Biography

Canadian Mezzo-soprano Gena van Oosten is a graduate of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program where she participated in their 2018/19 and 2019/20 season. She was recently awarded the Vancouver Opera Kurt Sickert Memorial Scholarship for her dedication, musicalty and passion towards music and opera.

This summer Gena will be part of an elite group of singers in the Highlands Opera Program, where she will work on the role of Dido from Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. Most recently she was seen as Berta in Vancouver Opera’s production of Il Barbiere di Sivigilla, while understudying the role of Rosina, and Flora in Verdi’s La Traviata (Vancouver Opera).

Known for her vocal sensitivity, musicality, and fiesty stage presence, Gena is a winner of the 2018 Metropolitan Opera National Council Western Canada District and the 2018 Concerto Competition winner for the University of Toronto from where she holds a Masters of Music degree in Voice Performance. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance from McGill University. . Some of her past roles include Berta in The Barber of Seville (Vancouver Opera 2020), Flora in La Traviata (Vancouver Opera 2019) Tisbe in La Cenerentola (Vancouver Opera 2019), Eduige in Rodelinda (Opera in Concert 2018), the First Witch in Dido and Aeneas (Theatre of Early Music), Erica in Barber’s Vanessa (Summer Opera Lyric Theatre) and the title roles of Handel’s  Rinaldo and Giulio Cesare (Opera McGill). Gena has also been a concert soloist with Theatre of Early Music, the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, and the Toronto Operetta Theatre, and has extensive choral experience with La Chapelle de Québec.

Repertoire

| OPERA |

BARBER | Erica - Vanessa

GOUNOD | Siebel - Faust . Stefano - Romeo et Juliette

HANDEL | Rinaldo - Rinaldo . Eduige - Rodelinda

HUMPERDINCK | Hänsel - Hänsel und Gretel

MOZART | Dorabella – Così fan tutte . Cherubino – Le Nozze di Figaro

ROSSINI | Berta/Rosina - Il Barbiere di Siviglia . Tisbe - La Cenerentola

VERDI | Flora - La Traviata

| ORATORIO |

HANDEL | Messiah

LANG | The Little Match Girl Passion

MOZART | Requiem

calendar

Member of the 2018/19 and 2019/20 Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program

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PAST PERFORMANCES:

AUGUST 29, 2020

Chamber Music in the Time of Covid-19 | Koerner Hall

To view this concert please click the link above

AUGUST 13, 15 | 2020 - POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19

Dido, Dido and Aeneas (Purcell) | Highlands Opera Studio

FEBRUARY 13, 15, 20, 23 | 2020

Berta, Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) | Vancouver Opera

APRIL 23, 25, 26, 29, 30 | MAY 2 | 2020

OCTOBER 17, 19, 24, 27 | 2019

Flora Bervoix, La Traviata (Verdi) | Vancouver Opera

APRIL 27 | MAY 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 | 2019

Tisbe, La Cenerentola (Rossini) | Vancouver Opera

Press

BERTA | Il Barbiere Di Siviglia | Vancouver Opera

“And a shout-out must go to Gena Van Oosten, for nearly stealing the show in the housekeeper Berta’s exasperated aria.” – Janet Smith, The Georgia Straight

“Gena van Oosten as the long-suffering maid Berta was lovely, and her aria on the mysteries of love was a great scene - full of men vying for her affections and falling over themselves to get close to her, she obliviously laments the fact that she’ll likely be alone forever. It was a charming touch, and performed beautifully by van Oosten who packs a big voice in a small, feisty package.” -  Melissa Ratcliff, Schmopera

TIsbe | La Cenerentola | Vancouver Opera

“Last but far from least, probably the most laugh-generating pair in the opera are Clorinda and Tisbe, Cenerentola’s stepsisters. … (Clorinda) and Gena van Oosten (Tisbe) were so convincing in all their mugging, preening, and ‘coy’ flirtation, they remained essentially as likeable as they were amusing.” – Robert Jordan, Opera Canada

Eduige | Rodelinda | Opera in Concert

“Gena van Oosten played Eduige, Bertarido’s sister who is betrothed to Grimoaldo. She moved gracefully around the stage and sang with a naturalness and precision that belied the difficulty of her music.” – Matthew Timmermans, Opera Canada

Videos & Recordings

Photos