The UPEI Department of Music Recital Series is thrilled to present soprano Tracy Cantin on Friday, January 8 at 7:30 pm at the Dr. Steel Recital Hall. The Summerside native is returning to UPEI where, as she says “my serious training all began ten years ago.”  Tracy will be accompanied by pianist Frances McBurnie and jazz guitarist Dave Miller.  Her program of art songs will include Bach’s Ave Mariaand works by Debussy, Richard Strauss, Puccini and Britain. This recital has become a passion project for Tracy as it includes her favourite pieces composed by her favourite composers. Two of the Strauss pieces are songs she first learned and performed while a student at UPEI. Praised for her “full, gleaming sound” (Chicago Tribune), soprano Tracy Cantin “has it all - agility, power and dazzling coloratura”(Chicago Sun-Times), not to mention “vocal and physical allure, with interpretive intelligence and stage presence to boot” (Chicago Tribune). A recent graduate of the prestigious Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Ms Cantin won magnificent critical acclaim last season at Lyric as Berta/Il barbiere di Siviglia, has appeared with the company in Elektra, Rigoletto, Parsifal, and most recently in the title role of Donizetti’s demanding Anna Bolena, in which she replaced ailing super-star soprano Sondra Radvanovsky. An avid concert performer, Tracy has performed around the world and has recently made debuts with the Melbourne Symphony (under the baton of Sir Andrew Davis), the Ravinia Festival, Grant Park Festival, Oregon Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Ms Cantin holds degrees from McGill University, the University of Western Ontario and the University of Alberta. Among  Tracy’s numerous awards are a 2014 Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award, a 2013 Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation career development grant, and first place in Canada’s prestigious Lois Marshall Memorial Competition (2010). Tickets are $15 Adults & $10 Seniors/Students and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com/profile/573446 or by calling or e-mailing the music office at 902-566- 0507/music@upei.ca.