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APPOINTMENTS
Jean-Pierre Primiani. Photo: Tam Lan Truong Photography
On June 12, Opéra de Montréal announced Jean-Pierre Primiani as their new general director, taking effect Nov. 1 following the retirement of current General Director Patrick Corrigan. Primiani has worked alongside Corrigan during the latter’s 10-year tenure, recently as chief philanthropy officer. The leadership transition was carefully planned over several years by the company’s Board of Directors and Corrigan to ensure continuity and to prioritize internal talent.
Jakub Hrůša. Photo: Ian Ehm
Jakub Hrůša will become the chief conductor and musical director of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in autumn 2028, succeeding Semyon Bychkov, who announced his departure last spring after completing his 10th season at the helm of the orchestra. Hrůša has been the orchestra’s principal guest conductor since 2018. He is currently principal conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and will remain in this position until 2029. From September 2025, he begins his tenure as musical director of London’s Royal Ballet and Opera. He has previously served as principal guest conductor of Rome’s Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, London Philharmonic Orchestra, and Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.
Michael Blais. Photo: R. Tinker
On July 9, Manitoba Opera announced Michael Blais as executive director, effective Aug. 1. Blais is currently the company’s director of operations and has been part of its administrative team since 2010. The position of executive director and that of artistic director have been newly created following a recent leadership transition review initiated following longtime General Director & CEO Larry Desrochers’s decision not to seek a renewal ofhis contract, which expires in May 2026. Effective Aug. 8, Desrochers, who was hired in 2000 as general director & CEO, will act as the interim artistic director while the search is conducted to fill this role. He will continue to support the organization through this transition process until May 31, 2026.
Matthias Rädel
Matthias Rädel is to become general manager of Bayreuth Festival, responsible for management and administration alongside Festival Director Katharina Wagner. Rädel has been deputy managing director and chief controller at Deutsche Oper Berlin since 2006. Wagner will nowconcentrate on artistic work, the new dual leadership being a prerequisite for securing additional federal funding and increased federal involvement in the festival.
Christina Loewen
The Association for Opera in Canada announced the promotion of Christina Loewen to chief executive officer on July 30. Loewen has served as the association’s executive director since 2009 and, under her leadership, has doubled its membership. She was also instrumental in developing the Opera Civic Impact Framework, a national digital platform for collecting and reporting arts impacts, tracking recovery statistics, and measuring organizational resilience. Loewen’s work in social finance continued with Opera Bonds Accelerator, a groundbreaking exploration of investment in the arts in partnership with SI Canada.
Amy Hillis.
Photo: Brent Callis
Women’s Musical Club of Toronto (WM-CT) has appointed violinist Amy Hillis as the new artistic director of its signature concert series, Music in the Afternoon. Hillis will begin curating programming for the 2026–27 concert season, which will mark the organization’s 129th year. As a soloist and collaborator, Hillis has premiered numerous Canadian works and performed extensively across Canada and internationally. She currently serves as associate professor of community music at York University. She succeeds Simon Fryer, the organization’s artistic director since 2006.
Julien Proulx
On Aug. 3, during a grand final concert at Maison symphonique, Orchestre de la francophonie announced Julien Proulx as its new artistic director and winner of its conductor competition. This concert marked the conclusion of a series of three performances held as part of a competition in which three different conductors took the podium. The selection process involved the musicians of the orchestra, a panel of expert jurors, as well as a public vote. Proulx has been the conductor of the Orchestre symphonique de Drummondville since 2014 and is the recipient of several Prix Opus awards.
Michael McMahon
Michael McMahon, associate professor at McGill’s Schulich School of Music, has been appointed to the Order of Canada for his contributions in the art song and opera communities. McMahon is particularly renowned for his collaborative piano activity with Canadian singers such as Catherine Robbin, Karina Gauvin, Lyne Fortin, Dominique Labelle, Wendy Nielsen, Maureen Forrester and Richard Margison. His McGill colleague Labelle paid him tribute upon the announcement, saying “Michael McMahon is a treasure, an inspiration, and one of the most precious mentors I know. He keeps inspiring young singers, showing them the holiness of song literature, and has done so for over 40 years, with remarkable grace, love, and a deep knowledge of art song.”
