Rising Stars | Emma Pennell – Bernard Diamant Prize

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Soprano Emma Pennell has been making waves in the Canadian opera scene. In the past year alone, they were awarded the Bernard Diamant Prize, the RBC Emerging Artist Award, and second place in the Canadian Opera Company’s Centre Stage Competition. With many opportunities on the horizon, Pennell wants to honour the resilience and amplify the stories of their community.

“I grew up in Northern Ontario, where my family and I worked to preserve our Mi’kmaw knowledge and traditions despite the impacts of colonial displacement,” says Pennell when asked about their upbringing. Following their musical passion, the soprano has journeyed from the stages of small-town arenas and legions to their current place in the Ensemble Studio at the Canadian Opera Company (COC). With many new eyes on Pennell, they recognize how their position is both a gift and a responsibility.

“As an Indigenous storyteller, I carry the voices, histories, and resilience of my community through my music,” they say. “My work is not only creative but also a fight—a pushback against what the world considers ‘normal.’” Pennell hopes to uplift the next generation of Indigenous peoples and remind them that they can use their gifts to resist, to create, and to live in a good way.

In the coming season, Pennell is excited to see how the COC’s excellent training and guidance will continue to shape their technique as a singer. They are also thrilled to perform roles on the main stage of the Four Seasons Centre, including singing Berta in The Barber of Seville. When they’re not working, you may find Pennell going for a “hot girl walk,” grabbing a sweet treat and iced coffee, and thrift-shopping for treasures that carry stories of the past.