About
Mezzo Soprano Simona Genga, who is at once “compelling and technically confident” (Opera Canada) and “formidable” (Saint Louis Dispatch) is a current member of the Canadian Opera Company's Studio Ensemble Program after being awarded the First Prize and Audience Choice Awards at the 2017 COC Centre Stage Competition.
In the 18/19 season, Simona made her COC debuts as the Second Maid in Elektra under the baton of Maestro Johannes Debus, premiered the role of Cindy in Wow Factor: A Cinderella Story with music from the Rossini classic, English text by Joel Ivany and original music written by Stèphane Mayer, and ended the season by joining the guest artist Joseph of Mercury for a special collaborative performance at Operanation: Tall Tales. Also appearing in many recitals at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre including the recital My favourite things celebrating Liz Upchurch, the Christina and Louis Quillico Awards, and a featured recital with Stèphane Mayer at the Shaftsbury Salon Series.
Returning in the 19/20 season Simona makes debuts as Berta in Barber of Seville, Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel (Opera for Young Audiences) , and the High Priestess in Aida. She is also looking forward to studying the role of Ježibaba in Rusalka, singing select scenes and arias in a Gala Concert with the Ensemble, and joining the beloved soprano Anna-Sophie Neher in an RBA recital entitled Les Adieu: À deux.
Ms. Genga is named one of the CBC's " 30 hot Canadian Classical Musicians under 30", is a proud recipient of a 2019 Ruby Mercer Award, the 2019 Third prize at the Christina and Louis Quilico Awards, the 2018 Barbara and Stanley Richman Award for demonstrating "exceptional potential for a significant career" at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and the 2017 First Prize and Audience Choice Award at the Canadian Opera Company's Centre Stage Competition. An avid interpreter of song, she has also been awarded the 2017 Norcop Song Recital Prize, the 2017 Elora Festival Recital Prize, the 2016 Developing Artist Grant from the Hnatyshyn Foundation, Artist Grants from the Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation and a 2017 Richard Bradshaw Graduate Fellowship at the University of Toronto.
Simona is a recent graduate of a Masters in Opera at the University of Toronto, the Ravinia Steans Music Institue, the Chautauqua Institution, the Franz Schubert Institute, Opera Nuova and the Gerdine Young Artist Program at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis where she made her professional debut in 2018 as Annina in La Traviata.
In the 18/19 season, Simona made her COC debuts as the Second Maid in Elektra under the baton of Maestro Johannes Debus, premiered the role of Cindy in Wow Factor: A Cinderella Story with music from the Rossini classic, English text by Joel Ivany and original music written by Stèphane Mayer, and ended the season by joining the guest artist Joseph of Mercury for a special collaborative performance at Operanation: Tall Tales. Also appearing in many recitals at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre including the recital My favourite things celebrating Liz Upchurch, the Christina and Louis Quillico Awards, and a featured recital with Stèphane Mayer at the Shaftsbury Salon Series.
Returning in the 19/20 season Simona makes debuts as Berta in Barber of Seville, Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel (Opera for Young Audiences) , and the High Priestess in Aida. She is also looking forward to studying the role of Ježibaba in Rusalka, singing select scenes and arias in a Gala Concert with the Ensemble, and joining the beloved soprano Anna-Sophie Neher in an RBA recital entitled Les Adieu: À deux.
Ms. Genga is named one of the CBC's " 30 hot Canadian Classical Musicians under 30", is a proud recipient of a 2019 Ruby Mercer Award, the 2019 Third prize at the Christina and Louis Quilico Awards, the 2018 Barbara and Stanley Richman Award for demonstrating "exceptional potential for a significant career" at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and the 2017 First Prize and Audience Choice Award at the Canadian Opera Company's Centre Stage Competition. An avid interpreter of song, she has also been awarded the 2017 Norcop Song Recital Prize, the 2017 Elora Festival Recital Prize, the 2016 Developing Artist Grant from the Hnatyshyn Foundation, Artist Grants from the Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation and a 2017 Richard Bradshaw Graduate Fellowship at the University of Toronto.
Simona is a recent graduate of a Masters in Opera at the University of Toronto, the Ravinia Steans Music Institue, the Chautauqua Institution, the Franz Schubert Institute, Opera Nuova and the Gerdine Young Artist Program at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis where she made her professional debut in 2018 as Annina in La Traviata.
