Chantal Lambert
First prize winner at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal, soprano Chantal Lambert has led an active career as singer, while directing the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal since 1990. Since 2001, she devotes herself mostly to recitals with experienced collaborators: director Marie-Lou Dion and pianists Roger Vignoles, Michael McMahon, Jean Marchand, Marc Bourdeau and Martin Dubé.
In winter 2001, she performed lieder by Robert and Clara Schumann as well as Johannes Brahms in a conference-performance titled “Un triangle amoureux” with musicologist Pierre Vachon, actors Caroline Lavoie and Alexandre Préfontaine and pianist Marc Bourdeau. In summer 2010, she participated in two different events in the first edition of the FestivalOpéra Saint-Eustache (Québec): Soirée Offenbach conducted by Vincent Monteil, and directed by Patricia Panton; and Hommage à Lionel Daunais, with baritone Dominique Côté and pianist Marc Bourdeau, directed by Marie-Lou Dion. Ms Lambert also lends her voice to the characters of the witch and the mother in the North American tour of Hänsel & Gretel with the “Théâtre sans fil” (giant puppets).
“A soprano that can call on subtleness and emotion, successful in opera, lied and mélodie,”* Chantal Lambert was cast in 17 productions by l’Opéra de Montréal, including La Belle Hélène (title role), La Voix humaine (Elle), The Merry Widow (Nadia), La Vie parisienne (Métella), Carmen (Mercedes), La Cenerentola (Tisbe), The Consul (Anna Gomez). And the Orchestre Métropolitain invited her to perform in 6 series (La Boutique fantasque, Gershwin Concerts, Hänsel und Gretel, Concerts de la francophonie, Le Jardin féerique and un Noël magique). She also sang in several concerts with the Orchestre baroque de Montréal, including in Alcina (Oberto) and Messiah, as well as in sacred music programmes with organist Bernard Lagacé. She was also the narrator in Tableaux fugitifs by Michelle Ekezian with I Musici de Montréal.
An artist with eclectic tastes, Chantal Lambert has often performed her Cabaret Classique with pianist Martin Dubé (directed by Marie-Lou Dion), and presented her Hommage à Jacques Brel, from 1998 to 2003, in duet with singer-guitarist André Messier. She was also guest artist at the Gala de l’Excellence de La Presse broadcast 5 times on Radio Canada television.
Chantal Lambert has often times acted as host and master of ceremonies for concerts and musical moments; taken part in round tables and many radio programmes. She co-authored linguistic books (English, Italian, and German glossaries) for singers. For the past three years, she has been presenting master classes on career development and the performance of the French repertoire at the Canadian Operatic Arts Academy (University of Western Ontario). Chantal Lambert is president of the Conseil québécois de la musique since 2008.
*La Presse, May 2001
