Léopold Simoneau

Simoneau, Léopold
Léopold Simoneau. Tenor, teacher, administrator; b St-Flavien, near Quebec City, 3 May 1916; d Victoria, BC, 24 Aug 2006. BA (Laval) 1941, honorary D MUS (Ottawa) 1969, honorary LLD (Brock) 1971, honorary D MUS (Laval) 1973. In 1939 he began voice study with Émile Larochelle in Quebec City. He continued 1941-4 with Salvator Issaurel in Montreal. At Issaurel's studio he met the soprano Pierrette Alarie, who became his wife in 1946. His stage debut was with the Variétés lyriques as Hadji in Lakmé (1941). His first major roles were with the Variétés, in Mignon, The Daughter of the Regiment, Mireille, La Traviata, and The Barber of Seville, usually opposite Alarie. His first recitals were broadcast by the CBC, and in 1943 he took on his first Mozartean role, Don Curzio in the Montreal Festivals' production of The Marriage of Figaro under Beecham. In 1944 he won the Prix Archambault, the award leading to his debut with the CSM orchestra under Wilfrid Pelletier. He continued his studies 1945-7 in New York with Paul Althouse. In May 1945 he was acclaimed in Montreal as Ferrando in Così fan tutte and Tamino in The Magic Flute (Canadian premiere of the latter opera, staged by the Opera Guild) and in the Berlioz Te Deum. Simoneau's first US opera appearances were in Central City, Colo, and New Orleans.

Simoneau's career took on an international dimension in 1949 when he made his Paris debut at the Opéra-Comique in Gounod's Mireille. He was coached in Paris by Berl Lilienfeld and in Vienna by Erik Werba, continuing to perform at the Opéra-Comique and the Paris Opera until 1954, appearing in the standard roles and, in June 1953, as Tom in the French premiere of Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress (Le Libertin). The critics compared him with Edmond Clément. His reputation as a Mozart specialist grew steadily after 1950, when, at the Aix-en-Provence and Glyndebourne Festivals and elsewhere, he sang all the main tenor roles: Ottavio, Ferrando, Tamino, Belmonte, and Idamante in Idomeneo. He also was heard in Gluck operas (Pylade in Iphigenia in Tauris and Orpheus in the tenor version of Orpheus and Eurydice) and as Paolino in Cimarosa's Il Matrimonio segreto. During the 1952 Festival du XXe siècle in Paris, he appeared in a historic production of Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex with the composer as conductor and Jean Cocteau as narrator. In 1953 he sang in Don Giovanni at La Scala in Milan under von Karajan, and in 1954 he was with the Vienna State Opera in London for its Royal Festival Hall appearances. He was heard shortly afterwards at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and at the Salzburg and Edinburgh festivals.

In the USA and Canada Simoneau appeared with major symphony orchestras and made numerous concert tours, often with his wife or as a member of the Bel Canto Trio with the baritone Theodor Uppman. He made several appearances at the Lyric Opera in Chicago, including one as Alfredo in La Traviata opposite Maria Callas. In Toronto he sang in Don Giovanni with the COC in 1956 and in The Abduction from the Seraglio in 1957. For the Montreal Festivals he sang in 10 performances of Don Giovanni in 1957 and in 8 of The Abduction from the Seraglio in 1960. In 1958 he repeated Ottavio in the Vancouver International Festival's Don Giovanni with George London as the Don and Joan Sutherland in her North American debut as Donna Anna. He appeared at the Stratford Festival in recital with Glenn Gould in 1962 and in a concert version of The Abduction from the Seraglio in 1969. His performance 18 Oct 1963 as Ottavio at the Metropolitan Opera (his only role with that company) won him a public ovation; according to Theodore Strongin, he sang 'with intelligence as well as beauty of sound' (New York Times, 20 Oct 1963). He repeated that role for the last time in April 1964 at the PDA for the Opera Guild, in two performances that marked his farewell to the operatic stage. He had sung the role 185 times. He continued to appear in concert and oratorio, however, and a Messiah (1967) and a Berlioz Requiem (1969) with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir were memorable. His final public appearance, 24 Nov 1970, was with the MSO in Messiah.

