ISABEL BAYRAKDARIAN WINS HER SECOND CONSECUTIVE JUNO AWARD

PRESS RELEASE

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Louise Barder                                      
21C Media Group
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THE CANADIAN-ARMENIAN SOPRANO WINS WITH CLEOPATRA – BEST CLASSICAL
ALBUM OF THE YEAR (VOCAL PERFORMANCE)

April 7, 2005, New York – Canadian-Armenian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian
was honored on Sunday by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts &
Sciences with a Juno award for Best Classical Album of the Year
(Vocal). Ms. Bayrakdarian was selected for her performance on
her CD Cleopatra with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, on CBC
Records. This marks the second Juno award for Ms. Bayrakdarian in
the same category in two consecutive years. Her Juno award in 2004 –
also Best Classical Album of the Year (Vocal) Рwas for Azuḷo (CBC),
a ravishing collection of Spanish and Latin American music.

The October 2004 CBC Records release has garnered high praise from the
press. American Record Guide was unequivocal in its excitement over
this disc of Cleopatra arias by Handel, Mattheson, Hasse and Graun:
“Buy this disc!! Let me make clear from the outset – it is a gem! The
singing is simply stunning. Nobody who loves great operatic singing
and great baroque opera should miss this release.” ClassicsToday was
no less enthusiastic: “You easily can hear that this is the work of a
phenomenally gifted singer and an extraordinary artist who possesses
not only a voice of rare power and agility but who also has the
kind of interpretive instincts that separate the truly elite from
the merely great. Wow! This is singing that gives us no choice but
to pay attention! The real focus here is Bayrakdarian, who doesn’t
disappoint for a second.”

The Edmonton Journal wrote of Cleopatra: “Isabel Bayrakdarian has
followed her Juno award-winning Azulão with a recording that should
make her international reputation grow even faster”. …Bayrakdarian
reminds us of what a fine singer she is. There isn’t a disappointing
moment on this disc.”

Cleopatra is part of Isabel Bayrakdarian’s growing discography, of
which her newest recording is quickly become a critical favorite.
About the collection of songs by Pauline Viardot-Garcia, released in
January on Analekta, The New York Times wrote: “[Viardot’s] songs are
delightful, and Ms. Bayrakdarian does them vivacious justice. Ms.
Bayrakdarian is a fine interpreter of this music. She genuinely
engages with what she is singing.”

Isabel Bayrakdarian – Recordings

· Songs of Pauline Viardot-Garcia (Analekta, 2005)
· Mahler: Symphony No. 2 (San Francisco Symphony label, 2004)
· Cleopatra, with Tafelmusik (CBC, 2004) Juno award winner, 2005
· Azulão (CBC, 2003) Juno award winner, 2004
· Joyous Light (CBC, 2002)

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