She has just tripped over her lover’s bloody corpse. Maddened by pain, she crumbles downs against an old stone wall. Her tresses, as they fall down, create a second wall hiding her face. The entirety of her body is shaken, her shoulders, startled. Suddenly, she rises, runs downstage and makes the audience the witnesses to her drama. She twists her arms, contracts her fingers into hooks. Despair and betrayal are altogether dissolved into this portrayal.
Lyne Fortin, in Erwartung, directed by Robert Lepage. In November 2009, she receives the Prix de la Fondation de l’Opéra de Québec for this challenging role. The critics have deemed her singing impeccable and her interpretation masterful and brilliant. Lyne has more than one feather in her cap! As a girl, she finds passion for ballet and learns how to play the piano and the guitar. In her free time, she takes pleasure in solving mathematical puzzles. When the time comes to go to college, she opts for applied sciences. However, her talent for singing stands out. After graduating with excellence from l’Université Laval, she takes part in several training programs: at Orford, in Austria and in New York. In her early career, she collects prestigious prizes from various competitions: MSO Competition (1985), Raoul-Jobin Prize (1986), and Pavarotti International Voice Competition (1988). She sings the title role in various opera: Mimi in La Bohème, Antonia in The Tales of Hoffmann, the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Gilda in Rigoletto and Violetta in La Traviata, only mentioning here the more familiar works. Lyne Fortin, an eminent concert artist, is one of Canada’s leading sopranos. She enjoys an international career, which takes her to Paris, Brussels, Edinburgh, Prague, Anvers, Seoul, Philadelphia, just to name a few. It’s easy with such talent! Be careful though, singing is her profession. Whether she sings in an opera, records a CD or sings a concert for the radio, the applause only comes after long hours of rehearsal. Before the tragedy becomes her own, this artist must make sense of the score; understanding the inherent meaning of the words and melody must be achieved through intelligence and sensibility to allow a deeper comprehension of the character she portrays.After putting on the finishing touches, the marketing aspect comes next. Now all of the artist’s efforts are directed at convincing the audience that such work effortlessly produces beauty. The most important challenge, however, is constantly renewing oneself. Adhering to current fashions, respecting the changing ideas of stage directors, conductors and the public is a must. There are always new skills to master. Not to mention that when singing abroad, this soprano must sacrifice the comfort of her home to “live in her suitcases”. Known for her unfailing vocal technique, between concerts, she also gives “masterclasses” at l’Atelier Lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal and in most of the cities where she sings. Students fight over a spot in her private teaching studio. Her hobbies? She might spend her free time salsa dancing or flying on the trapeze, scuba diving or simply reading a good science fiction book. Lyne has an uncomplicated, cheerful and engaging personality. Quebec’s audience, which witnessed her early career, maintains good ties with her and awaits her return each time with delight. In her dressing room, after a concert, she shakes hands. We can hear her resonant laugh throughout the corridor. She will burst out laughing if she, by chance, recognizes someone from her hometown who has come to hear her sing. I remember when Lyne, having to manage on a student budget, was stretching her last pennies by making a big pot of pea soup. Seated at her table, we could find Bernard Labadie, Sonia Racine or Élyse Duguay. An improvised concert around the piano would often end these get togethers. It was an era of untroubled existence... Claire Gagnon 
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  30th season of Montreal Opera Erwartung Other |
