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Montreal, February 18, 2025 – The Opéra de Montréal is proud to announce the newest members of the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal, selected following the National Auditions finals at the annual Talent Gala on November 20. This year marks a significant milestone for the internationally renowned professional development residency with the introduction of a specialized training program for stage directors. The 2024 cohort will welcome five singers, one pianist, and one stage director for an intensive one- to two-year training program.
– Tessa Fackelmann (mezzo-soprano – ON)
– Ellita Gagner (mezzo-soprano – ON)
– Colin Mackey (baritone – NL)
– Dante Mullin Santone (baritone – ON)
– Odile Portugais (soprano – QC)
– Thomas Lussier (stage director – QC)
– Tony Stauffer (pianist – FR)
“These artists were chosen for their outstanding potential: Dante Mullin Santone, who impressed the judges with his inspiring use of text; Ellita Gagner, who brought an enchanting authenticity to her performances; Colin Mackey, who stands out for his exceptional musical intelligence; Tessa Fackelmann, whose charismatic performance at the gala earned her the Jury’s Grand Prize; and Odile Portugais, who at 23 is the youngest member of our new cohort – an exceptional voice to follow. We will also be welcoming stage director Thomas Lussier and pianist Tony Stauffer, two extraordinary young talents and leaders,” explains Jennifer Szeto, Director of the Atelier lyrique.
Every year, emerging talents from all over the country seek their opportunity to join the Atelier lyrique, a programme of excellence dedicated to training and professional development. Over 120 applications were received for the 2024 National Auditions. The 7 new members of the Atelier will join Jamal Al Titi, baritone; Bridget Esler, soprano; Justine Ledoux, mezzo-soprano; Camila Montefusco, mezzo-soprano; and Martine
Jomphe, pianist. Audiences will have a chance to discover these rising stars of the operatic arts this fall.
A forum for opera creation
The Opéra de Montréal was thrilled to host the inaugural Opera Creation Forum (OCF), a co-production with Musique 3 Femmes, from February 5 to 16. Led by composer and playwright Luna Pearl Woolf, this groundbreaking event brought together four composers and four librettists, along with performers, directors, and mentors, for a 12-day immersive experience in the collaborative art of opera creation.
The Forum received over 50 applications from across Canada, and the eight selected artists had the exceptional opportunity to co-create 16 mini-operas, each approximately five minutes long, which were performed during the final session. Inspired by Tapestry Opera’s Lib Lab and Nautilus Music Theater’s Composer-Librettist Studio, the OCF aims to provide targeted training and creative development for emerging opera creators.
Opéra de Montréal
Firmly rooted in Montreal, at the crossroads of North American and European cultures, the Opéra de Montréal acts as a catalyst for the city’s artistic creativity and celebrates Quebec’s and Canada’s rich vocal heritage by bringing opera to life in its most diverse and daring forms. From great operatic classics to new works from both here and abroad, along with its development program for Canada’s best young singers, and its strong commitment to community and education, the Opéra de Montréal offers unforgettable operatic events where everyone is warmly welcomed and feels at home.
Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal
A leading artists’ residency for Canadian opera singers, collaborative pianists and stage directors, the Atelier lyrique is a springboard to professional life at the heart of the Opéra de Montréal. Offering innovative, tailor-made training in a bilingual environment, the Atelier covers the full spectrum of a lyric artist’s development. The Atelier empowers each participant to reach their full career potential by fostering autonomy, leadership and artistic excellence.
BIOGRAPHIES – INCOMING ARTISTS OF THE ATELIER LYRIQUE
Tony Stauffer.
Tony Stauffer – Pianist
Tony Stauffer, a pianist from Bayonne, specializes in vocal accompaniment. Holding a doctorate from the Université de Montréal, he trained with Francis Perron and Liz Upchurch and took part in the UdeM-McGill vocal piano residency. Passionate about opera, he has worked as a répétiteur on several student productions and is thrilled to continue his journey at the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal.
Thomas Lussier – Stage director
Thomas Lussier. Photo: Annie Éthier
A graduate of the Saint-Hyacinthe Theatre School, Thomas balances his two passions, theatre and opera. On the radio, he has shared his love for lyrical art as a commentator on the program En direct du MET, broadcast on ICI Musique. Among his recent theatre projects, he directed Quand la pluie s’arrêtera by Australian playwright Andrew Bovell at the Théâtre de l’Université de Montréal, as well as Lungs by Duncan MacMillan. He has also assisted renowned directors such as Angela Konrad, Joan Font, and Stephen Lawless on productions at the Opéra de Montréal and Jeunesses Musicales Canada (La Reine-Garçon, La Traviata, Hamlet, Le Barbier de Séville, Les Noces de Figaro, La Fille du Régiment).
Tessa Fackelmann.
Tessa Fackelmann – Mezzo
Acclaimed for her irresistible humor and vocal charm, the Ontario-born mezzo-soprano has made her mark on stage in works by Handel, Mozart, and Rossini. She holds a Master of Music degree from Rice University, as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts and an Artist Diploma from the University of Ottawa. Tessa is also an alumnus of the Wolf Trap Opera Studio and The Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program. A fierce competitor, Tessa was seen on the Metropolitan Opera Stage as a National Semifinalist in the 2024 Metropolitan Laffont Competition. Later that year, she received the First Place Prize in the Edmonton Opera Rumbold Vocal Prize Competition. In 2025, Tessa will make her role debut as Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro at Sarasota Opera, conducted by Louis
Lohraseb.
