Role

:

Conductor  

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Vocal

 

Pauline Vaillancourt is a Canadian soprano and founder of the contemporary music company, Chants Libres. Born in Montreal in 1951, Vaillancourt began her musical studies at a young age, studying piano and voice. She went on to study at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal, where she received a diploma in voice in 1973. Vaillancourt's career as a performer began in the early 1970s, when she began performing with the Ensemble de musique contemporaine de Montréal. She quickly gained a reputation as a talented and versatile performer, and began to receive invitations to perform with other contemporary music ensembles across Canada and Europe. In 1980, Vaillancourt founded Chants Libres, a company dedicated to the creation and performance of contemporary opera. The company quickly gained a reputation for producing innovative and challenging works, and has since become one of the most important contemporary music companies in Canada. Throughout her career, Vaillancourt has been recognized for her contributions to contemporary music. In 1991, she was awarded the Prix Denise-Pelletier, one of the highest honors for artists in Quebec. In 2001, she was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec, and in 2011, she was awarded the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. Vaillancourt's performances have been praised for their technical skill and emotional depth. She has performed in a wide range of styles, from classical opera to experimental music, and has collaborated with some of the most important composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. One of Vaillancourt's most notable performances was in the world premiere of John Rea's opera, "Wiwaxia," in 1990. The opera, which was commissioned by Chants Libres, was a critical and commercial success, and helped to establish the company as a major force in contemporary music. Vaillancourt has also been involved in a number of other important performances and collaborations throughout her career. In 1984, she performed in the world premiere of "Le Vampire et la Nymphomane," an opera by Gilles Tremblay. She has also worked with composers such as José Evangelista, Claude Vivier, and Ana Sokolović. In addition to her work as a performer, Vaillancourt has also been involved in the creation and production of new works. She has served as the artistic director of Chants Libres since its founding, and has been involved in the creation of many of the company's most important productions. Vaillancourt's contributions to contemporary music have been recognized both in Canada and internationally. She has been praised for her commitment to innovation and experimentation, and for her ability to bring new and challenging works to audiences around the world. Today, she continues to be an important figure in the world of contemporary music, and her work continues to inspire and challenge audiences and performers alike.

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