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 Marion's recording of Vivaldi's Griselda has been favourably reviewed in the May issus of BBC Music Magazine.
The CD was given four stars and labeled a "BBC Music Choice" for the month. Reviewer Nicholas Anderson found it a "rewarding performance" overall, and highlighted Marion, calling her a "show stealer".
Read the full review here!
GRISELDA CD RELEASE
 Vivaldi's opera, Griselda, with Marion singing the title role, has now been released on the Naxos label. Griselda is the Queen of Thessaly, but of simple origins, and the king sets about to prove her nobility, honour, loyalty and true love for him by putting her through some difficult trials.
This beautiful recording, featuring the Aradia Ensemble and an excellent cast of young singers, is lead by Kevin Mallon. Recorded in Toronto in September of 2006, the rest of the cast includes Giles Tomkins as King Gualtiero, Colin Ainsworth as Ottone, Carla Huhtanen as Costanza, Lynne McMurtry as Roberto and Jason Nedecky as Corrado.
Visit the Naxos website for more information on this recording and to obtain your own copy for a very reasonable rate!
MARION WEARS THE TROUSERS
 Marion proved herself to be very boyish in her first portrayal of one of the best loved trouser roles, Cherubino, in the C.O.S.I. program production of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, this July in Sulmona, Italy. Performances took place in the beautiful Teatro Comunale "Maria Caniglia" di Sulmona. The extremely talented young cast and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Razgrad were led by conductor Judith Yan, production directed by Lorna Haywood.
In addition to performing in the opera, Marion spent the month studying the Italian language and taking coachings and lessons with some of the finest operatic coaches such as Martin Isepp, Luisa Mauro, Carol Isaac and Paul Dorgan in this new summer program developed by Dr. Darryl Edwards. The summer program concluded with a well-received Gala performance of some of opera's favourites, for which Marion dropped all manly pretenses and performed Carmen's Habanera as the encore.
WOMEN'S MUSICAL CLUB OF TORONTO
 Marion performed a recital programme consisting of Britten, Chausson, Mahler and the world premiere of Bigiiwe, by Canadian Ojibway/Odawa composer Barbara Croall, to a very warm and welcoming audience this April. Marion's dress was designed by Toronto designer Natalya Willy with Kwagiulth design by Marion's parents.
Stanley Fefferman's review on Showtime- Magazine.ca included this quote: "Newman's voice flows... like a deep river moving through a delta towards the open sea."
Read the full review here
VANCOUVER OPERA DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE
 Marion (on the left) made her Vancouver Opera debut as Third Lady in 6 performances of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, in January and February 2007, in an exciting new production directed by Robert McQueen. This unique rendering of the opera was very well received and played to sold-out, enthusiastic audiences for the entire run.
NEW RECORDING RELEASED
 Marion appears as a guest performer on Sea Change, a Continuum Contemporary Music recording featuring works by Michael Oesterle, Linda C Smith, Geoff Hannan, Martin Arnold, Scott Wilson and Richard Ayres, and conducted by Rosemary Thomson.
Produced by the legendary Jonathan Goldsmith, the recording also includes ensemble members Anne Thompson, Max Christie, Benjamin Bowman, Paul Widner, Laurent Philippe, Ryan Scott, and bass Peter Pavlovsky.
BARBER OF SEVILLE
 Nominated for an Irish Times theatre award, Opera 2005's production of The Barber of Seville, in a fast paced 1920's Black and White keystone cops style, was a hit this November in Cork, Ireland. Marion sang the role of Rosina, pictured here with Martin Higgins as Bartolo and Nyle Wolfe as Figaro. The review in The Irish Examiner noted her "faultless" Una voce poco fa. Nicholas Ransley as the Count, Deryck Hamon as Basilio and Brendan Collins as Fiorello filled out this stellar cast. Thomas de Mallet Burgess directed this production designed by Connor Murphy. Kevin Mallon, general director of Opera 2005, conducted all four performances.
SUMMER MUSIC CONCERTS
 Marion had a successful run of appearances at six of Ontario's Summer Music Festivals. In July, with the Aradia Baroque Ensemble, she performed the music of Vivaldi, Monteverdi and Strozzi, in a very well received program of chamber music of Venice, at Deseronto, Philipsville, the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival and the Toronto Festival of the Arts.
In August she performed at the Niagara International Chamber Music Festival and the Brott Summer Festival. For these concerts she performed works by Lakota composer Louis W. Ballard, Navajo composer Raven Chacon and Canadian composer Barbara Croall of the Odawa Ojibway Nation. These pieces gave Marion the opportunity to use her skills as a narrator, with string quartet, and as a traditional singer and drummer, with the Brott orchestra. As well, Marion presented two West Coast Potlatch songs, which she introduced and sang in Kwakwala, the language of her Kwagiulth heritage.
VIVALDI CD RELEASE
 Marion, along with with the Aradia Ensemble, performed an afternoon concert at Sam The Record Man in downtown Toronto to launch their most recent recording for the Naxos label.
