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date = "2019-02-18T19:10:41+00:00"
discipline = "Tenor"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1550516926/media/2019/02/JamesMcLennan.jpg"
primary_image_credit = ""
related_companies = ["scene/companies/toronto-operetta-theatre.md", "scene/companies/vancouver-opera.md", "scene/companies/edmonton-opera.md", "scene/companies/l-opéra-de-montréal.md", "scene/companies/manitoba-opera.md", "scene/companies/calgary-opera.md", "scene/companies/pacific-opera-victoria.md"]
slug = "james-mclennan"
title = "James McLennan"
website = "http://www.jamesmclennan.com/"
[[social_media]]
platform = "Facebook"
template = "social-media"
url = "https://www.facebook.com/pages/James-McLennan-Tenor/49652417025"
[[social_media]]
platform = "Twitter"
template = "social-media"
url = "https://twitter.com/jamiemclennan"

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James McLennan has been celebrated for his “emotional intensity” (Opera News), “considerable charm,” and “strong yet pure tenor,” (Toronto Star) in a wide range of roles on opera and concert stages across Canada.

Last season’s credits included Goro in _Madama Butterfly_ at Manitoba Opera and Luther Billis in _South Pacific_ for Calgary Opera. He also appeared with Edmonton Opera as Jean Bilodeau in the critically acclaimed production of _Les Feluettes_, a role he originated for the world premiere at Montreal Opera in 2016. An avid performer of new music, James’ concert appearances included a tour of the Canadian prairies with _A Prairie Boy’s Life_, a new chamber work by composer John Greer. In 2018, James was awarded a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts, which funded six weeks of study in France under internationally renowned clown and acting teacher, Philippe Gaulier. The current season sees him returning to Edmonton Opera and Pacific Opera Victoria as Gastone in a new production of _La Traviata_, and he will sing the tenor solo in Handel’s _Messiah_ with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. This spring, James debuts with the Regina Symphony in _Riel, Heart of the North_, a new work by Neil Weisensel and Suzanne M. Steele. He will end the season on a lighter note, with a concert of classic show tunes for the Kelowna Community Concert Association in BC.

Past opera credits include Brighella in _Ariadne auf Naxos_ (Pacific Opera Victoria), Bardolfo in _Falstaff_ (Manitoba Opera), Caïus in _Falstaff_ (Hamilton Opera, Montreal Opera), Almaviva in _The Barber of Seville_ (Edmonton Opera), Goro in _Madama Butterfly_ (Montreal Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria), Pang in _Turandot_ (Edmonton Opera), Triquet in _Eugene Onegin_ (Vancouver Opera, Edmonton Opera), Gastone in _La traviata_ (Calgary Opera, Vancouver Opera), Spoletta in _Tosca_ and Remendado in _Carmen_ (Opera Lyra Ottawa), Beppe in _Pagliacci_ (Hamilton Opera), and the title role in _Candide_ (Toronto Operetta Theatre, Windsor Symphony).

On the concert stage, James has appeared with the Vancouver Bach Choir (_Bach Mass in B Minor_), the Amadeus Choir (Bach – _St. John Passion_), the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (Haydn’s _Creation_, Tavener _Requiem_), Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (Handel’s _Israel in Egypt_), the Grand Philharmonic Choir (Bach _Magnificat_), Toronto Classical Singers (Mozart _Requiem_), the Prince George Symphony (_Carmina Burana_), Pax Christi Choral (Mendelssohn’s _Saint Paul Oratorio_) and Ottawa’s Thirteen Strings (Britten’s _The Company of Heaven_, Haydn’s _Saint Nicholas Mass_).

Last fall James joined the University of Manitoba’s Desautels Faculty of Music as a voice instructor. An alumnus of the Second City Training Centre in Toronto, he is also a certified French translator.