Wallis Giunta (mezzo soprano)
At age 22, mezzo Wallis Giunta has already begun what promises to be a successful operatic career with performances in eight operas to date, including the roles of Cherubino in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro (April 2008); Il Fuso in the Canadian premiere of Respighi's La Bella Dormente nel Bosco (2007), Hermia in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream (2006), Susanna in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro (2005) and The Queen of the Night in his Die Zauberflöte (2004). This past summer, she performed in a new Canadian production, John Estacio's Frobisher, at the Banff Centre in Alberta. She has sung in two productions for Opera Atelier of Toronto, as a Cretan Girl in Mozart's Idomeneo (April 2008), and in the ensemble for The Magic Flute (Nov 2006). She has also sung in La Boheme (2002), The Black and White Opera (2001, 2003) and Madama Butterfly (2004) with Opera Lyra Ottawa.

Miss. Giunta gave her debut solo recital for the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival this past July to rave reviews. Critics have hailed her as a 'talented and artistically mature' with a 'voice of satin purity... strong, supple and ... utterly beautiful'.

Miss. Giunta has toured extensively throughout England, Italy, Japan, and Wales as soloist with the Central Chamber Choir of Ottawa, as well as performing across Canada from Halifax to Vancouver. She continues to compete frequently in local and national competitions, most recently winning the National Capital Kiwanis Music Festival, and National Association of Teachers of Singing Senior Scholarships (May/March 2008). Wallis has won the trophy for the National Capital Kiwanis Music Festival in her respective category for the past three years. She also placed 1st in the province at the Ontario Music Festivals Competition (June, 2006).

Upcoming engagements include: Othniel in Handel's Joshua with the Orpheus Choir of Toronto (May 2008), Hermia in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Banff Centre (July 2008), and Clarina in Rossini's La Cambiale di Matrimonio with the Highlands Opera Studio (Aug 2008).

Wallis Giunta received her Performance Diploma at The Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music this past April, studying with Jean MacPhail and Steven Philcox, and is currently enrolled in the GGS Artist Diploma program. She plans to pursue a career as a professional singer.