Biography

Jonathan Gagné is a young lyrical tenor with promising talent who completed a B.Mus. in classical singing at Laval University, under Patricia Fournier’s teaching, as well as a Master’s degree at McGill’s Schulich School of Music in John Mac Master’s studio.

From his very beginnings in the world of classical music, he quickly showed commitment and dedication when taking part in his Vocational School’s operetta productions (at the Cégep de Sainte-Foy), displaying passion, determination and natural ease on stage.

Guided by a thirst for challenge and encouraged by his teachers, Jonathan earned a gold medal at the Concours de musique de la Capitale in 2013, after only a year and a half of training in lyrical singing. In 2015, the young singer was a finalist at the CANIMEX Canadian Music Competition in Vancouver, and recipient of a second prize at the ‘Relève musicale de Québec’ competition.

Among the roles he interpreted in his early formative years were «L’abbé Bridaine» in Mousquetaires au Couvent by Louis Varney, «Le Vice-roi» in La Périchole by Jacques Offenbach and «Florestan de Valincourt» in the comic opera Véronique by André Messager. Jonathan was also noticed for his accurate interpretation of the priest «Frollo» in the musical Notre-Dame de Paris presented at the Albert-Rousseau hall in 2015.

In 2016, after a fruitful transition from baritone to tenor, Jonathan brilliantly interpreted «Eisenstein» in La chauve-souris by Johann Strauss II, presented in March 2017 by Laval University’s Opera Workshop. He was also heard at the Palais Montcalm as a soloist in Saint-Saëns’s «Messe à 4 voix, op. 4».

In 2017, Jonathan made his debut as a soloist at the Opéra de Québec in the role of “André Nault” (in the Louis Riel opera produced as part of the Canada 150 celebration) and as “Borsa” in Verdi’s Rigoletto. The next year, he gave a brilliant performance with his interpretation of King Ouf in the comic opera L’Étoile by Chabrier (an event held for the 125th anniversary of the Château Frontenac).

With other houses, he has been “The Philistine messenger” (Samson et Dalila) at the Opéra de Rimouski, as well as the “First priest” / “First armoured man” (Die Zauberflöte), and “Ruggiero” (La liberazione di Ruggiero) at Opera McGill. As for sacred music, the young tenor sang as a soloist in both Bach’s Magnificat and first Christmas Cantata under the baton of maestro Dany Wiseman.

In recent years, he performed the role of “Abdallo” in Nabucco at the Opéra de Québec and sang as a soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with Anima Musica in Montreal. He also was one of the soloists of the “Brigade lyrique” during the 2019 Festival d’opéra de Québec.

Most recently, Jonathan made his debut as “Rinuccio” in a critically acclaimed Gianni Schicchi by Puccini with Opera Mariposa in Vancouver, and also sung a “Lippo Fiorentino” loved by the audience in Opera McGill’s production of Street Scene by Kurt Weil.

In April 2022, he was the featured opera singer in a wildly successful variety show named “Les
Carnavals du monde” at the esteemed “Théâtre Le Capitole” in his hometown of Québec City.

This season, the young tenor will be « Tamino » in The Magic Flute with the Crescendo Opera Society, as well as « Strephon » in Iolanthe with the North Shore Light Opera Society.