About Leslie

A regular at Carnegie Hall, of Leslie Fagan’s 2011 appearances Opera News acclaimed her Poulenc’s Gloria as “one of the most memorable performances of the season” and of her Israel in Egypt lauded “Soprano Leslie Fagan sang effortlessly, with clear shimmering tone”. 

 


In the 2013-14 season, Leslie will return to Carnegie Hall with two performances of Handel’s Messiah under the direction of Maestro Kent Tritle and Bach’s St Matthew Passion with the Oratorio Society of New York. Ms. Fagan is looking forward to concerts in Ribideo, Spain and the United Arab Emirates with Leopoldo Erice, and The Penderecki String Quartet. In Canada, Leslie sings a Beethoven 9th, launches two CD’s and begins a series of Salon Concerts in her home at Downie House.

Ms. Fagan’s 2012-13 season was highlighted by a recital at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates with Spanish pianist Leopoldo Erice. Leslie teamed up with Mr. Erice again in Canada for a recital and a recording with the great Canadian clarinetist James Campbell. She joined the Elmer Iseler Singers for a performance of Handel’s Messiah at Christmas and is filling out her summer with performances at The Bach Festival of Canada, Brott Summer Music and Festival of the Sound. Ms. Fagan also had the honour of judging the Oratorio Society of New York’s Singing Competition at Carnegie Hall.




Having performed under the batons of such noted conductors as Hans Graf, Sir David Willcocks, Jukke Pekke Saraste, Kent Tritle, Heinz Ferlisch, Victor Borge and Elmer Isler , Ms. Fagan has delighted audiences and critics alike at Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Bordeaux Opera House, Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall.

Highlights of Ms. Fagan's past engagements include: a solo concert of music of Stravinsky and Debussy with the Bordeaux Aquitaine Symphonie Nationale, France; Bach's Weinachts Oratorium in Stuttgart, Germany; Handel's Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England;  Tafelmusik Orchestra and Choir in Toronto, Ontario; an engagement as guest soloist at the International Choral Festival in Gouda, Netherlands. In the spring of 2009, Leslie premiered 5 Mendelssohn Lieder at Steinway Hall in New York with the Clarion Music Society. The previous season marked Ms. Fagan’s official Carnegie Hall debut and her Lincoln Center debut.  She was invited by both the Oratorio Society of New York under the direction of Kent Tritle and Music Sacra under the baton of Richard Westenburg to sing their performances of Handel’s Messiah at Carnegie Hall in December.   Leslie made her Lincoln Center Debut in May singing Carmina Burana with Musica Sacra and the world premier of Alessandro Cadario’s Cantata for Revival.

Ms. Fagan has been fortunate enough to share the stage with many great artists including Victor Borge, Lois Marshall and Maureen Forrester.

On the opera stage, Ms. Fagan has sung the title role in Donizetti's Linda di Chamounix; Pamina in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte; Sophie in Massenet's Werther; Musetta in Puccini's La Boheme and Nanetta in Verdi's Falstaff. At the Aldeburgh Festival in England Ms. Fagan performed the roles of Tytania in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Zerlina in Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Ms. Fagan can be heard frequently on CBC radio and has appeared on CBC television and both BBC radio and television and NPR. Leslie Fagan's recordings include her debut solo album "le miroir de mon amour" and "A Song for all Seasons" with The Toronto Children's Chorus.