Joseph Rouleau
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Joseph Rouleau (born February 28, 1929 in Matane, Quebec) is a French-Canadian bass opera singer, particularly associated with the Italian and French repertories.
[edit] Life and career
Born Joseph Alfred Rouleau, in Matane, Quebec, he studied privately with Edouard Wolley and Albert Cornellier in Montréal, and at the Music Conservatory with Martial Singher. He went to Milan, Italy, for complementary studies with Mario Basiola and Antonio Narducci. He sang small roles with the Opéra national du Québec, but his real debut was as Colline in La bohème, in New Orleans Opera, in 1955. He made his Opera Guild of Montreal debut as Philip II in Don Carlos (one of his greatest roles) in 1956. He also appeared in concert and on Canadian radio and television.
Engaged by the Royal Opera, London in London, Rouleau sang with the company in Cardiff, Manchester, and Southampton prior to his London debut as Colline on 23 Apr 1957. Leading roles followed in over 40 productions there during the next 20 years. His Count Rodolfo in Bellini's La Sonnambula in 1960 with Joan Sutherland, led to a collaboration with the soprano which included his debut at the Paris Opera that year as Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor and a 1965-6 Australian tour during which he won high praise particularly for his Assur in Rossini's Semiramide.
A consummate actor and musician, Rouleau sang a wide range of roles, he expanded his repertoire to include German and Russian roles, notably Titurel in Parsifal, and the lead in Boris Godunov. He also won considerable acclaim as Don Quichotte, and Mephistofeles in Faust. In 1976, he participated for the BBC, in a performance of the complete French version of Don Carlo, singing Philippe II.
He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera on April 13, 1984, as the Grand Inquisitor (Don Carlos), under James Levine.
In 1977, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 1999, he was made an Officer of the National Order of Quebec was promoted to Grand Officer in 2004. In 1990, he was awarded the Prix Denise-Pelletier award of the Prix du Québec.
He was also active as a teacher at the "Université du Québec à Montréal", where he founded an opera workshop, in collaboration with soprano Colette Boky.
[edit] Sources
- The Encyclopedia of Music in Canada, Gilles Bryant, Florence Hayes, Gilles Potvin
