Opéra de Montréal

Marianne Fiset - Lauretta

Winner of the Opus for “Discovery of the Year” (2006-2007), she was also named Young Soloist of 2008 by Radios Francophones Publiques. In 2007, she won the First Grand Prize at the Montreal International Musical Competition, along with the Jean A. Chalmers Award for Best Canadian Artist, the Joseph Rouleau Award for Best Artist from Quebec, the Poulenc French Song Award, and the People’s Choice Award. A former Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal member, she made her Opéra de Montréal debut as Adza (L’Étoile) in 2005, returning as Suor Dolcina (Suor Angelica), a Lover (Il tabarro), and Annina (La traviata). She recently released her first album on the Analekta label. Last OdM appearance: Le Gala (2007).

Antoine Bélanger - Rinuccio

Currently in his third season at the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal where he has been heard as Gonzalve (L’heure espagnole), he made his Opéra de Montréal debut as a Lover (Il tabarro) in 2006, later returning as Tybalt (Roméo et Juliette). Recently, he has appeared in concert in Lyon, with the Orchestre symphonique de Sherbrooke, and with Ensemble Amati. Appearances in 2008-2009 include Arturo (Lucia di Lammermoor) at Opéra de Montréal, Gilles Vigneault’s La grande Messe with the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, Verdi’s Requiem with the Chœur de Québec, and Carmen with the Orchestre symphonique du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. Last OdM appearance: La fanciulla del West (2008).

Marie-Nicole Lemieux - Zita

In 2000, she became the first Canadian to win the prestigious Queen Fabiola Prize, along with the Special Leider Prize, at the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition in Belgium, increasing her international reputation and giving her the opportunity to appear with major orchestras, renowned conductors, and at festivals around the world. She performs the works of Berlioz, Debussy, Gluck, Händel, Honeger, Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Vivaldi, and Wagner. She has also recorded for various labels. Her 2008 engagements included Pelléas et Mélisande at Théâtre de la Monnaie, Orlando furioso at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Falstaff at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Faust with Chorégies d'Orange, and Œdipe at the Capitole de Toulouse. Last OdM appearance: The Magic Flute (2003).

James Meena - Conductor

Opera Carolina General Director and Principal Conductor James Meena is equally at home with the operatic and symphonic repertoires. His passion is for the music of Mozart, Puccini, and Verdi, and he has excelled with the works of Berlioz, Shostakovich, Ginastera, and Stravinsky. He has conducted such legendary singers as Marilyn Horne, Jerome Hines, Renee Fleming, Denyce Graves, and Jerry Hadley. In addition to Opera Carolina productions, highlights in recent seasons have included Le nozze di Figaro and La traviata at Opéra de Montréal, Don Pasquale at Opera Lyra Ottawa, Falstaff with Edmonton Opera, and The Rites of Spring with the National Symphony Orchestra. Last OdM appearance: Le Gala (2006).

Alain Gauthier - Director

Alain Gauthier recently directed Carmen for Edmonton Opera (2007), as well as Così fan tutte for Cincinnati Opera (2007). He staged Chabrier’s L’étoile at Cincinnati Opera in June 2006, after having directed it for Opéra de Montréal (2005) to great critical acclaim. He is preparing to stage this production once again for Austin Lyric Opera in January 2010. Gianni Schicchi will complete his staging of Puccini’s Trittico (having already directed Suor Angelica and Il tabarro for Opéra de Montréal in 2006). Among other productions he has directed are La bohème, L’elisir d’amore, and The Medium. Last OdM appearance: The barber of Seville (2008).

Olivier Landreville - Sets

Renowned young creative artist Olivier Landreville has designed sets for some of the most popular plays in recent years, including Under Construction, Cheech, La société des loisirs, Gagarin Way, Cyber Jack, and Antarktikos. His design for this last play was featured at the Prague Quadrennial exhibition in 2003. Since 2001, a number of his designs have earned nominations at the Gala des Masques: Antarktikos, Cheech, Everybody’s WELLES pour tous, Tête première, Le périmètre, and Coma Unplugged. On television, his work has notably been seen in 21, Il va y avoir du sport, Deux filles le matin, Flash, and on the Musimax network. OdM debut.

Joyce Gauthier - Costumes

A 1994 National Theatre School of Canada graduate in Set and Costume Design, Joyce Gauthier began collaborating with the Opéra de Montréal in 1997, and was the company’s wardrobe mistress from 2001 to 2007. She is also a costume design advisor to graduating students of the NTSC, and is a member of the creative team of Studio Kent. She designs costumes for theatre (Trainspotting, Théâtre de Quat'sous) and for the Opéra de Montréal (Katya Kabanova, La bohème, The Barber of Seville). Last OdM appearance: La fanciulla del West (2008).

Claude Accolas - Lighting

Quebec-based lighting designer Claude Accolas has created lighting for some 200 productions over the past twenty years, both in Canada, for such companies as Théâtre sans fil, and abroad. He has designed lighting for several plays by Michel Tremblay in collaboration with André Brassard, and he also works in the fields of opera, performance, television, and architecture. He was a teacher at the National Theatre School of Canada from 1981 to 1992, has taught at the Banff Centre for the Arts since 1993, as well as at the Université du Québec’s École supérieure de théâtre in Montreal. Last Opéra de Montréal appearance: Nelligan (1990).