Simone Osborne
{{short description|Canadian lyric and operatic soprano (born 2014)}}
Simone Osborne (born 1987) is a Canadian lyric and operatic soprano. She was one of the youngest-ever winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2008 at age 21.
Life and career
Osborne was born in 1987 in British Columbia. She studied opera performance at the University of British Columbia and later joined the Canadian Opera Company's Studio Ensemble program.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2013/11/12/soprano_simone_osborne_leaps_to_operas_big_leagues.html|date=12 November 2013|title=Soprano Simone Osborne leaps to opera's big leagues|author=Crawford, Trish|work=Toronto Star}} Prior to joining the COC, she busked on the streets of Toronto in order to be able to afford singing lessons.
In the 2010's, she was "considered one of Canada's most sought-after sopranos".{{cite web|url=http://www.macleans.ca/culture/from-street-singer-to-star-soprano/|work=Maclean's|author=Iannacci, Elio|title=From street singer to star soprano|date=2 February 2014}} She sings with the Canadian Opera Company and has also appeared with ensembles from around the world, including the New York City Opera, the Vancouver Symphony, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Her operatic roles have included Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Gilda in Rigoletto, and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte.{{cite web|url=http://www.cami.com/?webid=2171|publisher=Columbia Artists|title=Simone Osborne|accessdate=10 March 2014}} One of her performances of Pamina, with the Vancouver Opera, required her to learn an English and Musqueam adaptation. She also participated in the Viva Verdi! gala in Zurich in celebration of Giuseppe Verdi's bicentennial.{{cite web|url=https://vancouversun.com/Rising+opera+star+Simone+Osborne+talks+strives+balance+amid+stardom/7745211/story.html|work=Vancouver Sun|title=Rising opera star Simone Osborne talks strives for balance amid stardom|date=28 December 2012|author=Duke, David Gordon}}
Osborne has received significant critical recognition. F. Paul Driscol of Opera News called her a "lyric soprano with outstanding ability and impressive charm". Marilyn Horne, who Osborne cites as a mentor, said Osborne is "half athlete and half artist...She understands that voices need to be brilliant, dark and bright, all at once". Osborne was the first winner of the Jeunesses Musicales Canada's Maureen Forrester Award Tour, which comprises two seasons of recitals across Canada and a commission from the Canadian Art Song Project. Osborne has also won the Marilyn Horne Foundation Vocal Competition at the Music Academy of the West in 2009,{{cite web|title=Alumni Roster|url=http://www.musicacademy.org/school/alumni/alumni-roster/voice|website=musicacademy.org|accessdate=19 January 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605021001/http://www.musicacademy.org/school/alumni/alumni-roster/voice|archivedate=5 June 2012|url-status=dead}} and the International Czech and Slovak Opera Competition.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicaltoronto.org/2012/11/30/soprano-simone-osborne-wins-jeunesses-musicales-first-maureen-forrester-award/|date=30 November 2012|work=Musical Toronto|title=Soprano Simone Osborne wins Jeunesses Musicales first Maureen Forrester Award}}
References
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External links
- {{official|http://www.simoneosborne.com/}}
- [https://columbia-artists.com/artists/simone-osborne/ Simone Osborne] at Columbia Artists
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Category:Canadian operatic sopranos
Category:Musicians from British Columbia
Category:University of British Columbia alumni
Category:Winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions
Category:Music Academy of the West alumni