Mezzo-soprano, Hillary Tufford is a versatile and engaging performer, noted for her “rich, velvety tone,”(Dawn Martens, Opera Canada). During the 21/22 season Hillary performed at Highlands Opera in the role of Olga in Eugene Onegin, and while in the Young Artist Program at Vancouver Opera she performed as Lola in Cavalleria rusticana, Hebe in HMS Pinafore, and Berthe in Judith Weir’s Blond Eckbert. Last season she also sang Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle with both the Victoria Philharmonic Choir, as well as The Vancouver Bach Choir. This season Hillary looks forward to debuting Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Jean in Le portrait de Manon at Vancouver Opera and Flora in La Traviata at The Brott Opera Festival. She will also sing Handel’s Messiah with ChoralWorks, Collingwood and ProMusica, London and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Kingston Symphony Orchestra.

 

Other role highlights include, Ramiro (La finta giardiniera), 2nd Witch (Dido and Aeneas), Clara (The Light in the Piazza), Cinderella’s Mother (Into the Woods) and Nadia in Tapestry Opera’s world premiere performance of Aaron Gervais’ Oksana G.

 

Hillary has won two grants from the Canadian Arts Council and she has won bursaries from Les jeunes ambassadeurs lyriques, The Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation, and the Hazel Crydermann-Wees Foundation. Hillary recently won The Idaho/Montana district in The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition and she looks forward to competing in the 2023 regional. She was a finalist in IRCPA’s “Ten Singing Stars,” competition and she had the opportunity to sing the final round live on 96.3 The New Classical FM. Hillary was also a finalist in The Mozart Project Competition and she was a Semi-finalist in Les Nuits Lyriques Concours International de Chant de Marmande, France.

 

Hillary’s training includes apprenticeships with Highlands Opera Studio, The Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program, Vancouver Opera, and Tapestry Opera’s Emerging Artist Workshop. Hillary holds an MMus, Voice Literature and performance and a BMus, Honours Voice Performance (Western University).