THE MAGIC FLUTE - Director and Artist Profiles
Sofia Costantini - Director
Ms Sofia is currently a full-time teacher at Tec Voc High School. She teaches dance education to High School Students grades 9 – 12 as well as, The Elite Dance Group known as Dance Tec Company.
Sofia implemented an all boys dance class into the School system over 13 years ago. Today there are over two hundred males participating in dance programs in the school systems throughout the city.
Sofia also created Sisler’s Most Wanted dance troupe. CBC National – The Magazine, presented a ten-minute Documentary featuring Ms. Sofia and SMW as well; Winnipeg Women Magazine featured them as their cover story for the March 2002 spring issue.
For the past five years Sofia was the Teacher Training and Curriculum Coordinator for Shelley Shearer School of Dance. Above her schedule of teaching Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, and Strength and Stretch class her responsibilities included evaluating and insuring the staff followed curriculum guidelines.
Prior to that Sofia was the Jazz Department head for the prestigious, Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. She was a prominent member of the teaching staff for fifteen years. She developed the Jazz Curriculum for the Art of Teaching RWB Teacher’s Course and worked extensively with the Professional Division, Aspirant Program and also choreographed a Jazz piece on the RWB Company called Fiesta! This piece was later performed at the Pan American Games.
Ms. Costantini also has an extensive background choreographing for Theatre, Movies and Television. She has recently ventured into directing adding the Musical – Alice In Wonderland, Scott James Peter’s debut music video and now the Opera - The Magic Flute.
Sofia’s Passion and love for the Arts is expressed through her teaching in the most unique and motivating way. This not only sets her apart from many others, but also allows her to be a healthy role model to her young promising students. Her goal is to provide the most exhilarating atmosphere possible so that the talented can thrive and prosper!
Beckie Edler - Music Director
Beckie Edler is excited to be a part of The Little Opera Company in the role of Music Director. Beckie received a Master's in Collaborative Piano from the University of Manitoba in May 2007, having studied with Judy Kehler Siebert and Laura Loewen. Ms. Edler is the accompanist for the University of Manitoba Opera Apprentices, the chorus rehearsal pianist for Manitoba Opera, as well as numerous instrumental and vocal students. Before her Master's, Beckie studied with Bonnie Nicholson, earned a BMus in Piano Performance from the University of Saskatchewan, and won the 2003 Young Artist solo recital tour which took her throughout Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Kimberly Lapatha - Accompaniment
Kimberly Lapatha (Rehearsal and Performance Piano Accompaniment) - Kimberly Lapatha holds a Master of Church Music, from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky and a Bachelor of Arts in Music, from the University of Kentucky, in Lexington. This is Kim’s fifth production with The Little Opera Company, after having accompanied The LOC’s productions of Beauty and the Beast, The Snow Queen and Classical Grudge Match, and the 2005 Black Ties recital. She has both directed and accompanied numerous choirs in British Columbia and the United States, including Trinity Baptist Church (Vancouver), the Vancouver Women’s Musical Club, the Baptist Union of Western Canada, the British Columbia Choral Association and the Wayne County Arts Association (Monticello, Kentucky). More recently, she has served as accompanist for a number of Winnipeg organizations including
Bolero Dance Theatre, Focus Dance Studio, Promenade Dance Studio, Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute and the Filipino Inter-church Fellowship Joint Choir.
Janine Brémault Bamford - Pamina
Janine Brémault Bamford (Soprano) has appeared regularly in Winnipeg with Rainbow Stage, the Black Hole Theatre, Dry Cold Productions, the Gilbert & Sullivan Society, and Manitoba Opera. Janine completed her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Manitoba in 2005 and went on to complete her Masters in Music at the University of Minnesota in 2007. While studying in Minneapolis, Janine had the opportunity to prepare the role of Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) for the U of MN’s Opera Theatre, perform with the Vocalessence Ensemble and do a solo performance on the National Public Radio program “A Prairie Home Companion”. Janine recently appeared with the Gilbert & Sullivan Society as Elsie in their production of The Yeoman of the Guard and is excited to be taking part in her first performance with the Little Opera Company.
