Program Information

This powerful new song cycle by composer Michael Donovan and poet John Sobol receives its world premiere, featuring bass-baritone Marcus Nance, pianist Carl Philippe Gionet, and additional local singers. Written for nine voices and piano, this all-ages work gives voice to the natural world through a series of poems imagined as written by the animals themselves, set within a northern landscape shaped by beauty, fragility, and change. At its centre is the Ghost of the Woolly Mammoth, who encounters a Polar Bear, Arctic Tern, Bowhead Whale, Krill, Wolf, Moose, Lemming, and Arctic Blue Butterfly. Hailed by The New York Times as “thrillingly powerful,” Nance is a compelling and versatile performer with acclaimed work across opera, musical theatre, and new music. Gionet is active as a pianist, collaborative artist, and vocal coach in Canada and Europe.

Full program information for this concert will follow at a later date.

Artist Biographies

Marcus Nance, bass-baritone

Hailed as “thrillingly powerful” by The New York Times and “a major talent” by The Toronto Star, Marcus Nance is one of North America’s most compelling and versatile performers. Equally at home in opera, musical theatre, film, and cabaret, he brings exceptional vocal authority, dramatic presence, and emotional depth to every stage he inhabits. A two-time Dora Award winner (2024, 2025) and recipient of the 2025 Toronto Theatre Critics’ Award, Marcus was also named My Entertainment World’s 2023 Performer of the Year, praised as “one of Canada’s greatest musical theatre talents.”

Recent stage credits include Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (Mirvish / Crow’s Theatre / Musical Stage Company), A Strange Loop (Soulpepper), The Little Prince (Pacific Opera Victoria), Cymbeline, Frankenstein Revived, and Richard II (Stratford Festival), as well as H.M.S. Pinafore with Vancouver Opera. His Broadway credits include Jesus Christ Superstar and Baz Luhrmann’s Tony Award-winning production of La Bohème.

A longtime member of the Stratford Festival company, Marcus has spent twelve seasons performing leading roles and earning critical acclaim for portrayals such as the Monster in Frankenstein Revived, Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Jupiter in Cymbeline, Queequeg in Moby Dick, and Reverend J.D. Montgomery in My One and Only. In 2021, he created, directed, and performed in Why We Tell the Story, which launched the Stratford Festival’s outdoor season. His deeply personal solo work, Voice of a Preacher’s Son, premiered on Stratfest@Home, the Festival’s digital streaming platform.

In opera, Marcus is celebrated for his commanding bass voice, formidable dramatic presence, and distinguished work in the creation of new repertoire. He originated three roles in world-premiere productions: Moses in Beatrice Chancy (Queen of Puddings Music Theatre), Malcolm in Atom Egoyan’s Elsewhereless (Tapestry Opera)—for which he received a Dora Award nomination—and bass soloist in the Juno Award-nominated Dark Star Requiem (Tapestry Opera). Additional operatic highlights include Sparafucile in Rigoletto (Tacoma Opera), the Compère in Four Saints in Three Acts (Chicago Opera Theatre), Basilio in The Barber of Seville (Monterey Opera Association), and Ali in L’Italiana in Algeri (Hawai‘i Opera Theatre).

On screen, Marcus made his feature film debut in Mel Brooks’ The Producers and has appeared in Queen Tut, Murdoch Mysteries, Good Sam, Departure, and Mayday.

Beyond his performing career, Marcus is a passionate educator, mentor, and advocate for the next generation of artists. He teaches voice at Wilfrid Laurier University, Sheridan College, and the Stratford Summer Music Vocal Academy, and regularly leads masterclasses and adjudicates festivals throughout Canada and the United States. His teaching philosophy centers on cultivating versatile, fearless artists—singers who are technically grounded, stylistically flexible, and committed to authentic storytelling across all genres of music.

Marcus also served on the International Congress of Voice Teachers (ICVT) 2025 Program Committee and was invited to perform in the conference’s opening ceremonies.

Marcus Nance is a proud member of CAEA, ACTRA, and NATS.

