‘Voices of Spring’ Concert features Calbes, Dubois

‘Voices of Spring’ Concert features Calbes, Dubois

“Voices of Spring” a concert featuring two world renown artists, sopranoEleanor Calbes and tenor Mark Dubois will be held at the Living Arts Centre Royal Bank Theatre on Sunday, April 10, 2005 at 8:00 p. m.

Mme Calbes and Mr. Dubois are international stars. They have both traveled to sing for audiences worldwide. Eleanor graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Music and came to Canada in 1962. In Toronto, she has won several scholarships at the Royal Conservatory of Music and opera schools. She has performed major roles with the Canadian Opera Company and opera houses in Germany, Austria and Asia including the Great Hall in Beijing, China. She has made her career as a lyric (soubrette) coloratura with roles as Olimpia, Gilda, Norina, Gretel Susanna, Musetta and many more. Ms. Calbes’ last opera role was Cio-Cio San in Madame Butterfly.

She has also performed on Broadway in principal roles in musicals: South Pacific, The King and I and Lovely Ladies Kindly Gentlemen. Most special was her role as Maria in Westside Story (German text) in 24 cities in Germany. She was chosen Musician of the Year 1986 in Mississauga, founded Opera Mississauga, City Centre Musical Productions and the Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe. She has directed several operas, operettas and musicals in the last 24 years and was awarded the THEA Award for best director in 1983.

Among her most memorable events are: her appearance in a command performance with Victor Borge for Prince Philip, guest in the “Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin shows, The Great Hall of China concert, several CTV specials and being chosen by Toronto Life Magazine in 1978 as one of the 10 most beautiful women in Canada where she was described as “dynamite”. She retired as Artistic Director of the City Centre Musical Productions only last year. She is the founder of the Calbes Voice Studio (CVS) where she nurtures potential artists.

Mark Dubois is universally acclaimed for his outstanding lyric tenor voice. His extraordinary versatility garners plaudits from audience and critic alike in all genres of music. His career on opera and concert stages has taken him across Canada, the U.S.A., Europe., New Zealand and Bermuda. Mark was tenor soloist in a concert tour of “Oratorio Terezin” by Ruth Fazal, performed in the prestigious venues of Reduta Hall, Bratislava, Vienna Konzerthaus, St. Peter and Paul Cathedral Brno and Smetana Hall, Prague. His appearances in music festivals include Ravinia, Tanglewood, New England Bach Festival, Hollywood Bowl, London’s Wigmore Hall, Cannes Midem Classique, Budapest Spring Festival and Festival International de Lanaudiere.

His career highlights include performing for His Holiness, Pope Paul II, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, President Ronald Reagan and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. He was guest soloist at the state funeral of Right Honorable D. Roland Michener, Governor General of Canada. He was interviewed for Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee Gala at Roy Thomson Hall, broadcast live via CBC TV and radio networks. He is heard regularly on national radio broadcasts and many TV specials He is featured in several commercial recordings which include a solo recording of “Chansons D’ Amore”, (nominated for a Juno), as guest soloist with the Vienna Choir Boys “500th anniversary and his newest solo CD The Music Within Vol. 1- a compilation of favorites from operetta, Broadway and song.

This concert will be Mme Calbes’ “Swan Song” or last professional performance. The repertoire will include songs and arias from Puccini, Verdi, Mozart to Andrew Lloyd Weber and Bernstein …… famous opera arias and duets, art songs and lovely songs from musicals and famous folk and love songs from the Philippines and Canada. It will be an evening of beautiful vocal music.

The concert is sponsored by Ted Dayno of Forex Toronto. Proceeds of the presentation will go to the building fund of the Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre.

(PRESS RELEASE)