Ellita Gagner – Mezzo
Ellita Gagner.
Canadian mezzo-soprano Ellita Gagner has been praised for her “magnificent and warm timbre…” (Gianmarco Segato, La Scena Musicale). A graduate of the University of Toronto’s Opera School and Western University, she is currently studying with Dr. Lorna MacDonald and Adrianne Pieczonka. She has performed leading and supporting roles across Canada, including Cendrillon, L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, Lysistrata, Hänsel and Gretel, Così fan tutte, La Cenerentola, and Disobedience. Her performances have taken her to stages with Opera Nova Scotia, the Brott Festival, the London Community Orchestra, and the Uxbridge Messiah Singers and Orchestra, among others.
Colin Mackey. Photo: Harder Lee Photography
Collin Mackey – Baritone
Originally from Newfoundland, baritone Colin Mackey is finishing up his time with the McPhee Artist Development Program of Calgary Opera and will be joining the Atelier lyrique of Opéra de Montréal as an artist-in-residence in 2025. Colin has proven himself equally capable on concert, recital and operatic stages, and will make his Calgary Opera Mainstage debut in their double-bill production of Gianni Schicchi and Bluebeard’s Castle.
In 2024, Colin earned an Artist Diploma in Performance from the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory, with the generous support of the Temerty Foundation, having previously completed a master’s degree from McGill University in 2022. Recent highlights include, role studies of Malatesta in Don Pasquale and the title role of Don Giovanni (Calgary Opera), Marquis de La Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites (Glenn Gould School), Belcore in L’elisir d’amore (Highlands Opera Studio), Minskman in Jonathan Dove’s Flight, Adonis in Venus and Adonis (Glenn Gould School), Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus (Toronto Operetta Theatre).
In his final year at the Glenn Gould School Colin was fortunate to be amongst the winners of both the Concerto and Chamber Competitions. This past summer, with the generous support of the Art Song Foundation of Canada and the Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation for Young Canadian Opera Singers, Colin attended the Franz Schubert Institute in Baden, Austria. Here, Colin had the opportunity to perform and learn from internationally renowned artists such as Elly Ameling, Robert Holl, Julius Drake, Roger Vignoles, Wolfram Rieger, Helmut Deutsch and more. After such an inspirational summer, Colin is planning to return with collaborative partner, Karmen Grubišić in the summer of 2025.
In addition to performing, Colin is an experienced teacher and is passionate about music education and community music making.
Dante Mullin Santone – Baritone
Dante Mullin Santone.
Canadian baritone Dante Mullin Santone is an eclectic performer currently pursuing a Master’s of Opera at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music, where he also completed his Bachelor of Music, studying under Wendy Nielsen. Recent role credits include Odysseus in Berkeley’s Castaway, Beaupertuis in Rota’s Il cappello di paglia di Firenze (UofT Opera), and Bartley in Vaughan-Williams’ Riders to the Sea. He is an avid performer of art song. He was recently awarded the Jim and Charlotte Norcop Prize in Song, and he was a fellow with the Toronto Summer Music “Art of Song” program.
Recent performance highlights include Mozart’s Requiem (Sudbury Symphony Orchestra), Bernstein’s MASS (Chorus Niagara), the Fauré Requiem, and an artist residency with Shoestring Opera in their touring production of The Shoestring Magic Flute in the role of Papageno. He is passionate about advancing new music, having premiered works such as Evan Tanovich’s Missa Solemnis in D (Sinfonietta Aionia/Concreamus Chamber Choir) and Allan Bevan’s Perfectly Mad, singing the role of Rintrah (Orpheus Choir of Toronto), as well as numerous art songs.
Odile Portugais.
Odile Portugais – Soprano
At just 23 years old, Odile Portugais is gaining recognition for her powerful, dark, and agile voice, as well as her magnetic stage presence. The soprano is already performing professionally in solo recitals and with the renowned Molinari Quartet. She has won numerous awards in music competitions, including the Grand Prize at the Concours de musique de Lanaudière (2024), the Excellence Scholarship from Opéra Bouffe du Québec (2023), and a First Prize at the Concours de musique du Canada (2021).
She has participated in prestigious academies such as the Franz-Schubert Institute in Austria (2024) and the Académie Francis Poulenc in France (2022). Her artistic development has led her to work with renowned artists such as Elly Ameling, Robert Holl, Helmut Deutsch, François Leroux, and Marie-Nicole Lemieux. Her extensive repertoire includes Die Frau (Erwartung, Schoenberg), the Mother and the Witch (Hänsel und Gretel, Humperdinck), Athamas (Semele, Händel), Angelina (La Cenerentola, Rossini), the Wife (The Juniper Tree, Glass), and Actéon (Actéon changé en biche, Charpentier).
Odile holds a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from the Conservatoire de Montréal (2023) and will complete her Master’s degree at McGill University in May 2025 under the guidance of soprano Aline Kutan.
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