On the operatic stage, soprano Chelsea Mahan has been praised for her panache of character (La Presse, 2015), while her comedic work “creates some of the most memorable, [and] funny moments” (Star Phoenix, 2016). Her rich yet ethereal tone is complemented by the warmth and passion that she weaves into every phrase. Equally at home performing concert repertoire for large audiences, in intimate recital settings, or in studio recording, Ms. Mahan enjoys a vast career that specializes in up-close and personal performances in found spaces such as warehouses and abandoned churches. The depth of her interpretations and her ability to bring meaning to every work has brought success with every venture.
Ms. Mahan has made appearances with La Compagnie Baroque Mont-Royal, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, Regina Symphony Orchestra, Saskatoon Opera, Souris Valley Theatre, Little Opera on the Prairie, Strata Festival of New Music, and SUM Theatre. In March 2020, she made her SSO Main Stage Series debut as the soprano soloist for the highly anticipated North American premiere of Rebecca Dale’s Materna Requiem. Off stage she works with singers, teachers, and speakers using her high level of technicality, intuitive and trained ear, expressive language and innate knowledge of the vocal mechanism to achieve the goal of optimal vocal health. She does this at both her private home studio and previously as a Sessional Lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan. As a highly sought after adjudicator of voice, music theatre, choral and speech arts in Saskatchewan, in 2022 Ms. Mahan was awarded the Excellence in Adjudicating Award from the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association. Ms. Mahan holds her B.Mus/B.Ed from the University of Saskatchewan and her M.Mus in Opera and Voice Performance from McGill University.
Outside the music world, Ms. Mahan is the mother of three children who provide inspiration for every aspect of her life. She has also been known to dabble in the art of clown and when she can, contributes her voice (musical and otherwise) to the visual art and theatre scenes in Saskatoon.
