Wendy Nielsen
New Brunswick soprano Wendy Nielsen enjoys an international career on the operatic and concert stage.She made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Fiordiligi in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte in 1996 and has performed numerous roles there in the ensuing seasons. These include Countess in Marriage of Figaro, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Micaela in Carmen.She has also performed with many companies across North America including the Canadian Opera Company where she was an
apprentice artist, New York City Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Boston Lyric Opera, l'Opera de Montreal, Calgary Opera, Minnesota Opera and Florida Grand Opera.
With orchestra she has performed world wide in a variety of repertoire from Mozart to Penderecki with such acclaimed conductors as James Conlon, Kurt Masur, Ivan Fischer, Long Yu, Eiji Oue, Charles Dutoit and Mario Bernardi.
Her 2010/ 2011 season performances include the title role of Tosca with Manitoba Opera, Vitellia in Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito with Vancouver Opera and the title role in Barber's Vanessa for Pacific Opera Victoria. She will also tour the Maritime region giving recitals and master classes as well performing the soprano solos in Messiah for Symphony Newfoundland and Orchestre Symphonique de Longueuil.
In addition to a busy performing schedule Ms Nielsen is an active voice teacher, clinician and adjudicator. She has been a guest teacher at the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble, the Glenn Gould Studio, University of Manitoba, McGill Schulich School of Music, Dalhousie and Mt Allison University to name a few. She has taught at a variety of summer programs including Orford arts Centre, Opera Nuova in Edmonton, the new University of Toronto summer opera program COSI in Sulmona Italy and is the artistic director of the summer program at St Andrews by the Sea which she has developed into a nationally recognized program over the past 16 years.
Ms Nielsen is the past chair of the board of Debut Atlantic and serves on the board of the national organization opera.ca She holds a Bachelor of Music in voice from the University of Lethbridge, a Masters of Music in Opera from the University of British Columbia and honourary doctorates from the University of New Brunswick and the University of Lethbridge.
