Maria performed to standing ovations at a Gala New Year's Eve concert with Grammy nominated Maestro Antoni Wit and the Warsaw Filharmonic Symphony Orchestra
On December 31, 2009, Maria performed to standing ovations at a Gala New Year's Eve concert with Grammy nominated Maestro Antoni Wit and the Warsaw Filharmonic Symphony Orchestra.
Maria Knapik and Friends will present an “Evening of Sacred Classics” at Saint Patrick’s Basilica on Saturday, November 14, 2009
In support of the Basilica Restoration Fund and an orphanage in Poland, the Knights of Columbus with Maria Knapik and Friends will present an “Evening of Sacred Classics” at Saint Patrick’s Basilica on Saturday, November 14, 2009.
The program will feature selections from Mozart, Caccini, Gounod, Vivaldi as well as a World Premiere from a Canadian composer. Local and world-renowned performers include soprano, Maria Knapik, the Ottawa Classical Choir as well as other well known artists.
Read More...Maria Knapik will Make Special Guest Appearance at the "Debussy in Italy" Concert on November 8, 2009
Maria Knapik will make special guest appearance at the 'Debussy in Italy' concert hosted by Southminster Music for Charity and Community. The concert in support of Mentorship Aftercare Presence (MAP), and Daybreak Housing will take place on Sunday, November 8, 2009, at 2:30 PM, Southminster United Church, 15 Aylmer Avenue, Ottawa, ON. The concert also will feature the famed Sicilian pianist Laura Nocchiero, soprano Maghan McPhee and violinist Janice Mah. Tickets:
General Admission - $20, VIP Reserved Seating - $50
Available at:
Southminster United Church Office, Ottawa Folklore Center, and Compact Music
Maria Knapik Sang in The PLG Black & White Opera Gala on November 7, 2009
Maria Knapik sang in The PLG Black & White Opera Gala on November 7, 2009 at 7:30 PM at the theatre of the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The programme for this Opera Gala concert by a top flight cast covered 300 years of musical history, from Handel to Tchaikovsky, and from Mozart, Rossini, Bizet, Massenet and Lehar to Verdi and Puccini, to name but a few of the composers whose works were performed. The evening’s proceeds will go towards the production of Franz Lehar’s “Merry Widow”, to be staged by the PLG in March 2010.
Maria sang with the following guest singers: sopranos Nadia Petrella, Marlène Drolet, and Stéphanie Piercy, tenor Steeve Michaud, who is also the artistic director of the PLG, as well as tenors Michael Carty and Gérard Fauvelle, baritones Marc Boucher, Marc-Antoine Daragon and Jean Sébastien Kennedy and bass Christopher Mallory. They were accompanied by pianist Jean Desmarais. The singers were also be joined by Italian concert pianist Laura Nocchiero, who will be visiting Quebec at the start of a New York concert tour, and will perform a selection of works by Italian composers.
Click here to find out more about the gala.Maria Knapik & Friends and the Ottawa Classical Choir host the Fourth Annual International Day of the Child Benefit Concert
HEADLINE: Soprano Maria Knapik and the Ottawa Classical Choir perform in a World Premiere at their Fourth Annual International Day of the Child Benefit Concert to benefit CHEO Foundation, Food First Foundation, Northwest Territories and Dom Swiatelko (Light Home) for Abandoned and Orphaned Children, Poland, on Saturday, June 13th, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at Dominion-Chalmers United Church, Ottawa.
Dominion-Chalmers United Church will be the setting for Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem and the World Premiere of the Messe de la Délivrance by Théodore Dubois. Performing under the direction of Maestro Michel Brousseau will be the Ottawa Classical Choir, the New World Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, Les Chanteurs de Sainte-Thérèse and the Choeur Tremblant. They will be joined by Ottawa’s acclaimed opera star Maria Knapik, soprano, and Marc Boucher, Montreal’s treasured baritone. Bel Canto Children Choir will make a special appearance, as will Canadian Music Competition prizewinners Stanley and Kerson Leong.
