ASITHA TENNEKOON Tenor

2017 DORA AWARD – OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE, MALE, OPERA DIVISION – ROCKING HORSE WINNER (TAPESTRY/SCOTTISH OPERA)

As John Peyton in Shanawdithit with Tapestry Opera – “Tennekoon’s savage depiction of vicious racist magistrate and merchant John Peyton is nothing less than harrowing. ” Ian Ritchie, Opera to Go As Luis Griffith in Champion – “Tenor Asitha Tennekoon gave a sympathetic, tender portrayal of Griffith’s adopted son Luis, skill­ fully negotiating his part’s unkind spread.” Natasha Gauthier, Opera Canada

BIOGRAPHY SELECTED RESUME

Sri Lankan tenor Asitha Tennekoon has quickly established OPERA himself as one of Canada’s most impressive and versatile singing artists. He drew critical acclaim as Paul in Tapestry Le Comte Ory (Understudy) | Opera/Scottish Opera’s Rocking Horse Winner, receiving Luis Champion | Opéra de Montréal the 2016 Dora Award for Best Male Performance. Of his performance, Richard Harris of the Globe and Mail wrote, Polidoro Erminia | Lafayette Opera “The surprise of the night was Asitha Tennekoon... his Gernando L’Isola Disabitata | Voicebox:Opera in Concert silky, emotional presence on stage – both vocally and dra­ Paul Rocking Horse Winner | Tapestry Opera matically – gave the show a powerful focus.” For his per­ formance in the 2019 world premiere of Shanawdithit Vincent Le Chanteur de Mexico | Opéra Bouffe du Québec (Nolan/Burry) with Tapestry Opera, Ian Ritchie of Opera Going Toronto wrote: “Tennekoon’s savage depiction of CONCERT vicious racist magistrate and merchant John Peyton is nothing less than harrowing.” Messiah Handel | Elmer Iseler Singers, Chorus Niagara Asitha’s operatic highlights include performances with Lord Nelson Mass Haydn | Toronto Mendelssohn Choir Opéra de Montréal, Tapestry Opera, Against the Grain St. John Passion (Evangelist) Bach | Ottawa Choral Society Theatre, , Soundstreams Canada, Opera on the Avalon, Opera 5, and Opera Lafayette (USA). Magnificat Bach | Thirteen Strings Chamber Orchestra On the concert stage Asitha is known for performing a St. Matthew Passion Bach | Grand Philharmonic Choir wide variety of repertoire, from the Evangelist in Bach’s Passions to premiering new works. Concert highlights include engagements with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra as Luis Griffith in and Chamber Choir, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Regina Champion with Symphony Orchestra, Ottawa Choral Society, Toronto Opéra de Montréal Bach Festival, and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. (top) and as Paul in Asitha considers himself very fortunate to have had oppor­ Rocking Horse tunities to make music this past year despite the interrup­ tion to live performance due to the COVID­19 pandemic Winner with and looks forward to the return to the stage soon as Tapestry Opera, Ferrando in Edmonton Opera’s Cosi fan Tutte. Toronto (below) In May 2020 he reprised his performance as Paul in Tapestry Opera’s album recording of Rocking Horse Winner (Available on Bandcamp). Throughout the summer and fall of 2020 Asitha was one of two featured performers of Tapestry Opera’s Box Concerts initiative, which brought live music to outdoor spaces in Toronto and the GTA, often to outdoor spaces servicing frontline workers and care home residents. Asitha recently played the role of The Knave of Hearts in a filming of Elizabeth Raum’s The Garden of Alice with . In February 2021 he participated in ’s workshop of Namwayut with an Indigenous­led team of artists exploring new, generative paths of opera creation. In addition to his artistic abilities, this year Asitha has taken and administrative role as a co­founder of Amplified Opera (AO), the Toronto ­based Indie opera company that seeks to place artists at the centre of public discourse. As part of Kathy J Domoney, Director his work with AO, Asitha participates in online residencies, 23 Northview Ave Toronto ON M1N1V9 and leads webinars and mentorship sessions. He continues to advocate for meaningful change in the industry through 416.892.4382 [email protected] AO’s two­year residency as Disruptor­In­Residence at the www.domoneyartists.com .