| Michael Meraw |
Baritone Michael Meraw is an engaging and exciting presence on the operatic stage as well as the concert platform. Increasingly in demand, he has been hailed by critics not only for his “rich, virile sound…” but also his abilities as an actor, “his fluid movements and his sense of mischief that flowed from his every gesture and expression, he was a perfect Figaro.” His repertoire ranges from Monteverdi and Handel to Webern and Szymanowski and his performances are always marked by his vivid characterizations and his probing musicality. Performing regularly with companies across North America, Mr. Meraw has been recognized as an artist of distinction and a musician of the highest order. Not only has Michael garnered critical acclaim in the standard repertoire, winning praise for his Figaro in Rossini’s Barber of Seville and Orff’s Carmina Burana, but he has also brought lesser known works to new audiences through his incisive portrayals of such roles as Roger in King Roger by Szymanowski (“Meraw did well as Roger, with nervy urgency and gripping delivery of his increasingly anguished lines…” – Geoff Chapman, The Toronto Star) and Sir John A. MacDonald in Louis Riel by Somers (“Dealing with a vocal part that veers from sprechgesang to dramatic declamation, baritone Michael Meraw showed great vocal cut and thrust, in addition to contributing a stiking stage presence.” – Richard Turp, Opera Canada). Mr. Meraw is also active as a performer and creator of new works and has worked recently workshopping the title role in John Estacio and John Murrell’s new opera Frobisher. This season Mr. Meraw will be making his debut with the Thunderbay Symphony under the direction of Dean Jobin Bevans in Faure's Requiem. He will also be returning to sing with the McGill Symphony Orchestra for Britten's War Requiem and will also be heard as Mizgir in Toronto Opera in Concert's production of Rimskii-Korsakov's The Snow Maiden. Recently Michael has sung Ernesto in Il Mondo della Luna as an invited guest of the Atelier Lyrique de L’Opera de Montreal, Elijah for the Pembroke Community Chorus and Orchestra, and recorded Alan Belkin’s Six songs for a young man. He has also been heard as Francesco in I Masnadieri and Gryaznoy in The Tsar’s Bride for Opera in Concert, and performed Papa Costanzo and covered Emilio Picariello for Edmonton Opera’s remount and CBC taping of Estacio’s Filumena. Other performance highlights include, Mozart’s Count for the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts, Garibaldo in Rodelinda for Virginia Opera, Harlekin in Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos for Pacific Opera Victoria and John Brook in Adamo’s Little Women for The Ashlawn-Highland Summer Festival. A short list of other roles performed includes Escamillo, Marcello, Guglielmo, and Rossini’s Figaro. Michael Meraw has studied Fencing and Stage Combat with Jean-François Gagnon of the National Theatre School as well as Ballet and Modern Dance with Daniel Seller, Vincent Warren, and Sasha Belinski at Les Grands Ballet Canadiens. Mr. Meraw holds a Bachelor of Early Music Performance and a Master of Music in Solo Vocal Performance from McGill University. He has participated in the Seattle Opera, Virginia Opera, and Des Moines Metro Opera young artist programs and is the recipient of grants from the Alberta Heritage Foundation, the Alberta Arts Council, the Jacqueline Demarais Foundation and the Anne Burrows Foundation for Young Musicians. He was a prizewinner in the 1997 CBC Debut Competition, a finalist in the 2000 Heinz Rehfuss Competition, and the William Vennard Prize winner of NATSAA 2000. |