A local singer is going to be featured as part of next month's Songfire Festival of Song in Vancouver.
Robyn Driedger-Klassen, a professional soprano who lives in Burnaby, will perform at the annual event that brings together local and international artists and scholars to study and celebrate the art song genre, which fuses music and poetry.
"Song brings people together across boundaries of time, place, language, and culture," said Rena Sharon, artistic director of the Vancouver International Song Institute, in a press release. "Singing the world's great poetry with intense music helps us sense deep commonalities while discovering our unique ways of experiencing our world. Our annual Songfire Festival brings together art song performers, scholars, and enthusiasts from all over the world to unite in a grand celebration of this powerful and timeless art form."
Driedger-Klassen will perform several times during the festival, which runs May 26 through June 30 at the University of British Columbia and various other venues around Vancouver.
Driedger-Klassen has performed with companies internationally and throughout the Pacific Northwest, including Seattle Opera, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Bach Choir and Vancouver Opera.
Her past roles have spanned from Baroque to contemporary music.
Her performances have included Mozart's Requiem, Handel's Messiah and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
She has also been an active member of the Vancouver International Song Institute for many years as a performer, teacher and organizer.
Driedger-Klassen will perform at the Songfire Festival on June 6, 8, 18, and 21. Tickets range from free to $45, depending on the event, and can be purchased at www.ticketmas ter.ca or www.brownpapertick ets.com. For more information on the festival, visit www.songfire. ca.
