Lynne McMurtry - Mezzo-Soprano

232 Westmount Ave,
Toronto,
ON M6E 3M8
Tel/Fax:: (416) 654-3854
e-mail: lynnemc@pathcom.com

Mezzo-soprano Lynne McMurtry was born in Vancouver , Canada , and studied at the University of British Columbia and the Eastman School of Music in Rochester , New York , where she received a M. Mus. She then came to the UK as winner of the Opera Trust Scholarship at the R.S.A.M.D., where she completed the Advanced M. Mus. in Opera. Highlights of Lynne’s time in the UK include her recital at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London, and a tour of Scotland with Paragon Ensemble in their premiere of An Turus, the world’s first gaelic opera. She is currently based in Toronto , Canada .

In the standard repertoire, her operatic credits include the Slave in Salome with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Arsace in Rossini’s Semiramide with Opera in Concert, Gertrude in Roméo et Juliette with Opera Ontario, Olga in Evgeny Onegin at Aldeburgh, and the Third Lady in The Magic Flute with Manitoba Opera. Her oratorio performances include J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion with Pax Christi Chorale, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Kingston Symphony, Messiah with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and the Kitchener Waterloo Philharmonic Chorus, and Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with the Eastman Faculty Players.

Her interest in contemporary music extends across the genres, and her many premieres include the world premiere of Conquering the Fury of Oblivion by Chicago Symphony composer-in-residence Augusta Read Thomas, the Canadian premiere of Ned Rorem’s Evidence Not Seen with the Maplewood Artists Collective, and the North American premiere of Judith Weir’s Voice of Desire. In the last few seasons she has been featured in no less than seven Canadian operas, including three premieres. These included her highly acclaimed, multi-faceted performances in the production "Opera to Go" with Tapestry New Opera Works, which toured to the Algoma Fall Festival after its Toronto debut, and was later broadcast on CBC Radio.

Recent performances include her debut with the Winnipeg Symphony singing selections from Mahler’s Rückert Lieder , a masterclass and song recital in Carlisle , Pennsylvania , and an enthusiastically received performance as Roberto in Vivaldi’s La Griselda.

Reviews

"...the young soloist posseses a powerhouse voice with wonderful breath control and a controlled sense of line....McMurtry undoubtedly has a long career ahead of her and it would fascinating to hear her sing this work again 10 years from now." ( Winnipeg Free Press on R ü ckert Lieder with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra)

"McMurtry is a force of natureas the ambitious mother and also dominated two other operas in which she sang. This young artist has pipes of steel, an assured technique and great stage presence, which bode a great future. " ( Toronto Star on Opera To Go with Tapestry New Opera)

"The stand-out singer was mezzo-soprano McMurtry, who possesses a big, dramatic voice and many shades of nuance. She is also an actress of immense talent" (Opera Canada on Opera To Go with Tapestry New Opera)

"McMurtry turned from good to ravishingin Beckwith’s Night Blooming Cereus....As Mrs. Brown, Lynne McMurtry was close to perfect, at one point holding our attention in her complete control for what must have been 15 minutes of uninterrupted solo performing." (Globe & Mail on Night Blooming Cereus with Opera in Concert)

"Much of the stage time belongs to Mrs. Brown, superbly sung by McMurtry, whose velvet-toned mezzocaptured the right mood, and who somehowmade her difficult vocal part seem effortless. One can only hope to see much more of this wonderful young singer on our stages." (

Toronto Star on Night Blooming Cereus with Opera in Concert)

"McMurtry was simply outstanding as Mrs. Brown, with fulsome tone and careful characterization...as McMurtry sang... it was like listening to a deeply felt lieder cycle of short songs that limned a whole life." (Opera Canada on Night Blooming Cereus with Opera in Concert)

"It fell to Lynne McMurtry as Arsace to save the day...McMurtry displayed all the nuance, colour, excitement and passion that was missing from the people around her." (Paula Citron, Classical 96.3 FM on Semiramide with Opera in Concert)

"The quality of her voice and that almost indefinable quality called poise was entrancing." (Stuart Fleming, The Morning Star on J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio)

“Monday evening’s performance...by contralto Lynne McMurtry was outstanding. McMurtry’s elegance and poise drew the large audience into the intimacy of the salon and held them there throughout the program...McMurtry’s gift of lyricism was especially evident in her presentations of the Debussy chansons. Here, the shimmering timbre of her voice projected effortlessly. The effect was simply magical.” ( Vernon Daily News)

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