Appointed to the faculty of the CMM in 1963, Simoneau left in 1967 to join the MACQ as deputy head of the music division. At the ministry's request he prepared a report on the situation of opera in Quebec that led to the creation in 1971 of the Opéra du Québec. Appointed to the company as artistic director, he resigned at the end of the same year after a policy disagreement. In 1972 he moved to California with his wife and two daughters where he taught at the San Francisco Cons. He also taught 1973-6 at the Banff SFA (Banf CA) before settling in Victoria, BC in 1982. With his wife he then founded and directed Canada Opera Piccola.

Simoneau is considered one of the most distinguished Canadian singers of the century. His international reputation as a Mozart singer is attested by his presence at major festivals and events dedicated to this composer, as well as by his recordings. He is honoured also as an interpreter of French music both on stage and in the concert hall. An extensive legacy of recordings preserves this patrician singer's art. One of these - concert arias and duos of Mozart with Pierrette Alarie - was awarded the 1961 Grand prix du disque de l'Académie Charles-Cros, Paris. Simoneau and Alarie were awarded the 1959 Prix de musique Calixa-Lavallée, thus becoming the first recipients of this important honour. In 1971 Simoneau was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 1983 the CCA awarded him its Diplôme d'honneur. In 1990 he was named an Officer of the Ordre des arts et des lettres de France. He was a member 1968-71 of the Régie de la PDA, and a judge at the Montreal International Competition in1977 and at the vocal competition of the Glory of Mozart festival held in Toronto in 1991. Simoneau wrote a two-part article entitled 'De la futilité des traductions des oeuvres lyriques,' (Montreal Le Devoir, 1 and 8 Dec 1962) and the article 'Voice of classicism,' in Mozart Metropolitan Opera (Jane L. Poole, editor, New York 1991). He also translated Reynaldo Hahn's work Du Chant under the title On Singers and Singing (Portland, Ore 1990). In 1991, he began to write opera surtitles in French and English.

Author Gilles Potvin, Nancy McGregor

Discography

I/RECORDINGS BY SIMONEAU

Beecham in Rehearsal: Mozart Die Entführung aus dem Serail. Beecham Choral Soc, Royal Phil O, Beecham conductor Simoneau (Belmonte), Marshall (Constanze). 1956. HMV SLS-846/World Record Club SH-147

Berlioz L'Enfance du Christ. Choral Art Soc, Little Orch Soc, T. Scherman conductor. 1953. 2 Col SL-199/Vox VUX-2009

- Requiem. New England Cons Chor, Boston SO, Munch conductor. 1959. RCA Victor LDS-6077/2-RCA 6210-2 (CD)

- Requiem. Vienna State Opera Chor, Vienna Phil O, Mitropoulos conductor. 1956. 2-Cetra LO-509

Duparc Songs. A. Rogers piano. 1958. West XWN-18788/West W-9604

Famous Mozart Arias. Vienna SO, Paumgartner conductor. 1954. Philips ABR-0-4053/(selections) Epic LC-3262

Gluck Iphigénie en Tauride. Paris Cons O, Giulini conductor. 1952. Vox PLP-7822/2-EMI IC-137-1731713

Handel Messiah. London Handel Soc O and Chor, Goehr conductor. 1958. Guilde Internationale du Disque SMS-2153/3-Concert Hall M-2153/(excerpts) Perfect 13006

Méhul - Thomas - Massenet - Donizetti - Verdi - Flotow. Berlin RIAS SO, P. Strauss conductor. 1957. DGG LPEM-19101/Decca DL-9968

Mozart Arias. O du Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Jouve conductor. 1955. Ducretet-Thomson 270-C-088/Ducretet-Thomson London DTL-93091/2-EMI CHS-7-63715-2 (CD)/(selections) Sel SC-12-017/(selections) 2-EMI CHS-7-63715-2 (CD)

