Friday, June 23, 2017 • 7:30pm
RUTH: A MUSICAL DRAMA
by Ronald Beckett
For one night only, the beautiful musical drama Ruth will be performed by the
acclaimed music ensemble Arcady at the Sanderson Centre on June 23, 2017! Ruth is a
moving and dramatic story of faith, love, loyalty, family and women’s strength. The work was written in 1996 by Arcady’s own Artistic Director/Resident Composer, Ronald Beckett.
This special performance will feature several talented international emerging
artists chosen for Arcady’s intensive workshop.
Tickets: $40.00/$30.00
Location: Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts
88 Dalhousie Street, Brantford
Box Office: 1-800-265-0710
Buy Tickets Online Here
INTRODUCING THE CAST OF RUTH INTERNATIONAL…
MICHAL ALONI, Third Woman
(Leipzig, Germany)
Michal Aloni is a mezzo soprano currently studying in Germany under the guidance of Mrs. Abbie Furmansky and Mr. John Norris. Michal holds a B.Mus in classical voice from The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance in Israel where she studied with Mrs. Agnes Massini and Dr. Ido Ariel. Some of her recent credits include Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte (The Dublin Opera Studio), the title role in Sarti’s Giulio Sabino, and Mercurio in L’incoronazione di Poppea (The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance). She has performed select scenes as Giulietta in Bellini’s I Capuleti e I Montecchi (Idan Cohen – Dance company), Amore in Cavalli’s Egisto and Mrs. Gobineau in Menotti’s The Medium (The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance). Further training includes the IVAI summer workshop in Tel Aviv, Israel,The International Seminar for Strings, Voice and Chamber Music, Jerusalem, Israel, and the IMVA summer workshop in Jerusalem, Israel. This April she looks forward to singing the role of Diana in Cavalli’s La Calisto at the Woodhouse Opera Festival in England.
COREY COTTER LINFORTH,
Second Woman
(Kitchener, ON)
Corey Cotter Linforth is a young soprano beginning a promising career. She has performed as a soloist with Arcady, Guelph Chamber Choir, Spiritus Ensemble, in a number of churches, University of Waterloo Chamber Choir, and the University of Waterloo’s University Choir. She regularly sings with Spiritus Ensemble, Arcady, and Guelph Chamber Choir. Corey has attended an number of summer programs including Triora Musica – Early Opera (Italy), where she performed the roles of Nunzia and Tre Damigella in La Liberazione di Ruggiero by Francessca Caccini, Early Music Vancouver – The Compleat Singer (Canada), and the Tallis Scholars’ Summer Schools (England). She currently studies with Laura Pudwell and coaches with Ellen Hargis. She graduated from the music program at the University of Waterloo where she studied voice with Stephanie Kramer. Corey also enjoys her work as the Music Director at St. Andrew’s Hespeler Presbyterian Church in Cambridge.
BREE HORTON, Naomi
(Boston, MA)
Mezzo soprano Bree Horton is a recent graduate of the New England Conservatory under the tutelage of Jane Eaglen. There she performed the role of Mrs Herring in Albert Herring and in scenes from The Magic Flute. Most recently she performed The Witch in Hansel and Gretel with Opera Nanaimo. Other roles include Miss Todd/The Old Maid and the Thief (Fear No Opera), Dorabella/Cosi fan tutte (Halifax Summer Opera Festival), and Flora/The Turn of the Screw (Baldwin Wallace University).
BETHANY HYNES, Ruth
(Louisville, KY)
A native of Newfoundland, Bethany grew up in the southern United States. She completed her BMus and MMus at Memorial University of Newfoundland where she performed the roles of Pamina, Dido, and Fiordiligi. She has also toured with Opera Road Show for several years and was honoured to premiere the role of La sorcière in Dean Burry’s Le nez de la sorcière. Bethany has been a soloist with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, Newfoundland Symphony Youth Orchestra, and MUN Chamber Orchestra. Currently working on her DMA at University of Western Ontario, she hopes her research will change the relationship singers have with their voices. When she isn’t singing, Bethany loves to knit, rock climb, and amuse her husband with her harebrained schemes.
KIERAN KANE, Boaz
(Kingston, ON)
Kieran is a baritone living in Guelph, Ontario and originally from Kingston. He maintains a busy schedule performing, teaching voice and piano and, most recently, doing orchestral conducting and vocal coaching in local musical theatre productions. Kieran has participated in the Arcady Young Artist Programme and the National Youth Choir of Canada and regularly competes in festivals in the area. Recent honours include: 2nd place – 2016 ORMTA Young Artist Competition and Honourable Mention – 2016 Kiwanis Festival Provincial competition in the Post-Secondary category. Kieran holds an Honours B.A. in Music and English from the University of Guelph. When not singing, conducting, or teaching, Kieran enjoys cooking, running, reading, and cycling.
MARIANNE MOORE, First Woman
(St. John’s, NL)
Marianne Eileen Moore is a recent graduate of Memorial University where she obtained her Masters of Vocal Performance and Pedagogy in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Marianne continues to work on the art of vocal performance and exploring her passion for twenty-first century vocal repertoire and Baroque performance. She recently made her orchestral debut with the Newfoundland Symphony and their spring performance of the Vivaldi’s Gloria. Marianne has also recently spent the summer months with professors and coaches from around the world; completing courses in Coesfeld, Germany and Quebec at the notable Neil Semer Vocal Institute and also The Orford Academy with Nathalie Paulin and Luc Beausejour.
CRISTINA PISANI, Orpah
(Shreveport, LA)
Cristina Pisani is a vibrant soprano hailing from Mississauga, Ontario. She began her musical training with her mother at the age of three and completed her MMus in Vocal Performance and Literature at Western University in the spring of 2016. Upcoming engagements include the title role in a touring production of Verdi’s La Traviata with Jeunesses Musicales Canada. Recent performances include the title role in Puccini’s Suor Angelica (Accademia Europe a dell’Opera) and Alice Ford in Falstaff (UWOpera). Prior to commencing her studies at Western, Cristina spent two years in Shreveport, Louisiana. There, she cultivated both her love of opera and her southern accent. Credits with the Shreveport Opera chorus include I Pagliacci, Rigoletto, L’elisir d’amore, The Mikado, and Turandot, as well as an understudy of Peep-Bo in The Mikado. In the few hours she is away from music, Cristina loves to spend time with her family, friends and pets.
ALLISON WALMSLEY, Poet
(Saskatoon, SK )Allison Walmsley is honoured and thrilled to be part of the Arcady team as an Emerging Artist. Hailing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan she completed her Bachelor’s degree in voice performance at the University of Saskatchewan, studying under Dr. Garry Gable and Kathleen Lohrenz Gable. Since completing her degree, Allison has received many awards and partaken in various performance opportunities across Canada. In 2016 and 2014 respectively, she won the Gordon Wallis Opera competition and the CFMTA Young Artist competition and tour in her home province. Recent projects include Queen of the Night in Opera Kelowna’s production of Die Zauberflöte, Nanetta in Western University’s production of Falstaff, Emily in Opera NUOVA’s production of Our Town, Lucy in the U of S Music Theatre ensemble’s The Beggars Opera. Allison is now in the final year of her Masters of Music degree in performance and literature at Western University under the tutelage of soprano Jackie Short. Nurturing her love of contemporary Canadian music, she looks forward to participating in Western University’s contemporary ensemble under the direction of John Hess and Dáirine Ní Mheadhra. In 2017, Allison will be reprising the role of Queen of the Night in Western Opera’s production of Die Zauberflöte and performing in Messiah with Regina Symphony Orchestra.
