Léopold Simoneau facts for kids

Léopold Simoneau (born May 3, 1916 – died August 24, 2006) was a famous French-Canadian singer. He was a lyric tenor, which means he had a high, clear male singing voice. Many people thought he was one of the best singers of Mozart's music during his time. In 1959, he received the first-ever Calixa-Lavallée Award, a special prize for artists in Quebec.

Early Life and Training

Simoneau was born in Saint-Flavien, Quebec, Canada. He began learning to sing in Quebec City at the Collège de Lévis and Université Laval. Later, he moved to Montreal to continue his studies with a teacher named Salvator Issaurel.

In 1941, he made his first professional singing appearance in Montreal. After that, he went to New York City for more training with Paul Althouse. In 1946, he sang in an opera called Martha at the New York City Center.

Marriage and Move to France

In 1946, Léopold Simoneau married another talented French-Canadian singer, Pierrette Alarie. She was a soprano, a female singer with a high voice. Together, they moved to France to continue their careers.

Opera Career in Europe

Simoneau made his debut in Paris in 1949. He sang in Mireille at the Opéra-Comique and in Mozart's The Magic Flute at the Paris Opera. These are two very famous opera houses.

Festival Performances

He quickly became known for singing Mozart's operas. In 1950, he sang at the Aix-en-Provence Festival in France. The next year, 1951, he performed at the Glyndebourne Festival in England. His performances at these festivals made him famous as a top Mozart singer.

He was invited to sing at many other important festivals and opera houses. These included the Salzburg Festival and the Edinburgh International Festival. He also performed at the Vienna State Opera and La Scala in Milan, Italy.

Famous Roles

In France, he often sang alongside his wife, Pierrette Alarie. They performed in many operas together. Some of his famous roles included Nadir in Bizet's Les pêcheurs de perles and Gérald in Delibes' Lakmé. He also helped bring back older operas, like Rameau's Les Indes galantes. He sang the role of Orphée in a special version of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice for tenors.

Recordings and Collaborations

In the 1950s, Léopold Simoneau made several very famous recordings. One was Mozart's Requiem, conducted by Bruno Walter. He also recorded Berlioz's Requiem with Dimitri Mitropoulos.

He made two well-known recordings with Philips Records. These were Les pêcheurs de perles and Gluck's Orphée et Euridyce. Many critics believe his singing in these recordings was outstanding. He also sang in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Così fan tutte. He worked with famous conductors like Sir Thomas Beecham and Herbert von Karajan.

Later Career and Retirement

Simoneau made his debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 1954. He sang there until 1961. One notable performance was in Verdi's La traviata with the legendary singer Maria Callas. He also performed five times at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in 1963-64.

His final performance was in Handel's Messiah in Montreal on November 24, 1970.

Life After Singing

After retiring from singing, Simoneau and his wife became active teachers. They taught at the Banff Centre in Canada. In 1982, they founded the Canada Piccola Opera in Victoria, British Columbia. The couple had two daughters, Isabelle and Chantal.

Léopold Simoneau passed away at his home in Victoria, British Columbia, on August 24, 2006. He was 90 years old.

Awards and Recognition

Simoneau received several important honors for his contributions to music.

• In 1971, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
• In 1995, he was promoted to a Companion of the Order of Canada, which is a very high honor.
• In 1997, he was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec.