Lois McDonall

Lois Jeanette McDonall (born in Larkspur, Alberta on February 7, 1939) is a Canadian operatic soprano, especially known for her performances in the operas of Mozart and Donizetti.

Lois McDonall began her vocal training in Edmonton with Eileen McEcheran. She also studied with Glyndwr Jones in Vancouver. After winning the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in Seattle, Washington, McDonall was encouraged to seek a career in opera. On the recommendation of Irving Gutmann, she was connected with the University of Toronto where she studied with Irene Jessner, Herman Geiger-Torel and Jacqueline Richard.

Lois McDonall made her Canadian Opera Company debut between 1967-9. Her early roles included: Susanna in Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari Il segreto di Susanna and Kate Pinkerton in Puccini's Madame Butterfly. She then went on to the Stadische Buhren in Flensburg, Germany where she played the demanding title role in Puccini's Tosca and Elsa in Wagner's Lohengrin.

In 1970, McDonall became a resident artist at the Sadler's Wells Opera (now the English National Opera). She appeared on short notice in the title role of Handel's Semele when the lead soprano became ill during the first act. During that season, McDonall sang many performances of Constanze in The Abduction from the Seraglio by Mozart. In following seasons she performed Fiordiligi from Così fan tutte, the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Roselinda in Die Fledermaus, Antonia in The Tales of Hoffmann, Leonora in Il trovatore, Freia in Das Rheingold, Hanna in The Merry Widow, the title role in Massenet's Manon, Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier, Violetta in La traviata, Miss Jessel in The Turn of the Screw and she created the title role in Iain Hamilton's Anna Karenina.

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