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Joseph A. RouleauFrench Canadian opera singer-bass
Date of Birth: 28.02.1929
Country:  Canada |
Content:
Biography of Joseph Rouleau
Joseph Rouleau was a franco-Canadian opera bass, renowned for his beautiful voice and particularly associated with the Italian and French opera repertoire. He was a Companion of the Order of Canada (CC) and a Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec (GOQ).
Early Life and Education
Joseph Rouleau was born on February 28, 1929, in Matane, a city located on the Gaspé Peninsula in the Canadian province of Quebec. He received private lessons from the famous tenor, composer, and pedagogue Édouard Woolley and Albert Cornellier in Montreal. Rouleau also studied at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal, founded in 1943, under the guidance of Pauline Donalda.
Later, Rouleau traveled to New York to study with Martial Singher and to Milan, Italy, where Mario Basiola and Antonio Narducci became his teachers.
Operatic Career
Rouleau made his debut in 1955 as Colline in "La bohème" at the New Orleans Opera. The following year, he debuted as Philip II in Verdi's "Don Carlos" with the Opera Guild de Montréal, which became one of his greatest roles. He also performed in concerts for Canadian radio and television.
Having obtained an engagement with the Royal Opera in London, Rouleau performed with the company in Cardiff, Manchester, and Southampton before his London debut on April 23, 1957, again as Colline. Over the next twenty years, he appeared in leading roles in more than 40 productions at the Royal Opera House. His performance as Count Rodolfo in Bellini's "La sonnambula" in 1960, in which Joan Sutherland also participated, led to a long-term collaboration with one of the greatest sopranos of his time, including his debut at the Paris Opéra in the same year as Raimondo in "Lucia di Lammermoor" and an Australian tour in 1965-1966, where he received high praise for his portrayal of Assur in Rossini's "Semiramide."
Rouleau excelled as both an actor and a musician, building a wide repertoire that also included German and Russian operas, such as the role of Titurel in "Parsifal" and the title role in "Boris Godunov." He also received significant acclaim as Don Quichotte and Mephistopheles in "Faust." In 1976, he participated in a performance of the complete French version of "Don Carlos" for the BBC, singing the role of Philip II. On April 13, 1984, Rouleau made his Metropolitan Opera debut as the Grand Inquisitor in "Don Carlos" under the baton of James Levine, and from 1987 onwards, he performed in concerts accompanied by pianist Pierre Brabant. Many of their joint concerts were dedicated to the music of Félix Leclerc.
Recognition and Teaching
Rouleau became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1977 and was promoted to Companion in 2010, an honor bestowed for outstanding achievements in service to Canada and humanity. In 1999, he became an Officer of the National Order of Quebec and was elevated to Grand Officer in 2004. Additionally, he received the Prix Denise Pelletier in 1990. Rouleau also taught at the Université du Québec à Montréal, where he founded an opera workshop in collaboration with soprano Colette Boky. Since 1989, he has been the President of "Jeunesses Musicales du Canada" and the founder of the "Concours Musical International de Montréal" competition.
