LAUREN MARGISON IN CONCERT
Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.
Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre for Performance & Learning
In collaboration with:
Timothy Cheung, piano & the Jason Jestadt Ensemble
Jason Jestadt, piano
Tom Jestadt, drums
George Koller, bass
Rob Piltch, guitars
I have been surrounded by live music for all my life. Whether it was listening to my mother playing viola, or listening to my father singing I have been exposed to live music for longer than I can remember. I come from a long line of performers on both sides and in some ways I feel that there was no alternative to me pursuing a career in music, not because I was in any way pushed into it by my family, but because it feels woven into my very soul starting generations back. I began my professional musical career as a jazz and folk singer before devoting the majority of my time to classical singing and opera in particular. This program is full of my favourite pieces to sing regardless of the genre. While I have spent the most time pursuing excellence in the operatic field, I have never forgotten the love I have for other genres such as jazz, folk and musical theatre. I’ve never subscribed to the idea that an opera singer should sing only opera, it puts limitations on what should be limitless. This program is filled with pieces that have spoken to me and touched me and uplifted me and brought me joy and sorrow through many stages of my life. Interpreting each and every one of these works (including one of my own songs) alongside the brilliant artists with me today brings me immense gratitude. Oh, beautiful music!
“Anyone who loves music can never be quite unhappy.” – Franz Schubert
LAUREN MARGISON, soprano
TIMOTHY CHEUNG, piano
SCHUBERT
BARBER
“An Die Musik” Text by Franz von Schober
“Do not utter a word” from Vanessa
WAGNER Elsa’s Traum from Lohengrin
HENSEL
CHARPENTIER
MOZART
DVOŘÁK
Mélodie, Op. 5, no. 6 Andante soave
Timothy Cheung, piano
“Depuis le jour” from Louise
“Temerari… Come scoglio” from Così fan tutte
“Song to the Moon” from Rusalka
— INTERMISSION —
LAUREN
MARGISON, soprano
JASON JESTADT ENSEMBLE
JASON JESTADT, piano | TOM JESTADT, drums | GEORGE KOLLER, bass | ROB PILTCH, guitars
SONDHEIM
CROCE
LAUREN MARGISON
HOWARD
HAYDN
STEVENSON
KANDER/EBB
“Losing My Mind” from Follies
“Time in a Bottle”
“Chasing Shooting Stars”
“Fly Me to the Moon”
“Red, red rose” Text by Robert Burns
“The Last Rose of Summer” Text by Thomas Moore
“Maybe This Time” from Cabaret
Lauren Margison is making her mark as an exciting emerging soprano. She returns to the mainstage of Opéra de Montréal this season as Mimi in Puccini’s La bohème and debuted the title role of Alceste with Toronto’s Opera in Concert. Upcoming in 2025/26, Margison makes her American debut with the Memphis and Billings symphonies for Verdi’s Requiem. In the 2023/24 season, Margison revisited the roles of Nedda in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci and Anna in Puccini’s Le villi, and debuted the role of Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello, all with Staatstheater Mainz. Her additional recent engagements include Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen with Pacific Opera Victoria, Tatyana in Highland Opera Studio’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 for Orchestre symphonique de Québec, The Csardas Princess with Toronto Operetta Theatre, and the titular role of Barber’s Vanessa with Opera in Concert. Margison has been featured as Micaëla in Carmen with the Brott Music Festival, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte with Highlands Opera Studio, and appeared in concert with the PRISMA Festival in Strauss’s Four Last Songs. She also appeared as Mimi in a special presentation of La Bohème with Artists of the COC Ensemble at The Four Seasons Centre and was featured in the COC’s Elektra.
An alumna of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio, she was a member of the prestigious Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal, a laureate of Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques, and was the youngest finalist to appear in the prestigious and highly competitive Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Vocal Competition. A finalist and prizewinner in the 2017 George London Foundation Awards, Margison went on to take first prize in the 2018 competition. She has garnered additional recognition in the Metropolitan Opera
Thank you to our generous sponsors!
Laffont Competition, was a semi-finalist in the Concours International Musical de Montréal (2022), and won Edmonton Opera’s inaugural Rumbold Vocal Prize (2022). Margison was honored to be named a Sylva Gelber Foundation winner in both 2022 and 2024. A versatile soprano, she has performed extensively both in Canada and internationally, specializing in classical, jazz and pop repertoire. Some highlights include performances for Opera Ontario, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, the Beaches Jazz Festival, the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, the Cincinnati Pops, Hannaford Street Silver Band, the noon hour concerts at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts – Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Ottawa Choral Festival Gala, and the Venetian Ball under the baton of Marco Armiliato, (fundraiser for Villa Charities, Toronto) held on the main stage of the Four Seasons’ Centre for the Performing Arts.
