When reading Canadian soprano Jessica Strong’s resume, one is struck that at the relatively young age of 31, she has already sung so many major roles: Elvira, Micaela, Amelia Grimaldi, Alice Ford, Lina, Donna Anna and Vanessa to name just some. Whether bel canto or contemporary, Strong tackles her roles fearlessly, with beauty of tone and dramatic commitment. This spring, she received critical acclaim for her portrayal of the vocally and dramatically challenging role of Marta in Oper Frankfurt’s revival of the Holocaust opera Die Passagierin by Mieczyslaw Weinberg.
Anyone who has seen her on stage would not be surprised. She possesses a gleaming, full lyric soprano of beauty, volume and flexibility. After completing her undergraduate degree at University of Manitoba, Strong we went on to University of Toronto for…