Nurturing Young Artists

Vancouver Opera has a tradition of nurturing young artists during the early stages of their careers. Several singers, who have risen to international prominence, found their professional footing on the Vancouver Opera stage. Many of them have returned repeatedly to perform with the company. Among the best known is mezzo-soprano Judith Forst, who began her career with VO as a touring artist and in smaller roles and has since appeared in leading roles in many of the world’s leading opera houses. In recent seasons, Ms. Forst has returned to VO to sing Clytemnestra in Elektra (2003) and the Prioress in Dialogues of the Carmelites (2005). She returned, as Herodias in Salome, in 2009.

Renowned Canadian tenor Ben Heppner first appeared with VO as Rodrigo in 1981’s Otello and returned in 1995 for his début in the title role of Peter Grimes. Canadian tenor Richard Margison débuted in The Tales of Hoffmann, in 1984, and has returned several times since then, including as Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor (1987), Don José in Carmen (1991), Rodolfo in La Bohème (1993) and Manrico in Il trovatore (1997). In 2008, Mr. Margison returns as Florestan in Fidelio, having appeared as Jaquino in the 1985 production of the same opera. Other notable singers who launched their careers with Vancouver Opera are Canadian tenor John Tessier and Chinese soprano Liping Zhang.

In its continuing leadership role, Vancouver Opera established, in 2003, the annual Young Artist Coaching Intensive, a program of coaching and instruction by industry-leading professionals. Made possible by the Judith Forst Fund for Young Artist Training, a dedicated fund within the Vancouver Opera Foundation, this program provides technical training at a crucial time when most young artists have left training programs or formal tutelage and are thrust into a heavy schedule of travel, performance and the study of new roles.