Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program

In 2012, VO launched the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program. Made possible through a gift from the family of Yulanda M. Faris, the program engages, enriches, mentors and trains rising young Canadian opera artists and offers a bridge between formal academic educational programs and the professional world in a supportive and encouraging environment.

The program is led by Program Director, Leslie Dala; Coach, Tina Chang and the continued guidance of Vancouver Opera Music Director Emeritus, Jonathan Darlington.

The Young Artists Program provides artists – singers, pianists and stage directors – with the opportunity to train with industry leaders through master classes, one-on-one coachings and performance opportunities as part of a residency program.

Program Director
Leslie Dala

Maestro Leslie Dala is Associate Conductor and Chorus Director of Vancouver Opera, and Music Director of the Vancouver Bach Choir and the Vancouver Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra. He recently conducted Vancouver Opera productions of Madama Butterfly, Albert Herring, The Magic Flute, and The Marriage of Figaro, as well as the world premieres of VO-commissioned operas, Stickboy and The Overcoat – a musical tailoring.

Coach
Tina Chang

Pianist and Coach, Tina Chang, is currently on the music staff at Vancouver Opera, and most recently at Wexford Festival Opera in Ireland. Based in Vancouver, she has been involved with various musical organizations in town, including Chor Leoni, re:Naissance Opera, Health Arts Society, and Queer Arts Festival. She is currently on faculty at the Vancouver Academy of Music, and is also on the coaching staff at the University of British Columbia. Tina holds a Bachelor of Music degree from University of British Columbia and a Master of Music degree from University of Minnesota.

Singers receive regular coachings with Vancouver Opera’s resident music staff as well as training in diction, movement, acting, stage combat and a variety of other areas in this comprehensive program.

Pianists, under the guidance of the Vancouver Opera music staff, work with YAP singers in regular coachings and may also act as rehearsal pianists for mainstage productions.

Singers and pianists take part in master classes, sessions with international guest coaches as well as participate in seminars on a range of topics from audition techniques to securing an agent. The program is performance-oriented and there are numerous performance and understudy opportunities throughout the season. Stage Directors work with YAP singers in dramatic coachings and participate in mainstage productions working closely with production stage directors and Vancouver Opera production staff.

Lancé en 2012 grâce à un don de la famille de M me Yulanda M. Faris, le programme Jeunes artistes Yulanda-M.-Faris de l’Opéra de Vancouver permet à de jeunes talents canadiens d’acquérir de l’expérience de scène et d’enrichir leur formation à travers une formule misant sur l’encadrement et le mentorat. Il sert ainsi de passerelle entre les études et le monde professionnel, favorisant le développement de la relève dans un esprit de soutien et d’encouragement.

Sous la supervision de Jonathan Darlington, directeur musical honoraire de l’Opéra de Vancouver, le programme est dirigé par Leslie Dala, directeur de programme, et Tina Chang, chef de chant.

Il offre aux artistes en résidence – chant, piano et mise en scène – l’occasion de se produire dans un contexte professionnel et la chance de se perfectionner auprès des grands noms de l’opéra par le biais de classes de maîtres et des cours individuels.

Directeur de programme
Leslie Dala

Leslie Dala est chef d’orchestre adjoint et chef de chœur de l’Opéra de Vancouver, de même que directeur musical du Vancouver Bach Choir et de l’orchestre symphonique de l’Académie de musique de Vancouver. Il a récemment dirigé Madame Butterfly, Albert Herring, La flûte enchantée et Les noces de Figaro à l’Opéra de Vancouver, ainsi que les premières de deux œuvres commandées par l’Opéra, Stickboy et The Overcoat: A Musical Tailoring.

Chef de chant
Tina Chang

Après une collaboration récente avec le Festival d’opéra de Wexford, en Irlande, Tina Chang se joint à l’équipe de l’Opéra de Vancouver à titre de pianiste et de chef de chant. Basée à Vancouver, elle s’investit auprès de différentes organisations musicales vacouvéroises, dont Chor Leoni, re:Naissance Opera, la Health Arts Society et le Queer Arts Festival. Tina enseigne en outre à l’Académie de musique de Vancouver et travaille comme coach vocal à l’Université de la Colombie-Britannique. Elle est titulaire d’un baccalauréat en musique de l’Université de la Colombie-Britannique et d’une maîtrise en musique de l’Université du Minnesota.

