Margaret Maye

a Bio

Singer-actress Margaret Maye has been critically acclaimed on CBC Radio, and in the Toronto Star, Opera Canada Magazine, Gazeta and other Polish media.

"Experienced Polish-born mezzo-soprano Margaret Maye has a rich, easy, plumy tones and deserves a bigger career in her adopted country."

Paula Citron, arts reviewer Classical 96.3 FM, November 2, 2004.
                                                                                               
"Mezzo Margaret Maye was in excellent voice as a colorful gypsy leading an appealing children's choir" Geoff Chapman, music critic, Toronto Star, November 2004.                                                                                             
"Mezzo Margaret Maye as the jealous Lyubasha has a lush voice and dramatic delivery"

Paula Citron, arts reviewer at Classical 96.3 FM, February 2, 2004.

"Mezzo Margaret Maye, trained in Poland, was very strong, notably in her Act 1 a capella aria"
Geoff Chapman, music critic, Toronto Star, February 2, 2004

"among the worthy cast, one to watch is mezzo-soprano Margaret Maye, who performed both Gretchen and the Grand Duchess. She can both sing and act with verve."  Paula Citron, arts reviewer, Opera Canada Magazine, Spring 2002.

Ms. Maye has been an enthusiastic participant in Canadian cultural life since she first arrived in Canada in 1989. She joined the Polish-Canadian Society of Music and later the Salon of Music and Poetry. Since then she has held singing and dramatic leads in a countless number of performances of that company.

She has also collaborated with other companies including Opera in Concert, Toronto Operetta Theatre, Summer Opera Lyric Theatre, City Opera Mississauga, Polonia Theatre, Polish Music Theatre, Toronto Sinfonietta, Cabaret “Pod Banka” and many others.

Margaret has shared her talent and passion for singing, music and theatre for nearly seventeen years in Canada. In recognition of her significant and continuing contributions to the arts, Margaret Maye was presented with the prestigious Order of Merit from the Ministry of Culture of The Republic of Poland, in December 2004.          

As with all dedicated artists, the radiant performances of this mezzo-soprano are the fortuitous result of talent, time, study and preparation.

Passionately dedicated to her work, she is always striving for artistic excellence. In her search for communication and artistic expression she explores different music styles and genres, constantly testing and challenging her abilities.

Her musical tastes and boundaries have continued to change and to expand. Building upon training and performances that encompass opera and musical theatre, as well as oratorio and other early styles, she has also explored the best of what contemporary musical genres have to offer.

Today she is an eclectic vocalist, a classical singer with both a great respect for the past and an enthusiastic embrace of contemporary music.

This versatile singer and actress had established herself as an outstanding performer in various musical genres. Her strongly varied repertoire extends from early and modern music, opera, and oratorio, to include operetta, music theatre, cabaret and jazz.

                                                                              In addition to a voice of beautiful sound, great range and flexibility, this sensitive artist brings a commanding stage presence and dramatic ability to all of her performances.

One seldom sees such talents united in the same performer. She has an impressive ability to adjust her voice and expressive rendition to the many diverse styles of her performances. 

This exuberant chanteuse is known for her interpretations of cabaret and music theatre songs from the repertoire of E. Piaf, M. Dietrich, B. Brecht, Hanka Ordonowna and Jaroslaw Abramow-Neverly. She moves with ease through this repertory with the charisma and the kind of “edge” necessary for these styles.

With the potent combination of her talents, MM has graced the audiences with expressive performances, elegant vocal gifts, poise and charismatic stage presence, and proven that she is equally at home with sultry Latin tempos and the edge of music theatre as she is with soaring operatic flights (particularly in her portrayals in the title roles of Bizet’s Carmen, Gluck’s Orfeus and Mozarts’s Idamante).

Over the years she has built a loyal and growing following.

Born in Poland, Margaret’s lengthy and intensive studies have included singing, drama and dancing at the School of Music and Dramatic Arts at the Music Theatre in Gdynia and the Music Academy in Wroclaw.

