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The American lyric soprano, Rebecca Whelan-Martin, studied from 1989 to 1993 at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, obtaining Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice Performance. Since 1993 she is a member of ACTRA.
From 1993 to 1999, Rebecca Whelan was engaged by the Elmer Iseler Singers under the direction of the late Dr. Elmer Iseler (currently directed by Lydia Adams), touring across North America and featured as soloist in more than 12 CBC Broadcast performances. She was also engaged by the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and then the Amadeus choir. In 1994 she made her debut performance at Roy Thompson Hall as soprano soloist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, in three CBC Broadcasts of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Symphonie Antarctica. In 1996 she was soprano soloist, on camera, television show Adrienne Clarkson Presents The Mendelssohn Choir; and soloist in Beethoven’s Fantasia in C Minor with the Elmer Iseler Singers and the Sault Ste. Marie Symphony Orchestra in Sault St. Marie, Ontario, conducted by Dr. Elmer Iseler. In 1997 she was guest soloist with the Peterborough Choral Society in a performance of Eleanor Daley’s Requiem and Felix Mendelssohn’s Hear My Prayer. In 1998 she was soprano soloist in W.A. Mozart’s Requiem with the Academy Orchestra of Hamilton, conducted by Boris Brott, and guest soloist in a Mooredale Concert production of Henri Purcell’s Opera, The Fairy Queen. In 1999 she was soprano soloist in a CBC Radio Live Broadcasting to the world performance of Joy to the World: A Live Christmas Celebration with The Elmer Iseler Singers conducted by Lydia Adams and hosted by Howard Dyck; and guest soloist in George Frideric Handel’s Solomon at the Ford Centre of the Performing Arts with the Amadeus Choir, conducted by Lydia Adams. That same year she was also engaged by the Amadeus Choir, under the direction of Lydia Adams, as soprano lead and soloist. In 2000 she was guest soloist with The Village Voices and The Apollo Chamber Ensemble in a performance of Antonio Vivaldi’s Gloria under the direction of conductor Joan Andrews; soprano soloist in a Tapestry New Opera Works workshop entitled Facing South; guest soloist in the role of Pilate’s Wife and the First Maid in an Amadeus Choir 25th Anniversary concert production of J.S. Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion (BWV 244).
In 2001 Rebecca Whelan was guest soloist with the Toronto Chamber Choir in Benjamin Britten’s Lacrymosa; made her debut opera performance with Opera Barrie as the role of Serpina in Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona; and was soprano soloist in an Esprit Orchestra concert production of Louis Andreissen’s TAO under the direction of conductor Alex Pauk. In 2002 she performed the role of Laetitia in Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief with Opera Barrie; and was guest soloist with the Georgetown Bach Chorale in the J.S. Bach's Cantata Eine Feste Burg BWV 80 and the Funeral Cantata Lass Fürstin, Lass noch einen Strahl BWV 198. In 2004 she was soprano soloist with the Amadeus Choir in a performance of Imant Raminsch’s Symphony of Psalms and W.A. Mozart’s Laudamus Te at the Toronto Centre for the Arts; soprano soloist with the Amadeus Choir performing Eleanor Daley’s Requiem and John Rutter’s Requiem; soprano soloist with Tapestry New Opera Works as the role of the Angel of Death in the opera Facing South with Wayne Strongman conducting; and guest soloist with the Amadeus Choir in a Concert performance of G.F. Handel’s Dixit Dominus and W.A. Mozart’s Coronation Mass. In 2005 she was featured soprano soloist in a benefit concert for Asia in aid of the victims of the South Asia disaster at Roy Thompson Hall.
Rebecca Whelan's solo voice was featured on many CD recordings, CBC radio broadcasts and on tours throughout North America. Some of her television credits include No Night is Too Long (an international Alliance Atlantis production) as the off camera role of Sophie from Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier in 2001 and Beverley Thompson - Where There Is No Fear (a Global TV documentary) as the soloist of the title song Where There Is No Fear, written by Chris Dedrick, which aired in December of 2002, and in February of 2003. |
