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Mary Louise Fallis was awarded the degree of Doctor of Music, honoris causa, at the 9:30 a.m. ceremony on Friday, June 13, “in recognition of a distinguished career as a performer, broadcaster and teacher who has made operatic music accessible to all Canadians.”

Canadian opera singer Mary Louise Fallis has performed nationally and internationally in classical opera but is best known for writing and performing her comedic one woman shows. Toronto-born, Fallis grew up in a musical family and was taught voice and piano by her grandmother, choral conductor Jennie Bouck.

At 15, she made her operatic debut in a CBC TV production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. After winning the CBC Talent Festival in 1973, Fallis went on to perform with orchestras and opera companies across the country.

Primadonna, an autobiographical show about her life as a singer, was first performed in 1982 at the Stratford Summer Music Festival as a one-off. Since then it has been broadcast on CBC radio, has toured across North America and the U.K. Japan and Iceland. Ms. Fallis has written another dozen works, chronicling more lives of female musicians: Mrs. Bach, Miss Mozart, Emma Albani, and five other Primadonna offshoots.

Her historical CD, Primadonna on a Moose with members of the Toronto Symphony, is a compendium of Canadian musical hits of the past, including, Take Your Girl out to the Rink, Paddle Your Own Canoe, and Oh What a difference since the Hydro Came! Credited with making classical music more accessible to Canadians, she has taught at Queen’s, York and Western universities and toured Canada as a performer, clinician and adjudicator. Her work has been recognized with many awards and honours including an ACTRA award, Honorary Licentiate from Conservatory Canada, and a Gemini Award as music producer of the BRAVO! TV series “Bathroom Divas.