Elizabeth Turnbull, Mezzo Soprano

A Winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, North American finalist in the International Bernstein Song and Oratorio Competition, and recipient of a Canada Council Career Development grant, Elizabeth Turnbull is a mezzo with a distinguished reputation in the U.S. and Canada, hailed by the press as "(one) of this country's finest young singers, luminous and rich-voiced". Recent season highlights include the world premiere of FILUMENA for the Calgary Opera, playing the role of Maria. She was Ulrica in UN BALLO IN MASCHERA for Opera Lyra in Ottawa and other recent engagements include Madame de la Croissy in DIALOGUES DES CARM?LITES for Calgary Opera, Juno in Handel's SEMELE for Chicago Opera Theater, Larina in EUGENE ONEGIN for Opera Ontario, and the title role in CARMEN for Edmonton Opera. On the concert stage, she sang in Bach's MASS IN B MINOR for the London Fanshawe Symphonic Chorus and in Mahler's Symphony No. 2 with the Edmonton Symphony.

Following the Banff Centre performances of Estacio's FILUMENA, she was in Edmonton with the Richard Eaton Singers for Bach's WEIHNACHTSORATORIUM, then back in Calgary for MESSIAH. Opera Ontario patrons heard her as Emilia in OTELLO and she was also in Vancouver for an opera gala with the Vancouver Symphony. She appeared in Montreal and Toronto for concerts encompassing a wide range of repertoire and reprised her role in FILUMENA at the National Arts Centre in April 2005 with a further production of this work for Edmonton Opera in November 2005. She has appeared with Trevor Pinnock and Les Violons du Roy in Montreal and with the Edmonton Symphony singing Mozart's KR?NUNGSMESSE. Jade Boucher in DEAD MAN WALKING (Calgary Opera), Dame Quickly in FALSTAFF (Opera Lyra Ottawa) and concerts with the Aldeburgh Connection of Toronto filled her winter 2006 schedule. In the U.S., she sang in Bach's WEIHNACHTSORATORIUM (Nicholas McGegan and San Francisco's Philharmonia Baroque) and MESSIAH for Los Angeles's Musica Angelica. Her association with composer John Estacio continued with her World Premiere performance of Elizabeth I in his FROBISHER for Calgary Opera. Also in 2007 she sang Emilia in OTELLO for Opera Lyra, Ottawa and Manitoba Opera. Highlights of 2007-2008 include Mahler's Symphony No. 2 with the Ottawa Symphony and Augusta Tabor in THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE for Calgary Opera.

At the Ravinia Festival, Ms. Turnbull sang with Christoph Eschenbach at the piano in Brahms' SONGS FOR PIANO, ALTO and VIOLA, while David Owen Norris was her pianist for Schubert Lieder. After her debut as Mercedes in CARMEN for the Dallas Opera, she was called back for the Dritte Dame in DIE ZAUBERFL?TE. Berta in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA has been on her schedule along with Mozart's REQUIEM and ELIJAH in Hamilton and Edmonton. She sang Beethoven's SYMPHONY No. 9 with the Vancouver Symphony, and Haydn's ST. CECILIA MASS for Chorus Niagara. Also on the Chalmers Award winner's schedule were MESSIAHs at the National Arts Centre and Avery Fisher Hall in New York, Mahler's SYMPHONY NO. 8 with the Vancouver Symphony and Bradamante in ALCINA for Opera in Concert. In a lighter vein, Ms. Turnbull was heard in Schumann's SPANISCHE LIEBESLIEDER with the Aldeburgh Connection and in Edmonton, as Ruth in Gilbert & Sullivan's THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE.

Ms. Turnbull debuted with Virginia Opera as Gertrude in ROM?O ET JULIETTE and appeared for the Berkshire Opera as the Dritte Dame in DIE ZAUBERFL?TE. Critically acclaimed as Irene in Handel's TAMERLANO at the Aldeburgh Festival, she sang with Calgary Opera as Olga in EUGENE ONEGIN and also appeared as Alisa in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR with the opera companies of Edmonton and Regina. Mallika in LAKM? and Countess Federica in LUISA MILLER for Toronto's Opera in Concert, Ms. Turnbull was featured as Mrs. Gleaton in the Vancouver Opera production of Floyd's SUSANNAH. Ms. Turnbull recorded Haydn's HARMONIEMESSE and Mozart's LITANIAE LAURETANAE with Rilling and the Vancouver Cantata Singers. Further credits include the Guelph Spring Festival, New Music Concert Series, the Elora Festival, and the world premiere of Victor Davies' REVELATION with Bramwell Tovey and the Winnipeg Symphony.