- Così fan tutte. Philharmonia O and Chor, von Karajan conductor. 1954. 3-Angel 3522/3-EMI RLS-7709/EMI CDH-7-69635-2 (CD)/(excerpts) Electrola 80574

- Don Giovanni. Vienna SO and Chamb Choir, Moralt conductor. 1955. 3-Epic SC-6010/3-Philips 6768-033/('Dalla sua pace') Philips GL-111

- Don Giovanni. Cologne Radio O and Chor, Klemperer conductor. 1955. 3-Educational Media RR-478/3-Frequenz CMA-3 (CD)

- Die Entführung aus dem Serail. Beecham Choral Soc, Royal Phil O, Beecham conductor, Simoneau (Belmonte), Marshall (Constanze). 1957. 2-Angel S-3555/2-EMI 2C-167-01541-2/2-EMI CHS-7-63715-2 (CD)/(selections) 3-Seraphim IC-6138/

- Idomeneo. Glyndebourne Festival Chor and O, Pritchard conductor, Simoneau (Idamante). 1956. 3-Angel 3574/3-Seraphim SIC-6070/2-EMI CHS-7-63685 (CD)/(selections) 3-EMI SLS-2900233

- The Magic Flute. Vienna State Opera Chor, Vienna Phil O, Böhm conductor, Simoneau (Tamino). 1955. 3-Lon A-4319/2-Lon 414-363-2 (CD)/(excerpts) A of D SDD-2165/Decca VIV-50

- The Magic Flute. Vienna State Opera Chor, Vienna Phil O, Szell conductor, Simoneau (Tamino). 1959. 3-Penzance PR-38/3-Melodram 007/2-Melodram 27505 (CD)

- Requiem. Westminster Chor, New York Phil O, Walter conductor. 1956. Col ML-5012/3-CBS M3P-39651/CBS MPK-45556 (CD)

Offenbach Les Contes d'Hoffmann. Paris Concerts O and Chor, LeConte conductor, Simoneau (Hoffmann). 1957. 3-Epic SC-6028

Schubert - Mozart - Dela. Lachance piano. 1967. CBC EXPO-33

Schumann Spanische Liebeslieder. Marshall soprano, Sarfaty mezzo, Warfield bar, Gold and Fizdale pfs. 1961. Col MS-6461

Stravinsky Oedipus Rex. Orch national de France, Chor de la Radiodiffusion Française, Stravinsky conductor. 1952. 2-Disques Montaigne TCE-8760 (CD)

Verdi La Traviata: (selections). Lamoureux O, Dervaux conductor, Morales soprano. 1953. Philips N-00639R/('Un di felice') Philips GL-111

II/RECORDINGS WITH PIERRETTE ALARIE, SOPRANO

Bach Mass in B Minor. Amsterdam Phil Soc Chor and O, Goehr conductor. 1959. 2-Van SRV-216-17/2-Concert Hall BM-2182

- Mass in B Minor. Vienna Academy Chor, Vienna State Opera O, Scherchen conductor. 1959. 3-West WST-304/2-MCA MCAD-2-9821 (CD)

Beethoven 'Ode to Joy' Symphony No. 9. Choirs of Rutgers U, MSO, Pelletier conductor. 1967. CBC EXPO-1

Bizet Carmen. Paris Concerts O and Chor, LeConte conductor, Alarie (Micaëla), Simoneau (Don José). 1959. 3-Guilde Internationale du Disque SMS-2184/3-Epic BSC-106

- Les Pêcheurs de perles. Chorale Elisabeth Brasseur, Lamoureux O, Fournet conductor, Alarie (Leila). 1953. 2-Epic SC-6002/2-Philips 6747-404/(excerpts) Philips GBL-5574

Couperin Motet de Sainte Suzanne. Ens Vocal de Paris, O de Chamb Gérard Cartigny, Bour conductor. 1954. Ducretet-Thomson London DTL-93077

Delibes Lakmé: (selections). Lamoureux O, Jouve conductor, Dervaux conductor. 1952. Philips N-00638R