Timothy Cheung is a pianist and vocal coach based in Toronto. A graduate of multiple prestigious young artist programs — the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, the Merola Opera Program affiliated with San Francisco Opera, and Music Academy of the West — he has gone on to work extensively in Canada and the United States. At Palm Beach Opera, he served as the principal coach and the head coach of the Benenson Young Artist Program. At Teatro Nuovo in New York, formerly Bel Canto at Caramoor, he works in a hybrid role of music staff and administrator. Dedicated to working with young singers and education outreach, he has served as the music director for many young artist shows, such as Opera on the Go! at Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Cheung holds a Master of Music in collaborative piano and Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the University of Western Ontario.
GRAND ADDITIONAL
BRONZE
ICVT HOSTS
THE YIDDISH FOLKSONG PROJECT ANTHOLOGY
The arrangements of Robert De Cormier
NEWREPERTOIRE!
Compiled, edited, and with background material, by John Yaffé
The first-ever publication of the late, great Robert De Cormier’s finely-crafted arrangements of Yiddish folk songs — and the firstever large body of Yiddish folksong repertoire arranged by a master composer-arranger and suitable for concert/recital performance.
‘A superb anthology. The information about the songs, arrangements, and their musical and cultural history, is very engaging and of genuine pedagogical significance. The songs themselves in these arrangements are eminently worthy of inclusion in the art song œuvre’.
Dr. Lori McCann
Associate Professor of Voice
Coordinator of Voice Program
John J. Cali School of Music
Montclair State University (New Jersey)
To order:
VOLUME 1 (18 SONGS) INCLUDES:
• Versions for voice and piano
• Free downloadable MP3s (with and without voice)
• IPA and Roman transcriptions as well as ‘word-forword’ and ‘idiomatic’ translations.
• Yiddish Pronunciation Guide
• Article on folk songs in arrangement
• Article on Yiddish vis-à-vis German
• Historical/contextual background on the Yiddish language as well as on each individual song
Anthology, Volume 1 (192 pgs.), plus MP3 tracks: $42.00 plus shipping and handling
Ipsilon Music Press www.ipsilonmusic.com/yfsp
E-mail: info@ipsilonmusic.com
PROGRAM TEXTS
“An die Musik” (To Music)
Beloved art, in how many a bleak hour, when I am enmeshed in life’s tumultuous round, have you kindled my heart to the warmth of love, and borne me away to a better world!
Often a sigh, escaping from your harp, a sweet, celestial chord has revealed to me a heaven of happier times. Beloved art, for this I thank you!
Elsa’s Traum (Elsa’s Dream)
Lonely, in troubled days I prayed to the Lord, my most heartfelt grief I poured out in prayer. And from my groans there issued a plaintive sound that grew into a mighteous roar as it echoed through the skies: I listened as it receded into the distance until my ear could scarce hear it; my eyes closed and I fell into a deep sleep.
In splendid, shining armour a knight approached, a man of such pure virtue as I had never seen before: a golden horn at his side, leaning on a swordthus he appeared to me from nowhere, this warrior true; with kindly gestures he gave me comfort; I will wait for the knight, he shall be my champion!
Hear what reward I offer the one sent by God: in my father’s lands he shall wear the crown. I shall consider myself happy if he takes my possessionsif he wishes to call me spouse, I shall give him all that I am!
“Depuis le jour” Since the Day
Since the day I gave myself my destiny seems all flower-strewn I think I’m dreaming under a fairy sky my soul still intoxicated by your first kiss! What a beautiful life! My dream wasn’t a dream!
Oh! I’m so happy! Love is spreading its wings over me! In the garden of my heart sings a new joy!
Everything is vibrant everything rejoices at my triumph! All around me everything is smiling light and joy!
And I’m trembling delightfully from the charming memory of the first day of love!
What a beautiful life!
Oh! I’m so happy! ...utterly happy! And I’m trembling delightfully from the charming memory of the first day of love!
“Temerari… Come scoglio”
Bold ones, get out of this place at once, and with unwelcome breath of base words do not profane our heart, our ear, and our affections. In vain for you, for the others in vain, one seeks to seduce our souls.
The intact faith which we have already given to our dear lovers, we will know how to maintain until death, despite the world and destiny!
As a rock, remaining motionless against the winds and tempest, yet like this, is this soul strong in faith and in love.
With us is born that torch which pleases and consoles us, and death alone will be able to change the feeling of (our) the heart.
Respect, ungrateful souls this paragon of constancy, And may a barbarous hope not make you bold again!
Translation by: Marc Verzatt
“Song to the Moon”
Moon, high and deep in the sky Your light sees far, You travel around the wide world, and see into people’s homes. Moon, stand still a while and tell me where is my dear. Tell him, silvery moon, that I am embracing him.
For at least momentarily let him recall of dreaming of me. Illuminate him far away, and tell him, tell him who is waiting for him!
If his human soul is, in fact, dreaming of me, may the memory awaken him! Moonlight, don’t disappear, don’t disappear!