Carl Philippe Gionet, piano

Carl Philippe Gionet is a pianist and multidisciplinary artist. Whether as a soloist, collaborative pianist, or pedagogue, Carl is in high demand, mainly in Europe and Canada. He completed his doctorate in piano performance at the Université de Montréal under the direction of Paul Stewart. He has received specialized training in collaborative piano in Austria and England, and participated in numerous prestigious international summer programs. In 2013, he founded Musique sur mer en Acadie, an organization dedicated to the education and diffusion of classical music in francophone minority communities, and since 2014 he has been the collaborative piano professor and vocal coach at Breno Italy International Music Academy (BIIMA). He is also a visual artist, primarily painting and video installations, working almost exclusively in black and white. He is represented by Galerie ART-ARTISTE. Inspired by the contrasts observed in nature, his work is both introspective and contemplative, allowing the work to express itself, therefore offering countless avenues of interpretation. Carl is also a writer, published by Éditions Prise de parole since 2021. With his first book, Icare, he was finalist for the Prix Antonine-Maillet-Acadie Vie. Leaf Music has released his latest album, Tu me voyais, featuring his Douze chansons folkloriques acadiennes with soprano Christina Raphaëlle Haldane in 2022. The score for his arrangements are published and distributed by Éditions Doberman-Yppan.

Frequently Asked Questions

How will I receive my tickets?
Electronic tickets are emailed immediately after purchase to the email address used at checkout. Please keep your tickets handy on your smart phone or bring a printed copy with you to the concert so we can scan them at the door. If you do not receive your tickets, please check your spam or junk folder, as ticket emails are sometimes blocked or filtered by email providers. You may also wish to search your inbox for “Cecilia Concerts” or your order confirmation. If you still cannot find your tickets, please contact the Cecilia Concerts office before the concert and we’ll be happy to help. Rest assured, if you purchased tickets, your name will also be on our guest list at the door.

What time should I arrive?
Doors open at 7:00pm, and the concert begins at 7:30pm. We recommend arriving a little early so you have time to have your ticket scanned, find a seat, and get settled before the performance begins.

Can I arrive late?
Latecomers will be seated at an appropriate break in the performance, when possible. To avoid disruption to the artists and audience, we recommend arriving before the concert begins.

How long is the concert?
The approximate running time is 1 hour and 30 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission.

What is the seating like?
Tickets are general admission. The Stage at St. Andrew’s has unassigned seating, with chairs on the main floor and pews in the balcony. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Bravo Premium subscription holders have reserved access to seating within the first five rows. Please note that the balcony is accessible by stairs only. Wheelchair-accessible seating and companion seating are available on the main floor. If you have an accessibility-related seating need, please let us know when you arrive.

Are children welcome?
Yes, children are always welcome. Please keep in mind that this is a full-length concert in a traditional concert setting. Families may wish to choose seats close to a door in case a quick exit is needed during the performance.

What should I know about concert etiquette?
If you are new to classical concerts, you are very welcome. We simply ask that audience members help create a quiet and respectful environment for the artists and those around them. Please silence your phone before the concert begins, avoid talking during the performance, and wait for pauses between pieces to move around when possible.

When should I clap?
It is always fine to clap when a full piece has ended. Some longer works have several movements, with short pauses in between, and audiences usually wait until the entire work is finished before applauding. If you are unsure, it is perfectly okay to wait and follow the rest of the audience.

Can I use my phone during the concert?
Please silence your phone before the concert begins. We ask that phones and bright screens not be used during the performance, as they can be distracting to artists and audience members.

Can I take photos or videos?
Photos are welcome before or after the concert. Unless otherwise announced, photography, audio recording, and video recording are not permitted during the performance.

What accessibility features are available?
The Stage at St. Andrews is wheelchair accessible and includes accessible washrooms with ramp access. Companion seating is available if required. If you have a specific accessibility question before attending, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Is the venue scent-sensitive?
To help make the concert comfortable for everyone, we ask guests to avoid wearing strong scents or fragrances.

Is there parking or public transit nearby?
The Stage at St. Andrews is located on the corner of Robie Street and Coburg Road. There is no parkade at the venue, but street parking is available in the surrounding area. The venue is also located near major South End Halifax Transit routes.

What happens if there is a storm?
If a storm may affect a performance, ticket holders are encouraged to call the Cecilia Concerts office at 902-423-0143 for a recorded concert update. Updates will also be posted on the Cecilia Concerts website and social media channels.

What happens if a concert is changed, postponed, or cancelled?
Concert schedule changes are very rare, but storms or other unexpected circumstances may occasionally require us to make adjustments. If a concert is changed, postponed, or cancelled, ticket holders will be contacted as soon as possible with available options. Depending on the circumstances, you may choose to attend the rescheduled concert, receive a credit toward a future Cecilia Concerts performance, request a refund, or convert the value of your ticket into a charitable donation tax receipt.