Julia
LoRusso
Schedule
Upcoming Engagements
Description
Rigoletto, Composed by Giuseppe Verdi Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave Premiered 1851 in Venice Sung in Italian with English Projected Titles DATES October 25 – November 2, 2025 VENUE Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC RUNNING TIME Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one 25-minute intermission. The tragic tale of a father’s desperate love for his daughter—and the dangerous double-edged sword of vengeance—set against a backdrop of decadence and dark intrigue. The jester Rigoletto had long enjoyed the privilege of mocking the Duke of Mantua’s adversaries, but when his beloved daughter becomes the target of the morally corrupt Duke’s abuse, Rigoletto sets in motion a revenge plot that careens with the propulsive energy of an edge-of-the-seat thriller while bringing themes of opulence and oppression into sharp focus. Under director Glynis Leyshon (Flight of the Hummingbird) and the baton of Vancouver Opera Music Director Jacques Lacombe, unforgettable pieces like "La donna è mobile" and the heartwrenching "Caro nome" will soar to life, sung by extraordinary voices like the sought-after American baritone Michael Chioldi as Rigoletto, and, as Gilda, the award-winning UK-based Canadian soprano Sarah Dufresne, who Opera Canada praised for her “tremendous dramatic presence,” and “astonishing vocal dexterity.” In a new production built in partnership with Pacific Opera Victoria, our 2025–2026 season opener will push this tense tragedy’s boundaries while staying true to Verdi’s immortal story of love and revenge.
Julia LoRusso
Countess Ceprano
Dates
Marianne Bertrand
Giovanna
Dates
Tags
Description
Così fan tutte, Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte Premiered 1790 in Vienna Sung in Italian with English Projected Titles DATES February 7 – 15, 2026 VENUE Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC RUNNING TIME Approximately 2 hours and 55 minutes, including one 25-minute intermission. Two couples are put to the ultimate test of fidelity in a whirlwind of mistaken identities, tender moments, and mischievous tricks: Così fan tutte is a comic romp that slyly doubles as an exploration of the heart’s highs and lows. The cynical Don Alfonso bets his young friends Ferrando and Guglielmo that their fiancées will betray their trust, so he convinces the men to…lie to their partners to trick them into infidelity! With the help of the chameleonic and cynical-beyond-her-years maid Despina, Dorabella and Fiordiligi are put to the test to see if, as the title suggests, “all women are like that.” VO audiences haven’t been treated to Mozart’s sublime opera buffa classic for over 20 years, and this fresh interpretation will cast the playful genius of one of opera’s most beloved works in a contemporary West Coast Canadian light. Written late in his short life, Così features some of the most beautiful music ever composed—by Mozart or anyone else. His nuanced score adds psychological complexity to the uproarious comedy of librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte (Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro), making for an irresistible musical ride through every up, down, twist and turn on the rollercoaster of love.
Julia LoRusso
Despina
Dates
Marianne Bertrand
Dorabella
Dates
Tags
Description
The Vancouver Bach Family of Choirs is thrilled to present the Canadian Premiere of the chamber arrangement of Dame Ethel Smyth’s Mass in D Major, along with the Canadian premiere of Kati Agócs Hosanna of the Clouds on February 28th at 7:30pm. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to hear the powerful music performed by members of Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program, along with orchestra, and the VBFC Symphonic choir.
FEATURING
Leslie Dala | Conductor
Julia LoRusso | Soprano
Marianne Bertrand | Mezzo-soprano
Lyndon Ladeur | Tenor
Mihnea Nitu | Bass-Baritone
VBFC Symphonic Choir
Julia LoRusso
Soprano
Dates
Description
La Bohème, Composed by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa Premiered 1896 in Turin Sung in Italian with English Projected Titles DATES April 25 – May 3, 2026 VENUE Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC RUNNING TIME Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one 25-minute intermission. The 2025–2026 season closes with one of opera’s most enduring love stories, set in the world’s most romantic city, rendered with the most vibrant characters and melodies. Puccini’s masterpiece transports us to the heart of 1830s bohemian life in Paris, where love blossoms amidst dreams, hardships, and the unyielding pursuit of artistic freedom. La Bohème has remained one of the most beloved and frequently performed operas worldwide since its 1896 premiere, due in large part to captivating pieces like "Quando m’en vo", a.k.a. “Musetta’s Waltz”, and perhaps the most famous duet in opera, "O soave fanciulla", sung on that moonlit moment when Mimì and Rodolfo fall in love. In a bustling community of artists, students, philosophers, and Quartier Latin café denizens, the deep connection between the young poet Rodolfo and the seamstress Mimì is eventually tested by the bittersweet passage of time and the emotional toll of illness and poverty. VO Music Director Emeritus Jonathan Darlington returns to conduct some of the most romantic and iconic music in opera history, while Pacific Opera Victoria Artistic Director Brenna Corner crosses the Salish Sea to direct a stunning international cast. Whether you’re discovering it for the first time or returning to a beloved classic, La Bohème speaks passionately to the soul, reminding us to cherish the fragility and fleeting beauty of life and love.
Julia LoRusso
Musetta
Dates
Biography
Julia LoRusso, a rising Canadian soprano, is recognized for her vocal agility and expressive performance. In October 2025, Julia makes her house debut with Vancouver Opera as Countess Ceprano in Verdi’s Rigoletto, and will also cover the roles of Gilda in Rigoletto, Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, and Musetta in Puccini’s La Bohème during their season. Other performed roles include Lauretta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Morgana in Handel’s Alcina, Amore in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea, Nannetta in Verdi’s Falstaff, and Miss Wordsworth in Britten’s Albert Herring.
In 2025, Julia was the recipient of the Encouragement Award at the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (Indiana District), won First Place in the International Music Grand Prix (Adult Classical Voice), and was a semifinalist in the Giulio Gari Foundation International Voice Competition. In 2024, she placed Third in the Toronto Mozart Vocal Competition.
An accomplished collaborator, Julia has performed with orchestras and chamber ensembles, including the premiere of a newly composed song cycle for voice and guitar. She recently presented Two Sopranos, a concert in her hometown supporting both local and professional initiatives, and looks forward to bringing a new version of the program to Toronto on August 16th 2025.
Julia is an incoming member of Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program for the 2025–2026 season. She holds a Master of Music degree from Western University in her hometown of London, Ontario.