Whether being hailed as “mesmerizing” (Classical Voice of North Carolina), “thrilling” (The New Classical 96.3 FM), or “a clear standout” (San Francisco Classical Voice), versatile soprano Lara Ciekiewicz makes her mark as a compelling, intelligent, and accomplished singing-actress. As an indication of her increasing stature in the arts world, Ms. Ciekiewicz received the Winnipeg Arts Council’s RBC ‘On the Rise Award’ for 2015. An alumna of l’Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal, she has distinguished herself at San Francisco’s Merola Opera Program, the Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center, Opera NUOVA and the Banff Centre.
New and exciting roles figure prominently in Lara’s 2017/2018 season beginning with the title role in JENUFA for Pacific Opera Victoria with Tatyana in EUGENE ONEGIN on her schedule for Calgary Opera. For Opera on the Avalon, she will be heard in INTO THE WOODS and looks forward to Forsythe’s Metis Songs with the Winnipeg Symphony, Berlioz LES NUITS D’ETE for the Winnipeg Chamber Music series and `Salute to Vienna’, this year in Montréal and Québec. Last season’s highlights included Contessa in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO for Vancouver Opera, Amelia SIMON BOCCANEGRA for Pacific Opera Victoria, Beethoven’s SYMPHONY NO. 9 for the Boise Philharmonic and Nellie in SOUTH PACIFIC for Opera on the Avalon.
MESSIAH, Penderecki`s SEVEN GATES OF JERUSALEM, Mozart`s REQUIEM, CARMINA BURANA, Beethoven`s SYMPHONY No. 9 and Handel`s ISRAEL IN EGYPT are among the vocal – orchestral works she has sung with the Winnipeg Symphony, McGill Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Symphonique de Laval, Sinfonia de Lanaudiere, and Orchestre Sherbrooke. She has appeared for LÒpera de Montreal as Musetta in LA BOHEME and in Toronto starred for VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert in the title role of ANNA BOLENA. Her roles in the world of Viennese operetta include title roles in COUNTESS MARITZA and GYPSY PRINCESS as well as Yum Yum in MIKADO and the title role in PRINCESS IDA. Ms. Ciekiewicz holds a Masters in Music (Opera) from McGill University and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours, Voice) from the University of Winnipeg. She is a laureate of Montreal’s Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques.
