The NAC-CBC Debut Series concludes with Ottawa soprano Shannon Mercer on June 24
June 10, 2003 -
Ottawa, Canada -- The Debut Series, co-presented by the National Arts Centre and CBC Radio Two, has its final concert of the season on Tuesday, June 24 with Ottawa soprano Shannon Mercer and pianist Steven Philcox in the NAC Studio at 12:00 noon.
These hour-long recitals give young Canadian musicians the opportunity to perform at the National Arts Centre and to have their recitals recorded and broadcast nationally on CBC Radio Two. Admission is $2.00 with all proceeds going to the NAC Orchestra Bursary Trust Fund. Additional donations to the Fund are greatly appreciated.
Shannon Mercer will sing Purcell's “The Blessed Virgin's Expostulation”, Schubert's “To the Moon on an Autumn Night”, three pieces from Debussy's “Cinq Poèmes de Charles Baudelaire”, Canadian composer Harry Somers “Love-in-Idleness”, and three Welsh Folk Songs.
Shannon Mercer has just finished two years as a member of the Studio Ensemble of the Canadian Opera Company. In June 2002 she joined the prestigious Merola programme at the San Francisco Opera and then returned to San Francisco Opera to perform in the Schwabacher Debut Recital Series. This season Shannon has been seen on the stage of the Canadian Opera Company as Oscar in Un Ballo in Maschera and as Elvira in L'Italiana in Algeri. In the summer of 2003 she will appear as Susanna in the Music Academy of the West production of Le Nozze di Figaro followed in the fall by her Opera Ontario debut as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Recently she made her debut for l'Opéra de Québec as First Lady in Mozart's Magic Flute. A respected performer in the early music field, Shannon will appear next season in Handel's Saul at the National Arts Centre for the Ottawa Choral Society.
