Colin Ainsworth, Tenor

Pacific Opera Victoria
Tom Rakewell in The Rake's Progress
November, 2009

Colin Ainsworth made his Pacific Opera Victoria debut as Tamino in the April 2009 production of The Magic Flute, and he returns in November 2009 to make his role debut as Tom Rakewell in The Rake's Progress. .

Recognized internationally and across North America, Mr. Ainsworth has built his reputation based on exceptional singing, impeccable diction and a diverse range of repertoire. Commended by the Toronto Star for a “magnetic stage presence that was the ideal embodiment of a romantic lead” and in the Globe and Mail for “a rock-solid technique, excellent diction, and a virile tone” (Gluck's Orphée), Mr. Ainsworth continues to expand his career.

In addition to his debut as Tom Rakewell with Pacific Opera Victoria, company debuts and new roles figure prominently in his 2009-2010 schedule, highlighted by his first bow with Calgary Opera as Laurie in Adamo's Little Women. He debuted with the Toronto Symphony (The Golden Age of Broadway) and will perform for the Aldeburgh Connection in a programme of Wolf Lieder. Returning to Edmonton Opera, he will be featured as Cassio in Otello.

In spring and summer of 2009 Mr. Ainsworth Colin joined Nicolas McGegan at the Internationale Händel-Festspiele Göttingen singing the music of Hayes and Cherubini in Göttingen and Hanover. He also performed Carmina Burana with the Vancouver Symphony and Elora Festival.

Mr. Ainsworth's summer season for 2008 was highlighted by his debut with Lake George Opera in New York as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi and Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance. He also appeared at the Westben, Bayfield, and Euphonia festivals and sang Die Schöne Müllerin at the Elora Festival. He debuted in September of 2008 with Philharmonia Baroque of San Francisco (Nicholas McGegan conducting) in the title role of Rameau's Pygmalion followed immediately by the title role in Roberto Devereux for Opera in Concert and Tamino in Die Zauberflöte for Opera Hamilton, a role he reprised later in the season for Pacific Opera Victoria. The 2008/09 season also saw him in Edmonton for Nadir in Les pêcheurs de perles and Tonio in La fille du régiment, and in concert performances for the Vancouver and Edmonton symphonies and the Iseler Singers of Toronto.

Praised for his “ability to move seamlessly between different areas of the repertoire”, Mr. Ainsworth is eagerly sought out for his interpretations of operas ranging from Monteverdi to the contemporary operas of MacRae and Britten.

In the summer of 2007, he made his critically acclaimed debut with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden and the Edinburgh International Festival in the world première of Stuart MacRae's opera The Assassin Tree as Youth. After appearing as Tamino in Toronto, he traveled to Athens, where he made his debut with the Greek National Opera singing Orphée in Gluck's Paris version of Orphée et Euridice, a role he reprised with Opera Atelier under the baton of Andrew Parrott. He made his debut with L'Opéra Français de New York as Castor in Castor et Pollux, conducted by Yves Abel, and joined the Montreal Baroque Festival in Monteverdi's L'Orfeo.

Recent CD releases include Vivaldi's La Griselda (Ottone) for Naxos, Schubert Among Friends with Gerald Finley, Gloria in excelsis Deo with Tafelmusik, and the première recording of Derek Holman's cycle The Heart Mislaid for the Aldeburgh Connection's Our Own Songs disc.

His 2007-08 schedule was packed with many company and role debuts including the world premiere of Victor Davies' new opera, Transit of Venus with Manitoba Opera, Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore and Fenton in Verdi's Falstaff – both with Edmonton Opera – Jaquino in Beethoven's Fidelio with Vancouver Opera, the Evangelist in Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium with the Winnipeg Symphony, Handel's Messiah with the Vancouver Bach Choir and Mozart's Requiem with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. The Aldeburgh Connection also featured him in two recitals: the first, singing music of John Greer (which was recorded) and the second devoted to the music of Francis Poulenc. On the concert stage, he was engaged by Orchestra London, the Elora Festival Singers (Bach's St. Matthew Passion), the Talisker Players in a chamber recital, and the Vancouver Symphony (Beethoven's Symphony No. 9).

Ainsworth's 2005-2006 season began with his Glimmerglass Opera debut as Jean in a new production of Massenet's Le Portrait de Manon and continued as Renaud in a rare production of Lully's Armide for Opera Atelier, conducted by Andrew Parrott. He appeared as Damon in Acis and Galatea for Toronto Masque Theatre, Ottone in Vivaldi's La Griselda for Opera in Concert and Apollo in Monteverdi's L'Orfeo for Opera Atelier. His concert performances included Messiah with the Edmonton Symphony, the Elora Singers and the Elmer Iseler Singers, Die Schöpfung for Orchestra London, Mozart's Krönungsmesse and Davidde Penitente for Choeur St. Laurent and an all-Mozart program for the Aldeburgh Connection.

He began the 2004-2005 season with Festival Vancouver singing Haydn's Harmoniemesse and Charpentier's Messe de minuit conducted by Hervé Niquet. He made several debuts including the role of Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni for Opera Atelier under Andrew Parrott, Carmina Burana with the Elora Festival, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and the Vancouver Symphony and also with Orchestre Métropolitain with Yannick Nézet-Séguin leading Beethoven's Missa Solemnis. He returned to Opera Atelier to sing the title role in Charpentier's Actéon. His concert schedule included Bach's Mass in b minor with the Amadeus Choir and Menno Singers, concerts with the Aldeburgh Connection and the Evangelist in Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium with the Bach Consort, Nicholas McGegan conducting.

Operatic highlights of past seasons include Pylades in Opera Atelier's production of Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride conducted by Andrew Parrott, the title role in Britten's Albert Herring and Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Ernesto in Donizetti's Don Pasquale, Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, L'Incoronazione di Poppea for Cleveland Opera, Lully's Persée and Charpentier's Medée, both conducted by Hervé Niquet.

On the concert stage, highlights include Britten's St. Nicolas Cantata and Johannes Passion (arias) with the Grand Philharmonic Choir of Kitchener, Haydn's Stabat Mater with Ensemble Montréal, the St. John Passion (tenor arias) and Bach's B minor Mass with Choeur St. Laurent. His discography includes Rameau's Castor et Pollux as Castor (Opera in Concert/Aradia), Charpentier's Messe de minuit, the collected Masses of Vanhal and a live DVD recording of Lully's Persée.

October, 2009