As the Canadian Opera Company prepares to open Magic Flute this Friday, the company posted to their blog highlighting the many Canadians in the cast. Excerpt:

“Opening May 6, this season’s production of The Magic Flute at the COC is a true celebration of homegrown talent. On top of featuring a bevy of Canadian singers in the cast, audiences will be treated to a number of artists who are currently enrolled in or are graduates of the Ensemble Studio, the COC’s professional development program for emerging artists—including revival director Anna Theodosakis, who began her career as a singer before turning to direction. For many cast members, this is a return to the stage after two years—and also a family reunion of sorts. “

“Irish-Canadian tenor Michael Colvin, who sings the role of Monostatos, is thrilled to be sharing the Four Seasons Centre stage with so many fellow Ensemble Studio alumni, and notes a correlation between the strength of the program and the number of opera professionals this country has produced. “This Magic Flute production is a testament to the quality and success of the program. Canada has a well-earned reputation for producing opera singers of the highest quality, and you’ll find Canadian names on prestigious opera and concert stages all over the world. The COC’s Ensemble Studio is a huge part of that success.” “

Read the full article on COC.ca

Michael was in the COC Young Artist’s Ensemble when he got this WILD role as the operatic voice of the bear in the 1999 Nissan Pathfinder commercial. It was one of the company’s most popular and memorable commercials of the time, showing multiple times during major sports events.

In the commercial, Michael sings the ending of Cavaradossi’s aria Recondita Armonia in Verdi’s TOSCA – the one and only time he has ever sung that role!