Korean born tenor Dongwon Shin has performed a number of signature roles at companies around the world, including Manrico (Il trovatore) at the Fort Worth Opera, the Dresden Semperoper, and the Nashville Opera; Radames (Aida) at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Vienna Staatsoper, the San Francisco Opera, Opera Australia, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Savonlinna Festival, and the Houston Grand Opera; and Calaf (Turandot) at the Dayton Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Opera New Zealand, Opera Australia, and Santa Fe Opera. Other appearances include Turridu (Cavalleria rusticana) at the Metropolitan Opera, and Samson (Samson et Dalila) in Lecce, Italy. Company debut.

Fast becoming one of the finest baritones of his generation, Gregory Dahl greatly impressed Montreal audiences with his performances in Pagliacci/Schicchi, in two of the main roles. His more recent engagements notably include Nick Shadow (The Rake’s Progress) at the Vancouver Opera, Enrico (Lucia di Lammermoor) at Opera Lyra Ottawa, and Iago (Otello) at the Edmonton Opera. As part of the Luminato Festival in Toronto, he sang Philippe in the North American premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s opera Prima donna, in addition to portraying Karl in the world premeire of Lillian Alling by John Estacio. Last company appearance: Pagliacci/Schicchi (2009).

Upon completing her studies in Italy, she first tackled the Rossini (La cenerentola) and Mozart (Cherubino, The Marriage of Figaro) repertoire, but quickly evolved to more dramatic roles. She soon began appearing throughout Europe and America, singing major Verdian roles, with a few incursions into the French repertoire. Her recent engagements include Azucena (Il trovatore) in Parma and Indianapolis, the title role of Carmen in Turin and Washington, Charlotte (Werther) in Rovigo, Eboli (Don Carlo) in Hamburg, and Amneris (Aida) in Savona, Livorno, Essen, and Hamburg. She also sang the Princess (Suor Angelica) in Rennes, and Laura (La Gioconda) in Saint-Étienne. Company debut.

Ernesto Morillo was very well received during his first appearance in Montréal in 2010, in the role of Sparafucile (Rigoletto). A native of Caracas, he began his musical studies in his home city, going on to further his training in Europe before making his European debut in Madrid in 1998, playing the King (Aida). Recent engagements include Ramfis (Aida) at the Opéra de Lausanne, the Husband (Reigen) at the Opéra National du Rhin, Petrucci (Lucrezia Borgia) at the Opera de Oviedo, Timur (Turandot) in Como, Oroveso (Norma) with the Grange Park Opera, and the Commendatore (Don Giovanni) at Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. Last company appearance: Rigoletto (2010).

Since being invited by Gian Carlo Menotti to conduct the Spoleto Festival concert in the square in 2001, and being asked back in 2002 to conduct The Telephone and The Medium, Francesco Maria Colombo has gone on to conduct more than 40 orchestras around the world. As a conductor of opera, he has established himself in the United States and in Europe with a vast repertoire that includes Maria Padilla, Orazi e Curiazi, Roberto Devereux, Tosca, La bohème, Don Pasquale, The Tales of Hoffmann, Il trovatore, Pagliacci, La voix humaine, Pelléas et Mélisande, and L’Arlésienne. Recently, he recorded a CD of music by Victor De Sabata for Universal. Last company appearance: Roberto Devereux (2010).

Oriol Tomas has been working as a stage director at the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal for the past four years. In 2010, he staged Handel’s Rodelinda at Pacific Opera Victoria, a touring performance by Pentaèdre Quintet, and a revival—at Place des Arts—of Aleacanto, a collage of “some of the finest music from yesterday to today” that he created with Dominique Gauthier. Recently, he directed La Périchole for the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal’s opera studio, and was critically acclaimed for his very convincing vision of Menotti’s The Consul, the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal’s annual production, presented in collaboration with the National Theatre School of Canada. Company debut.

For theatre, she has designed the lighting for Romeo and Juliet (Théâtre Denise-Pelletier), Le caillou de saturne (Théâtre du p’tit loup), Le père Léonidas and La Réaction (Montreal Arts Interculturel), Ce fou de Platonov (Théâtre Prospero), Molière en hiver (Bain St-Michel), and Théâtre sans animaux (Théâtre La Licorne). At the opera, she has designed the lighting for Il tabarro/Suor Angelica, Rigoletto, Tosca, Lucia di Lammermoor (Opéra de Montréal), Macbeth (Opera Australia), and was the assistant lighting designer for Thaïs (Palm Beach Opera). She teaches at the National Theater School of Canada. Last OdM appearance: Werther (2011).