Messiah soloists – soprano Danika Loren

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Were you at our 85th Anniversary Share in the Future gala last November?  If you were, you’ll remember the soprano that stopped the show with her acrobatic stratospheric performance of a Bellini aria.  We are thrilled to have Danika Loren returning home to sing her very first Messiah.

It’s been a year of firsts for the Toronto-based soprano – her Collectif project has wrapped up their first season, she’s a new member of the Canadian Opera Company’s prestigious Young Artist Ensemble, she sang her first Rosina (here with Saskatoon Opera), her first Carmina Burana, her first Messiah, and in February she’ll be making her COC debut.

A “tour de force…with ringing high notes and gorgeous mid-range expression” (Opera Canada), hot off the heals of her Tedx Toronto performance, we’re excited to see what’s next for this rising star!

gala2Current member of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio, Danika Lorèn is known for her dramatic sensitivity and instinctive musicality. Ever versatile, Danika’s past roles include: Monica (The Medium), Lady with a Hand Mirror (Postcard from Morocco), Mimì (La Bohème), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), Frasquita (Carmen), Pamina/2nd Lady (Die Zauberflöte) and Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro). Most recently, Danika wowed audiences as Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia) with the Saskatoon Opera Company. In 2017, Danika will be making her Canadian Opera Company debut as Woglinde the rhinemaiden in Götterdämmerung.

After winning the University of Toronto Concerto Competition in 2014/15, Danika performed Richard Strauss’ Op. 27, Vier Lieder with the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra in October 2015. In the summer of 2016, Danika will make her debut at the Indian River Festival singing Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. Other orchestral appearances include Faure’s Requiem with acclaimed baritone Nathan Berg, conductor Eric Paetkau and the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, and Mozart’s Coronation Mass with conductor David Holler and the London Fanshawe Chorus.

Danika’s finesse with song repertoire has afforded her opportunities to share the stage in recital with internationally recognised singers such as Stephanie Blythe, Adrianne Pieczonka and Catherine Wyn-Rogers. She is also a founding member of Collectìf, an artist collective dedicated to exploring art song as theatre.

Hailing from Saskatoon, Danika pursued a BFA in acting at the University of Saskatchewan while studying voice with Marilyn Whitehead. She has since completed her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance at the University of Toronto under the instruction of J. Patrick Raftery, and has completed her master’s degree at the University of Toronto with Wendy Nielsen.

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