Currently studying vocal performance at Western University, Laura Curiale has been growing her voice and exploring all avenues of performing under the guidance of soprano Bethany Hörst and vocal coach Charmaine Fopoussi.
Curiale has enjoyed singing in the Amabile Choirs of London for twelve seasons and now sings with Western University’s Les Choristes. She frequently excels in competitions and showcases. She placed first in the Kiwanis Music Festival London in 2015 and National Association of Teachers Regional Competition in 2016. In 2018, Laura organized and performed a recital featuring fellow music colleague, Josee Landry, and in 2019 received honours with distinction for her year-end recital.
Curiale is actively pursuing her performance career with enthusiasm. In the 2017-2018 school year, she portrayed the character Elena in Theatre Western’s production of If/Then and this past year enjoyed being a part of Western University Opera Workshop production of Le Nozze di Figaro. Curiale looks forward to all she will learn as a part of the Halifax Summer Opera Program and as Third Lady in their production of Die Zauberflöte.
Born in southern California, mezzo-soprano Laurel Coddington is currently pursuing a double degree in Music Performance (Voice) and Communication Sciences & Disorders at Biola University under the tutelage of Jeanne Robison. She has continually placed in the annual Collegiate NATS competition, performed with the Biola Symphony Orchestra as a winner of the conservatory’s Honors Concerto Competition, and participated in various masterclasses. Laurel has also received numerous awards and scholarships for her contribution to the voice department and musical achievement at Biola.
A four-year member of the prestigious Biola University Chorale, Laurel has had the opportunity to perform at the Western Regional ACDA convention and national NCCO conference, as well as tour across Arizona, northern California, and Ireland.
Laurel has appeared in multiple mainstage productions during her time at Biola including Le Nozze de Figaro (Cherubino), Die Fledermaus (Prince Orlofsky), Street Scene (Mrs. Olsen), and Die Zauberflöte (Zweite Knabe), along with a variety of operatic and musical theatre excerpts.
In the fall at Biola, Laurel will perform as the Third Spirit in an excerpt from Clive Hamilton (world premiere), composed by Calgary native, Joel Balzun. Other features will include The Music Man and spring opera scenes program.
Eli Aronson, tenor, is in his second year at St. Olaf College pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Vocal performance. Originally from Minnesota, USA, he has received recognition from the MacPhail Center of Music and NATS. In 2017, he was named a Triple-Threat Finalist by the Hennepin Theater Trust, one of only twelve teenage men in the state of Minnesota. He has previously sang as a Young Artist with Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre in Turandot (Chorus) and Brigadoon (Stuart Dalrymple), with the Halifax Summer Opera Festival in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Snout) and L’incoronazione di Poppea (Soldato/Lucano/Liberto), and with Simpson College Opera in La Canterina (Don Pelagio). Upcoming roles include Les Contes d’Hoffmann (Nathanael/Spalanzani/Frantz/Pittichinaccio) with the Halifax Summer Opera Festival, and Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Prince) and a masterclass with pianist Martin Katz with the St. Olaf Lyric Theater. At St. Olaf College, he studies with Dale Kruse.
Soprano Jodie Alcorn-Miller has returned to her home Nova Scotia to continue sharing her love of music both on the stage and in the teaching studio.
Jodie studied under Dr. Christianne Rushton at Acadia University and with Elizabeth McDonald at The University of Toronto. She is the recipient of several awards and scholarships including the Nova Scotia Talent Trust and First Place in both Music Theatre and Classical Voice at the Nova Scotia Provincial Music Festival.
While completing her undergraduate studies, Jodie performed at the annual Tom Regan Concert as well as several roles with the Singing Theatre Ensemble. While at The University of Toronto, she was selected as soloist for The MacMillan Singers’ recording Dawn of Night through the Canadian Music Centre. She is an alumna of both Opera NUOVA and the Centre for Opera Studies in Italy. Highlights include Satirino in Cavalli’s La Calisto, Miss Titmouse in Penhorwood’s Too Many Sopranos, Eileen in Bernstein’s Wonderful Town, Sarah Brown in Loesser’s Guys & Dolls.
Jodie sang two seasons with the Elmer Iseler Singers with performances at Koerner Hall, Roy Thompson Hall, as well as two Canadian tours. She was section lead and soloist for Metropolitan United Church under Dr. Patricia Wright, and was in-demand in the Toronto choral scene, working with the Toronto Voice Lab, Toronto Festival Singers, Trinity Chapel Choir, and as a soloist with Mendelssohn Choir’s Singsation.
Since moving to Halifax, Jodie has began collaborating with the Upstream Ensemble, which is a creative music ensemble focusing on improvisation. Other performances include those with the Halifax Camerata Singers, SNS Chorus, and Eastern Horizon. In June, Jodie is performing in Pirates of Penzance as Mabel with Maritime Concert Opera.
