The Canadian Opera Company has unveiled the seven finalists for its highly anticipated Centre Stage: Ensemble Studio Competition, taking place Oct. 23, 2025, at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

The seven finalists include tenor Jacob Abrahamse, tenor Jackson Allen, soprano Sarah Anderson-Caulfield, bass Onur Hilaloglu, soprano Nikan Ingabire Kanate, mezzo-soprano Camila Montefusco, and baritone Søren Pedersen. They were selected from 117 overall applications and 60 singers heard in auditions across Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and Toronto.

The finalists will headline COC’s largest annual fundraiser with all proceeds supporting the company’s Ensemble Studio on Oct. 23, 2025, performing alongside the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra under the baton of COC Music Director Johannes Debus. The competition offers significant cash prizes and the possibility of joining the Ensemble Studio, while audiences will also take part in selecting the Audience Choice Prize, sponsored by Hatch.

The evening will be hosted by Marci Ien, the former Member of Parliament, broadcast journalist, and co-host of CTV’s The Social.

“This is a pivotal moment and milestone for any emerging singer,” said Dorian Cox, Director of the Ensemble Studio, per an official press release. “To be named a finalist is not only a recognition of exceptional talent, but also the start of a journey that can propel these artists onto national and international stages. We’re thrilled to welcome this year’s finalists and celebrate the extraordinary possibilities ahead of them.”

Since its launch in 2013, Centre Stage has raised more than $4.5 million to nurture the next generation of singers.

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