Don Giovanni - Naxos Music Library

Michael Colvin, tenor
As a member of the COC Ensemble Studio, lyric tenor Michael Colvin leapt to prominence as Count Almaviva in
the COC’s 1999 production of Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia. Other mainstage appearances have included the
world premiere of Randolph Peters’ The Golden Ass (the Scholar), Bellini’s Norma (Flavio), Mozart’s Don Giovanni
(Don Ottavio) and Verdi’s La Traviata (Gastone). He has also starred in the COC Ensemble Studio productions of
Cavalli’s Giasone (Apollo/Aegeus) and Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia (Male Chorus). Although born in Ireland, Mr.
Colvin began his musical studies in Toronto at St. Michael’s Choir School, later graduating from the Opera Division
of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music.
Alain Coulombe, bass
As a COC Ensemble Studio member bass Alain Coulombe made his COC debut in 1998 in Puccini’s Tosca, as
Angelotti and the Jailer. He has also appeared in such COC mainstage productions as Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande
(the Doctor), Mozart’s Don Giovanni (Masetto), Randolph Peters’ The Golden Ass (the Seedy Bandit), Puccini’s La
Bohème (Colline) and Verdi’s La Traviata (Dr. Grenvil). In addition, he has appeared in the COC’s concert
performance of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta (Bertrand). As a member of the COC Ensemble Studio, he has also appeared
as Collatinus in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia. Mr. Coulombe was born in Matane, Québec, and graduated from
Laval University in Quebec City.
Richard Bradshaw, conductor
In a career that has taken him around the world, Richard Bradshaw (a protégé of Sir Adrian Boult, Sir Charles
Groves and Sir John Pritchard) has conducted a wide-ranging repertoire of both operatic and orchestral music for
many of the major international opera companies, symphony orchestras and music festivals. In 1989, Mr.
Bradshaw became Chief Conductor of the Canadian Opera Company, a position he held until 1994, at which time
he was named Artistic Director. In January 1998, he was appointed General Director of the Company. In his first
ten years with the COC, the English-born maestro has conducted more than 30 operas. This current CD is Richard
Bradshaw’s sixth recording for the CBC RECORDS label.
The Canadian Opera Company Orchestra
The COC Orchestra is the only established opera orchestra in Canada. Created in 1977, the Orchestra has a
permanent membership of 54 instrumentalists and has received critical acclaim worldwide for both its
performances and recordings for CBC RECORDS.
Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio
Since its formation in 1980, more than 100 young Canadian singers, opera coaches and stage directors have
acquired their first professional operatic experience with the COC Ensemble Studio (a programme which bridges
the gap between academia and the professional world of opera).