Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

Canada

Birth

:

1961 in Edmundston, New Brunswick

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Vocal

 

Suzie LeBlanc is a Canadian soprano and early music specialist who has gained international recognition for her performances and recordings. Born in Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada, on July 27, 1961, LeBlanc grew up in a musical family and began singing at a young age. She studied voice at the Université de Moncton and later at McGill University in Montreal, where she earned a Bachelor of Music degree. LeBlanc's interest in early music was sparked by a performance of Monteverdi's Orfeo, which she saw while studying in Italy. She went on to study early music at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland, where she worked with renowned early music specialists such as René Jacobs and Andreas Scholl. LeBlanc's training in early music has been a major influence on her career, and she has become known for her interpretations of Baroque and Renaissance music. LeBlanc's career as a performer began in the 1980s, when she sang with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and the Canadian Opera Company. She quickly gained a reputation as a versatile and expressive singer, and began to receive invitations to perform at festivals and concerts around the world. In 1991, she made her European debut at the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence in France, where she sang the role of Euridice in Monteverdi's L'Orfeo. Over the years, LeBlanc has performed with many of the world's leading early music ensembles, including Les Arts Florissants, the Boston Early Music Festival, and Tafelmusik. She has also collaborated with contemporary composers such as John Cage and Kaija Saariaho, and has premiered several new works written specifically for her voice. One of LeBlanc's most notable performances was her portrayal of the title role in Handel's Semele, which she performed with Les Arts Florissants in 1996. The production, directed by William Christie, was widely praised for its innovative staging and LeBlanc's virtuosic singing. The performance was later released on DVD and has become a classic of the early music repertoire. LeBlanc has also been recognized for her recordings, which include more than 20 albums of early music and contemporary works. Her recording of Charpentier's Médée, which she made with Les Arts Florissants in 1995, won a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. Other notable recordings include her solo album La Mer Jolie, which features French Baroque songs, and her collaboration with the Canadian ensemble Constantinople on the album Early Dreams, which explores the music of the Ottoman Empire. In addition to her performing and recording career, LeBlanc is also a respected educator and mentor. She has taught at several universities and conservatories, including McGill University, the University of British Columbia, and the University of California, Berkeley. She has also led masterclasses and workshops around the world, and has mentored many young singers who have gone on to successful careers in early music. LeBlanc has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to music. In 2006, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest civilian honors. She has also been awarded the Prix Opus, the Étoile Galaxie Prize, and the Queen's Jubilee Medal, among others. Throughout her career, Suzie LeBlanc has been a passionate advocate for early music and has helped to bring this rich and diverse repertoire to audiences around the world.

More....