Canadian soprano Simone Osborne has been hailed as “a joy to hear” (Los Angeles Times) with “a sweet and clear sound, sensitive phrasing and gleaming sustained high notes” (New York Times). Ms. Osborne was one of the youngest winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
In the 23/24 season, Simone debuted with Calgary Opera in L’elisir d’amore (Adina) and returned to the Canadian Opera Company for Don Pasquale (Norina). Recent performances include a debut with the Victoria Symphony for a New Year’s Day Celebration concert, a return to Oper Frankfurt for La serva padrona (Serpina), a return to the Canadian Opera Company for Hänsel und Gretel (Gretel) conducted by Johannes Debus followed by her role/house/country debut at Oper Frankfurt in the Delius A Village Romeo and Juliet (Juliet) conducted by Elias Grandy. Additional recent engagements include debuts with Festival d’opéra de Québec and Pacific Opera Victoria in the new Lepage production of Die Zauberflöte (Pamina) conducted by Thomas Rösner and a new production of Somers’ Louis Riel (Marguerite Riel) at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa and Opéra de Québec.
A graduate of the Canadian Opera Company’s Studio Ensemble program, Ms. Osborne has returned to the COC for L’elisir d’amore (Adina), Carmen (Micäela), in Carsen’s production of Falstaff (Nannetta), Un ballo in maschera (Oscar), La bohème (Musetta), Christopher Alden’s Rigoletto (Gilda), Gianni Schicchi (Lauretta) conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, and Die Zauberflöte (Pamina) conducted by Debus. While in the Ensemble, Ms. Osborne performed in Idomeneo (Ilia) under the baton of Harry Bicket. She was also seen in Carmen (Frasquita), Maria Stuarda (Anne Kennedy), and Il barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina) on tour, as well as a performance of the Pribaoutki songs in the premiere of Robert Lepage’s The Nightingale and Other Short Fables.
Simone was seen in her hometown of Vancouver in Rigoletto (Gilda), Roméo et Juliette (Juliette), and Die Zauberflöte (Pamina) with Vancouver Opera. She joined the Vancouver Symphony and Bach Choirs for Handel’s Messiah, and gave a recital for the Music in the Morning series. On the concert stage, Ms. Osborne crossed the United States in a 15-city tour with the Metropolitan Opera Rising Stars series. She returned to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for performances of both Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 and a selection of soprano opera arias and debuted Berlioz’ Les nuits d’été with Berkeley Symphony.
Ms. Osborne made her role debut as the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor at Edmonton Opera. On the concert stage, she appeared in Honegger’s Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher (Marguerite) for her debuts with Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, and Orchestre de Paris, all under Kazuki Yamada. She also debuted with the New York Philharmonic in the same piece under Alan Gilbert.
AUGUST 2024
