Taras Kulish to perform in special holiday concert in Quebec (11/30/03)

Taras Kulish to perform in special holiday concert in Quebec

MONTREAL - Bass-baritone Taras Kulish will join three other professional opera singers - tenor Michel Corbeil, first soprano Monique Pagé, second soprano Mariateresa Magisano, with piano accompanist Martin Dubé in a holiday concert titled "Natale in Canto" (Christmas in Song) on Friday, December 19, at the Leonardo da Vinci Center, 8370 Blvd. Lacordaire, in St. Leonard, Quebec, at 8 p.m.

The concert program will feature arias, duets, trios and quartets of operaís greatest hits, as well as Christmas songs from various nations in various languages, including French, English, Italian, Ukrainian and German.

For tickets, at $20 (reserved seating), call (514) 955-8370.

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A native of Montreal, Taras Kulish's career is flourishing at a quick pace as a leading bass-baritone of opera houses and orchestras in North America while being noted by critics for his high-quality rich voice and charismatic stage presence.

Mr. Kulish made his European debut in 2002 touring France and Belgium in the title role of "Don Giovanni" to much critical acclaim. He has had huge successes performing roles such as Figaro in "Le Nozze di Figaro" and Leporello in "Don Giovanni" with both the Saskatchewan Opera and the Vancouver Opera.

A frequent guest at the Lanaudiére International Festival, Mr. Kulish has performed at American festivals such as Ravinia's Steans Institute, the Aspen Music Festival and Tanglewood, where he sang in the anniversary production of "Peter Grimes" under conductor Seiji Ozawa.

Mr. Kulish's most recent engagement was with Manitoba Opera in Winnipeg, where he sang the role of Leporello in "Don Giovanni" - a role for which he was hailed by critics, who said he "... literally steals the show in his portrayal of the Don's foil. His acting is top-notch and his sense of comic timing is impeccable" (Winnipeg Free Press, November 2).

His engagements for the upcoming year include singing for the first time the role of the wicked stepfather Don Magnifico in the opera "La Cenerentola" (Cinderella) with the Saskatchewan Opera (February 2004), followed by an appearance in April with Opera Lyra Ottawa, where he will sing the role of the assassin Sparafucile in "Rigoletto." Mr. Kulish will return to Opera Lyra Ottawa in 2005 to sing the roles of Crespel, Shlemil and Luther in "The Tales of Hoffman."

Mr. Kulish received his training at McGill University and the University of Toronto, and as a member of the young artist programs of Montreal and Vancouver operas. He was a district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council, a finalist at the prestigious Belvedere International Opera Compe-tition in Vienna, a recipient of a Canada Council grant, and a grant from the Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation for Young Canadian Opera Singers.

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