Maria Knapik and Marc Boucher are shining stars of the Canadian Opera and concert scene. Maria Knapik frequently appears in concert with major orchestras as well as in many demanding roles with opera companies throughout Europe and North America. She has sung, among others, the title roles of Tosca in Puccini's Tosca, Alzira and Giovanna d'Arco in Verdi’s Alzira and Giovanna d'Arco with the New York Grand Opera, the latter two were at Carnegie Hall. She was Donna Anna in Opera Lyra’s Don Giovanni. She has performed as soloist at Washington’s Kennedy Center with Grammy winning Maestro Robert Shafer with his Washington Chorus. Ms. Knapik has also been invited to appear as a special guest artist at the Annual Puccini Foundation Concert at New York’s Lincoln Center. In 2003, Ms. Knapik won the top prizes at the Gerda Lissner Foundation Vocal Competition in New York City and the International Chigiana Festival in Sienna, Italy. In 2005, Ms. Knapik was presented with the International Rising Star of Opera Award by the American Institute of Polish Culture. Marc Boucher has perfomed in numerous operas, symphonic concerts and recitals in New York City, Mexico City, in Athens, Greece, in Dublin, Ireland, in Paris, Versailles, Lille, France and with Canada’s major orchestras. His recent World Premiere recording of Théodore Dubois’ Musiques sur l’eau et autres mélodies was unanimously praised by critics from around the world and was awarded the Opus Prize from the Conseil québécois de la musique and a 5 Diapason award from the prestigious French magazine of the same name.
Proceeds will be donated to Dom Swiatelko (Light Home) for Abandoned and Orphaned Children - www.swiatelko.org.pl, the CHEO Foundation www.cheofoundation.com and the Food First Foundation, Northwest Territories - www.foodfirst.ca.
The International Day of the Child has its origin at the World Conference for the Well Being of Children in Geneva, Switzerland in 1925. The United Nations recommended in 1954 that the day be observed by activity devoted to the welfare of children of the world. Canada's National Child Day is held on November 20th, as enacted in Bill C-371, otherwise known as the Child Day Act, by the Parliament of Canada in 1993 to fulfill Canada's commitment to the United Nations General Assembly's recommendation to observe a universal children's day.
Concert Details:
Saturday, June 13th , 7:30 p.m. at Dominion-Chalmers United Church,
355 Cooper Street, Ottawa
Doors open at 6:45 p.m. Silent Auction starts at 7:00 p.m.
Wheelchair accessible. Free parking.
Tickets:
Reserved seating: $40, General: $20, Students/Seniors: $15, Free admission for children under 12
Available at:
Compact Music- 190 Bank Street (613-233-7626) & 785-A Bank Street (613-233-8922);
Leading Note: 370 Elgin Street (613-569-7888)
CD Warehouse, 1383 Clyde Avenue (613-225-9027), 1717 St. Laurent Boulevard (613-523-0110), 499 Terry Fox Drive (613-599-4700)
also at the door.
Maria sings the World Premiere of Messe de la Délivrance by Théodore Dubois
On May 23, 24, June 5 and June 13, 2009, Maria will sing in the World Premiere of Messe de la Délivrance concert with Bariton Marc Boucher, New World Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, Les Chanteurs de Sainte-Thérèse, Choeur Tremblant, and Ottawa Classical Choir, under the direction of Maestro Michel Brousseau.Messe de la Délivrance was written by Théodore Dubois and has never been publicly performed since 1919. Requiem by Gabriel Fauré will also be performed. The concerts will take place:
According to Mr. Francis Dubois, great-grandson of Théodore Dubois, this piece was first presented in 1919 in the symbolic city of Orléans to celebrate peace after the withdrawal of German troupes from France at the end of World War I. You will notice the military accents at the end of different movements in the mass. There is also an ode to Jeanne d’Arc (canonized in 1915) and French military feats. A message of hope and serenity was at the core of this highly inspired piece.
There is a story behind the discovery of the two beautiful masses that Maria performed recently. Click to read the story behind the discovery: A concert, an encounter, a discovery of a fascinating world!