Madama Butterfly played on July 9 & 12 at the Chorégies d’Orange is available on Culturebox.

Marie-Nicole Lemieux signs exclusive recording contract with Erato

The French-Canadian contralto will make her label debut with a recital album of Rossini arias.

One of today’s leading contraltos, Marie-Nicole Lemieux is in demand on the opera stage, as soloist with the world’s finest orchestras, in recital and in the recording studio. The French-Canadian singer is as renowned for the richness and agility of her voice as for her warmth and exuberance, on stage and off.

It is these rare qualities that have led Erato to sign Lemieux as an exclusive recording artist. Her label debut, due for release early 2017, will be devoted to Rossini, whose music she describes as “a revelation” and for whom the singer has a particular affinity. The recording sessions took place in December 2015 around Lemieux’s Rossini recitals with the orchestra and chorus of the Opéra National Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon and conductor Enrique Mazzola.

“Strangely, with Rossini, you sing twice as much, but you’re half as tired at the end of the performance,” she told Opéra Online. “Rossini, it’s organic, it’s beautifully written, and he understands perfectly the voice.

“It’s an absolute joy to join the Erato team on this new musical adventure,” said Marie-Nicole Lemieux of the signing. “The greatest artists of the past and present have left their mark on the label; their talent and vision have inspired and enchanted generations of music-lovers all over the world. Music is essential to the good of humanity and I hope from the bottom of my heart to share my love for this beautiful, deeply human art form that is singing. And who better than Rossini to celebrate with in all his musical splendor and generosity!”

Alain Lanceron, President, Warner Classics and Erato, added: “Marie-Nicole Lemieux is a unique and indispensable personality in the international opera landscape. I have known her practically since the beginning of her career and we have occasionally had the opportunity to collaborate. Welcoming her into the core roster of the Erato label is, for me, a great source of pride.”

To view the full news release, click here.

Marie-Nicole Lemieux sings tonight at the Maison Symphonique de Montréal with her accomplice, the pianist Daniel Blumenthal, with a program of French songs by Fauré, Lekeu, Hahn, Koechlin, Debussy and Duparc.

Program
Fauré, Cinq mélodies « de Venise », op. 58
Lekeu, Trois poèmes
Hahn, Premier recueil de mélodies (extraits) : no 8, « Offrande » et no 16, « D’une prison »
Hahn, Chansons grises (extrait) : no 5, « L’heure exquise »
Hahn, Premier recueil de mélodies (extrait) : no 11, « Fêtes galantes »
–
Koechlin, Mélodie, op. 5, no 4, « Menuet »
Koechlin, Rondels, op. 8 (extraits) : no 1, « La pêche », no 4, « La lune » et no 2, « L’hiver »
Koechlin, Mélodie, op. 5, no 5, « Si tu le veux »
Debussy, Fêtes galantes, Deuxième livre
Duparc, L’invitation au voyage
Duparc, La vie antérieure
Duparc, Sérénade florentine « Étoile dont la beauté luit »
Duparc, Phidylé

To view Marie-Nicole’s full schedule, click here.

Recorded in March 2015, for the creation of this opera on the north-American continent under the baton of Kent Nagano, the CD of L’Aiglon by Arthur Honegger and Jacques Ibert is released by Decca.

It has received very good press and has been stamped “Diapason Discovery” by the French magazine Diapason.

Marie-Nicole Lemieux sings a “luxurious Empress Marie-Louise” according to Jacques Schmitt (Resmusica).

Musical director – Kent Nagano

L’Aiglon – Anne-Catherine Gillet
Flambeau – Marc Barrard
Metternich – Etienne Dupuis
Marmont – Philippe Sly
L’attaché-militaire – Pascal Charbonneau
Gentz – Isaiah Bell
Prokesch – Tyler Duncan
Sedlinsky – Jean-Michel Richer
Thérèse – Hélène Guilmette
Marie-Louise – Marie-Nicole Lemieux
Fanny Elssler – Julie Boulianne
Comtesse Camerata – Kimy McLaren

Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal

For more information, click here.

Marie-Nicole Lemieux will sing Bach’s Matthäus-Passion, on each side of the Atlantic.

The first concerts take place in Canada with Les Violons du Roy conducted by Bernard Labadie: in Québec on March 9 and 10, and in Montréal on March 12.

The second part, in France, on March 24 and 26 in Strasbourg and March 25 in Guebwiller with the Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg under the baton of John Nelson.

To view Marie-Nicole’s full schedule, click here.