Opera è Vita Series

Our popular series “Opera è Vita” returns with a new lineup of concerts for 2024! Explore the captivating world of opera with some of the most accomplished voices on the stage today.

Dashing Divas - Thursday, March 14

Viva Verdi! - Wednesday, June 12

Music of the World - Thursday, September 26

BUY ALL 3 CONCERTS FOR ONLY $100.00! ($70.00 for Seniors/Students)

Dashing Divas

Thursday, March 14, 7:30 – 9:00pm

An International Women's Month concert celebrating women in opera. Enjoy an evening of spectacular performances featuring women composers. Performers include sopranos Sara Papini and Lynn Isnar, accompanied by Sabatino Vacca.

Viva Verdi!

Wednesday, June 12, 7:30 – 9:00pm

One of the most important opera composers of the nineteenth century, Giuseppe Verdi was Italy’s best dramatist as the successor to Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. His powerful operas and famous arias became almost like anthems for a united nation. Four esteemed operatic soloists present an exciting concert of Verdi’s most famous arias and duets. Featuring: Sara Papini, soprano, Julie Nesrallah, mezzo soprano, Romulo Delgado, tenor, and Andrey Andreychik, baritone.

Music of the World

Thursday, September 26, 7:30 – 9:00pm

Music of the World is an exciting concert featuring some of the most famous melodies from around the world with an extremely talented live band and Romulo Delgado, acclaimed as “one of Canada’s most unique performing artists.” (The Globe & Mail).

Bios:

Sara Papini
International opera singer Sara Papini has graced stages around Canada, the United States, Italy, France, and Israel. Ms. Papini made her Russian debut with the Primorsky Krai Philharmonic Orchestra in the Primorsky Krai Regional Hall, under the baton of Anatoliy Smirnov. She made her New York city debut in the role of Tina in Jonathan Dove's “Flight”, a New York city premiere, with Mannes College conducted by Metropolitan Opera conductor Joseph Colaneri. She has performed under the baton of Metropolitan Opera conductor Paul Nadler in New York, Montreal, Virgina and in Tel Aviv, Israel with the Israeli Chamber Orchestra. In Toronto, she is a frequent performer with the Casa Loma Symphony Orchestra, led by Maestro Paolo Busato, formally conducted by the late Maestro Kerry Stratton and the TCO. Alongside her operatic success, Ms. Papini has had the opportunity to branch into the crossover industry. She is a JUNO nominee for her operatic vocal contribution to the EP Track entitled "Black Tuxedo" by rapper Maestro Fresh Wes. She has also performed alongside Italian singer and artist Albano Carrisi and was invited to perform on the RAI UNO television show, “I Raccomandati”, seen by over 50 million viewers. Ms. Papini is a graduate of the prestigious Mannes College of Music in New York City. She has performed for numerous galas, fundraisers and private events in both New York City, Toronto and surrounding areas. She has also performed for such dignitaries as former Prime Minister Stephen J. Harper, former Prime Minister of Italy Enrico Letta, Princess Marconi and her Royal Highness Prof. Li of Manchian Empire China.

Lynn Isnar
Lynn Isnar is an Armenian-Canadian soprano known for her “firecracker coloratura,”
(Opera Canada, John Gilks) and “terrific stratospheric high notes,” (Opera Canada,
Joseph So). In the 2022-2023 season, Ms. Isnar made her debut with Sinfonia Toronto,
the Toronto Philharmonic and The Rose Orchestra. She continued the season by joining
the Amici Chamber Ensemble and the Canadian Children’s Opera Company as a guest
artist. Highlights from this 2023-2024 season include performing as a lead soloist at the
Aga Khan Museum, singing with Villa Charities and rejoining The Rose Orchestra in
March. Past roles performed by Ms. Isnar include Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare), Susanna
(Marriage of Figaro), La Marchesa (La Cecchina), Female Chorus (Rape of Lucretia),
Katya (Katya Kabanova), Emma (Khovanshchina), Nanine (The Widow), Daphne (The
Beautiful Helen), Lydia/Veronica (Perchance to Dream), Katya (Katya Kabanova),
Valencienne (The Merry Widow), and Adele (Die Fledermaus).

Sabatino Vacca
Sabastino Vacca is the Founder, Artistic Director, and Chorus Master of the newly formed Southern Ontario Lyric Opera (SOLO). He has been the Music Director of the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra (CSO) since 2007 and helped found the Milton Philharmonic Orchestra in 2014. Sabatino led the Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra as Music Director from 2010 to 2017. SOLO debuted in concert in 2015, and followed with productions of La Traviata, Tosca, La Bohème, Pagliacci, and Gianni Schicchi, under his direction. This season he led performances of Verdi’s Rigoletto, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and a special concert with world-renowned Canadian Soprano Adrianne Pieczonka. The CSO led by Sabatino has accompanied Ben Heppner, Richard Margison, Gary Relyea, and others in concert. He conducted an all-Tchaikovsky programme at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. Sabatino has also conducted orchestras in the Czech Republic, Symphony Hamilton, the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony, the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, the Brampton Symphony Orchestra, the Rose Orchestra, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra. Last season he conducted a Proms programme for the Niagara Music Festival. For Opera York he served as Artistic Director from 2004 to 2016. He was on staff with Opera Hamilton and has worked as an opera coach for the University of Toronto, Laurier University, as well as the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Sabatino is the recipient of the Spirit of Ontario Award for the Arts by the National Congress of Italian Canadians. He was recently inducted into the Alumni Gallery at McMaster University. Sabatino performed as piano soloist with the McMaster University Orchestra while an undergrad and received a medal of excellence upon graduation. He then furthered his piano studies in New York with pianist Gyorgy Sandor before turning his attention to opera and conducting. He has performed as piano soloist with the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, Symphony on the Bay, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra. Sabatino is also a versatile arranger writing in various styles for small and large ensembles.

