She’s one of Canada’s most sought-after sopranos and it doesn’t take much to understand why.  Measha Brueggergosman knows that performance doesn’t just begin when she opens her mouth.  This grand diva who hails originally from Fredericton, New Brunswick, knows how to make an entrance.  With a captivating stage presence far beyond her 36 years, she invites her audience in with dancing eyes and an irresistible 100 watt smile.  She usually has bangles dangling from every visible limb except perhaps her feet which are always bare and there’s just colour everywhere… oh, and we must not forget her fabulous hair that appears to have a life of its own.  “People see me before they hear me,” she explained in a Toronto Star interview.
Now that you’ve been properly introduced, Brueggergosman will grace you in song and your understanding will be complete.  With a voice that can be at once sweet and soft, yet strong and powerful, her breath connects perfectly to tone in a way that makes you feel comfortable and ecstatic all at once.
The comfort comes from inherently knowing that you can trust this powerful force of a woman to present a song to you in just the way that song was meant to be sung. Each word carefully considered and thoughtfully placed; every ebb and flow a choice that she has made with purpose; so you can simply relax into the cocoon of sound which she lovingly creates for you.
Then the ecstatic part flows in on a gently swelling phrase that seems innocuous enough but which continues to build until she has reached heights and volume that will give you shivers.
Brueggergosman has received awards for both her classical and popular recordings.  In her performance at The Centre, she’ll treat us to a taste of both those worlds by opening the evening with a traditional program of classical song cycles and transitioning after the intermission into her more contemporary repertoire, which may even include a few tunes by another great Canadian artist, Joni Mitchell.
And with that little nugget on the table, there’s time for one more pleasant surprise. The entire evening will be presented in the intimate OnStage format which means of course that you’ll be sharing the stage with one of Canada’s most fabulous divas.  If you haven’t seen this style of concert at The Centre, you’ll be thrilled to discover the hall from an entirely new perspective. How’s that for turning the traditional classical recital on its head?
On February 24, get ready to experience one of Canada’s top sopranos in a brand new way.  From Brahms to Joni Mitchell, don’t miss seeing Measha Brueggergosman performing a delicious mix of music in the unique cabaret setting of Onstage.  Measha will be accompanied by pianist Christopher Mokrzewski.
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