Colette Boky
Encyclopedia
Colette Boky is a French-Canadian operatic soprano
, particularly associated with lyric roles in the French, Italian, and German repertories.
, Quebec
, she studied voice at the École de musique Vincent-d'Indy
from 1953 to 1955, and then privately with Laurette Bailly. After winning a voice competition in 1958, she entered the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal, where she was a pupil of Roy Royal and Otto-Werner Mueller. In 1961, she made her stage debut with the "Théâtre lyrique de Nouvelle-France", as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia. With the same company she sang Lakmé
, the following year.
After winning the 1962 Prix d'Europe
, she went to Paris to continue her
studies with Janine Micheau
and Raoul Jobin
. She then won a second prize at the Geneva International Competition for musical performers, which led to her European debut in 1964, in Haydn's Lo speziale
in Versailles.
She was invited at the Bremen
Opera for the 1964-65 season, where she sang Despina in Cosi fan tutte
, and Stravinski's Le Rossignol. In 1965, she made her debut at the Salzburg Festival
as Sandrina in Mozart's La finta giardiniera
, followed by
the lead soprano role in Rossini's La scala di seta
at the Munich Festival
.
In 1966, Boky began an association with the Vienna Volksoper
, where
she sang several roles. She also appeared with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in Carmina Burana (Orff)
, and The Creation (Haydn), under Karl Richter.
Boky's career became truly international in 1967, with her Metropolitan Opera
debut as The Queen of The Night in The Magic Flute
. She was to remain at the Met until 1979, singing some 25 leading roles there, such as Juliette, Marguerite, Pamina, Adina, Lucia, Gilda, Violetta, the four heroines of Les contes d'Hoffmann
, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier
, etc. She also appeared in several US opera houses in
Hartford, Miami, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco.
She was also active as a recitalist, particularly of French songs and Lieder, in which she excelled.
Boky began teaching at L'Université du Québec
in 1981, and was artistic director of the opera studio there. She was awarded with the
Calixa-Lavallée Award
in 1971, and the Prix Denise Pelletier in 1986.
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, particularly associated with lyric roles in the French, Italian, and German repertories.
Life and career
Born Colette Giroux, in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, she studied voice at the École de musique Vincent-d'Indy
École de musique Vincent-d'Indy
Lécole de musique Vincent-d'Indy is a subsidized private music college situated in Montreal in the Outremont district, that specializes in music education.-Programs:...
from 1953 to 1955, and then privately with Laurette Bailly. After winning a voice competition in 1958, she entered the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal, where she was a pupil of Roy Royal and Otto-Werner Mueller. In 1961, she made her stage debut with the "Théâtre lyrique de Nouvelle-France", as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia. With the same company she sang Lakmé
Lakmé
Lakmé is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes to a French libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille. Delibes wrote the score during 1881–82 with its first performance on 14 April 1883 at the Opéra Comique in Paris. Set in British India in the mid 19th century, Lakmé is based on the 1880 novel...
, the following year.
After winning the 1962 Prix d'Europe
Prix d'Europe
The Prix d'Europe is a prestigious Canadian study grant that is funded by the Ministère des Affaires culturelles du Québec of the Government of Quebec. Established in 1911, the award has been distributed annually to a single individual through competition with the exception of 1960-1973 and 2009...
, she went to Paris to continue her
studies with Janine Micheau
Janine Micheau
Janine Micheau was a French singer, one of the leading lyric sopranos of her era in France.Janine Micheau was born in Toulouse, and studied voice at the Paris Conservatoire...
and Raoul Jobin
Raoul Jobin
Raoul Jobin, was a French-Canadian operatic tenor, particularly associated with the French repertory.- Life and career :...
. She then won a second prize at the Geneva International Competition for musical performers, which led to her European debut in 1964, in Haydn's Lo speziale
Lo speziale
Lo speziale , Hob. 28/3, is a three act opera buffa by Joseph Haydn, with a libretto by Carlo Goldoni.A love triangle between the poor apprentice Mengone, the rich and assured dandy Volpino, and the local apothecary's ward, Grilletta, Lo speziale is a sidesplitting comedy of great warmth and...
in Versailles.
She was invited at the Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
Opera for the 1964-65 season, where she sang Despina in Cosi fan tutte
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
, and Stravinski's Le Rossignol. In 1965, she made her debut at the Salzburg Festival
Salzburg Festival
The Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
as Sandrina in Mozart's La finta giardiniera
La finta giardiniera
La finta giardiniera , K. 196, is an Italian opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart wrote it in Munich in January 1775 when he was 18 years old and it received its first performance on January 13 at the Salvatortheater in Munich...
, followed by
the lead soprano role in Rossini's La scala di seta
La scala di seta
La scala di seta is an operatic farsa comica in one act by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Giuseppe Maria Foppa. It was first performed in Venice, Italy at the Teatro San Moisè on May 9, 1812...
at the Munich Festival
Munich Opera Festival
The Munich Opera Festival, , is an opera festival located in Munich, Germany and presented annually at the National Theatre by the Bavarian State Opera...
.
In 1966, Boky began an association with the Vienna Volksoper
Vienna Volksoper
The Vienna Volksoper is a major opera house in Vienna, Austria. It gives about three hundred performances of twenty-five productions during an annual season running from September through June....
, where
she sang several roles. She also appeared with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in Carmina Burana (Orff)
Carmina Burana (Orff)
Carmina Burana is a scenic cantata composed by Carl Orff in 1935 and 1936. It is based on 24 of the poems found in the medieval collection Carmina Burana...
, and The Creation (Haydn), under Karl Richter.
Boky's career became truly international in 1967, with her Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
debut as The Queen of The Night in The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute is an opera in two acts composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue....
. She was to remain at the Met until 1979, singing some 25 leading roles there, such as Juliette, Marguerite, Pamina, Adina, Lucia, Gilda, Violetta, the four heroines of Les contes d'Hoffmann
Les contes d'Hoffmann
Les contes d'Hoffmann is an opéra by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on short stories by E. T. A...
, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier
Der Rosenkavalier
Der Rosenkavalier is a comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to an original German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. It is loosely adapted from the novel Les amours du chevalier de Faublas by Louvet de Couvrai and Molière’s comedy Monsieur de Pourceaugnac...
, etc. She also appeared in several US opera houses in
Hartford, Miami, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco.
She was also active as a recitalist, particularly of French songs and Lieder, in which she excelled.
Boky began teaching at L'Université du Québec
Université du Québec
The University of Quebec is a system of ten provincially-run public universities in Quebec, Canada. Its headquarters are in Quebec City. The university coordinates university programs for more than 87,000 students. It offers more than 300 programs...
in 1981, and was artistic director of the opera studio there. She was awarded with the
Calixa-Lavallée Award
Calixa-Lavallée Award
The Calixa-Lavallée Award is a music award created in 1959. It is granted by the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal to a Quebecer having distinguished himself or herself in the field of music...
in 1971, and the Prix Denise Pelletier in 1986.
External links
- Colette Boky at The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...