Romulo Delgado
Romulo Delgado is an operatic tenor, composer, world music multi- instrumentalist, vocal coach and adjudicator. He was a region finalist at the Hans Gabor Belvedere International Opera competition in Vienna, Austria and trained in Toronto at the Royal Conservatory Music. His versatility as a performer has enchanted audiences all over North America and Europe. His operatic roles currently include Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata, Don Jose in Bizet’s Carmen, The Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s Rigoletto, Edgardo in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Idomeneo in Mozart’s Idomeneo, Mario Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca, Macduff in Verdi’s Macbeth, Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Boheme and Riccardo in the Canadian premiere of Verdi’s Oberto. Also in demand as a concert tenor soloist, his concert oratorio repertoire includes Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Gounod’s St. Cecilia Mass, Dubois’ the seven last words of Christ, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Handel’s Samson, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, Verdi’s Requiem and Handel’s Messiah. As a composer, his oratorio: The Cross of Christ had its world premiere under the baton of maestro Denis Mastromonaco. It is based on the seven last words of Christ on the Cross and arranged for four soloists and orchestra. This moving and powerful oratorio explores the salvific meaning of suffering, the richness of hope, the deepness of faith and the everlasting love of God for humanity. Acclaimed for its cinematic qualities and its rich ethnic musical influences, The Cross of Christ’s music provides the sacred text sublime magnitude and grandeur. As a leading tenor, ultimately, what distinguishes Romulo’s singing is that “striking, powerful and ingratiating lyric tenor sound with all the money notes!” (Opera Canada). Whether on the opera stage, or enchanting audiences with his passion for world music passion, “Romulo Delgado’s free, vigorous, and lustrous tenor voice makes him one of Canada’s most unique performing artists.” (The Globe and Mail).

Julie Nesrallah
Julie Nesrallah, Mezzo-Soprano, is a singer, actress and broadcaster who dazzles audiences with her engaging personality and her rich, expressive voice. Miss Nesrallah has performed for leading opera companies, symphonies, festivals and chamber music ensembles around the world. Miss Nesrallah sang God Save the Queen for Will and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, for Canada Day festivities on Parliament Hill in a performance that was viewed by millions. She also sang for An Evening for Peace for Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan in Montreal. Miss Nesrallah is the host of Tempo on CBC Music, Canada’s national classical music program, and is also the executive producer and star of Carmen on Tap, a company that performs Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen as dinner theatre.

Andrey Andreychik
Baritone Andrey Andreychik is an avid performer who brings passion to operatic repertoire spanning from standard pieces to the creation of contemporary roles. Praised as having a “stoic, manly sound” (Schmopera), Andrey’s most recent engagements include Baron Scarpia in Tosca; Alfio in Cavalleria rusticana with Toronto City Opera & the Oracle Voice of Neptune in Idomeneo with Teatro Bellini in Catania, Italy Andrey received his diploma in opera performance from the University of British Columbia, Canada, shortly thereafter making his professional debut as Figaro in Il Barbiere Di Siviglia with Theater Hof in Germany. He has since performed across Europe, China, Canada, Russia, and the United States. Andrey is a laureate of several vocal competitions, a finalist in the XVII Concorso Internazionale per Cantanti Lirici “Spazio Musica” in Italy, and a winner of Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques in Montreal, Canada. He has an extensive performance repertoire including the title roles in Eugene Onegin, Gianni Schicchi & Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Marcello (La bohème), Enrico (Lucia di Lammemoor), and Escamillo (Carmen) to name a few. Previous engagements include a solo recital of “Russian Romances” for the Vancouver Women's Musical Society, the roles of Boyar Shaklovity & Vladimir Galitsky in the Canadian premieres of Mussorgsky’s Khovanshchina & Borodin's Prince Igor respectively with Voicebox: Toronto Opera in Concert, the Bass soloist in Handel's Messiah with the Vancouver Bach Choir, and annual appearances in Toronto's Casa Loma Summer Concert series, where he has sung Haly in L'italiana in Algeri and been featured as a soloist on numerous occasions. This current season 2023/2024 takes Andrey to a new home base in Germany with many new exciting European premiers. Andrey will be performing the role of Ibn-Hakia in Iolantha in König Albert Theater Bad Elster, as well as making the role and company debut as Nabucco with F. X. Šalda Theater, Liberec. In the spring 2024 Andrey will be returning to Canada to perform Baron Scarpia with Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, Ontario. Besides that, Andrey will be the featured soloist in multiple concert series engagements across Czech Republic.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, Columbus Centre, 901 Lawrence Avenue West, Toronto, Canada