While in Poland she was employed at the Music Theatre in Gdynia and toured with the Baltic Artistic Agency. Now she makes her home in Toronto.

She has sung as a soloist in many concerts in Poland, France, Canada and United States.

She is comfortable performing in a variety of languages, including English, Polish, Russian French, Italian, Spanish, German and Latin.

Among the many highlights of her career, Margaret participated in the Jeunesse Musical Festival in France singing alto solo in Pergolesi's Stabat Mater and was for many years a member of Musica Antiqua Vocal Ensemble, a group specializing in oratorio and early music.

                                  Her dramatic performances also include television and film productions.

In addition to her career as a soloist, she has clearly demonstrated her abilities as a producer, presenting her own shows. These include “Images”, presented at the Premiere Dance Theatre, and “On the Wings of Love”, at the CBC Glenn Gould Theatre.

Since the inception of Bravo International, Ms. Maye has produced a number of interesting events, exploring inventive ideas and rich repertoire. Her productions have explored the connections extending from traditional and

modern, classical and jazz, Western music and Latin, Broadway, musical theatre and cabaret.

Her classical training in the Western tradition inspired her to apply the same discipline to her interest in other styles. She integrates different elements into a fusion of musical styles, genres and languages. Blending her formal training with jazz, Latin music and popular culture into a rich mélange, was a natural evolution – and the next step on her musical journey. 

Miss Maye places great importance on giving back to the community. She has been generously

donating her work, time and performances for many different community causes. In both her professional and volunteer activities, she has done much to promote the arts through her work with such organizations as Toronto Sinfonietta Orchestra, the Polish-Canadian Congress, Polish Combatants Association, Pole’s Association in Canada, Polish Scouts Association, CHIN, Radio Polonia, Polish Orphans Foundation, Polish Canadian Women Federation, Polish Canadian Women’s Heritage Fund,  Polonia Theater, Polish Canadian Society of Music, Toronto Operetta and others.  

 She has also demonstrated an ongoing commitment to improving the quality of life for others in need, particularly those with epilepsy. This commitment has led her to donate performances for Epilepsy Ontario, Toronto Epilepsy and Epilepsy Research at the University of Toronto. The next concert project, “Come a little closer” will donate the net proceeds to Epilepsy Toronto. Margaret wishes to sustain this fundraising event on an annual basis.

 Repertoire

Operatic roles:                                                          Idamante in Mozart's opera "Idomeneo",                 Orfeo in Gluck's "Orfeo and Euridice",                       Sophie in Moniuszko's opera "Halka",                      The Witch in Hamperdinck's "Hansel and Gretchen", Baroness in Samuel Barber's "Vanessa",         Marguerite in Boiledieu's "La Dame Blache", Lyubasha in Rimski-Korsakov's "Tsar's Bride",    Gypsy Woman in Pennella's "El Gato Negro",  Sophie in Kurpinski’s opera "Castle on the Chorshtin Hill".

Musical theatre roles:
Valencienne in Lehar's operetta "Merry Widow", Duchess and Gretchen in S. Romberg's "The Student Prince", Kate in Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance", Aurelia in Oscar Strauss's operetta "The Chocolate Soldier",     Miss Molly in L. Swietochowski's operetta "Nymph", Manja in Kalman's "Countess Maritza",               Princess Bozena in Kalman’s operetta “Countess Maritza”,                           Grand Duchess in Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta “Gondoliers” and others.

Oratorio credits include :
Pergolese's Stabat Mater,                             Handel's The Messiah,                                      Mozart's Requiem,                                                  Vivaldi's Gloria,                                                      Haydn's Lord Nelson's Mass,                                                  Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah,                             Kurpinski's Te Deum,                                                Bach's Magnificat and his various Cantatas, Bethoven's Mass in C Major,                                     Gorczycki’s Completorium,                                                  M. Zebrowski’s Magnificat.