Marc Chalifoux
The Association for Opera in Canada has announced board members Marc Chalifoux of Against the Grain Theatre and Robert G. Milne of Pacific Opera Victoria are recipients of the 2025 AOC Best in Governance Award. Presented in collaboration with OPERA America, the award recognizes exceptional leadership from board members within Canada’s opera sector. Chalifoux has led AtG through a period of bold reinvention, including a smooth leadership transition after the departure of both its founding artistic director and general director. Milne has shaped POV’s trajectory over nearly two decades of service, including seven years as board president. His vision supported the creation of the Baumann Centre and expanded access to performance spaces.
Quatuor Molinari
Quatuor Molinari recently announced the addition of violist Cynthia Blanchon to the ensemble for their 29th season. A widely experienced chamber musician, Blanchon is a valuable addition to the ensemble as it embarks on exciting new projects in 2025-26.
On Aug. 26, Les Violons du Roy made the surprise announcement that their Music Director Jonathan Cohen completed his tenure at the end of 2024-25 season. The orchestra says they will communicate their plans regarding Cohen’s succession in the coming weeks. Cohen has worked with Les Violons du Roy since 2014 and became their music director in 2018. He will conduct three of their 2025-26 concerts.
AWARDS
Jaelem Bhate. Photo: Darrell Theriault
The Canada Council for the Arts recently announced winners of several of its awards. The $20,000 Jean-Marie Beaudet Award in Orchestra Conducting has been awarded to Jaelem Bhate, conductor, composer and music director of the Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra.
Joanne Yesol Choi.
Photo: Stuart Lowe
Joanne Yesol Choi, cellist and founding member of the award-winning Dior Quartet, receives the $30,000 Virginia Parker Prize awarded to a classical singer, instrumentalist or music conductor under the age of 32 who demonstrates outstanding talent, musicianship and artistic merit.
Emma Pennell. Photo: Sam Gaetz
The $5,000 Bernard Diamant Prize has been awarded to soprano Emma Pennell who will join Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio this fall. A $5,000 Joseph S. Stauffer Prize for music, awarded to emerging or mid-career artists who stand out for their strong artistic potential in their respective disciplines, goes to Kyran who is recognized for his dynamic performances and research bridging early music and African diaspora traditions across the Americas.
COMPETITIONS
Fleuranne Brockway. Photo: Jody D’Arcy
The 24th anniversary Concours Musical International de Montréal concluded June 6 with the announcement of the winners of this year’s vocal edition. Australian mezzo-soprano Fleuranne Brockway took first prize valued at $75,000 including a $30,000 cash prize, the $40,000 Joseph-Rouleau Career Development Grant, the $5,000 Opéra de Montréal Aria Prize and the opportunity to sing a role with the company in a future season.
Junho Hwang. Photo: Tam Photography
Second prize went to South Korean tenor Junho Hwang including a cash prize of $15,000 and a Joseph-Rouleau Career Development Grant of $10,000. U.K. baritone Theodore Platt won the third prize with a cash prize of $10,000 and a Joseph-Rouleau Career Development Grant of $10,000.
Aristo Sham
The 17th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition announced its winners on June 7. Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham was the gold medalist, receiving a cash award of $100,000, the Van Cliburn Winner’s Cup, three years of individualized career management, and a Platoon Records live album. Israeli/Russian pianist Vitaly Starikov was the silver medalist, while U.S. pianist Evren Ozel took the bronze medal.
YOUNG ARTISTS
Teresa Tucci. Photo: Gaetz Photography
In July, The Royal Conservatory announced the six artists accepted into the 2025-26 Rebanks Family Fellowship and International Performance Residency Program. The one-year postgraduate program was created in 2013 for artists poised for professional success, offering private study with faculty and guest artists, concert presentations, career coaching, marketing training, as well as a funded European residency. The 2025-26 fellows are: baritone James Coole-Stevenson; pianist Jonathan Mak; cellists Juliana Moroz and Canon Shibata; violinist Astrid Nakamura; and soprano Teresa Tucci.
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