DeLayne Toews - Tamino
DeLayne Toews (Tenor) is currently in his graduating year at Canadian Mennonite University where he studies theology, mathematics, and music. DeLayne studies with Lois Watson-Lyons. While at CMU he has sung with CMU choirs as well as the Mennonite Festival Chorus, which has given him the opportunity to tour in Canada and the United States as well as sing on many occasions with the WSO. As part of CMU’s Opera Workshop DeLayne has had the opportunity to study the role of Tamino. DeLayne is very excited to perform for the first time with LOC. Besides music, he enjoys cycling and other outdoor activities as well as involvement with his church.
Scott Braun - Papageno
Scott Braun (Baritone) graduated from the University of Manitoba with a degree in vocal performance, where he was the winner of the Lawrence Genser scholarship competition for top student performance. Since then he has been actively involved in the Winnipeg music scene, singing with The Winnipeg Singers, CBC’s HYMN SING, the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, and as a founding member of Canzona.
Past appearances include soloist with The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Musik Barok, Groundswell, and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra singing the role of Jesus in the St. John and St Matthew Passion, and most recently as bass soloist for Canzona’s performance of The Messiah.
Blah, Blah, Blah! What I really want to say is how happy I am to be back for my 6th appearance with The Little Opera Company, singing this great role, and working with such talented cast, crew and directors. My thanks to the LOC for providing singers these great opportunities and especially you the audience for supporting them time after time. Enjoy the show!
Margot Harding - Queen of the Night / 1st Lady / Spirit
Margot Harding (Soprano) - After completing her bachelor of Music degree as an opera major at the University of British Columbia, Margot won a Canada- wide scholarship competition to study in Salzburg, Austria. After 6 months of opera study at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, and numerous concerts and performances in Austria and Germany, Margot returned to Canada, where she proceeded to win many competitions across North America. She has sung with the Salzburg opera, Manitoba Opera, the Vancouver Opera, the Winnipeg Symphony, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The Manitoba Theatre Centre, The National Arts Centre (both the main theatre and concert hall stages), Rainbow Stage and various others.
She has sung in The New Music Festival, premièring Murray Shafers' The Falcon's Trumpet, and has been featured on Arts and Minds on Bravo as well as CBC Stereo. Margot was also in Randolph Peters' opera, Nosferatu with the Manitoba Opera and on the theatre side, played the coveted role of Sharon Graham in Terrence McNally's Canadian premiere of Master Class at the Manitoba Theatre Centre and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Margot has also sung many times as a featured artist with The Winnipeg Symphony in their Light Classics series, Mad About Mozart and various others. With the Winnipeg Ballet, Margot played the Queen of the Night in Mark Goddens' world premiere of The Magic Flute in Winnipeg and Ottawa. She has appeared in Mozart Comes Alive! with The Winnipeg Symphony / Dry Cold Productions and has also played Madame Goldentrill in Mozart's The Impresario, both in October of 2006. To name just a few of her opera roles with various companies; Margot has played Anne Trulove (The Rake's Progress), Fiordiligi (Così Fan Tutte), The Queen (The Magic Flute), Marguerite (Faust), Columbino (Arlecchino), Lucia (The Rape of Lucretia) and many others. She has also previously worked with The Little Opera Company and is pleased to be back.
Margot is a registered music teacher with many voice students, and also has a music program in Winnipeg's inner city daycares.
Linda De Pauw - 2nd Lady / Spirit
Linda De Pauw (Mezzo-Soprano) received her B. Mus. Degree from the University of Manitoba before moving to London, England. There she completed four years of Graduate Studies in Vocal Performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Linda’s professional career began with New Sadlers’ Wells Opera, where she was a company member for 4 years. She also performed with Buxton Opera, World of Gilbert & Sullivan, and with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Linda was a member of London Voices, one of London’s premier vocal ensembles. This enabled her to work with most of London’s leading orchestras, with international conductors such as Muti, Haitink and Solti and with composers Boulez and Berio. It was in the British Premier of Andriessen’s work Die Staadt that she performed at the Snape Maltings in Aldeburgh. Linda sang the part of Miss Philips in the London West End production of Call Me Madam, and performed in the BBC series of musicals for Radio 2. In Winnipeg, Linda has sung as soloist with Manitoba Opera Association and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. She will be performing with Musik Barock Ensemble in Vivaldi’s Stabat Mater in April. With the Little Opera Company previous roles include Maggie in Gift of the Magi and Zita in Gianni Schicchi and the title role in The Snow Queen.