Famous Duets from the French Opera: Bizet - Massenet - Gounod. O du Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Dervaux conductor. 1953. Ducretet-Thomson DTL-93018/West WL-5358/Sel M-298-004

Gluck Orphée et Eurydice. Blanchard Vocal Ens, Lamoureux O, Rosbaud conductor, Alarie (Amor). 1956 2-Epic SC-6019/2-Philips 6770-033/(excerpts) Fontana 700-476

Gounod Faust. Vienna State Opera Chor, Vienna Festival O, Rivoli conductor, Alarie (Marguerite). 1962. Guilde Internationale du Disque (catalogue no. unknown)/Festival Classique CFC-60012/(excerpts) 2-Concert Hall SMS-2374

Handel Messiah. Vienna Academy Chor, Vienna State Opera O, Scherchen conductor. 1959. 3-West WST-306/3- West Gold WGS-8163/(excerpts) West 14095

Haydn Airs. NACO, Bernardi conductor. 1970. RCI 332/RCA VCCS-1650/RCA KGL-1-0148

Monteverdi - Haydn - Schubert - Cornelius - Schumann. Lachance piano. 1968. CBC SM-50

Mozart Arias and Duets. CBC Montreal orch, J.-M. Beaudet conductor. Ca 1955. RCI 147

- Concert Arias and Duets. Amsterdam Phil O, Goehr conductor. 1959. Guilde Internationale du Disque MMS-2183/Pearl SHE-573

- Lieder. Newmark piano. 1955. RCI 146

Offenbach Les Contes d'Hoffmann. Milano RAI O and Chor, Schaenen conductor, Simoneau (Hoffmann), Alarie (Olympia). 1959. 3-Melodram 033

Opera Recital: Cimarosa - Donizetti - Cilea - et al. Berlin RIAS SO, Schaenen conductor. 1959. DG SLPM-138-056/(selections) DG 2538-244

Schumann Duets. Newmark piano. (1962). RCI 198

See also Colas et Colinette

Bibliography

'Pierrette Alarie et Léopold Simoneau,' Musique et Musiciens, vol 1, Dec 1952

'The Simoneaus: ''Their lives blend as happily as their voices'',' OpCan, vol 2, Feb-Mar 1961

Blackburn, Marthe. 'Elegance is the hallmark in the home of Pierrette Alarie and Léopold Simoneau,' Jmc, Jan 1966

Kutsch, K.J., and Riemens, L. A Concise Biographical Dictionary of Singers (Philadelphia 1969)

Samson, Marc. 'La (curieuse) Rançon de la gloire au Québec,' Quebec City Le Soleil, 26 Aug 1972

Gingras, Claude. 'Les Simoneau: dernier acte,' Montreal La Presse, 2 Sep 1972

Piette-Rivard, Yolande. 'La nouvelle vie des Simoneau,' ibid, 8 Sep 1973

Lee, M. Owen. 'Simoneau: a Mozart prince,' Mcan, 33, Oct 1977

Roewade, Svend. 'A change of scene for Simoneau and Alarie,' Music, vol 5 Apr 1982

Dumesnil, Thérèse. 'Alarie et Simoneau,' Madame au foyer, vol 18, Sep 1983

Robert, Véronique. 'Les exilés de l'opéra,' L'Actualité, Nov 1988

Maheu, Renée. Pierrette Alarie, Léopold Simoneau: deux voix, un art (Montreal 1988)

Robert, Véronique. 'Quelques propos sur l'opéra avec Léopold Simoneau,' Aria, vol 12, Winter 1989

Creative Canada, vol 1

Links to Other Sites
French-Canadian soprano Pierrette Alarie-Simoneau has died
An obituary of Pierrette Alarie, coloratura soprano and wife of the tenor Léopold Simoneau. From the music magazine "Gramophone."

Léopold Simoneau and Pierrette Alarie: An Appreciation
The Durbeck Archive website offers an extensive discography of recordings featuring either Léopold Simoneau or Pierrette Alarie or both.