Rouleau, Joseph (Alfred Pierre)

Rouleau, Joseph (Alfred Pierre) , admired Canadian bass and teacher; b. Matane, Quebec, Feb. 28, 1929. He went to Montreal and studied with Édouard Woolley and Albert Cornellier, and then at the Cons. with Martial Singher (1949–52). In 1951 he made a concert tour of eastern Canada. After further training with Mario Basiola and Antonio Narducci in Milan (1952–54), he made his first major appearance in opera as Colline at the New Orleans Opera in 1955. In 1956 he sang Verdi’s King Philip II in Montreal. On April 23, 1957, he made his debut at London’s Covent Garden as Colline, and continued to make appearances there for some 20 seasons. He made his first appearance at the Paris Opéra as Raimondo in 1960. In 1965–66 he toured Australia with Joan Sutherland’s operatic enterprise. In 1967 he sang Basilio with the Canadian Opera Co., and returned there as Ramfis in 1968. In the latter year, he also made his debut at the N.Y.C. Opera as Méphistophélès. In subsequent years, he sang with various North American and European opera companies. He also was engaged as a soloist with leading orchs. on both sides of the Atlantic. On April 13, 1984, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. as the Grand Inquisitor. His esteemed portrayal of Boris Godunov in Montreal in Feb. 1988 was telecast by the CBC. From 1980 he taught at the Montreal Cons. In 1967 he won the Prix de musique Calixa-Lavallée. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1977. In 1990 he was awarded the Prix Denise-Pelletier.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire