BIOGRAPHY
Swiss-Canadian mezzo-soprano, Simone McIntosh, is a versatile singer with a passion for music, varying from baroque to contemporary with a specialty in agile coloratura singing. McIntosh represented Canada at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2023 and won a finalist spot in their respective art song competition. In other major competitions, McIntosh became the first prize laureate for the Concours Musical International de Montréal - Aria Division 2022, second prize winner and best mezzo-soprano of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg 2022 and the 2022 recipient for the Igor Gorin Memorial Award. Earlier accolades include becoming the Second Prize Winner for the Concours OSM, recipient of the Manetti-Sherem Vocal Prize, and winner of the Wirth Vocal Prize, COC Ensemble Studio Competition, and Ottawa Choral Society New Discoveries Competition.
McIntosh has performed on the main stage of opera houses across Europe and North America including San Francisco Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Opernhaus Zürich, and Oper am Rhein. Due to her agility and upper extension, McIntosh feels particularly at home in bel canto repertoire in roles such as Angelina in La Cenerentola (Vancouver Opera), Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia (Scottish Opera), and Anna in Maometto Secondo (Teatro Nuovo), and debuting in the 24/25 season as Romeo in I Capuleti e I Montecchi (Staatsoper Hannover). Other significant roles in McIntosh’s recent performance repertoire include Hänsel in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel (Oper am Rhein), Arsamene in Handel’s Serse (Opernhaus Zürich), Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni (Canadian Opera Company), and Proserpina/La Speranza in Monteverdi’s Orfeo (Opernhaus Zürich). A full repertoire list can be found in the Askonas Holt artist profile below.
In her recital work, McIntosh has performed recitals with Music in the Morning, Richard Bradshaw Free Concert Series, Schwabacher Recital Series, Toronto Summer Music Festival and Songfest. Notable recital and chamber works include Messiaen’s Harawi, Respighi’s Il tramonto, and Motetti di Montale by John Harbison. Within the Canadian contemporary music scene, McIntosh has participated in workshopping, performing and recording operas, scenes and art song cycles with Tapestry Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, Banff Centre of the Arts, and McGill Schulich School of Music.
McIntosh is a graduate of the International Opera Studio at Opernhaus Zürich, the Adler Fellowship Program with San Francisco Opera and the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio. McIntosh has participated in fellowships with Merola Opera, Songfest, Toronto Summer Music Festival, and The Banff Centre of the Arts. McIntosh graduated from McGill Schulich School of Music with an MMus, and a BMus from the University of British Columbia in her hometown, Vancouver.