Linda began been teaching voice in 1986. Since returning to Winnipeg in 1997, Linda has established a busy studio here. She is a member of MRMTA and NATS and is a faculty member with the University of Manitoba Preparatory Studies Department and the Manitoba Conservatory of Music and Arts.
Donnalynn Grills - 3rd Lady / Spirit
Donnalynn Grills (Mezzo-Soprano) is well known to Winnipeg audiences, having performed with the Winnipeg Symphony, the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and MusikBarock. She has also appeared with numerous musical organizations across Western Canada including the Regina Philharmonic, CBC Vancouver Orchestra and the Vancouver Symphony. In the field of new music, Donnalynn has been invited to perform with Groundswell and the Winnipeg Symphony’s acclaimed New Music Festival.
Concert performances include Mozart’s Requiem, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, Israel In Egypt, & Dixit Dominus Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Bach’s St. John Passion, St. Matthew Passion, Christmas Oratorio, Magnificat and Mass in B Minor.
Equally at home on the opera and musical theatre stage, some of her favourite roles are Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor & Marcellina in Le Nozze Di Figaro for Manitoba Opera; Mrs. Eynsford-Hill in MTC’s My Fair Lady; Mama Maddelena in Nine – The Musical plus numerous roles for The Little Opera Company; the Winnipeg Gilbert and Sullivan Society and Dry Cold Productions. Donnalynn created the role of Maia for the world premiere of Michael Matthew’s opera Prince Kaspar in 2005. Donnalynn had the opportunity to understudy the roles of Mme. Sylvie and Margot last year in The Transit of Venus and performed in many of the previews offered throughout the city and in Kenora.
Future engagements include performing Brahms Alto Rhapsody with the Winnipeg Philharmonic and the role of Annina in MOA’s production of La Traviata.
Howard Rempel - The High Priest
Howard Rempel (Baritone) has been involved in the Winnipeg music community for the past few years, performing as a soloist and in various groups such as the Manitoba Opera Chorus, the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Winnipeg, Ecco Chamber Choir and at St. Andrews United Church. He has been a finalist in the Winnipeg Music Festival on numerous occasions, most notably being the recipient of the Herbert and Audrey Belyea Trophy and the Winifred Sim Bursary within the same festival year. His roles with the Gilbert and Sullivan Society include Pish Tush (Mikado) in 2006 and Lt. Sir Richard Cholmondeley (Yeomen of the Guard) in spring of 2008. Other notable roles include King Balthazar (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Prince of Monte Carlo (The Grand Duke) and Counsel for the Plaintiff (Trial By Jury). When Howard is not found singing or performing, he returns to reality as the Finance Manager with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba. Howard is excited to be appearing in The Magic Flute, his first production with The Little Opera Company.
Delea Shand - Old Woman / Papagena
Delea Shand comes from a musical family but, according to her mother, it wasn't until she joined the church choir in grade two that she could sing in tune. She is currently a student at the University of Manitoba, where she studies with Mel Braun and Tracy Dahl. She will complete her Post Baccalaureate Diploma in April. Although she hails from Calgary, Delea lived in London, England, for three years and obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Performance from Trinity College of Music. She also holds a BA in English from the University of Calgary.
Delea hopes to specialize in New Music, and she will premiere two new pieces this Spring, by Winnipeg composers Heidi Ugrin and Luke Nickel. In 2007 she participated in the University of Manitoba's New Music summer program, the Contemporary Opera Lab, where she premiered excerpts from The Gashlycrumb Tinies by Heidi Ugrin, and the piece Kanon by Jerry Semchyshyn. She is a collaborator with the Experimental Improvisation Ensemble at the U of M. The group appears regularly around Winnipeg, and they recently performed at a pre-concert during the New Music Festival.
Roles include: Kate (Kiss Me, Kate), Nicolette (The Love for Three Oranges), Kate (Pirates of Penzance), Lisa (Grand Duke), Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors). Scenes: Niece (Peter Grimes), Hansel (Hansel and Gretel), Sophie, (Der Rosenkavalier), Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro). Ensemble: Little Shop of Horrors, Chess, Oliver!, Cats.
