(Photo by: Heather Elizabeth Media)

Soprano Joyce El-Khoury has been nominated for the 2022 Paul de Hueck & Norman Walford Career Achievement Award.

The soprano is nominated for her achievements in classical singing. Past recipients in classical singing include Gerald Finley and Judith Forst.

The soprano has performed all the over world at such companies as The Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Glyndebourne Festival, Canadian Opera Company, Dutch National Opera, and Savonlinna Opera Festival, among others. She has also made several recordings with Opera Rara, including an award-winning version of “L’Ange de Nisida.” She also headlined the premiere of Liszt’s unfinished opera “Sardanapalo.”

Next up for El-Khoury is a performance of Tobias Picker’s “Awakenings” in Boston, followed by four performances of “Madama Butterfly” at L’Opéra de Montréal this May as well as a production of “Un Ballo in Maschera” with Riccardo Muti at the Tokyo Spring Festival.

“I’m humbled and honoured to be nominated for this prestigious award, which celebrates great Canadian talent. As an international artist, I always carry Canada in my heart wherever in the world I go,” El-Khoury said in an official press statement. “Having immigrated to Canada from Lebanon at a young age, I am forever indebted to Canada for having given me rich opportunities and privileges as I grew up and worked to make my dream of becoming an Opera singer come true. Thank you to the Ontario Arts Council for this great honor.”

The Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award was created to honor the achievement of outstanding, established Canadian artists in art photography, keyboard artistry, and classical singing.

Per an official press statement, “Norman Walford, former Executive Director of the Ontario Arts Council, and the late Paul de Hueck, former CBC television production manager established the Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Fund.”