Métis soprano Melody Courage gained national attention as The Native Girl “…played with ethereal grace…” in the 2017 world premiere of Marie Clements and Brian Current’s opera Missing, coproduced by City Opera Vancouver and Pacific Opera Victoria. Missing gives voice, in English and Gitxsan, to the story of Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women. Melody debuted with Anchorage Opera in the US premiere of Missing in 2023.
Highlights for Melody in 2023/24 season are First Lady in The Magic Flute with Vancouver Opera and performing opera hits with the newly created ensemble Indigidivas, with conductor Janna Sailor and Calgary Philharmonic. Melody joins mezzo soprano Marion Newman for Wreckonciliation, approaching opera repertoire through an Indigenous lens, with Opera Kelowna. In May, Melody is a guest artist with Vancouver’s Müzewest, performing the world premiere of a new composition by Jesse Plessis.
Recent performances for Melody include Chrisann in Calgary Opera’s production of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, and Messiah with Vancouver Bach Choir.
In Toronto, Melody starred in Two Odysseys: Pimooteewin/Gállábártnit, presented by Soundstreams Canada and Signal Theatre, directed by Michael Greyeyes/Cole Alvis, composed by Melissa Hui/Britta Byström. These two operas, sung in Cree and Sàmi, are rooted in traditional tales from Canada and Nordic countries.
During the pandemic, Melody performed Ian Cusson’s In Winter with the Canadian Opera Company in their digital concert series.
