MARJORIE MALTAIS

Mezzo-Soprano

BIOGRAPHY

Mezzo-soprano Marjorie Maltais is rapidly developing an excellent reputation on both concert and operatic stages throughout North America.  A native of Clermont, Quebec, Marjorie won First Prize at the Ottawa Choral Society’s New Discoveries Competition in 2016, leading to engagements with Grand Philharmonic Choir, Chorus Niagara, Peterborough Singers and Choeur-St-Laurent.

 

This season, Marjorie debuts with Pacific Opera Victoria as Mercedes in Carmen and performs with Pennsylvania’s LyricFest in “A Singer’s Singer: Biography in Music” of Winnaretta Singer, American heiress and patroness in Paris. Marjorie is a frequent guest artist with Toronto’s Voicebox:Opera in Concert, most recently singing Erika in Vanessa.

 

During the pandemic, Marjorie starred in “Everything comes to a Head”, the first in Decameron Opera Coalition’s series of short green-screen digital operas “Tales from a Safe Distance”, inspired by Boccaccio’s novellas written in the 14th Century to pass the time while sheltering from the plague in Florence. Marjorie is featured in several OperaBreaks videos directed by François Racine and produced by Domoney Artists during the pandemic.

 

Recent highlights for this engaging young artist include a brilliant debut with Boston Early Music Festival in performances of “Versailles:Portrait of a Royal Domain”, (Charpentier and Lalande), Messiah with Elmer Iseler Singers, Bach’s Magnificat with Thirteen Strings, and the premiere of Ian Cusson’s song cycle “Le récital des anges” (poetry by Emile Nelligan), at Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Canadian Opera Company.

 

Marjorie has appeared as a guest soloist with Les Boréades de Montréal, with Windsor Symphony, Boise Philharmonic, Regina Symphony Orchestra, Montréal’s Orchestre Metropolitain, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and Edinburgh International Festival.

 

Marjorie Maltais and tenor/accordionist Jacques Arsenault join their considerable talents as French Squeeze, presenting original arrangements of their favourite French songs from Canada and France in recent performances in Prince Edward Island and Toronto. In 2023, French Squeeze joins Kingston’s Cantabile Choirs in “La Vie en Rose”.

In "Versailles: Portrait of a Royal Domain" with Boston Early Music Festival –

"The second scene focused on the rivalry between La Musique and La Conversation, Wakim’s ethereal high soprano competing imperiously with the constant interruptions of Marjorie Maltais’s virtuosic mezzo parlando in rapid triple time. Music called for silence so she could deliver her song to Love and charm the king, only to be ridiculed by Conversation."

Virginia Newes, The Boston Musical Intelligencer

SELECTED ROLES

Cherubino  | Le Nozze di Figaro

Angelina  | La Cenerentola

Mercedes | Carmen

SELECTED REPERTOIRE

Handel | Messiah

Bach | B Minor Mass

Mendelssohn | Elijah

Marjorie Maltais, Mezzo-Soprano

PRESS KIT

HEADSHOTS

 

DOCUMENTS

Updated Feb 2024

 

 

AUDIO

Korngold

Songs


Schulhoff

v244-16


Wagner

Songs

ARTIST CONNECTIONS

REVIEWS

In "Versailles: Portrait of a Royal Domain" with Boston Early Music Festival –

"It's probably unfair to single out individuals, but Teresa Wakim and Marjorie Maltais, as the comically squabbling Music and Conversation in Charpentier's Versailles, were pretty hard to resist."

Andrew L. Pincus, The Berkshire Eagle

 

"The second scene focused on the rivalry between La Musique and La Conversation, Wakim’s ethereal high soprano competing imperiously with the constant interruptions of Marjorie Maltais’s virtuosic mezzo parlando in rapid triple time. Music called for silence so she could deliver her song to Love and charm the king, only to be ridiculed by Conversation."

Virginia Newes, The Boston Musical Intelligencer

 

In St. Matthew Passion with Thirteen Strings Chamber Orchestra  –

"Mezzo Marjorie Maltais has a warm, consoling, voice with a richly elegant low register."

