Julie Nesrallah

Julie Nesrallah is a Canadian mezzo-soprano, actress, radio host and opera producer. She has performed with opera companies, orchestras, festival and chamber ensembles in Canada and internationally. Her operatic repertoire includes roles such as Isabella in L'italiana in Algeri, the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Maddalena in Rigoletto, Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Cenerentola in La Cenerentola, and Carmen in Carmen, among others. She sang "God Save the Queen" for Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge for Canada Day festivities on Parliament Hill in 2012, and "An Evening for Peace" for Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan in Montreal.[1][2]

Nesrallah has also worked extensively in classical musical broadcasting. She has served as a national host of Tempo, a classical music program on CBC Radio. She is the founder, executive producer and star of Carmen on Tap, an opera company production that presents Bizet's Carmen in a dinner theatre format.[1][3]

Early life and education

Nesrallah grow up in Ottawa, Ontario. She studied music at Carleton University, where she graduated with a Bachler of Arts degree in 1995. She subsequently continued her music studies at McGill University in Montreal, graduating with a performance Diploma.[1][3] While studying she pursued vocal training privately and developed a career in opera and concert performance. She has credited her education at Carleton with playing an important role in her development as a musician.[1]

Operatic career

Nesrallah made her main stage operatic debut as Isabella in Gioachino Rossini's L'italiana in Algeri with Pacific Victoria Opera during the company's 1997-98 season. She subsequently appeared in productions in Canada and the United States, performing roles in works by Rossini, Mozart, Richard Strauss, Puccini and others.[4]

Among her early engagements was the role of the composer in Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos. A 1999 account published by the National Capital Opera Society noted her performance with Pacific Opera Victoria and described her as recently graduating from McGill University. During the same period, she performed with orchestras including the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and appeared in concerts and recitals in Canada and the united States.[4] Her subsequent repertoire included Cherubino in Mozart's the Marriage of Figaro, Cenerentola in Rossini's La Cenerentola, Suzuki in Puccini's Madama Butterfly, Maddalena in Verdi's Rigoletto and Carmen in Bizet's Carmen.[2][3]

Carmen

Carmen became one of Nesrallah's best known operatic roles. She performed the roles in productions in Canada and the United States became and particularly associated with the character. A 2008 review of a production involving Nesrallah described Carmen as her signature role and praised her vocal and dramatic performance.[5] In addition to performing Carmen in conventional opera productions, Nesrallah developed Carmen on Tap, an adaptation of Bizet's opera presented at dinner theatres. The production was created by Nesrallah, who serves as its executive producer and principal performer. It has been presented at venues and festivals including the Stratford Music Festival, the Prince Edward County Music Festival, the Ottawa International Music Festival and Lula Lounge in Toronto.[1][6]

Awards and honours

She was a recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts Emerging Artist Award & Mid-Career Grant, a grand prize winner of the Brian Law Opera Award, grand prize winner of the Arab Ambassador Awards, grand prize winner of the Cercle des Cents Associes Award, and winner of the Lebanese Canadian Chamber of Commerce Award.[1][2][3]

Discography

  • Schafer: String Quartet No. 8, Theseus, Beauty and the Beast (2003), ATMA Classique ATMA 22201[7]
  • España (2004), with Daniel Bolshoy, guitar[8]
  • Panache (2007), with Caroline Léonardelli, harp[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Julie Nesrallah". CU75. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
  2. 1 2 3 "Artists | Collingwood Music Festival". Retrieved 2026-08-27.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Western to bestow honorary degrees on 14 outstanding leaders". Western News. 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
  4. 1 2 "Where are They Now?" (PDF). 1999.
  5. ↑ "Our Sensational Carmen Julie Nesrallah" (PDF). 2008.
  6. ↑ "Classical Tour HOSTS & Artists". 2026.
  7. ↑ "SCHAFER: Quatuor no 8, Theseus, Beauty and the Beast ATMA 22201". ATMA Classique. 13 August 2020.
  8. ↑ España - Spanish Music For Voice And Guitar at Discogs
  9. ↑ Panache at Discogs
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