Catherine St-Arnaud
Catherine St-Arnaud has been hailed as a “simply stunning” soprano (Revue L’Opéra) and “first-rate performer” (Opera Canada) making waves in Canada and abroad. From opera stages to intimate recitals, singing in large-scale productions or leading her own innovative projects, Catherine’s expressive voice and tireless enthusiasm make her a captivating artist to watch.
Recently, St-Arnaud made her debuts in Asia (Adina in L’elisir d’amore, National Kaohsiung Arts Center of Taiwan) and in the United States (Soprano soloist in Carmina Burana, Oregon Symphony), in addition to originating the role of Albertine à 30 ans in Albertine en cinq temps – l’opéra (Théâtre du Rideau Vert), which was followed by a 20-performance tour throughout Quebec. She looks forward to revisiting Albertine this season in performances in both Québec and France.
Last season, she performed Orff’s Carmina Burana with Orchestre symphonique de Sherbrooke, Boismortier’s Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse with Ensemble Caprice, as a soloist with Festival de Saintes in France with Les Idées heureuses, and made a return to Clavecin en Concert for a concert program of Couperin, Rameau, Blavet, and more. She made her Opéra de Montréal company debut with cover assignments in the premiere of Bilodeau’s La Reine-garçon, as well as role debuts of Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen (Orchestre Philharmonique et Chœur des Mélomanes) and Adele in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus (Opéra de Québec). In recital, she appeared with Orford Musique, and joined Festival de Lanaudière for their 2024 summer season as an artist in residence in collaboration with the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. The 2024/2025 season sees returns to both Clavecin en concert and Les Idées heureuses on the concert stage.
Catherine has brilliantly embodied roles in a wide range of styles and repertoires, from baroque to the contemporary, including the music of Mozart, French opera, and bel canto. She has notably performed Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Lucia (Lucia di Lamermoor), Thérèse (Les mamelles de Tirésias), Sophie de Palma (Les leçons de Maria Callas), and Altisidore (Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse).
A sought-after soloist, she has been engaged by the Brott Music Festival, Clavecin en Concert, l’Ensemble Caprice, the Montréal Bach Festival, the Montréal Baroque Festival, the Festival d’Opéra de Québec, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Jeunesses musicales du Canada, Les idées heureuses, Musica Orbium, the Opéra de Québec, Orchestre Métropolitain, the Státna filharmónia Kosice (Slovakia), and the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal, working with renowned conductors such as Luc Beauséjour, Nicolas Ellis, Leo Hussain, Airat Ichmouratov, Jean-Michel Malouf, Matthias Maute, Hervé Niquet, Jean-François Rivest and Alain Trudel.
In her curatorial work, Catherine centers the experiences of women in her recital programs, be they goddesses, queens, shepherdesses or witches. Their diverse voices are at the core of projects she has presented at the Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur, Barachois Summer Music and the Société de l’art vocal de Montréal, among others. She has collaborated with several accomplished musicians on these projects, including violinists Yukari Cousineau and Julie Triquet, and pianist Julien LeBlanc.
Her recording projects include Hommage à François Tousignant, with the l’Ensemble Paramirabo (Centrediscs, 2021), and Albertine en cinq temps – l’opéra, with the Productions du 10 avril (ATMA, 2022). With l’Ensemble Caprice, she sang Duchesse Altisidore in Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse, released in 2024.
Winner of the First Prize in Voice at the Prix d’Europe, she has also been a laureate of Orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s Manulife Competition, the Lamèque International Baroque Music Festival’s Matthieu-Duguay Early Music Competition, and Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques, in addition to having twice been a finalist at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (New England Region). She has received support from several institutions and foundations, most notably winning the Charles-Émile Gadbois scholarship, as well as several grants from the Père Lindsay Foundation.
She holds a master’s degree and a postgraduate diploma from l’Université de Montréal. She has also benefited from masterclasses with esteemed artists at the Canadian Vocal Arts Institute, the Orford Academy, as well as the Vancouver International Song Institute. In 2022, she also completed an apprenticeship at the Staatstheatre Augsburg, in Germany. Catherine fervently believes in the arts’ pivotal role in the social discourse, and proudly contributes to the winds of change that are sweeping through the lyric arts. She is endlessly fascinated with the French language and the inner workings of the creative process, and strives to channel these passions into projects that are as unique as they are vital.
September 2024
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““Catherine Saint-Arnaud... also impressed with her vocal technique. She performed all the vocal gymnastics included in the role of Adina with brio, and particularly stood out in the charming barcarolle for two sung at the wedding in the second act.”
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![As for soprano Catherine St-Arnaud, she distinguishes herself throughout the evening in the role of Susanna. [...] The young artist is simply dazzling, both vocally - her timbre is as graceful as it is warm - and dramatically - as a playful, bubbly](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ea12b219c03680a5cc556d0/1638752643780-KA7NSGVWZJBO4PVJ1ON2/Nozze_Credit+Jeunesse+Musicales+Canada.jpg)