Natasha Gauthier, Artsfile

 

As Costanza in L'isola disabitata with Voicebox: Opera in Concert –

“Appearing as Costanza, singer actor Marjorie Maltais, confidently anchored this mid-winter Voicebox production with a deeply resonant performance, her rich, warm mezzo brimming with all the courage and desperation of a woman stretched to the ends of her wits. Her lustrous rendition of Haydn’s moving ‘Ah che in van per me pietso’ (‘All in vain time is flying’) instilled her solo with great dignity and grace.”

Ian Ritchie, Opera Going Toronto

 

As a Finalist in the COC Centre Stage Competition, 2015 –

"...mezzo-Soprano Marjorie Maltais wowed us with a stunning La Cenerentola. Fiery eyes and a flashy dress had me enthralled. Add the fireworks of her remarkable coloratura, each triplet was solidly in tempo and had wonderful direction. I was sold. Brava.“

Greg Finney, Schmopera.com

 

"Speaking of fire, Marjorie Maltais started with La cenerentola, and sang Gounod's ‘Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle’ for the public round. Hers was some of the night's most polished, smart singing, with a gorgeous natural affinity for the Rossini.“

Jenna Douglas, Schmopera.com

 

"...kudos to Marjorie Maltais’s for her fine ‘Non piu mesta.’ She also looked terrific onstage. Given the venerable BBC Cardiff Singer of the World has a ‘Frock Watch,’ why not the COC? For me, the gown of Ms. Maltais was stunning, the best of the evening."

Joseph So, Musical Toronto

 

"Mezzo Marjorie Maltais also kept the fireworks for the private audition: ‘Non piu mesta’, the final aria of Cenerentola. On stage, she sang ‘Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle’ from Gounod’s R&J. It’s a sweet aria that has some dramatic variety and allows the singer to show off her French. What was most appealing about Maltais’ performance is that she was visibly free and playful with it. She was also showing nascent signs of that all-important thing in a singer, a style."

Definitely the Opera

 

"Of the also sangs, my favourite was, you’ve guessed it, another mezzo. Marjorie Maltais sang two really difficult arias; ‘Non più mesta’ from La Cenerentola, which wasn’t perfect but was exciting, and a really idiomatic ‘Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle?’ from Roméo et Juliette.  She would have been in my top three and I have to wonder if the judges just couldn’t see their way to a mezzo grand slam."

Opera Ramblings

 

As Angelina in La Cenerentola, Western University Opera –

“Marjorie Maltais (Angelina), innocent and beguiling, proved a fine actress who could soar through her high notes while also demonstrating darker and subtler tones during contemplative moments.”

Dawn Martens, Opera Canada

 

Angelina, played by Marjorie Maltais, moves the room with her voice and wins the crowd over with her simplicity, kind heart and good intentions.”

Adriana Covic, The Western Gazette

 

 

As Carmen, Windsor Symphony –

Carmen is the beautiful Marjorie Maltais, whose clear and commanding voice accompanied her theatrical performance well. Maltais’ rendition of ‘L’amour est un oiseau rebelle (Love is a rebel bird)’ was flawless. Her voice resonated throughout The Capitol, giving the impression of being seated in a first-class Parisian Opera House.”

Loren Mastracci, The Urbanite

 

 

As Hermia in Midsummer Night’s Dream, Opera on the Avalon –

“The opening-night Hermia and Helena (Marjorie Maltais and Clarissa Lyons) are strong interpretively and vocally, with the former having a gorgeous voice and the latter characterized by nice comic flair.”

Gordon Jones, The Telegram

 

 

As Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Western University Opera –

“The other sister, Dorabella, played by Marjorie Maltais was another musical confection. Vocal lines were clearly defined with appropriate dynamics and when singing with Fiordiligi the balance and blend of these two voices was at times quite magical.”

The Beat Magazine

VIDEO

Strauss

Chacun a son gout

Die Fledermaus

Rossini

Non piu mesta

La Cenerentola

Mendelssohn

Woe unto him

Elijah

Pax Christi Chorale & Orchestra

Mendelssohn

O Rest in the Lord

Elijah

Pax Christi Chorale & Orchestra

Rossini

Dunque io Son

Il Barbiere di Siviglia

OperaBreaks

Offenbach

Barcarolle

Les Contes d'Hoffmann

OperaBreaks

Handel

Or la tromba

Rinaldo

Offenbach

Vois sur l'archet fremissant

Les contes d'Hoffmann

Canada Council for the Arts
Domoney Artists Management