Hailed by Opera Canada magazine as “a show-stopper,” bass-baritone Chad Louwerse brings his impeccable singing to the Sid Williams Theatre on Monday morning, Jan. 16. Joining him on the stage for this third concert in the Mattina Musica series will be pianist Sarah Hagen.
Originally from British Columbia, Louwerse is poised to take his place among the most important bass-baritones of his generation. He debuted in Europe with l’Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg as Bernadino in Berlioz’ “Benvenuto Cellini” and in Canada has been heard from Quebec to British Columbia.
He has had major roles with the Montreal Opera, Montreal Opera’s Atelier Lyrique, Pacific Opera Victoria, Edmonton Opera, Opera Nuova and, most recently, in Vancouver Opera’s latest production of “Roméo et Juliette”. Currently residing in London, Ont., Louwerse is a winner of both the CBC Westcoast Performance Pacific Spotlight competition and the Début competition and has given recitals broadcast on CBC Radio Two.
Steadily rising on the Canadian music scene, Hagen lives and works in a loft studio in one of Vancouver’s most vibrant artistic neighbourhoods. She and Louwerse first met in Ottawa in 1998 at the National Music Festival where they were both prize winners and realized they shared a common sense of musical integrity and creative ideals. Their paths have continually crisscrossed since then. Some years later, unbeknownst to Hagen, Louwerse was invited to host her CBC Radio Two debut recital.
Encouraging a pause from operatic life and the Ontario winter, Hagen persuaded Louwerse to come out to the west coast for a tour of Art Song, spirituals and operetta. Their program, highlighting the rich connection between voice and piano, includes works by Schubert and Fauré, the charming “Tale Of The Oyster” by Cole Porter, and likely a surprise or two!
Individual tickets are $20. Coffee and tea is served at 10 a.m. and music begins at 10:30. For more information on the Mattina Musica series and other upcoming performances, visit www.sidwilliamstheatre.com or call 250-338 2430.
