Academic Background

BMus, Opera Dip. (Toronto) 

Biography

Canadian mezzo-soprano Kimberly Barber maintains an international operatic and concert career, singing with major opera houses and orchestras throughout the world (Paris Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, Frankfurt Opera, Seattle Opera, Canadian Opera, ENO, London Symphony Orchestra, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Chicago, Montréal and Toronto Symphonies, among many others). Her discography includes Ravel’s L’heure espagnole on DGG under André Previn, the title role in Handel’s Rinaldo for Naxos Records, a solo disc for CBC Records, Faustina Bordoni: Faces of a Prima Donna and the recently released “L’accordéoniste”, a disc of French and German cabaret, Latin tango and Neapolitan songs with pianist Peter Tiefenbach and accordionist Mary-Lou Vetere.

This ensemble, L'accordéoniste, were featured artists with Toronto’s Opera in Concert and returned with a new program to Ottawa’s Chamberfest in 2011. Kimberly Barber also recently made her role debut as Cecilia March in the Canadian premiere of Mark Adamo's LITTLE WOMEN for Calgary Opera, a role she repeated for her debut with Utah Opera in March 2011, and in April 2009, debuted as Ottavia in Monteverdi's L'INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA with Toronto's Opera Atelier. She took a highly acclaimed first turn in the title role of Marc Blitzstein's REGINA with Pacific Opera Victoria in April 2008, performances of which were broadcast on CBC's Saturday Afternoon at the Opera.

This season, Kimberly Barber performs Mahler’s KINDERTOTENLIEDER with Quintet Pentaèdre in September, DAS LIED VON DER ERDE with NUMUS in both Toronto and Waterloo in October, and performs the role of Agatha in John Beckwith’s CRAZY TO KILL with Toronto Masque Theatre in November.

Increasingly in demand as a guest lecturer, adjudicator, panellist and pedagogue, Ms. Barber has been on Faculty at WLU since July 2002 and is Administrative Coordinator of the Opera Program.

Major Performance Venues/Companies:

Paris Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, Frankfurt Opera, Seattle Opera, Canadian Opera Company, English National Opera, Vancouver Opera, Calgary Opera, Edmonton Opera, London Symphony Orchestra, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Chicago Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Toronto Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Wigmore Hall, Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, Mostly Mozart Festival (Avery Fisher Hall), Ensemble Arion, I Musici de Montréal, Richard Eaton Singers

Major Roles/Works:

Mozart--Cherubino, Dorabella, Despina, Annio (La Clemenza di Tito), Ramiro (La Finta Giardiniera); Handel-- Ariodante, Rinaldo, Xerxes, Nerone (Agrippina); Strauss--Composer; Puccini--Suzuki; Rossini--Cenerentola, Rosina, Isolier (Le Comte Ory); Humperdinck--Hansel; Ravel--Concepciòn; Offenbach--Nicklausse; Massenet--Cendrillon, Charlotte (Werther); Barber--Erika (Vanessa); Elgar--Dream of Gerontius; Mozart--Coronation Mass; Beethoven--Ninth Symphony; Stravinsky--Pulcinella; Berlioz--Les Nuits d'Eté; Mahler--Das Lied von der Erde; Handel--Messiah

Recordings:

• Rinaldo (title role), Handel, with Kevin Mallon, conductor, Naxos Records, 2006
• Faustina Bordoni, Portrait of a Prima Donna, solo recording with Ensemble Arion, Monica Huggett, Music Director, CBC Records, 2005
• L'Heure espagnole, Maurice Ravel (Concepciòn), with André Previn, conductor, Kurt Ollmann, John Mark Ainsley, DGG 1999
• American (Day) Dreams, Aaron Jay Kernis, New Albion Records, 1995

Conferences:

Lecture Demonstration--“Holistic Singing; Engaging Mind and Body in Vocal Pedagogy”, ORMTA Conference, Waterloo, Ontario, July 2004

In the News

http://www.thestar.com/article/672596

http://thestar.blogs.com/soundmind/2009/07/you-can-count-the-number-of-annual-cabaret-evenings-in-toronto-on-the-fingers-of-one-accordionists-hand-its-unfortunate-tha.html

http://www.contactnorth.ca/pockets-innovation/e-portfolios-lifelong-learning-integrating-e-portfolios-students-faculty-music

Additional Information

Language proficiency and cultural literacy are essential weapons for the lyric singer. Our instrument is the only one that is capable of using language to add to our expressive power, and in order for us to be effective interpreters, it behooves us to be as faithful to the languages we sing in (and their respective cultures) as much as we possibly can. Not only do we have to understand and communicate every word we are saying, but we also must have a sense for the cultural significance of what we say, and a sensitivity for the nuances and sensibility of the musical style we are singing in. It may be a bias on my part if I say so, but I feel very strongly that a singer who attempts to perform repertoire without thorough knowledge of the text and its proper pronunciation cannot be taken seriously as a lyric artist. It's that simple.

Prof. Kimberly Barber on the value of the
Franco American Vocal Academy.
For more details, please click here.