Erin Bardua - Voice
Soprano Erin Bardua is a frequent soloist, voice teacher, and stage director. She is also a co-founder of Essential Opera, a concert opera company performing and creating in Ontario and Atlantic Canada.
Like many performers, Ms. Bardua's most recent work has been on film and online, including a programme of contemporary and original music for unaccompanied voice and voice with flute titled Afterwards-Day for Sappyfest: Infinite Variety. In 2020, her company Essential Opera produced two operatic films: Mirror, mirror, by Anna Pidgorna; and December, by Monica Pearce. The company is now developing a new work with Nova Scotia composer Fiona Ryan.
Erin has performed with Orchestra Toronto, the Talisker Players, Nota Bene Baroque, Pax Christi Chorale, Toronto Sinfonietta, Oshawa-Durham Chorus, Arcady Baroque Ensemble, St. James Cathedral Choir, Capella Intima, London Pro Musica, the Menno Singers, Pacific Opera Victoria, Vancouver Opera, and Opera Anonymous, among others. Her concert repertoire includes many oratorios by Handel (including Messiah, of course), and others such as Haydn’s Creation, Mozart’s Requiem, Bach’s Magnificat and Passions, Vivaldi’s Gloria. Erin's operatic roles have included Alcina (Handel), and numerous Mozart such as Pamina (The Magic Flute), Countess (The Marriage of Figaro) and Donna Anna (Don Giovanni). She has also premiered leading roles in several new operas.
Erin has provided dramatic coaching and stage direction for the Halifax Summer Opera Festival, where she directed Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea in 2018 and Handel's Alcina for the 2019 season. She also often works with Mount Allison University's Opera Workshop, and currently teaching lyric diction. She operates a private voice studio in Sackville, NB.