Soprano Nancy Argenta’s ethereal voice has enchanted audiences around the globe, performing in opera, oratorio and song. She has appeared with the world’s leading orchestras (Philharmonia Orchestra, the Boston Symphony, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Leipzig Gewandhaus, and the Toronto, Montreal, and Sydney Symphony Orchestras) at numerous international festivals such as Aix-en-Provence, Salzburg, Mostly Mozart, and the BBC Proms and collaborated with major conductors, including Ozawa, Gardiner, Davis, Blomstedt, Pinnock, Hogwood and Norrington. Her discography of over 50 recordings includes Bach’s St. John’s Passion, Mass in B Minor, Magnificat and Christmas Oratorio (Gardiner), Purcell’s King Arthur (Pinnock), and Mozart’s Requiem, Magic Flute, and Don Giovanni (Norrington). Nancy has also recorded Schubert Lieder, Scarlatti Cantatas, two discs of Bach Solo Cantatas and two of Purcell songs, the first of which O Solitude, was honoured with a Classic CD award.
As a devotee of the song repertoire of all periods, she toured widely as a recitalist, presenting songs with original keyboard accompaniment of harpsichord, fortepiano, or modern piano. She was on the faculty of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London) from 1994-2003, and has given classes in Germany, Japan, Israel, England, Spain and Canada.
After living in Europe for many years, Nancy returned to her native British Columbia and began teaching at the Victoria Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto, and serving as a voice consultant for the Calgary Opera Emerging Artist program. She studied vocal anatomy with Meribeth Bunch (Dayme) and is a certified Breath Coach. As a teacher her priorities are a free and natural technique aligned with a straightforward and heartfelt delivery of music and text.
“Any angel could be forgiven, if on hearing Nancy Argenta’s voice, he mistook earth for heaven.” (The Scotsman, Edinburgh)