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Christina Raphaëlle Haldane

Acadian, Classical, Jazz
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CHRISTINA’s career spans the UK, Europe, Asia and North America, and she is currently based in Canada’s Atlantic provinces. She has interpreted many lead opera roles, having performed for opera houses such as The Finnish National Opera, The Royal Opera Covent Garden, Scottish Opera and Musica Viva Hong Kong. Her specialism is performing HANDEL’S HEROINES, COMEDIC BEL CANTO roles and CONTEMPORARY opera. Christina enjoys performing and curating RECITAL and CHAMBER MUSIC concerts, and she is often invited to perform with LEADING ORCHESTRAS. Her exploration of contemporary music has led to many collaborations with composers, and she continues to bring their VOCAL WORKS TO LIFE. Christina is a bilingual (English and French) with Acadian heritage, and she is a proud citizen of Canada and Great Britain.

She is thrilled to present Tu me voyais, her first record on Leaf Music, released on October 21, 2022. This album is the result of the collaboration between Christina and her cousin, interdisciplinary artist Carl Philippe Gionet, along with several other artists, writers, and composers who have contributed their own offerings. The album is anchored around Gionet’s new arrangements of Twelve Acadian Folk Songs, tailored for Christina’s voice. These re-imaginings are set in the 19th century lieder aesthetic or art song where voice and piano play equal solo parts within the musical architecture. This project is supported in part by ARTS NB, Music NB, Canada Council for the Arts and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Christina enjoyed some exciting creative activities and collaborations in the 2021/ 22 season. She was honoured to have been selected as one of the season’s ‘EXPORT NB’ artists, a prestigious career development initiative with MUSIC NB, in her home province of New Brunswick. Back on the operatic stage, she also created the role of Helen to critical acclaim, in the premiere performance of Michael Rose’s musical opera A NORTHERN LIGHTS DREAM, for Toronto Operetta Theatre.

As a recording artist, Christina released her critically acclaimed debut album ‘… LET ME EXPLAIN’ (2019), a collection of Canadian art songs which explores folk, jazz and avant-garde styles. She was the lead artist for ICARE (2020), an interdisciplinary digital performance product produced through the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Innovation initiative, in partnership with CBC/ Radio Canada.

Highlights from Christina’s operatic career in the bel canto and music of Handel feature the title role in Donizetti’s LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT (Swansea City Opera & Musica Viva Hong Kong), Clorinda in Rossini’s LA CENERENTOLA (Iford Arts & Scottish Opera), Adina in Donizetti’s L’ELISIR D’AMORE (Musica Viva Hong Kong), Cleopatra in GIULIO CESARE (Finnish National Opera) and the title role in RODELINDA (Opera in Concert Toronto).

Christina has enjoyed a strong relationship with the Royal Opera Covent Garden. She performed the London premiere of Jonathan Dove’s MINTERNE in the Crush Room recital space and the role of Rapunzel in their production of Sondheim’s INTO THE WOODS. As a cover artist for the Royal Opera, Christina has been engaged as Fiorilla in Rossini’s IL TURCO IN ITALIA, Sifare in Mozart’s MITRIDATE, Nella in Puccini’s GIANNI SCHICCHI and Silvia in Thomas Adès’ bold opera THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL (also for the Salzburg Festival). Christina’s performance of Silvia’s aria was streamed to over 50 000 viewers in the ROYAL OPERA HOUSE INSIGHTS special on Adès’ exciting new opera.

Christina continues to combine performing with her love of teaching. She was on the Voice Faculty at Dalhousie’s Fountain School of Performing Arts from 2019, and joined the team at Mount Allison’s Department of Music in July, 2022. Home for Christina is in Moncton, where she lives with her partner Patrice and their two diva dog Pomerians, Wally and Sissi.