News

For the 2019-20 season, Beste will be returning to Edmonton Opera, this time as the “very easily assimilated” Old Lady in Candide by L. Bernstein. She has recently debuted this role with Banff Centre’s production in collaboration with Against The Grain Theatre and the Canadian Opera Company. She is looking forward to be back in Edmonton and to give life to this brilliant character once again, this time under the guidance of director Joel Ivany and Maestro Peter Dala!

When:
March 14,17, 20 2020
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Beste will also be rejoining the Toronto Operetta Family with a role debut, Czipra in The Gypsy Baron by J. Strauss. The show will run during holidays under the baton of Maestro Derek Bate and General Director Guillermo Silva-Marin!

When:
December 28th- January 5th 2020

On concert stages, Beste will make her company debut with Sinfonia Toronto under the baton of Maestro Nurhan Arman with a concert titled: Musical Bridges. The concert will feature the world premier of songs by award winning Turkish composer Tahsin Incirci and will celebrate a great composer and the founder of Armenian School of Music: Komitas.

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For the detailed schedule and updates, please check the upcoming events section

Adam Fisher (Paris) and Beste Kalender (Helene) in TOT’s The Beautiful Helen. Photo: Gilbeto Prioste; Maestro: Peter Tiefenbach; Reggia: Guillermo Silva-Marin

Beste’s performance of title role in La belle Hélène by Offenbach was very well received by the critics and audiences:

“Turkish-Canadian mezzo Beste Kalender was every inch the glamorous diva, sang with luscious tone, and acted up a storm.” (Joseph So, Opera Canada)

“There are some very good performances, notably by Beste Kalender in the title role. In appearance she could have stepped straight out of a Minoan fresco and vocally she navigates Helen’s very tricky music with great facility and rather beautiful tone colours. She does “petulant” and “hissy fit” really well too.”( John Gilks, Operaramblings)

“La Belle Hélène, Offenbach’s most popular operetta after La Vie parisienne (1866) and Orphée aux enfers (1858), provides an excellent showcase for the talents of Beste Kalender in the title role. Kalender possesses a large, lustrous and rich mezzo-soprano. But she also has a delightful agility of technique and a sense for comedy that she shows off in a series of extended interpolated runs in Act 2. She has the full measure of the role playing Hélène as an faux-innocent victim of destiny as well as a young woman instantly attracted to the strapping young Paris who clearly outshines her aged husband. Kalender is wonderfully coy and flirtatious in “On me nomme Hélène” and brings out the beauty of the operetta’s most famous melody, “Va t’en, va t’en, mon amour te suivra”, a melody you will instantly recognize without knowing that this operetta is its source.” (Christopher Hoile, Stage Door)

• Nicole Cabell, Soprano
• Susanna Phillips, Soprano
• Isabel Leonard, Mezzo-Soprano
• Beste Kalender, Mezzo-Soprano
• Russell Thomas, Tenor
• Leonardo Capalbo, Tenor
• Lester Lynch, Baritone
• Edward Parks, Baritone
• Martin Katz, Piano
• Warren Jones, Piano

The Professional Development for Artists component of Explore and Create supports the career growth of Canadian artists and artistic groups by encouraging participation in a wide range of development opportunities. Grants fund activities that contribute to the professional advancement of Canadian artists working in all artistic disciplines.

“We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $153 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country.

Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien. L’an dernier, le Conseil a investi 153 millions de dollars pour mettre de l’art dans la vie des Canadiennes et des Canadiens de tout le pays.”

Beste will be performing at Gala Concert of World Opera Stars with The National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Belarus

• Nicole Cabell, Soprano
• Susanna Phillips, Soprano
• Isabel Leonard, Mezzo-Soprano
• Beste Kalender, Mezzo-Soprano
• Russell Thomas, Tenor
• Leonardo Capalbo, Tenor
• Lester Lynch, Baritone
• Edward Parks, Baritone
• Martin Katz, Piano
• Warren Jones, Piano

“…In a crowded field, Kalender unquestionably has the talent to succeed (and the work ethic, according to Warren Jones), but she is also a consistently bright, positive presence…” for more please go to MusicalAmerica – New Artist of the Month: Beste Kalender