In January 2012 Ms. Haldane made her mainland European stage debut, singing Cleopatra to the Cesare of Franco Fagioli, in Finnish National Opera’s new production of GIULIO CESARE IN EGITTO. This success was quickly followed with Handel’s SOLOMON in Krakow with the Capella Cracoviensis conducted by Maestro Alessandro de Marchi. She made her international operatic debut singing the title role in LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT for Musica Viva Hong Kong in 2010, returning in January 2011 to perform Adina in ELISIR D’AMORE. Her performance as Lucinda in Mendelssohn’s DIE HOCHZEIT DES CAMACHO for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/European Opera Centre with Vasily Petrenko has also been released on recording in 2014. Other recent performances include Clorinda LA CENERENTOLA at Iford Arts, a role in which she previously made her debut with Scottish Opera. On the concert stage, her Viennese Programme with the Brighton Philharmonic was described as “superb”. The 2013 season also saw her return to her native Canada, to celebrate her Acadian roots by performing a French song recital for the 51st Festival Acadien. Christina joined the Britten centenary celebrations in 2014 by returning to the Cambridge Philharmonic to sing the role of Second Niece PETER GRIMES. She is dedicated to performing contemporary music and was delighted to contribute to the workshops for Mark Anthony Turnage and Richard Thomas’ new opera ANNA NICOLE at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden.
For the Royal Opera House she has performed Rapunzel in Sondheim’s INTO THE WOODS and gave the London premiere of Jonathan Dove’s MINTERNE at the ROH Crush Room. She has also performed the title-role LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT for Swansea City Opera, the title-role in Janáček’s CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN for the Oundle International Festival and Fox in CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN for Longborough Festival Opera, Coryphée & Sidonie in Gluck’s ARMIDE for Buxton Festival Opera and Pamina DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE for the Cambridge Philharmonic. Other roles in Christina’s repertoire include Musetta LA BOHÈME, the title-role in Handel’s ALCINA and Anna Page in Nicolai’s THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. Christina’s concert repertoire includes Handel Messiah, Bach St John Passion, St Matthew Passion and Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, Mozart Requiem, Coronation Mass and Exsultate Jubilate, Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle, Haydn Nelson Mass, Pergolesi Stabat Mater, DeLalande Confitibur Tibi and Mendelssohn Hymn of Praise. When studying in Indiana she collaborated with Lukas Foss on his Time Cycle and her performance was hailed as “a triumph”.
Christina attended St Michael’s University School in Victoria, British Colombia, Canada, then King Henry VIII School, Coventry, England. She has participated in several summer training programmes, including the Chautauqua Institution with Marlena Malas, the Lake Placid Institute with Phyllis Bryn-Julson, the Britten – Pears Young Artist Programme in Aldeburgh and the Académie Internationale d’été de Nice with Robin Bowman. Christina received a BMus from the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, then spent a year at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music training with Patricia Wise. She then graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she was awarded a PDVT and a MMus.
Christina has been the recipient of awards and scholarships in Canada, England and the USA. She has been funded by the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, the Chautauqua Institute, the Lake Placid Institute, the Britten–Pears Young Artist Programme, the Mario Lanza Educational Trust, the Canadian Aldeburgh Foundation and the Canada Council for the Arts. She has also been given awards by the Elora Festival You Musicians Competition and NATS.From September 2015, Christina will combine her busy performance schedule with studies on the DMA program at the University of Toronto under the tutelage of Prof. Darryl Edwards. For this training she is the recipient of the Greta Klaus Graduate fellowship and is grateful for the continued support from the Canada Council for the Arts.
“Christina Raphaëlle Haldane’s Rapunzel warbles away in her tower with tongue–in-cheek operatic excess, making you wonder whether, without Sondheim, Hollywood would ever have got to Shrek.” The Telegraph
