ABOUT PASCALE
Mezzo-soprano Pascale Spinney, who is lauded for her abilities as a charismatic actress and whose voice is praised by Opera Canada as “lush and effortless”, will be seen in her role debut as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opéra de Montréal in her 2024/25 season. She will also be returning to St. Pete Opera to reprise the title role in their production of Pinocchio.
In the 2023/24 season, Pascale made several important debuts: creating the role of Countess Ebba in La Reine-Garçon with Opéra de Montreal, Jane in Laura Kaminsky’s FEBRUARY with Opera On the Avalon, and Donna Elvira in a re-imagination of Don Giovanni: Domme + Giovanni with White Snake Projects.
Opera Canada “Pascale Spinney, lush and effortless as the naive Countess”
Avant-Scène Opera “Très touchante en comtesse Ebba Sparre, Pascale Spinney joint à un riche timbre de mezzo une diction impeccable.”
My Scena “The production’s surprise was mezzo Pascale Spinney’s multi-layered portrayal as Countess Ebba Sparre.”
Revue L’Opéra “Pascale Spinney avait la grâce adéquate pour faire fondre le cœur de Christine... et du public !”
Broad Street Review “At the second of four performances, Pascale Spinney displayed a silken, dark-hued mezzo as Léonor, and acted the role with clarity and poise. Her moving rendition of ‘O mon Fernand,’ the score’s best-known lament, earned deserved cheers from the capacity crowd.”
Previous appearances include the title role in Carmen with the Glacier Symphony, Dorabella in Cosi! Men are Like That with White Snake Projects, standing by for the role of Sally in Kevin Puts’ The Hours with the Philadelphia Orchestra, covering the role of Sally Bowles in Cabaret with the Atlanta Opera, filming ‘O God That I Were a Man’ from Joseph Summers’ Much Ado About Nothing, La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi with Tulsa Opera, Dido in Dido and Aeneas and Maddalena in Rigoletto with Central City Opera, Mercédès in Carmen at Opéra de Montréal, Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel and Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro with Vancouver Opera, Dora in A Little Too Cozy in a collaboration of the Banff Centre, Against the Grain Theatre and the Canadian Opera Company, and Stéphano/Gertrude in Roméo et Juliette with the Jeunesses Musicales Canada.
Concert credits also include the alto soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Kennett Symphony, Thunder Bay Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and York Symphony, Duruflé’s Requiem with the Choeur classique de Montréal, Beethoven’s Mass in C major and Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel with the Guelph Symphony Orchestra, and My Letter to the World with Lyric Fest (Philadelphia).
During her residency at Philadelphia's prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts, Pascale performed Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, Leonora in La favorite, the First Lay Sister and Infirmary Sister in Suor Angelica, the Turnspit in Rusalka, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Ines in Il trovatore, and Flosshilde in Das Rheingold.
As a young artist of the Atelier Lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal, she made her company debut as Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and also performed the role of Fatmé with Les Violons du Roy in their production of Zémire et Azor.
A recipient of numerous honors, Pascale was a finalist in the Canadian Opera Company’s Centre Stage, and at Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center. She won the People’s Choice Award in the Western Canada District of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and went on to become a national semi-finalist. She received a bursary from the Jeunesses Musicales du Canada, an Encouragement Award from the Gerda Lissner Foundation, and the Outstanding Apprentice Award at the Santa Fe Opera.
Pascale earned her Baccalaureate and Master’s degrees from the Schulich School of Music at McGill University.
Updated 09/02/2024