LEILA CHALFOUN
Soprano
Born in Quebec, Leila Chalfoun soprano, simultaneously carries out her functions of Director and President-Founder of the FestivalOpéra de Saint-Eustache des Grandes Laurentides.
Decorated several times for her involvement in the Cultural Milieu of the operatic stage, Mr. Benoit Charette - Minister of Environment and Climate Change Control Including, Deputy of Deux-Montagnes, handed the medal Assembly national to Leila Marie Chalfoun for her contribution and involvement in the Eustachian Cultural Environment as well as a certificate from the National Assembly of Quebec at the FestivalOpéra de Saint-Eustache des Grandes Laurentides of which she is the Founding Director, in recognition of her contribution invaluable to the quality of life of fellow citizens.
She was awarded the Cèdre et Érable prize by the Canada-Lebanon Chamber of Commerce and Industry during their annual gala held on November 28, 2015. She also received the Order of Saint-Eustache On October 23, 2012 and the 2011 Cybèle Prize awarded by the City of Saint-Eustache.
On March 21, 2013, Madame Chalfoun won the Arts and Culture award for "Arab women of Quebec" for all of her achievements in the field of opera as soprano and artistic director.
Leila Chalfoun trained at the Montreal Conservatory of Music and at the Atelier Lyrique de l'Opéra de Montréal (1990-93) as well as in New York with renowned sopranos such as Mesdames Cécile Vallée-Jalbert, Marie Daveluy, Bonnie Hamilton and the illustrious Diana Soviero.
Currently, Leila Chalfoun collaborates with Ghinka Radilova and Claudette Denys. She presents recitals and concerts, notably by Puccini and other composers who are dear to her heart and her art.
Very recently in December 2023, Leila Chalfoun successfully performed the “Minuit Chrétien” at the midnight mass of the Church of Saint-Eustache with the Exceptional Pianist Serhiy Salov on the organ. Leila is still active on the concert scene, notably on tour in seniors' residences across Quebec which she carried out in 2021 and 2022. She is also called upon to sing during major events either at the Palais des Congrès or during Galas as part of national festivities and for private events.
In December 2020, Leila Chalfoun performed with virtual success the “Minuit, Chrétiens” at the midnight mass of the Church of Saint-Eustache. In the summer and fall of 2020 following the announcements of containment due to the Covid-19 pandemic which sadly affected the arts, Leila Chalfoun innovated by still presenting at the FestivalOpéra de Saint-Eustache, virtual recitals called: "Barbecue" with great success. To this end, she has also sung many times in the open air, in concerts offered to the public in parks, gardens and seniors' residences.
In December 2019, Leila successfully presented Christmas concerts on tour in the residences of the elders accompanied by well-known artists from Radio-Canada: pianist Maureen Frawley and host Mario Paquet, in April 2019, she shone in the Recital- Reunion in honor of her master the pianist Claudette Denys at the FestivalOpéra de Saint-Eustache.
In September 2018, she sang Canada's national anthem during the Grand Opening of Lebanese Diaspora Energy at the Palais des Congrès.
Her recent engagements in 2015-16-17 include a performance in tribute to the director of the Opéra de Rimouski Claude-Robin Pelletier during the Grand Concert-Gala, performances at various events in Montreal and Quebec as well as her presence at the FestivalOpéra de St -Eustache in the Lebanese Opera in the presence of mezzo Julie Nesrallah and baritone Fady Jeanbart, the double roles of the baroness of Pictordu (stepmother of Cendrillon and Nelly Melba) in Cendrillon by Pauline Viardot and concerts: ( recital with Gino Quilico and Natalie Choquette ) as well as concerts in the Middle East and on the local scene in Quebec: (Requiem de Fauré / Ensemble Choral St-Eustache (2012), in Austria: (recital at: Kartaus Gaming / Scheibbs- May 29, 2011) as well as on a local tour with her recital “Cosmopolitan Overview” (Sept-Nov 10) then a return to the FestivalOpéra de Saint-Eustache in July 2011 in “Church scenes at the French opera” where she interpreted the roles of Marguerite (Faust Gounod) and Manon de Massenet, in recital at the “New Year's music Festival de Gstaad” (Switzerland) with the pianist Princess Caroline Murat and gave concerts in Montreal (Salle Oscar Peterson June 2009).
She was very successful at the first edition of the FestivalOpéra de Saint-Eustache (July 2010) in the '' Soirée Offenbach " where she played the roles of Antonia, Giuletta (Les contes d'Hoffmann) and the Grand Duchess of Gerolstein and the Perichole.
Since her professional debut at the Opéra de Montréal, her career has quickly taken on an international dimension. At the Monte Carlo Opera, she sang in Menotti's The Consul, under the stage direction of the composer himself. Subsequently, she participated in the Offenbach Evening given in honor of the Birthday of Prince Rainier of Monaco, during which she sang in a duet with Frédérica Von Stade and Gabriel Bacquier. She sang in Italy, at the Catania Festival, in Mexico at the sala de bellas artes, in Montreal, notably on tour with the Orchester Métropolitain under the direction of Joseph Rescigno as part of a tour of the Jeunesses Musicales as well as with the Montreal Philharmonic Society, the New World Symphony Orchestra and concerts at Place des Arts and Salle Pierre Mercure.
At L’Opéra Français de New York, Madame Chalfoun was invited three times by Maestro Yves Abel for the operettas of Offenbach, her great specialty.
She performed in Monte Carlo in the solemn solemn mass (Rossini) for the fifty years of Prince Rainier's reign, La mass de Sainte Cécile (Gounod) and The Seven Words of Christ (Franck) with the choir and orchestra: " I Polifonici di Genova ”. Madame Chalfoun was a soloist in Mozart's Requiem and Handel's Le Messie, notably at the Church of La Madeleine (Paris) and at the Festival du Château de Hautefort (Dordogne). (Sinfonietta from Paris). Leila Chalfoun has performed Gloria by Vivaldi (Théâtre de Poissy, France), Leila Chalfoun has given recitals in Montreal (Salle Pierre Mercure) and in France at the National Library (Mélodies Française d’ailleurs / Salle François Mitterand). This recital was captured by France Culture. Ms. Chalfoun sang in Lebanon at the Al Bustan Festival where she was accompanied by the pianist Alexandre Tharaud, at the Beirut Theater and at the Al Madina Theater.
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