Jan Nato - Speaker
Jan Nato (Tenor) is excited to be performing this season with the Little Opera Company. This is his first experience singing in an opera. Jan's previous experience includes forays into the Winnipeg Music Festival, singing in choirs, and high school musical productions including the role of Mr. Mushnik in The Little Shop of Horrors. Jan currently sings as the choral scholar at Westminster United Church. He is currently in his second year of political studies at the University of Manitoba.
Michael Dunbar - Stage Manager
Michael Dunbar (Stage Manager) - This is Michael's eighth LOC production in a Stage Management capacity – previous engagements included two shows as ASM, and as Stage Manager for LOC’s Little Red Riding Hood, Gianni Schicchi, A Menotti Double Bill, The Snow Queen, Mozart / Salieri Classical Grudge Match, Beauty and the Beast, and The Medium. Prior to that, Michael worked with The LOC as Music Director for the 2002 production of Trouble in Tahiti and had performed the role of the witch in Hansel and Gretel. Other musical / stage activities include Rainbow Stage, the Gilbert & Sullivan Society and the Winnipeg Singers. When Michael isn't involved with The LOC, he does work for the Faculties of Education at the University of Manitoba and Brandon University, and is a fitness trainer at the Elmwood-Kildonan YMCA.
Brent Pfeil - Production Manager
Brent Pfeil has dabbled in music and theatre over the years with performances at Rainbow Stage, the Fringe Festival, and with various local theatre groups and choruses. Lately, he has performed with The Little Opera Company in the chorus of Amahl and the Night Visitors, Gianni Schicchi, and in Black Ties: a tribute to Black History Month (2005) and as Cuthbert Crow in The Snow Queen. Other activities include coaching high school volleyball and playing various sports. A former high school Computer Science and Calculus teacher, Brent is currently working as a Computer Programmer at MTS.
Jamie Plummer - Set Designer
Jamie Plummer enjoyed working with the LOC on their previous production of The Medium and is thrilled to be returning for The Magic Flute. She is currently completing an honours design degree at the University of Winnipeg. Previous design experience includes Enter a Free Man with the University of Winnipeg during Stoppard-Fest, Joseph Aragon’s Lucrezia Borgia at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival and is currently working on the University of Winnipeg’s production of Shakespeare’s Pericles. Jamie would like to thank David Hewlett, Spencer Duncanson and everyone at the LOC for giving her this opportunity to start her career, as well as her family for being so supportive.
Ted Stebbing - Lighting Design
Ted's passion for lighting design began when the colour wheel of the lighting changed to blue upon Katisha's entrance in the Act I finale of Earl Grey Junior High production of the Mikado. He was in grade nine, onstage as Nanki Poo, and the cue was his suggestion. He has been "making suggestions" ever since.
Ted has been fortunate to light many productions on most of the stages in Winnipeg in the last fifty years and looks forward to his first collaboration with Sofia Costantini, and his third production in Salle Martial Caron with Gaetan LaRochelle.
Carla Oliphant - Costume Designer
Carla began sewing before she was five years old. Later she organized her friends into plays in her backyard and made costumes. She graduated from Fine Arts (painting) at the University of Manitoba with courses in theatre design from the University of Winnipeg. She has worked on costumes for the University of Winnipeg, River East Collegiate, Maple Leaf Productions, Kildonan Players at the Fringe, Manitoba Theatre Centre, the Winnipeg Youth Chorus, Fear X Films, and Buffalo Gals Film Productions. She is happy to be working on this her third production with the Little Opera Company. Carla has a large personal collection of costumes and has supplied costumes for other schools and organizations in Winnipeg.
Carla loves creating beauty with her talents and has been self employed in the gift basket and wedding flower business for over twenty years. She teaches art classes at the Forum Art Institute. Carla has presently been working with the River East Transcona School Division at Murdoch MacKay Collegiate as a paraprofessional in the fashion technology department. She helps students with their sewing and the annual fashion show. She has most recently been making historic costumes for the Manitoba Living History Society.