Jean-Marie Zeitouni has emerged as one of Canada’s brightest young conductors whose eloquent yet fiery style in repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary music results in regular re-engagements across Canada and the United States. Since 2004 he is associate conductor of Les Violons du Roy. Over the years, he has led the ensemble in over 100 performances in the province of Quebec, around Canada, and in Mexico. His recent CD with the ensemble, entitled Piazzola, garnered him a JUNO Award for Classical Album of the Year in the category Solo or Chamber Ensemble in 2007. For Calgary Opera Maestro Zeitouni last conducted the world premiere of Frobisher (2007).

Eda Holmes' work as a theatre director includes: the highly acclaimed 2004 Shaw Festival production of the musical Floyd Collins; The Optimists for Theatre Junction (nominated for five Betty Mitchell Awards); and Helen's Necklace for the 2003 and 2004 seasons at Toronto's Tarragon Theatre, to name a few. She also provided direction to the musical Little Mercy's First Murder, co-produced by the Shaw Festival and the 2003 season at Tarragon Theatre (winner of seven Dora Mavor-Moore Awards including one for direction), and The Gwendolyn Poems by Claudia Dey (nominated for a Governor General's Award) at the Factory Theatre. Eda Holmes’ work also includes film and dramaturgy.  This is Eda Holmes’ debut directorial role within the opera milieu.

Since being personally chosen by Valery Gergiev for a production of La Traviata in St. Petersburg, Tenor Marc Hervieux’s career has reached a new level.  He reprised Alfredo for the Cap d’Antibes Festival and in October of 2005 sang the same role with Zubin Mehta and the New Israeli Philharmonic. Heard in Quebec City as des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon during the 2003-2004 season, he also made role debuts as Pinkerton in Butterfly for Edmonton Opera, and Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor for Pacific Opera Victoria. For Calgary Opera, Mr. Hervieux debuted in the role of Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (2003),created the role of Michael in the world premiere of Frobisher (2007), and performs the role of Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca (2008).

Canadian Bass-Baritone David Bedard started his opera career as a member of the Calgary Opera Chorus.  In the past decade, he has performed with opera houses such as Houston Grand Opera, Vancouver Opera, Opera Ontario, Manitoba Opera, l’Opèra de Montreal, and the New National Theater in Tokyo.  Mr. Bedard last performed with Calgary Opera in the role of Stephen Wagman in the world premiere of Frobisher (2007).

In a short span of time Laura Whalen has made her mark as a Lyric Soprano whose performances are notable for beauty of tone and musical finesse. Ms. Whalen’s career highlights have included her role in La Bohème as Mimi for Pacific Opera Victoria, the Governor General’s Award telecast from the National Arts Centre conducted by Mario Bernardi, and performances for Opera Ontario, Opera Lyra Ottawa, and the Canadian Opera Company. She also toured Europe with the Caritatis Choir singing Brahms’ Requiem in Helsinki, Tallinn and St. Petersburg, and has been featured by the Quebec Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic and Hamilton Philharmonic. For Calgary Opera Ms. Whalen created the title role of the world premiere of Filumena by Estacio and Murrell (2003), performed the role of Pamina in The Magic Flute (2006), and created the role of Anna in the world premiere of Frobisher (2007).

Winner of the 2006 Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award and a prize winner at the prestigious ARD Musikwettbewerb, Joshua Hopkins has been hailed as “…an outstanding young baritone with a virile, vigorous yet velvety sound and an immediately evident dramatic authority.” Operatic performances of the 2007-08 season bring the Canadian baritone to Houston Grand Opera as Marcello in La Bohème, to Arizona Opera as Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, and to Central City Opera as Junius in The Rape of Lucretia.  Hopkins last performed for Calgary Opera in Magic Flute (2006).