Betty Waynne Allison, Soprano

Pacific Opera Victoria
Annina in La traviata
October, 2009

Betty Waynne Allison is participating in Pacific Opera Victoria's Fall 2009 Resident Artist Program and will perform the role of Annina in Verdi's La traviata.

Betty grew up in Ladysmith, B.C. and attended the University of Victoria, graduating with degrees in both music and education. While in Victoria she sang with the POV chorus, making her debut as First Bridesmaid in Le Nozze di Figaro. She joined the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio in 2006, with her main stage debut as Annina in La traviata. She has since performed many additional roles with the company, including Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Donna Elvira in Gazzaniga's Don Giovanni, the Turnspit in Rusalka, and Mona in Swoon. She has covered numerous roles for the COC, most notably Amelia in Simon Boccanegra, Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, and the title role in Rusalka.

In the summer of 2007 she sang the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Centre for Opera in Sulmona Italy (COSI), returning the following year to perform excerpts from Così fan tutte. In the summer of 2009 she performed the title role in Janacek's The Cunning Little Vixen in an exciting new production at the Banff Centre. Equally at home in oratorio, Ms. Allison's concert repertoire includes Haydn's Creation, Dvorak's Te Deum, Brahms' Requiem and Handel's Messiah.

The last of the singers - and certainly not least - was third year [COC Ensemble] member soprano Betty Allison. She sang the exacting "Come scoglio" from Cosi fan tutte with beautiful, focused tone, well controlled vibrato, sure sense of pitch, and admirable fioratura.
La Scena Musicale

But even in this company, none are more impressive than Allison, who combines it all - voice, acting ability, presence and beauty - in one highly impressive performance.
Toronto Sun

September, 2009