Les chanteurs et chanteuses perfectionnent leur technique auprès des membres de l’Opéra de Vancouver et approfondissent, grâce à un programme des plus complets, plusieurs aspects du métier, notamment la diction, le mouvement, l’art dramatique et le combat de scène.

Sous la supervision de membres de l’Opéra de Vancouver, les pianistes accompagnent les chanteurs et chanteuses du programme lors de leurs cours réguliers et sont parfois appelés à jouer le rôle de pianiste-répétiteur ou pianiste-répétitrice pour les grandes productions de l’Opéra.

Les chanteurs et les pianistes participent également à des classes de maître, à des ateliers avec des coachs vocaux de différents pays et à des séminaires sur des thèmes variés, depuis les techniques d’audition jusqu’à la recherche d’un agent. Le programme est axé sur l’expérience de scène, et les occasions d’interpréter ou de doubler un rôle ne manquent pas tout au long de la saison.

Les metteurs et metteuses en scène participent aux cours d’art dramatique des chanteurs et chanteuses du programme et assistent l’équipe de production et de mise en scène de l’Opéra pour les grandes productions.

Baritone

Danlie Rae Acebuque

Filipino-Canadian baritone Danlie Rae Acebuque is described to “possess a beautiful, warm baritone voice with enviable flexibility and an easy top” (Claudia Friedlander), and “his fresh, suave baritone” (Opera Canada). Danlie Rae holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and Masters of Music in Opera Performance at the University of Toronto under the tutelage of Frédérique Vézina.

Danlie Rae was a recipient of several awards such as the prestigious Ivan Alexandor Chorney Opera Scholarship with UofT in 2021, the Stuart Hamilton Award with Voicebox: Opera in Concert in 2022 and recently, Danlie Rae was one of the Encouragement Award Recipients at The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition – Oregon District.
Soprano

Heidi Duncan

Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, soprano Heidi Duncan is a recent graduate of The University of Toronto where she earned both her Bachelor’s of Music in Voice Performance and Master’s of Music in Opera Performance. Recent opera credits include Annina (La Traviata), Laurie Moss (The Tender Land), Berta (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Despina (Così fan tutte) and Madame Herz (Der Schauspieldirektor). As an avid recitalist, Heidi has performed solo recitals and concert programs in Toronto and across Alberta, including a soloist with the University of Toronto Wind Ensemble.
Pianist

Indra Egan

Northern BC-born pianist & vocal coach Indra Egan holds a M.Mus. (Collaborative Piano, U of T), where she won the Koldofsky Prize in Accompanying, and a B.Mus. (Piano Performance, U of M). Opera highlights: Béatrice et Bénédict (Opera Kelowna), Songbook XI (Tapestry Opera), La Bohème (Opera NUOVA), Colas et Colinette (Lyn Vernon Productions), and excerpts from l'Orfeo and Lohengrin (U of M Opera).
Tenor

Jeremy Scinocca

Jeremy Scinocca is an award-winning tenor from Toronto and a returning member of Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Farris Young Artist Program. Last season Jeremy performed in Vancouver Opera’s Le Portrait de Manon as Tiberge and covered the roles of Nadir in Les pêcheurs de perles and Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This year Jeremy will make his role debut as Tonio in La fille sans regiment with Jeunesses Musicales Canada.
Director

Sawyer Craig

Sawyer is a Canadian multidisciplinary artist with a passion for vibrant, collaborative storytelling. In demand as both singing actor and as stage director, she’s been praised as a “bit of a renaissance woman” (UM Today).

Onstage highlights: Adina (Highlands Opera Studio) and Frasquita (Edmonton Opera). Directing highlights: Le Portrait de Manon (VO YAP Showcase) and Il Corsaro (Manitoba Underground Opera). Sawyer is over the moon to return to the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program as the stage director for the 2023-24 season.
Mezzo-Soprano

Simran Claire

Simran Claire is a mezzo-soprano from Surrey, BC. She is a graduate of Calgary Opera’s McPhee Artist development program, performing as Flora in La traviata and the Teacher in The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs. An alumnus of UBC, the Glimmerglass Festival, The Banff Centre, and Pacific Opera Victoria’s CEAR, Simran is also interested in creating original work. Her “utterly moving” (Opera Canada) narrative recital film Dadima was featured by CBC Music and Global TV.