Robert Savoie
Encyclopedia
Robert Savoie, was a French-Canadian operatic baritone
.
, and made his debut in 1948 with the Montreal Opera Guild, as the second Philistine
in Samson et Dalila. For the next four years he sang secondary roles with that company. He then studied in Milan, Italy, with Antonio
Narducci, and made his European debut there at the Teatro Nuovo, as Scarpia in Tosca
.
After returning to Montréal in 1954, Savoie pursued a career on radio and
television, as well as with the Opera Guild, singing roles such as; Rodrigo in Don Carlos, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro and Il barbiere di Siviglia, Leporello in Don Giovanni, Marcello in La bohème, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, etc. He also appeared in
Québec City, Ottawa, and at the Stratford Festival.
In 1961, Savoie signed a five-year contract with the Royal Opera House
in London, making his debut there as Schaunard in La Bohème, and then singing the title role in Rigoletto
. He also appeared with the Sadler's Wells and the Scottish Opera
in Glasgow. He
also performed throughout France, in a touring production of Massenet' s Don Quichotte
, opposite fellow countryman, Joseph Rouleau
.
He sang in the BBC
production of Verdi's original French version of Don Carlos
(recorded 1972, broadcast 1973) with Rouleau, and André Turp
.
In America, Savoie appeared in 1971, as Falstaff (opera)
at the inauguration of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
in Washington. He performed in 1972, in La Damnation de Faust, at Carnegie Hall
.
Beginning in 1981, Savoie performed mainly in recital, and began giving master classes, notably at the Yale School of Music
. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada
in 2002.
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
.
Career
Savoie studied for five years with Pauline DonaldaPauline Donalda
Pauline Donalda, OC was a Canadian operatic soprano.Born Pauline Lightstone in Montreal, Quebec, she studied music at Royal Victoria College. In 1902 she studied in Paris and made her debut in 1904 in Nice. In 1922, she opened a studio in Paris and became a teacher...
, and made his debut in 1948 with the Montreal Opera Guild, as the second Philistine
in Samson et Dalila. For the next four years he sang secondary roles with that company. He then studied in Milan, Italy, with Antonio
Narducci, and made his European debut there at the Teatro Nuovo, as Scarpia in Tosca
Tosca
Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900...
.
After returning to Montréal in 1954, Savoie pursued a career on radio and
television, as well as with the Opera Guild, singing roles such as; Rodrigo in Don Carlos, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro and Il barbiere di Siviglia, Leporello in Don Giovanni, Marcello in La bohème, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, etc. He also appeared in
Québec City, Ottawa, and at the Stratford Festival.
In 1961, Savoie signed a five-year contract with the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
in London, making his debut there as Schaunard in La Bohème, and then singing the title role in Rigoletto
Rigoletto
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s'amuse by Victor Hugo. It was first performed at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851...
. He also appeared with the Sadler's Wells and the Scottish Opera
Scottish Opera
Scottish Opera is the national opera company of Scotland, and one of the five national performing arts companies funded by the Scottish Government...
in Glasgow. He
also performed throughout France, in a touring production of Massenet' s Don Quichotte
Don Quichotte
Don Quichotte is an opera in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Caïn.Massenet's comédie-héroïque, like so many other dramatized versions of the story of Don Quixote, relates only indirectly to the great novel by Miguel de Cervantes...
, opposite fellow countryman, Joseph Rouleau
Joseph Rouleau
Joseph A. Rouleau, is a French-Canadian bass opera singer, particularly associated with the Italian and French repertories....
.
He sang in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
production of Verdi's original French version of Don Carlos
Don Carlos
Don Carlos is a five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French language libretto by Camille du Locle and Joseph Méry, based on the dramatic play Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien by Friedrich Schiller...
(recorded 1972, broadcast 1973) with Rouleau, and André Turp
André Turp
André Turp was a Canadian tenor, particularly associated with the French and Italian repertories.- Life and career :...
.
In America, Savoie appeared in 1971, as Falstaff (opera)
Falstaff (opera)
Falstaff is an operatic commedia lirica in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi, adapted by Arrigo Boito from Shakespeare's plays The Merry Wives of Windsor and scenes from Henry IV. It was Verdi's last opera, written in the composer's ninth decade, and only the second of his 26 operas to be a comedy...
at the inauguration of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
in Washington. He performed in 1972, in La Damnation de Faust, at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
.
Beginning in 1981, Savoie performed mainly in recital, and began giving master classes, notably at the Yale School of Music
Yale School of Music
The Yale School of Music is one of the twelve professional schools at Yale University and one of the premier music conservatories in the world....
. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in 2002.
External links
- Robert Savoie The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...