Cassandra Extavour

Soprano Cassandra Extavour began her vocal career with the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir in her native Toronto, Canada before moving to Europe in 1995. Moving between Spain, Greece, and England, she studied voice under Carlos Mena (Madrid, Spain) and Richard Levitt (Schola Cantorum Basilensis, Basel, Switzerland). Her recordings include Henry Purcell: Dido and Aeneas (Tafelmusik, dir. Jeanne Lamon; CBC SM 5000 Recordings) and Codex Huelgas: Misa de Santa María la Real (Ensemble Huelgas, dir. Luis Lozano Virumbrales; Sony). She has soloed with numerous European ensembles, including Alia Musica, La Capella de Ministrers, and La Capilla Real de Madrid.

Her oratorio repertoire includes Haendel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation and Nelson Mass, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Mozart’s Requiem, and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis. Operatic roles include Belinda and Dido (Purcell’s Dido and Anaeas), Serpina (Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona), Marcellina (Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro) and The Witch (Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel). She relocated to Boston, USA in 2007, where she currently studies with Jane Olian (Juilliard School) and sings with multiple professional ensembles, including Emmanuel Music (dir. Ryan Turner) and the Handel and Haydn Society (dir. Harry Christophers).