Biography
Amelia Lakoff was just a young girl when she heard Isabel Bayrakdarian sing during a televised interview on CBC. “It was love at first sight.” she recalls. “I knew I must learn to sing that music.” Amelia, of mixed Russian, Jewish and Acadian origin, grew up in rural Lost River, Quebec, where opera was scarce. In a log cabin with no electricity, she spent her childhood singing along to Maria Callas recordings and eventually left home for Montreal to study voice.
Amelia earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music at the University of Concordia in 2006 and began pursuing a Diploma in Vocal Performance under Montreal soprano Colette Boky in 2007. Most recently, Amelia has been studying in New York City with Elizabeth Roberts (Vocal Chair at Mannes College, Artist-in-Residence Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department), Kamal Khan (Assistant Conductor to James Levine at the Metropolitan Opera, Faculty at Mannes College) and Mory Ortman (Faculty at Mannes), steadily developing her vocal technique and repertoire, strengthening her acting skills and gaining proficiency in Italian, German, French and English. She was named a laureate of the Young Singers Foundation Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship in 2008.
In the spring of 2008, Amelia placed as a provincial finalist in the Canadian Music Competition and earned second place in the St. Andrews Arts Council International Aria Competition. Soon after, she was selected as the first alternate for a televised gala festival showcase in New Brunswick with the St. Andrews Chamber Orchestra under Maestro Lewis Dalvit.
Building on her momentum, Amelia earned the opportunity to participate in a series of masterclasses and gala concert for the Opera Collegium Foundation, founded by world renowned Italian Soprano, Renato Scotto and Italian Basso Donato di Stephano (Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera, Canadian Opera Company). In late summer of 2008, she travelled to Washington, DC to work with Richard Crittenden (Head of Masters Opera Program, Curtis Institute of Music, New York University, Mannes College) at his annual operatic workshop.
Amelia currently resides in Montreal where she is a chorus member at L’Opera de Montreal. She continues to study under soprano Colette Boky, finishing up a Diploma in Vocal Performance. She will attend the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, begining in September 2009, to pursure a Master’s degree in Voice Performance
Amelia Lakoff’s passion for opera is beyond any doubt. “Some music just jumps off the page at me and begs to be brought to life!” Looking forward to a lifelong career in opera, Amelia Lakoff is devoted to realizing the full potential of her voice and performing the music that inspires her so much.
