‘Voice On Fire’ returns to Port Perry United Church
By Tracey Coveart/The Scugog Standard

Karina Bray is coming home for Voice on Fire Returns’ on Friday, Feb. 17, at the United Church in Port Perry, but she’ll be a busy young lady leading up to her triumphant sophomore performance in front of fans, friends and family.
_The third year vocal performance stuend at Wilfred Laurier University is practising for her upcoming leading role in ‘Gisela in her Bathtub,’ a modern comedic opera by Neil Weisensel that plays at the Waterloo university March 2 to 4.
_The 15-minute opera, says Karina, who plays Helga (one of just three singing roles in the production), is about a a woman who reads a Viking love novel in her bathtub and brings the characters to life.
_The challenge in modern opera, she says, is singing ‘against’ rather than with the music and the other performers.
_On the same night, Karina will appear as a member of the chorus in another opera by Mr. Weisensel, ‘City Workers in Love,’ a story of city workers who toil for a living and toil for love.
_Karina, who has been given the “tremendous honour” of being awarded the Alumni Choir Vocal Performance Scholarship from the Wilfrid University Alumni Choir, also competed in a Concerto Competition at Laurier University on Jan. 6, and came within a hair of winning to a fourth year student.
_On Feb. 4, Karina will be the featured soloist in Poulenc Gloria at First United Church in Waterloo. The young soprano was on stage throughout the entire performance, alternating with chorus.
_And, having previously participated in classes with critically acclaimed Jane Archibald and famed tenor Adam Luther, Karina was recommended by her professor, Daniel Lichti, for a voice master class with soprano opera singer Wendy Neilsen today, Feb. 2 ... which meant learning yet another aria!
_Don’t miss the chance to see this rising star in a rare evening concert. The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets ($15) are available at Tickets are $15 and available at the Scugog Arts Resource Centre at 905-982-2121, Wilson and Lee Music at 905-725-4706 or Gabrielle Bray at 905-985-2035.