Leslie Ann Bradley
Marenka

Canadian soprano Leslie Ann "Bradley’s future seems bright. Equally important is her musical intelligence, her strong sense of self and her ability to stay focused in her career” (Opera Canada).  Her winter/spring 2014 season has been infused with Mozart repertoire, from her Toronto Symphony Orchestra debut (Coronation Mass) to Donna Elvira with Vancouver Opera (Don Giovanni) to Countess with Pacific Opera Victoria (Le Nozze di Figaro).  Ms Bradley’s schedule continues to be filled with exciting performances, including Bach’s Magnificat (Orchestre Symphonique de Québec), Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and her role with Boston Midsummer Opera as Mařenka (Smetana’s The Bartered Bride).

Recent 2013/14 highlights include her debuts with Vancouver Symphony (Poulenc’s Gloria) and Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony (Britten’s War Requiem).  Recent season highlights include Bach’s Mass in B Minor for Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México, Brahms’ Requiem for the Mendelssohn Choir and the Vancouver Cantata Singers, concerts with the Aldeburgh Connection and Chorus Niagara, Micaëla in Carmen for Pacific Opera Victoria, Valentine in Les Huguenots for Opera in Concert, Elijah with the Elora Music Festival, and Messiah for Brott Music in Hamilton.  She was also heard in Strauss’ Vier Letzie Lieder for Brott Summer Music, Norina in Don Pasquale for Boston Midsummer Opera, the title role in The Merry Widow for Toronto Operetta Theatre and Mozart’s Requiem for Kitchener’s Grand Philharmonic Choir.

Further credits include Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Carmina Burana for the Calgary Philharmonic, Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis for the Winnipeg Symphony and Adina in L’elisir d’Amore.  As Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus for Saskatoon Opera, she was acclaimed in the press as ‘simply wonderful, possessing a spectacular voice’.  She was a winner in the New England Metropolitan Opera competition and was invited to join previous Met Regional Finalists in a concert marking the opening of the Concord Performing Arts Centre.

Ms. Bradley holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Toronto, a Diploma from the University of Toronto’s Opera Division and she is also an alumna of the Orford Festival.  She attended Tanglewood and the Académie International de musique Maurice Ravel in France, studying with the renowned Françoise Pollet.  Her success there was marked by receiving the Prix du chant Pierre Bernac as winner of the Academy’s voice competition.

She appeared on Bravo television in “Love Story” and has also recorded two episodes of “Opera Easy” for Bravo, singing excerpts from Roméo et Juliette and Orfeo ed Euridice. Ms. Bradley is recipient of the U of T Faculty of Music Tecumseh Sherman Rogers Graduating Award and is a winner in the Czech and Slovak International Competition, Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques competition, Journée de la Musique Française Competition (Montreal) and has received support from the Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation.