重口味SM

鈥淐harles is always competing 鈥 with himself and his personal best, his musical best," says Professor Darryl Edwards. "He鈥檚 quite a marvel."

Canadian Opera Company competition won by U of T music student

Tenor Charles Sy takes top prize and audience choice award

Tenor Charles Sy, a second-year master鈥檚 student in the Faculty of Music鈥檚 opera performance program, has won the first prize and the audience choice award at the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio Competition.

A student of Professor Darryl Edwards, Sy received the award November 25 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Second prize went to baritone Dimitri Katotakis, a U of T alumnus also from the studio of Edwards. 
 
The competition is the feature event of the COC鈥檚 annual fundraising gala, Centre Stage, an evening dedicated to the discovery and celebration of the next generation of opera stars. The event was hosted by alumnus Ben Heppner and featured a surprise performance by opera star and alumna Adrienne Pieczonka.
 
鈥淲e heard from seven fantastic singers at Centre Stage this year, some of whom will go on to have careers like those of Ben Heppner and Adrianne Pieczonka, whose names are associated with the world鈥檚 foremost opera houses, festivals and performance halls,鈥 said COC General Director Alexander Neef. 
 
鈥淐anada鈥檚 emerging opera singers deserve to be heard and celebrated, and it鈥檚 an honour to be able to showcase the promise that these talented young artists represent.鈥
 
Sy and Katotakis 鈥 who graduated with a Bachelor of Music Performance in 2013 鈥 were among seven finalists chosen by the COC artistic staff from a pool of 175 applicants for the 2015/2016 COC Ensemble Studio, of which 150 were invited to sing in preliminary auditions in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and New York. 

Alumnae Eliza Johnson and Michelle Siemens, two other finalists from the studio of Edwards also competed in the final round. 

鈥淐harles鈥 outstanding singing comes as the result of his tremendous hard work, persistent curiosity, and his need to create deeply meaningful moments,鈥 said Edwards. 

It's the latest in a series of artistic and competitive successeses for Sy at the 重口味SM, The Centre for Opera Studies in Italy, the Banff Centre, the Music Academy of the West, and the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques Competition. 
 
鈥淐harles is always competing 鈥 with himself and his personal best, his musical best, said Edwards. He鈥檚 quite a marvel. 

This season, Sy sings the roles of Ralph Rackstraw in U of T Opera鈥檚 HMS Pinafore, which opens on November 27, and Mr. Owen in Postcard from Morocco in the spring. His other U of T credits include Mayor Upfold in Albert Herring, and Alam茫o in Pedro Malazarte. In 2015, he will sing the role of Adolfo in La Rondine with Opera Theatre of St. Louis.
 
Katotakis is now studying at McGill University, where recent roles include Demetrius in A Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream and Lorenzo in Capuleti e i Montecchi.

Aaron Wong is a writer with the Faculty of Music at the 重口味SM.

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