BIOGRAPHY

​

Young Québec tenor Jacques-Olivier Chartier, is known for his beautiful sound and elegant singing in a wide variety of vocal styles. A former member of the Atelier Lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal, he has earned critical acclaim for the “poise and pathos” and his “expressive stateliness” (San Francisco Chronicle) of his interpretive skills

As a Winner of Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra’s Competition in 2016, Jacques-Olivier debuted recently with this ensemble under conductor Ivars Taurins.

Highlights of his past seasons include Purcell's King Arthur and B minor Mass with the American Bach Soloists in San Francisco, Beethoven's C major Mass with Ottawa Choral Society as well as Bach's St Matthew Passion (arias) with Ottawa Thirteen Strings Orchestra, the B minor Mass with Bishop's Choir (St-Benoit du Lac), the role of the Evangelist in Bach's St Matthew Passion at Maison Symphonique de Montréal under Louis Lavigueur, Handel's Messiah under Jacques Lacombe and the Orchestre Symphonique de Trois-Rivières and a special French Music program from the Napoleonic period under conductor Mathieu Lussier.

This season, Jacques is invited by the Orchestre symphonique de  Laval for Bach Cantatas under Alain Trudel as well as the Orchestre Sinfonia for Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass under Louis Lavigueur. He is also pleased to join I Musici Orchestra and Jean-Marie Zeitouni for some Antonio Vivadi's Psalms. He will also take part of the Lamèque Internationnal Baroque Festival, New Brunswick for Telemann's Motets. Jacques is also invited by the Ottawa Bach Choir under Dr. Lisette Canton. He will finish his season with a major Canadian and Belgium tour of a staged version of Schubert's Winterreise. This project include the captivating dancer José Navas and the precious collaboration of Francis Perron, pianist. 

As a ''Bach tenor'' Jacques sings both Passions and Cantatas under conductors such as Yannick Nézet Seguin (Evangelist), Jean-Marie Zeitouni (Evangelist), Louis Lavigueur (Evangelist), Monica Huggett (Arias), Patrick Wedd (Arias), Alain Trudel (Evangelist), Paul Halley (Arias) and Kevin Mallon (Arias) and Bernard Labadie.

Jacques-Olivier has been guest soloist for Festivals such as the Montreal Bach Festival, Montréal Baroque, Early Music Vancouver Festival,  Victoria Early Music Society, Seattle’s Pacific Musicworks, Ottawa Chamber Music Festival (with Matthew White and Les Voix Baroques) as well as New Brunswick’s Lamèque Baroque Festival.

Recent appearances on the operatic stage include Nelligan (Charles Gill) by André Gagnon with Opéra de Québec, Pluton in Offenbach’s Orphée aux Enfers and Remendado in Carmen both with Société d’art Lyrique du Royaume. He also sang Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte with Orchestre de la Francophonie under Jean-Philippe Tremblay, Zémire et Azor (role of Ali) by André Grétry with l'Atelier de l'Opéra de Montréal, staged by Denys Arcand. He also sang the role of Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni under Jean-Francois Rivest.

Jacques began his musical training at nine years of age as a member of the childrens' choir ''Petits Chanteurs de la Maîtrise du Cap'' (Pueri Cantores du Québec). He received his Master from  the Université de Montréal in both Opera and Early Music studies.  Mr. Chartier continued his vocal training with Andreas Scholl in the Advanced Studies program at the Musik Akademie der Stadt Basel, Switzerland and the Britten-Pears School of Music, England. Jacques also took part of the American Bach Soloists Academy in San Francisco.

​