Named one of CBC’s Top Young Canadian Classical Musicians, soprano Claire de Sévigné was recently nominated for a Classical Album of the Year JUNO award for her Naxos album of Vivaldi Cantatas with Kevin Mallon and the Aradia Ensemble. Recent successes have come with the Canadian Opera Company, Savonlinna Opera Festival, Opernhaus Zürich and Théâtre des Champs-Élysées as Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, in which she was hailed for her “sparkling top notes and vocal brilliance, lightness and finesse”.

The upcoming ²⁰²²⁄₂₀₂₃ season marks several role and house debuts for de Sévigné, including with Pacific Opera Victoria as the Nachtigall in their new production of Braunfel’s Die Vögel, and Opéra national de Montpellier as Erste Dame in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. To kick off the season, she appears in concert as Henriette in Halévy’s L’Éclair with Grand Théâtre de Genève.

During the ²⁰⁄₂₁ and ²¹⁄₂₂ seasons, Ms. de Sévigné was heard as Cunegonde in Candide for Grand Théâtre de Genève, as la Fée in Massenet’s Cendrillon for the Lucerne Festival, as Adele in Die Fledermaus for Angers Nantes Opéra and Opéra d’Avignon, and Solveig in Grieg’s Peer Gynt with Opéra National de Lyon.

In the 2019-20 season, Ms. de Sévigné was a member of the core Ensemble with the Grand Théâtre de Genève singing the roles of Phani in Les Indes Galantes, Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Sacerdotessa in Aida, Clorinda in La Cenerentola and L’Ange in Saint François d’Assise. Other engagements included the role of Venus in Le Grand Macabre with the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, a return in the role of Blonde with the Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland, Mozart concerts with the Salzburg Festival, and Fiakermilli in Arabella with Opernhaus Zürich. Regrettably her appearance with Maestro Kent Nagano in his final performance with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra was cancelled due to the global pandemic.

Recent career highlights for Ms. de Sévigné include performances with the Grant Park Music Festival of Chicago in Carmina Burana, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor for the Elora Festival of Canada and concerts for Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and Opéra de Québec. She also joined the Concertgebouw Orchestra, singing the role of La Vierge in Honegger’s Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher in Amsterdam, reprised Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail for Opernhaus Zürich and was soprano soloist in Messiah with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Further credits have included a concert tour in China with the Salzburg YSP in collaboration with Hantang International Music Festival, Handel’s Messiah and a Coloratura Spectacular with the Edmonton Symphony, Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Fiakermilli in Arabella with the Canadian Opera Company and the Mozart’s Kronöngsmesse and Exsultate, jubilate with the Mozarteum Orchestra in Spain.

From 2015 to 2017, Ms. de Sévigné was engaged by Opernhaus Zürich, performing the roles of Hermione in a new production of Trojahn’s Orest, Feu, Princesse and Rossignol in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges, as well as the role of Angelica in Haydn’s Orlando Paladino. As a member of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble, her roles on the main stage included Despina in Cosi fan tutte, First Niece in Peter Grimes and Servilia in La clemenza di Tito.

She has been awarded prizes, top placement and grants from the Operalia Competition, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal Standard Life Competition, the Montreal International Competition, Vancouver Opera Guild, the Christina and Louis Quilico Competition, the Marcello Giordani Foundation International Vocal Competition and the Annual COC Ensemble Studio Competition.

The Montreal native is also proud to be supported by the Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation, SSHRC Bombardier Master’s Research Grant, the Canadian Opera Volunteer Committee as well as the Leanara Foundation in Zürich. Ms. de Sévigné is proud to be a graduate of the Zürich IOS Studio, Salzburg YSP and the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble. She holds a Master’s degree in Opera from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Montreal’s McGill University.