals, Gordon Wallace Opera Competition, SRMTA, Provincials, and Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Regional). He is widely sought as an adjudicator and clinician. His performing career has taken him across Canada and the USA in Broadway and all types of classical music, drama, and in-concert and stage presentations. He has performed several times in recital in China, where he is adjunct faculty in Music Conservatories in Wuhan and Tianjin. He has been heard several times on the CBC-Radio both regionally and nationally. In Saskatchewan, Garry has been seen on-stage with Saskatoon Opera (Die Fledermaus, Don Giovanni, L’elisir d’amore, La Bohème, and this past spring he sang Dr. Bartolo with SOA in Le Nozze di Figaro), and Persephone Theatre (Beauty and the Beast), and many times with the Saskatoon Symphony. He will join the SSO this March as baritone solist in Brahm’s Ein Deutches Requiem.