2025 Adjudicators

Reviewing Leslie Fagan's New York appearances, Opera News names her performance of the Poulenc Gloria as " one of the most memorable performances of the season," and the New York Times noted the soprano's "transcendent moments" in Handel's Messiah at Carnegie Hall. In demand for concert appearances from North America to Europe and Asia, Ms. Fagan's engagements include Mahler's Symphony No. 2 under the direction of Hans Graf; a Stravinsky and Debussy concert with The Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine in France; Bach's Das Weinachtsoratorium BWV 248 in Stuttgart, Germany; Handel's Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall in England and with Tafelmusik Orchestra and Choir in Canada; and an engagement as guest soloist at the International Choral Festival in The Netherlands. She has performed with conductors Sir David Willcocks, Boris Brott, Jukke-Pekke Saraste, Elmer Iseler, and Kent Tritle with orchestras such as the National Symphony, the Rochester Philharmonic and the Toronto Symphony, as well as the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Her recent engagements include concerts in New York, Spain, Japan and in the United Arab Emirates. Leslie is co-founder of the Canadian Art Song Project, whose mandate is to champion the legacy of Canadian song. The first two CD's in the series, "Thread of Winter" and "Halibut Cheeks and other Love Songs" have been received with rave reviews. When not on the world stages, Leslie is an Associate Professor who teaches aspiring singers at Wilfrid Laurier University. Leslie received the honour of being appointed to The Order of Ontario.