Alexandre Sylvestre, Bass Baritone

Pacific Opera Victoria
Schaunard in La Bohème
February 2011

Alexandre Sylvestre made his POV mainstage debut in the roles of the Second Priest and Armed Guard in The Magic Flute in April 2009 as a participant in Pacific Opera Victoria's Spring 2009 Resident Artist Program. He returns in February 2011 for the role of Schaunard in Puccini's La Bohème.

A native of the Lanaudière region, Alexandre Sylvestre studied at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal where he successfully obtained the Premier Prix avec Grande Distinction. He is an alumnus of l'Atelier lyrique de l'Opéra de Montréal.

With the Conservatory, he performed the roles of Count Almaviva (The Marriage of Figaro), Paquiro (Les Goyescas) and Gianni Schicchi in the opera of the same name. With the Conservatory Orchestra, he was heard in Verdi's Requiem, Bach's Magnificat, and Handel's Messiah.

He performed the role of Don Magnifico (La Cenerentola) at the Orford Arts Festival and also appeared with Sinfonia de Lanaudière, La Nouvelle Sinfonie, Sinfonia de Montréal, and the Chœur Polymnie. He has taken part in master classes led by Roger Vignoles, Grace Bumbry, Martin Isepp, and Carlo Bergonzi.

In November of 2005, he made his debut with the Opéra de Montréal in the roles of Zalzal and the Chief of Police (L'étoile) and was later invited to appear in the Opéra de Montréal's Gala in December 2006. He was awarded bursaries from ARAM, the Wilfrid-Pelletier Foundation, Jeunesses Musicales of Canada, and in February of 2006, was a winner at the Ottawa New Discoveries Auditions.

In November of the same year, he tied for Second Prize in the vocal category of the OSM Competition. Over the summer of 2007, he sang the roles of Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) with the Opera Centre in Sulmona, Italy, and Pausanias (Une éducation manquée) with the Canadian Vocal Arts Institute.

In the 2007-2008 season, his engagements included the Duke of Verona (Roméo et Juliette) and Prince Yamadori (Madama Butterfly) at the Opéra de Montréal, and the premiere of a work based on the writings of Jacques Cartier as part of Quebec City's 400th anniversary celebrations.

During the 2009-2010 season he appeared as Betto in Gianni Schicchi at L'Opéra de Montréal and was also heard as Sacristan in Tosca and Pietro in Simon Boccanegra.

During the 2010-11 season, he sings Monterone in Rigoletto and Colline in La Bohème at l'Opéra de Montréal, Schaunard in La Bohème with Pacific Opera Victoria and several concerts and recitals.

He has also performed in concert with Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and at the Festival de Lanaudière under the baton of Yannick Nézet Séguin. With the Violons du Roy, he has sung Charpentiers's Messe de Minuit and Haydn's Stabat Mater; he also took part in the premiere of a work based on the writings of Jacques Cartier as part of Quebec City's 400th anniversary celebrations.

Warm voice, a voice which comes from the heart with a good tone…genuinely funny.
La Presse – Claude Gingras (translation)

Alexandre Sylvestre … nailed the role of the Sacristan, combining the kind of rich sound and comic timing we equate with a great house on a good day.
The Gazette - Arthur Kaptainis

January, 2011