Jean-Paul Jeannotte

Jean-Paul Jeannotte (March 9, 1926 – September 9, 2021) was a Canadian operatic tenor, academic teacher, and opera administrator born in Rawdon, Quebec. He is best known for founding the Opéra de Montréal in 1979 and serving as its artistic director until 1989. His Broadway appearances in 1958 included the comedies Le Malade Imaginaire and Le Mariage Force.

Jeannotte began his vocal training in Montreal, studying with Salvator Issaurel in 1944 and with Émile Gourthe over the following two years. He subsequently pursued advanced studies in Paris, working with d'Estainville Rousset starting in 1947 and with Pierre Bernac from 1951 to 1953. His operatic debut took place in Cherbourg in 1947, where he sang the role of Vincent in Gounod's Mireille and also appeared as Piféar in Adam's Si j'étais roi. In 1949, he performed as Bastien in Mozart's Bastien et Bastienne and as the Narrator in Monteverdi's Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda with the Minute Opera, and in 1950 he toured France with the Disciples de Massenet.

His Montreal career began at the Variétés lyriques in 1954, where he appeared as Fritellini in Audran's La Mascotte, remaining a frequent performer with the company through 1955. That same year he cofounded the Ensemble Jean-Philippe-Rameau. Among his most prominent operatic roles was Pelléas in Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande, which he performed in a CBC concert production alongside Suzanne Danco in 1955 and in an ORTF production alongside Gérard Souzay as Golaud. Additional roles included Gonzalve in Ravel's L'Heure espagnole, Basilio in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro at the 1956 Montreal Festivals, and Bobino in Maurice Blackburn's Silent Measures, a role he performed more than 100 times across its world premiere on CBC TV, stage productions in Toronto and Montreal, and a Canadian tour in 1961.

Jeannotte was equally active in recital and broadcast work, performing art songs in French, German, and Italian on tours throughout Canada and on a joint tour of Europe and the USSR with pianist Jeanne Landry in 1961. He made numerous appearances on stage, radio, and television throughout his career.

His academic career included teaching positions at Laval University from 1964 to 1979 and at the École de musique Vincent-d'Indy. He served as president of the Union des artistes from 1966 to 1972. In recognition of his contributions to Canadian cultural life, Jeannotte was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1987. He died at the age of 95.