Canadian soprano Anna-Sophie Neher, 32, will close the first of three final nights of the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition of Belgium on Thursday. Well known here, the musician obtained her bachelor’s degree at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, studied for a year in New York at Bard College with Sanford Sylvan and Dawn Upshaw, before doing her master’s degree at McGill University and then joining the Studio of the Canadian Opera Company, based in Toronto.
Originally from Gatineau, Anna-Sophie Neher was spotted in 2017 by winning first prize at the OSM Competition. She will sing in the finale, accompanied by the symphony orchestra of the Royal Theater of La Monnaie, conducted by Alain Altinoglu, “Da tempeste il legno infranto”, from Giulio Cesare of Händel, “Eccomi in lieta vesta — Oh quante volte ti chiedo”, ofI Capuleti and Montecchiby Bellini, and “In the grip of sadness”, by Count Ory by Rossini. If it passes, it’s a “serious” final program.
But of the 12 finalists, there is another Quebecer! Carole-Anne Roussel, soprano from Rivière-du-Loup, four years younger than Anna-Sophie, will have the immense good fortune of being the very last candidate to present herself, late Saturday evening.
Prix d’Europe 2021, Carole-Anne Roussel was able, thanks to this award, to become artist in residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Brussels, where she studies with José Van Dam and Sophie Koch. She obtained a master’s degree at the Conservatoire de musique de Québec, under the direction of Sonia Racine and Martin Dubé.
Her more recent artistic blossoming having taken place during COVID, we have not yet had the chance to hear Carole-Anne Roussel, who will sing “Quel guardo il cavaliere — So anch’io la virtù magica”, from Don Pasqualeby Donizzetti, “I’m still dazed”, by Manonby Massenet, the melody with orchestra Säusle, liebe Myrtle!by Richard Strauss, and “No word from Tom – Quietly night – I go, I go to him”, by Rake’s Progress by Stravinsky.
The “singing” edition of the Queen Elisabeth of Belgium International Music Competition, which takes place every four years, crowned Marie-Nicole Lemieux in 2000. This year, she brings together four sopranos, four mezzos, one contralto, no tenor and three singers Koreans, two baritones and a bass. After Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Hélène Guilmette won the second prize in 2004, Layla Claire and Michèle Losier were finalists in 2008, but for three consecutive editions, no Canadian had reached the final.
The final sessions begin at 2:15 p.m. Montreal time and are webcast live.