About

Symphony Nova Scotia welcomes Irish-born soprano Sinéad White, known for her “gorgeous and subtle vocal palette” (La Scena Musicale) and “luminous soprano” (Whole Note) and Lionel Meunier, internationally renowned Artistic Director of the award-winning Belgian vocal ensemble Vox Luminis praised for his detailed, spirited approach.

Together, Lionel and Sinéad take us through a program of radiant highlights from Purcell’s beloved operas, including “Fairest Isle” from King Arthur and “If Love’s a Sweet Passion” from The Fairy Queen. Plus, in a first for our orchestra, we perform Handel’s dazzling Il delirio amoroso (The Delirium of Love), showcasing virtuoso solos for violin, cello, oboe, and recorder.

About The Artists

Sinead White

Praised for her “luminous soprano” (The Whole Note), “gorgeous and subtle vocal palette” (La Scena Musicale), “dreamy vocals” (Oxford Daily Info, UK) and “lovely, precise coloratura” (OperaRamblings), Irish-born soprano Sinéad White maintains an active performing and teaching schedule in North America.

Highlights of her solo work include the role of Dido in Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas with the Theatre of Early Music, onstage ensemble in Opera Atelier’s production of Charpentier’s David & Jonathas, Mozart’s Requiem with Capella Regalis, multiple appearances with both the Toronto Bach Festival and Nota Bene Players, Handel’s Messiah with the Chilliwack Symphony Orchestral, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with the Kamloops Symphony and Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri with Early Music Vancouver.

Equally at home as an ensemble singer, Sinéad has performed frequently with the Elora Singers, Theatre of Early Music, Toronto Mendelssohn Singers and Tafelmusik Chamber Choir. She and lutenist Jonathan Stuchbery founded the soprano/lute ensemble, Duo Oriana. Their debut album, How Like a Golden Dream, was released with Leaf Music and is available on all major streaming platforms.

Sinéad holds a DMA in Historical Performance from the University of Toronto and both her Bachelor and Masters’ degrees in Voice/Opera from McGill University. Further artistic training includes her time as a young artist at Boston Early Music Festival, the Masterclass Residency with Les Arts Florissants and an Art of Song Fellowship at the Toronto Summer Music Festival.

From her home base in Halifax, Nova Scotia, she is featured this fall in Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with Capella Regalis, and in the spring with Symphony Nova Scotia for their Purcell and Handel program. For more, please visit https://www.sineadwhitesoprano.com/about.html

Lionel Meunier

Internationally renowned as the founder and artistic director of the award-winning Belgian vocal ensemble Vox Luminis, French conductor and bass Lionel Meunier is widely regarded as one of the most dynamic and highly acclaimed artistic leaders in the fields of historical performance and choral music active today. Praised for his detailed yet spirited interpretative approach, he is now increasingly in demand as a guest conductor and artistic director with choirs, ensembles, and orchestras worldwide.

Lionel’s international breakthrough came in 2012 with Vox Luminis’ Gramophone Recording of Year award for their recording of Heinrich Schütz’ Musicalische Exequien. Under his leadership, Vox Luminis has since embarked on extensive concert tours throughout Europe, North America, and Asia; established multi-season artistic residencies at Wigmore Hall, Aldeburgh Festival, Utrecht Early Music Festival, and Concertgebouw Bruges; and recorded over a dozen critically acclaimed albums. Their recording of Buxtehude won them their second Gramophone Award, for 2019 Choral Recording of the Year.

As a guest conductor, Lionel has worked with Netherlands Bach Society, Danish National Vocal Ensemble, Netherlands Chamber Choir, Salzburg Bach Choir, and the Boston Early Music Festival Collegium and has led projects with Vox Luminis in collaboration with Orchestra B’Rock, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and L’Achéron, among many others. Lionel maintains a close relationship with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and Consort, returning regularly to lead collaborative projects with Vox Luminis that cover a wide repertoire.

Highlights of the 24/25 season include his debut at Carnegie Hall New York conducting Orchestra of St Luke’s in Bach and Vivaldi; a return to Juilliard New York in an all-Handel program; and extensive tours through Europe and North America with Vox Luminis as well as Freiburg Baroque Orchestra.

Born in France, Lionel was trained as a singer and recorder player and began his career as a bass in renowned ensembles such as Collegium Vocale Ghent, Amsterdam Baroque Choir, and Capella Pratensis. In 2013, he was awarded the title of Namurois de l’Année (Namur Citizen of the Year) for culture in the Belgian town of Namur, where he lives with his family. For more information, please visit https://voxluminis.com/en/vox-luminis/lionel-meunier/

Symphony Nova Scotia

Symphony Nova Scotia is Nova Scotia’s professional orchestra. With a home base in Halifax/Kjipuktuk and performances across the province, Symphony Nova Scotia reaches over 40,000 Nova Scotians of all ages each year with some of the most innovative concerts and educational offerings in the country. Though Symphony Nova Scotia had its origins with the Halifax Symphony Orchestra (1897-1908, 1955-1968), the Halifax Sinfoniette (1947-1955), and the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (1968-1983), the orchestra as we know it began in 1983 with only 13 fulltime musicians.

Today, Symphony Nova Scotia is the largest employer in Nova Scotia’s cultural community, employing 37 musicians and 16 administrative staff, along with more than 150 contracted artistic, production, and technical personnel. The Symphony’s performances take place in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaw people.

The orchestra has repeatedly been praised for its versatility and flexibility, performing everything from baroque to pops to jazz with equal finesse. International music veteran Howard Cable called Symphony Nova Scotia “the most versatile orchestra in Canada,” and the Chronicle Herald says, “They can play it all: Beethoven, Shostakovich, Hatzis and Current, as well as Tommy Dorsey, Scott Macmillan, Rose Cousins, Buck 65 and Natalie MacMaster. We are, in this province, exceedingly fortunate to have them.”

Symphony Nova Scotia also places a high priority on community engagement. The Symphony manages the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra, its flagship education program that boasts successful mentorship of young musicians, providing them with increased opportunities for networking, volunteering, and hands-on learning. Other education programs reach over 15,000 elementary, junior, and senior high school students in a typical year – students who may not otherwise have access to symphonic music. The Symphony also conducts many accessible community programs, including pre-concert chats, performances in local public libraries, free community concerts including our popular Family series, and online concerts.

Program Details

George Frideric Handel: Il delirio amoroso (The Delirium of Love)
Henry Purcell: Dances and arias from King Arthur and The Fairy Queen

For more please visit:
https://symphonynovascotia.ca/concerts-and-tickets/concerts/st-johns-anglican-church/lunenburg-purcells-king-arthur-the-fairy-queen/