Centre Stage 2014: Looking for the Next Big Star

The Canadian Opera Company’s Centre Stage will be holding its sophomore event on Tuesday, November 25 at its home, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The purpose of the event is to discover the “next opera star” and will feature seven singers, picked out of a pool of 175 from across Canada. The finalists are: mezzo-soprano Zoe Band (Toronto); soprano Eliza Johnson (Stratford, Ont.); baritone Dimitri Katotakis (Toronto); baritone Nathan Keoughan (Charlottetown); tenor Aaron Sheppard (St. John’s, N.L.); mezzo-soprano Michelle Siemens (Calgary); and tenor Charles Sy (Toronto), all vying for prizes worth between $1,500 and $5,000 as well as a spot in the Canadian Opera Company’s training program, the Ensemble Studio.

Promo video for this year’s event

Last year’s finalists with special guest and COC supporter and host, Rufus Wainwright

In addition to recapping the Centre Stage (as well as its pre-performance cocktails) itself, DelectablyChic! will also be attending a dress fitting this coming Friday for the singers. We will be offering some behind the scenes coverage, so look for our social media updates under #delchiccentrestage and #delchicdressfitting!

Tickets are still available for the event and are $100 each (or $35 if you are under 30!).

Image courtesy of Knot PR; Centre Stage 2014 video promo via the Canadian Opera Company’s YouTube channel

About Cynthia Cheng Mintz

Cynthia Cheng Mintz is the founder and webitor-in-chief of this site and the petite-focused site, Shorty Stories. She has also written for other publications including the Toronto Star and has blogged for The Huffington Post. Her first novel, Aspirations, was published in 2007. Outside of writing, Cynthia researches and advises philanthropic ideas for family funds and foundations and also volunteers.