Paula Citron 96.3fm/TMC&TSO Elijah ‘09
Mezzo Soprano Marcia Whitehead, a former apprentice of Montreal Opera, continues to dazzle audiences with her dark, elegant voice, her fine musicianship and stellar comedic timing. Ms. Whitehead’s commanding stage presence and intuitive dramatic prowess has established her as a strong, singing actress. Her most notable portrayals include the title role in CARMEN; DORABELLA in Cosi fan tuttè; 3rd LADY in The Magic Flute; FLORA in La Traviata; LA MARQUISE in La Fille du Régiment; ALISA in Lucia di Lammermoore; L’ENFANT in L’Enfant et les Sortilèges; HÄNSEL in Hänsel und Gretel; AMAHL in Amahl and the Night Visitors; LAURA in Iolantha; THE PAGE in Salome; and LOLA in Cavalleria Rusticana with the Windsor Symphony and Manitoba Opera: “Excellent casting, a company hallmark …Ms. Whitehead’s crimson Lola …” - Opera Canada. Her talents have been showcased in exciting, new operatic works, including the debut of JEANNE D'ARC in Electric Flesh with the National Opera of Lyon and Autumn Leaf Performances, and as the sassy and persistent reporter, CIXOUS, in the Toronto Harbourfront Centre’s production of Trudeau: Long March/Shining Path, a jazz-inspired opera by George Elliot Clarke and D.D. Jackson.
On the concert stage, Ms. Whitehead’s varied solo repertoire has included Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Vivaldi’s Gloria and Bach’s Magnificat. Her comedic abilities have been a perfect fit for the cabaret favourites of Weill, Schoenberg, and Bolcom in her self produced, one woman show “Single in the City”. Her background in extended vocal technique intensified her portrayal as THE SIREN in Garreth Farr’s North American debut of Paygan Prayer for Contact Contemporary Music. Film credits include BRAVO channel videos celebrating the works of George Gershwin, and national commercials and print ads.
Marcia has performed with a number of charismatic conductors including: Yannick Nézet Séguin, l’Orchestre Metropolitan de Montréal – Festival de Lanaudière; Jacques Lacombe and Eduardo Muller, l’Opera de Montréal; Ivars Taurins, Tafelmusik; Tyrone Patterson, Manitoba Opera; Bramwell Tovey and Henry Engbrecht, Winnipeg Symphony; Stéphane La Forest, l’Orchestre de Sherbrooke; and Noel Edison, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and Toronto Symphony.
Recent engagements included: 3rd Lady in Manitoba Opera’s production of Mozart’s Magic Flute; Cinderella with Calgary Opera’s Spring 2010 School Tour; her new, one woman musical comedy, BRITCHES, BITCHES & WITCHES: A MEZZO SOPRANO SURVIVAL GUIDE commissioned by Opera NUOVA (Edmonton - April 2010); The Music of James Bond & Other Spies and Rogues with the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony as your favourite Bond girl (May 2010) and as The Page in Manitoba Opera’s production of Strauss’ Salome in November 2011.
THIS BIO DATED NOV.2011