Vivaldi's Sacred Music 2 was made available this May with Marion singing the famous Stabat Mater and Clarae Stellae Scintillate and soprano Tracy Smith Bessette singing Canta in prato, ride in monte and Laudate pueri Dominum.
The recording has been positively reviewed in the June 2006 issue of Whole Note magazine. Marion's performance was given specific attention, being called "passionate and moving" and "worth the price of admission."
The CD has also been chosen as the #2 recommended CD for the "Opera Plus" channel on Canada's CBC Galaxie Satellite Radio for the month of July 2006.
Read the entire Whole Note review here
For more information visit the Naxos Website
AS HEARD ON CBC
Marion's debut with Choeur Saint-Laurent to mark the final concert of founder-director Iwan Edwards was broadcast on CBC Radio 2's Choral Concert program in June. The piece aired was Mozart's Davidde Penitente. Other solists included soprano Leslie Fagan, tenor Colin Ainsworth, and baritone Marc Boucher. The concert was accompanied by Ensemble Amati.
RINALDO RELEASE
 Marion is very excited to announce that her first recorded opera has been released. The Aradia Ensemble's recording of Handel's Rinaldo featuring Marion Newman as Goffredo – the King and Captain of the Army, Kimberly Barber as Rinaldo, Laura Whalen as Almirena, Barbara Hannigan as Armida and Sean Watson as Argante has been released on the Naxos label.
For more information visit the Naxos Website
"Marion Newman's Goffredo is authoritative
and fluid" - ArkivMusic.com
CARMEN DEBUT IN CORK
 Marion Newman made her Carmen debut with Opera 2005 in Cork, Ireland this July, to great acclaim. For four performances, Marion brought the title role to life, under the baton of conductor Kevin Mallon and director Chris Cowell. Canadian Tenor David Pomeroy appeared as Don José.
Designer David Craig set the production during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s, casting Carmen as a cigarrette factory worker by day and a cabaret singer at Lillas Pastia's tavern by night, adding a theatrical twist to the famous tale.
The Irish Examiner gave the production a five star review, calling Marion and David "very exciting new talents... spark[ing] an electricity which totally engrossed the audience; Newman's superbly sinuous sexuality marrying perfectly with Pomeroy's magnetically rich voice."
 The Irish Times also reviewed the concert, saying "Marion Newman as Carmen and David Pomeroy as Don José... with conductor Kevin Mallon lever[ed] the musical and vocal achievements onto an altogether higher level."
The rest of this exciting cast was filled out by Mary Hegarty as Micaela, Brendan Collins as Zuniga, David Delargy as Morales, Catherine Harper as Frasquita, Nuala Murry as Mercedes, Roland Wood as Escamillo, Owen Gillhooley as Dancairo and David Revels as Remendado.
Read the entire Irish Examiner review here
"A TALENT TO WATCH"
 Marion's fall Carmen performance has been reviewed by Timothy McGee in the Spring 2005 issue of Opera Canada.
"With an exuberant standing ovation, the capacity audience at Markham Theatre showed its enthusiasm for an outstanding Opera York performance of Bizet’s Carmen on November 25. The orchestra was in excellent form and conductor Sabatino Vacca led them through a fast-paced, well-modulated reading that contributed much to the excitement of the evening. Although billed as a 'concert' performance, Artistic Director Penelope Cookson produced an appealingly animated rendition, with the cast moving about the stage, and toreador Escamillo making his entrances through the aisles. The York Opera chorus was well-trained and in good voice, augmented by a spirited and dynamic girls chorus from St. Elizabeth Catholic High School. Soloists were all of very high quality, notably Mirela Tafaj (Micaela), and Keith Klassen (Don José), who received a very warm reception from the audience. But the most memorable performances of the evening belonged to baritone Andrew Tees (Escamillo) and mezzo Marion Newman (Carmen), both gifted with excellent voices and impressive stage presences. Newman, a comparative newcomer, is a real find. She imbued her Carmen with a charming seductiveness and beautifully warm legato line that marks her as a talent to watch."
Timothy J McGee has a been active in the field of music as a performer, coach, writer, teacher, and radio commentator for over 40 years.
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| PERFORMANCES |
May 17 | 2008
8pm
Universal Brotherhood
Prince George Symphony
Marion will be performing the world premiere of Northern Quest by Canadian composer Simon Cole
Vanier Hall
Prince George BC
More Information |
July 2, 6, 9, 13
August TBA | 2008
Spirit Moon
Young People's Opera
Marion will sing the role of Ta:l, the mother of Iyalwes', in this new opera written by George Austin, libretto by Patricia Dahlquist
Surrey, Langley & Cowichan
BC
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August 3–10 | 2008
North American Indigenous Games
Marion will appear in the opening and closing ceremonies, and concert series of this very exciting event
Cowichan BC
More Information |
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