BiographyLilac Caña began classical voice training in Austria with the American Institute of Musical Studies, graduated with honors from the University of Toronto Opera Performance program, and studied at the Glenn Gould Professional School at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Ms. Caña has had the pleasure of learning from several world-class coaches, including Prof. Jean MacPhail and conductor Richard Bradshaw in Toronto, Warren Jones and Evelyn Mandac in New York City, Dr. Raul Sunico in the Philippines, and now continues to perform in Canada, the United States, and the Philippines.
With the Canadian Opera Company she appeared as Chorus member in several original productions (from 1997 to 2000), most notably in Der Fliegende Höllander (Wagner), Dialogues des Carmélites (Poulenc), and Oedipus Rex / Symphony of Psalms (Stravinsky).
Her operatic roles include: Annina in Puccini’s La Traviata, and Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen (with Opera Mississauga); musical theatre roles include Valencienne in Lehar’s The Merry Widow and Tuptim in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I (with CVS Productions). She created the role of Lai-Gwan in the world premiere of Iron Road, a new Canadian opera (with Tapestry Music Theatre), which was first produced at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre in 2001.
As concert soloist, Ms. Caña has appeared with numerous orchestras and choirs, in symphonic, chamber, oratorio, and contemporary music works. She has sung with the Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir, Orchestra da Camera Toronto, Toronto Synfonietta, Kammermusik Toronto, Mississauga Symphony, the Northumberland Orchestra, Counterpoint Community Orchestra, Sinfonia Sacra, The Cellar Singers, the Orpheus Choir, Ensemble TrypTych Chamber Choir, Silverthorn Symphonic Winds, the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and with the Philippine Ballet Theater at the Danny Kaye Playhouse in New York City.
She has served as cantor at several churches in the Greater Toronto Area – including Rosedale Presbyterian Church, St. Peter’s Church, Metropolitan United Church, St. Isaac Jogues – and at present is the musical director at St. John’s Polish National Catholic Church. Ms. Caña has appeared on CTV in televised Masses, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Toronto, and had the distinct honor of singing for Pope John Paul II during World Youth Day 2002, as a featured soloist with the World Youth Day Choir.
With the founding of her own recording label and production company, LilacSounds, Ms. Caña has released seven compact disc albums of songs and arias: ENCANTADA (1998); LABING DALAWA (1999) – featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Raul Sunico; EXULTATE (2001); I’LL BE WITH YOU (2006); A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION (2007); BELIEVE (2009); and BLOSSOM (2009). With LilacSounds, she has given concerts and created various multi-media arts events, which have benefited several charities in Canada and the Philippines.
