Ottawa soprano Nikan Ingabire Kanate has won First Prize and the Audience Choice Prize at the 12th annual Centre Stage: Ensemble Studio Competition. Mezzo-soprano Camila Montefusco of Montreal won the Second Prize, with baritone Søren Pedersen of San Diego, California taking home the Erin Wall Prize.
The gala event took place October 23, 2025 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Marci Ien, former Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth of Canada, hosted the annual event that is the grand finale of a search for Canada’s top young opera singers.
A win comes with a cash prize, and the chance at being invited to join the COC’s Ensemble Studio program.
The seven finalists were chosen from a total of 117 online applications, followed by almost 60 in-person auditions which were held in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and Toronto. Each of the seven performed two arias, accompanied by the COC Orchestra led by COC Music Director Johannes Debus, with one taking place in a closed round before the judges, and the other in front of a live audience.
“There’s something magical about seeing the future of opera take shape before your eyes,” says COC General Director David Ferguson in a statement. “The Ensemble Studio Competition brings together some of Canada’s most gifted young voices — artists whose talent and passion remind us why this art form endures. To all of this year’s finalists: congratulations. The path ahead is bright, and we can’t wait to see where your voices will carry you.”
The First Prize win comes with a $12,500 cash award, and the Audience Choice Prize with an addition $3,000. For the public performance, she sang “Depuis le jour” from Louise by Charpentier.
A native of Ottawa, Nikan Ingabire Kanate comes from an Ivorian-Rwandese background. She’s currently working towards a Master of Music in Opera degree at the Curtis Institute of Music. She earned her BMus at the University of Toronto. She has performed as a soloist at Koerner Hall with The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, and sang the role of Fortuna and Ottavia in George Lewis’ The Comet/Poppea with Curtis Opera. In February 2026, she will debut the title role in Kaija Saariaho’s La Passion de Simone.
Second Prize comes with a cash prize of $8,000. Camila performed the aria “Parto, parto” from La clemenza di Tito by Mozart during the public round.
The Brazilian-born mezzo-soprano is currently resident artist with l’Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal. Her recent role debuts include Offred (The Handmaid’s Tale), Madame Flora (The Medium), Annio (La clemenza di Tito), and Maman (L’enfant et les sortilèges). She is a strong believer in the connecting and healing properties of art that are much needed in the world today.
The Erin Wall Prize, named after the late vocalist, comes with a cash prize of $5,000. For his aria round, Søren performed: “Largo al factotum” from The Barber of Seville by Rossini.
The Canadian-American baritone graduated with a Master of Music in Voice Performance degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), and he’s working towards an is Artist Diploma at that institution. Last fall, Pedersen debuted as Schaunard with San Diego Opera, and and won the District Level of the Laffont Competition.
The Ensemble Studio program has helped to launch the careers of nearly 240 Canadian singers, including such artists as Ben Heppner, Gordon Bintner, Ambur Braid, Emily D’Angelo, Simone McIntosh, Matthew Cairns, Claire de Sévigné, Wallis Giunta, and Krisztina Szabó since it was launched in 1980. Find more details about the finalists here.
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