James Westman
Born and raised near St Marys, James Westman had his earliest successes as a boy treble, touring with the American Boys Choir, the Paris Boys Choir, and the Vienna Boys Choir. He was the first boy ever to perform the fourth movement of Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, (Child's View of Heaven) and toured this work internationally with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. He performed in the Musikverein, Roy Thomson Hall, and Carnegie Hall at the age of twelve.
Mr Westman was Baritone in Residence with the prestigious San Francisco Opera Adler Fellowship program until March 2000. Among his many critically acclaimed performances at the San Francisco Opera were Guglielmo (Cosi Fan Tutte), Marcello (La Bohème), Sylvio (Pagliacci), Germont (La Traviata), Renato (Ballo in Maschera), Sid (Albert Herring), and the First Philosopher (Louise).
Since being an Adler, this young Verdi-baritone has performed the leading roles of Verdi, Puccini, Massenet, Donizetti, Janáček Bizet, Britten, and Mozart for principal Opera houses all over North America and Europe. His debut with the English National Opera marked his 100th professional performance of his 'calling card' role of Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata. In 2012, Westman, created the leading role (Sandy Keith) in Bramwell Tovey’s new opera The Inventor to rave reviews.
James Westman also thrives in art song repertoire of many different styles and genres. He has performed recitals for The Marilyn Horne Foundation, The George London Foundation, The Aldeburgh Connection, the Canadian Arts and Letters Club, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Stratford Summer Music Festival, the Schwabacher Debut Recital Series, the Michigan Chamber Music Society, the Festival de Lanaudière, the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques, the Wexford Festival Opera, and more. His success on the concert stage began at the age of eight, and he continues to perform with many of the world’s leading Orchestras.
Mr Westman has placed first in all international competitions in which he has participated, including the George London Competition (1997), the D’Angelo Competition (1997), the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques (1996), the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation (1999), and the Marilyn Horne Foundation Award (1999). In June of 1999 he was a finalist and the audience favorite award at the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.
Nominated for two Grammy awards and three Juno awards, Mr Westman has made several recordings for Decca, Opera Rara, CBC, and BBC.
Mr Westman lives by the Avon in Stratford, Ontario with his wife Nadine (Dini) and their two sons Liam and Hardy, situated close to the Westman’s and Marshall / Levy heritage farms which have been in his family since the 1700s.
‘’Westman is one of Canada’s most promising Opera singers, with a lush, soaring, flexible voice that equips him to be a Verdi and Puccini baritone and therefore heir to some of the most coveted roles in Opera.” – Paula Citron, The Globe and Mail
Mr Westman was Baritone in Residence with the prestigious San Francisco Opera Adler Fellowship program until March 2000. Among his many critically acclaimed performances at the San Francisco Opera were Guglielmo (Cosi Fan Tutte), Marcello (La Bohème), Sylvio (Pagliacci), Germont (La Traviata), Renato (Ballo in Maschera), Sid (Albert Herring), and the First Philosopher (Louise).
Since being an Adler, this young Verdi-baritone has performed the leading roles of Verdi, Puccini, Massenet, Donizetti, Janáček Bizet, Britten, and Mozart for principal Opera houses all over North America and Europe. His debut with the English National Opera marked his 100th professional performance of his 'calling card' role of Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata. In 2012, Westman, created the leading role (Sandy Keith) in Bramwell Tovey’s new opera The Inventor to rave reviews.
James Westman also thrives in art song repertoire of many different styles and genres. He has performed recitals for The Marilyn Horne Foundation, The George London Foundation, The Aldeburgh Connection, the Canadian Arts and Letters Club, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Stratford Summer Music Festival, the Schwabacher Debut Recital Series, the Michigan Chamber Music Society, the Festival de Lanaudière, the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques, the Wexford Festival Opera, and more. His success on the concert stage began at the age of eight, and he continues to perform with many of the world’s leading Orchestras.
Mr Westman has placed first in all international competitions in which he has participated, including the George London Competition (1997), the D’Angelo Competition (1997), the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques (1996), the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation (1999), and the Marilyn Horne Foundation Award (1999). In June of 1999 he was a finalist and the audience favorite award at the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.
Nominated for two Grammy awards and three Juno awards, Mr Westman has made several recordings for Decca, Opera Rara, CBC, and BBC.
Mr Westman lives by the Avon in Stratford, Ontario with his wife Nadine (Dini) and their two sons Liam and Hardy, situated close to the Westman’s and Marshall / Levy heritage farms which have been in his family since the 1700s.
‘’Westman is one of Canada’s most promising Opera singers, with a lush, soaring, flexible voice that equips him to be a Verdi and Puccini baritone and therefore heir to some of the most coveted roles in Opera.” – Paula Citron, The Globe and Mail