Pierrette Alarie

Pierrette Alarie, CC, CQ (born November 9, 1921) is a French Canadian coloratura soprano. Married to celebrated French-Canadian tenor Léopold Simoneau. Born in Montreal, Quebec, Alarie was the daughter of a choirmaster and assistant conductor of the Société Canadienne d'opérettes and of a soprano and actress. She studied voice and acting early and performed on radio at the age of 14, first as an actress and later as a singer of popular music. Whi... more

Pierrette Alarie, CC, CQ (born November 9, 1921) is a French Canadian coloratura soprano. Married to celebrated French-Canadian tenor Léopold Simoneau. Born in Montreal, Quebec, Alarie was the daughter of a choirmaster and assistant conductor of the Société Canadienne d'opérettes and of a soprano and actress. She studied voice and acting early and performed on radio at the age of 14, first as an actress and later as a singer of popular music. While studying voice with Victor Issaurel, she made her debut in 1938 at Les Variétés lyriques in the operetta The White Horse Inn. She also sang Marie in La fille du régiment and the lead role in Mireille. On a scholarship she went to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia to complete her studies with Elisabeth Schumann. Alarie won the Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air and made her Metropolitan Opera debut on December 8, 1945, as Oscar in Un ballo in maschera under Bruno Walter. She spent three seasons at the Met singing Olympia Les... less