Michael Colvin - The Prince

Tenor

Hailed as "a perfect model of the 'bel canto' style of singing" (Sun Newspapers) and praised as having "one of the most beautiful young lyric tenor instruments around" (Opera News), Irish-Canadian tenor Michael Colvin has achieved international recognition with acclaimed performances throughout Canada, the United States and in Europe.

Michael Colvin’s 2006-07 season features an exciting mix of debuts and important return engagements including Roderigo in Rossini’s LA DONNA DEL LAGO for Garsington Opera (UK), Ferrando in COSI FAN TUTTE to open the Canadian Opera Company’s new Four Seasons Centre for the Perfoming Arts and Count Almaviva in Opera Lyra Ottawa’s THE BARBER OF SEVILLE. Concert highlights this season include a return to San Francisco for Bach’s CHRISTMAS ORATORIO with Nicholas McGegan and his Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Beethoven's SYMPHONY No.9 and Mozart’s REQUIEM with Peter Oundjian and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, ELIJAH with the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Mahler’s DAS LIED VON DER ERDE for the National Ballet of Canada and Arvo Pärt’s PASSIO with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Future highlights include Portland Opera’s LA CENERENTOLA, Beethoven’s SYMPHONY No.9 with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Elgar’s DREAM OF GERONTIUS with the Elora Festival and Verdi’s REQUIEM with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

Opera highlights from past seasons include DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL (Belmonte) for Chicago Opera Theater, Canadian Opera Company's RODELINDA conducted by Harry Bicket, his role debut as Argirio opposite Ewa Podles in the Canadian Opera Company’s TANCREDI, OEDIPUS REX (Shepherd) for the Edinburgh International Festival, Portland Opera's IL VIAGGIO A REIMS (Belfiore), L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI with Opera Festival of New Jersey, THE MAGIC FLUTE (Tamino) for Manitoba Opera, DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL (Belmonte) for Vancouver Opera and Arizona Opera’s THE MIKADO. Additional highlights include the COC’s L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI, IL VIAGGIO A REIMS, DON GIOVANNI and THE BARBER OF SEVILLE, Chicago Opera Theater's RAPE OF LUCRETIA and SEMELE and his U.S. debut as Almaviva in Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s THE BARBER OF SEVILLE. Other credits include a big-screen debut as Don Ottavio in the internationally acclaimed film DON GIOVANNI UNMASKED alongside baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky and recordings on the NAXOS, CBC and Warner Music labels.

An avid concert and recital artist, Michael Colvin’s recent orchestral appearances include Mozart’s REQUIEM for Chicago’s Grant Park Festival and Colorado’s Vail Valley Music Festival, Handel’s MESSIAH with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Glover), Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (McGegan) and National Arts Centre Orchestra (Pinnock), Schubert’s MASS IN A-FLAT with Helmut Rilling and Festival Vancouver, Beethoven’s SYMPHONY No.9 with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (Tovey), l’Orchestre symphonique de Quebec (Talmi), Elora Festival and Festival de Lanuadière and  Haydn's DIE SCHÖPFUNG and Verdi’s REQUIEM for the Elora Festival of the Arts. Additional highlights include 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 and Vaughan Williams’ ON WENLOCK EDGE; all broadcast nationally on CBC Radio. Recital highlights include Brahms’ LIEBESLIEDER WALZER for CBC Radio, Schubert's DIE SCHÖNE MÜLLERIN at Toronto's Glenn Gould Studio as well as regular appearances with Toronto’s Aldeburgh Connection and Off Centre Music Salon.

Born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, and raised in Toronto, Canada, Michael Colvin began his musical studies at St. Michael's Choir School in Toronto and returned to music after attaining his Bachelor of Science in Immunology from the University of Toronto. A graduate of the U. of T. Opera Division, Mr. Colvin has also trained with 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, the Canadian Opera Volunteer Committee's Distinguished Graduate Award and a Chalmers Performing Arts Award. Michael Colvin makes his home in Toronto with his wife Mary Bella and their two sons Andrew and Benjamin.