Annick Massis

Annick Massis (born Jacqueline Dubreuil; ; born 31 January 1958) is a French operatic soprano. She sang a wide variety of roles, but is best known for her interpretation of works in the 19th-century Italian and French repertoire.

Biography

Jacqueline Dubreuil was born in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, to singer parents: mother specialising in operetta, father being a baritone in the Choir of Radio France. After obtaining double degree in history and English, she worked as a school teacher till 28, during which she took masterclasses and met her teacher Isabel Garcisanz. Two years later, Gabriel Dussurget, founder of the Aix-en-Provence Festival, introduced her to conductor Bernard Thomas, who engaged her in ''Great Mass in C minor'' and the entire oratorio repertoire after a simple audition. Her stage career began at the Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse in 1991, and in the same season she performed in Mozart's ''La finta giardiniera'' as the title role at the Opéra de Nantes, which brought her to public attention. Other Mozart performances included ''Requiem'', ''Exsultate, jubilate''. She performed in Blonde in ''Die Entführung aus dem Serail'' at the Festival de Castres, after which she entered the Conservatoire Francis Poulenc in Paris and obtained the First Prize in singing in two years.

In 1992, she performed Philine in ''Mignon'' at the Théâtre Impérial de Compiègne. In 1994, she made her Paris Opera debut as Barbarina in ''The Marriage of Figaro'' at the Opéra Bastille. In 1995, she performed the role of Cunégonde in the first-ever French adaption of Bernstein's ''Candide'', which premiered at the Opéra de Saint-Étienne and traveled to the Opéra Royal de Wallonie. In 1996, she participated in a new production of ''Hippolyte et Aricie'' under William Christie at the Palais Garnier.

Massis debuted at the Glyndebourne Festival in 1997 with ''Le comte Ory'', embarking her international career. In 1997/98, she starred in Laurent Pelly's new production of ''Orphée aux enfers'', opening the season, and performed Marie in ''La fille du régiment'' at the Grand Théâtre de Genève''.''
In 1998, she stepped in for Ruth Ann Swenson at short notice as Ophélie in ''Hamlet'' at the Washington Concert Opera, followed by ''Lucia di Lammermoor'' and her first Leïla in Bizet's ''Les pêcheurs de perles'' in Toulouse.

The year 1999 saw her role debut as Elvira in ''I puritani'' at the Opéra d'Avignon, and her US debut with two performances of ''Lucia di Lammermoor'' at Staten Island and in New Jersey with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, followed by the same role in Toulouse. She made her official Metropolitan Opera stage debut as Lucia in 2002. In October 1999, she performed in a concert performance of ''I Capuleti e i Montecchi'' at Avery Fisher Hall with the Opera Orchestra of New York. In 2000, she made her Liceu debut with Lucia.
In 2004, she debuted as Violetta in ''La traviata'' at the Pittsburgh Opera. In December 2005, she made her Vienna State Opera debut with Lucia, and returned in the next season for Juliette and Violetta. In 2009, Annick Massis sang all four major soprano roles in a production of ''The Tales of Hoffmann'' at the Opéra de Nice.

In 2007, she performed Eudoxie in Pierre Audi'' at the Opéra Bastille. Later in the year, she returned to the Metropolitan Opera for ''Lucia di Lammermoor'', sharing the title role with Natalie Dessay in Mary Zimmerman's new production.

In the 2013/14 season at the Liceu, she portrayed the Fairy in Massenet's ''Cendrillon'' alongside Joyce DiDonato, and subsequently performed in ''La sonnambula''.

In 2016, Massis debuted in the title role in ''Maria Stuarda'' in concert form at the Opéra de Marseille, and then at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.

In 2019 she performed Mithilde in the critically acclaimed ''Guillaume Tell'' in July at the Chorégies d'Orange.

Awards

Massis was named ''Chevalier'' of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2007.
In the same year, she was awarded Siola d'oro Award.

Discography

Complete operas

;CD
* Bizet: ''Les pêcheurs de perles'', Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice, Marcello Viotti, Dynamic
* Boïeldieu: ''La dame blanche'', Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Marc Minkowski, EMI
* Donizetti: ''Elvida'', London Philharmonic Orchestra, Antonello Allemandi, Opera Rara
* Donizetti: ''Francesca di Foix'', London Philharmonic Orchestra, Antonello Allemandi, Opera Rara
* Ibert: '' Persée et Andromède'', Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Jan Latham-Koenig, Avie
* Meyerbeer: ''Margherita d'Anjou'', London Philharmonic Orchestra, David Parry, Opera Rara
* Mozart: ''Lucio Silla'', Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice, Tomas Netopil, Dynamic
* Pacini: ''Paventa Insano'', London Philharmonic Orchestra, dir. David Parry, Opera Rara
* Rameau: '' Anacréon'', Les Musiciens du Louvre, Marc Minkowski, Archiv
* Rossini: ''Matilde di Shabran'', Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia, Riccardo Frizza, Decca
* Rossini: ''L'inganno felice'', Le Concert des Tuileries, Marc Minkowski, Erato
* Thomas: ''Mignon'', Ensemble Orchestral Harmonia Nova, Stéphane Denève, Accord
;DVD
* Mozart: ''Lucio Silla'', Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice, Tomas Netopil, Dynamic
* Bizet: ''Les pêcheurs de perles'', Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice, Marcello Viotti, Dynamic
* Rossini: ''Le comte Ory'', London Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Davis, NVC Arts

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Massis, Annick
1958 births
Living people
20th-century French women opera singers
21st-century French women opera singers
Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
French operatic sopranos
Singers from Paris