Elias Theocharidis
Tenor
L’elisir d’Amore - Nemorino
(August 24th & 27th)
Born of Greek and Italian descent, Canadian tenor Elias Theocharidis has been noted as "quite raw" and "exuberant" (John Gilks, operaramblings). In November 2018, Elias was honoured to be a Finalist in the prestigious Atelier lyrique de l'Opéra de Montréal National Auditions' Callback Competition and Gala. Elias has attended such programs as the Highlands Opera Studio, The BANFF Centre's Opera program, Chautauqua Institution, Curtis Institute of Music's Summerfest, SongFest and St. Andrew's by-the-Sea Opera and Vocal Techniques Workshop.
In the 2020-2021 season at the University of Toronto's Opera School (UofT Opera), Elias performed in "A Little Night Music: From Mozart to Sondheim" singing excerpts of Puccini's La Bohème as Rodolfo and Sondheim's A Little Night Music as Henrik. In January 2021, he premiered the role of Cosmo Duff-Gordon in the annual UofT Opera Composers Collective, an absurdist opera called Escape Room, directed by Mario Pacheco with a libretto by Michael Patrick Albano. In March 2021, Elias performed Don José in Peter Brooks adaptation of Bizet’s Carmen, directed by Michael Patrick Albano and Musical Direction by Sandra Horst. In July 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Elias will return to Highlands Opera Studio to perform the role of Don Ottavio in Mozart's Don Giovanni, directed by Valerie Kuinka and conducted by Maestro Philip Morehead. This was previously scheduled for the 2019/2020 season. This month Elias also will return to the St. Andrew’s by-the-Sea Opera Workshop with Wendy Nielsen in a one week online intensive of the program.
In the 2019-2020 season, Elias performed Basilio in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and Mr. Rushworth in the Canadian Premiere of Jonathan Dove's Mansfield Park with UofT Opera. Elias joined Highlands Opera Studio in July 2020 for an online intensive spearheaded by tenor Richard Margison and director Valerie Kuinka. In the 2018-2019 season, Elias performed the role of Daniel Buchanan in the UofT Opera's production of Kurt Weill's Street Scene; he covered La Podesta in the spring production of Mozart's La Finta Giardiniera. In concert, Elias sang the tenor soloist in Mozart's Requiem with the Toronto Sinfonietta under Maestro Matthew Jaskiewicz. In the summer of 2019, Elias workshopped the roles of Alex Bello in Lizée/Ivany's No One's Safe and Cornelio in Prestini/Vavrek's Silent Light at The BANFF Centre's Opera in the 21st Century Program in collaboration with Against the Grain Theatre (AtG) and the National Sawdust. Elias was also an Art of Song Fellow at the Toronto summer Music Festival (TSMF), working with collaborative pianist Warren Jones and tenor Anthony Dean Griffey. June of 2018, at the Chautauqua Institution under Marlena Malas' voice program, Elias sang in the choruses of Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore, Bizet's Carmen and Romberg's The Student Prince, as well as role studying Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore, and performing as a Lackey in The Student Prince. Elias also enjoyed singing in a recital of American song curated by collaborative pianist Craig Rutenberg. In the 2017-2018 season, Elias joined the UofT Opera's new productions of Mozart's Don Giovanni and Gershwin's Of thee I sing as a chorus member alongside the University of Toronto's Opera Undergraduate division. Elias performed as the tenor soloist in Handel's Messiah with the Georgetown Choral Society under the baton of Maestro Christopher Dawes and Armour Heights Presbyterian Church under Music Director, Bruce Nasmith.
Elias is passionate about the Italian and Bel Canto repertoire, he finds great inspiration from the Italian language, and its aural and vocal traditions. Elias grew up in a very artistic Canadian-European family, coming from a long line of Broadway performers, Classically trained pianists, Folk singers, Ballroom dancers, Fashion models and Disc Jockeys. Elias found his path in Opera and Classical music. A graduate from the University of Toronto's Opera School and the Classical Voice Performance program at the University of Toronto. Elias is under the tutelage of renowned soprano Wendy Nielsen. Besides his obsession with fellow Greek, Maria Callas; Elias lends his talents as a freelance Graphic Designer and Audio/Visual Content Creator. He has recently discovered a passion for the art of Drag, understanding the many ways of self-expression in drag to be entirely reflective of the artists’ obligation on the operatic stage.