Canadian tenor Pascal Charbonneau studied at McGill University in Montreal followed by advanced studies at the Atelier Lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal. He was awarded the Oratorio/Lied prize at the Julian Gayarre International Singing Competition.
Most recent and future engagements include Aljeja From the House of the Dead (Royal Opera House‚ La Monnaie‚ Opéra de Lyon and Opera National du Rhin)‚ Tamino Die Zauberflote and Ziggy Starmania (Opéra de Quebec)‚ Castor Castor et Pollux (Opéra de Dijon & Opéra de Lille with Emmanuelle Haïm)‚ David David et Jonathas (Aix-en-Provence‚ Edinburgh International Festival‚ Opéra Comique‚ New York’s Brooklyn Academy of Music & Caen)‚ De Materie in New York‚ Jack Into the Woods‚ (Châtelet‚ Paris)‚ Brighella Ariadne auf Naxos (Nationale Reisopera)‚ Tobias Sweeney Todd (Vancouver Opera and Munich) and Prince Saphir Barbe-Bleue (Opéra National de Lorraine‚ Nancy).
Engagements cancelled or postponed due to Covid include Janek The Makropulos Case (ROH).
Further appearances include Acis Acis and Galatea (La Fenice and Aix)‚ Paolino Il matrimonio segreto (Opéra de Rennes)‚ Art Knight Crew (Glyndebourne)‚ Jaquino Fidelio and Flute A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Garsington Opera)‚ Ziggy Starmania‚ Beppe I Pagliacci‚ Brighella Ariadne auf Naxos (Opéra de Montréal) Tobias Sweeney Todd‚ Medoro Orlando Paladino and Freddy My Fair Lady (Châtelet‚ Paris)‚ and Janácek’s Diary of one who Vanished at the Aspen Music Festival.
Recent and notable concert appearances include Le Jardin des Voix with Les Arts Florissants‚ Händel’s Joshua (Calgary Festival Chorus)‚ Bach’s Magnificat and Mozart’s Mass in C Minor (Notre Dame Cathedral‚ with l’Orchestre de Chambre de Paris)‚ Messiah‚ Mozart’s Requiem‚ L’enfance du Christ‚ Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher and L’Aiglon (Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal)‚ St. John Passion (Washington National Cathedral)‚ Bach’s B Minor Mass with Tafelmusik‚ Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (Toronto Bach Consort)‚ Carmina Burana (Ottawa Symphony‚ Asheville Symphony and Orchestre Metropolitain)‚ Händel’s Messiah (Portland Baroque Orchestra and Det Norske Kammerorkester) and L’Allegro‚ il Penseroso ed il Moderato (Berkshire Choral Festival USA‚ in Edinburgh).
Pascal Charbonneau was outstanding as Aljeja...
Critics Circle (March 2018)
Playing and choral singing are outstanding‚ and none of the cast‚ one of the finest Covent Garden has assembled in recent years‚ puts a foot wrong... The deepening relationship between Willard White’s Gorjancikov and Pascal Charbonneau’s Aljeja is beautifully done.
The Guardian (March 2018)
Yet with an excellent cast — led magnificently by Johan Reuter‚ Willard White‚ Stefan Margita‚ Ladislav Elgr and Pascal Charbonneau...
The Times (March 2018)
...Pascal Charbonneau impresses as the illiterate young Aljeja.
What’s on Stage (March 2018)
Irréprochable le trio des masques italiens‚ Michael Smallwood‚ Joào Fernandez et Pascal Charbonneau.../// Impeccable trio of Italian masks‚ Michael Smallwood‚ Joao Fernandez and Pascal Charbonneau...
Forumopera.com (September 2016)
The other standout was tenor Pascal Charbonneau as Tobias Ragg‚ who sang with astounding clarity and nuance. He also proved an energetic and sympathetic stage presence‚ and his duet with Mrs. Lovett in Act II was the most touching moment of the evening
BachTrack (April 2015)
Pascal Charbonneau finds the vulnerable‚ childlike heart of Tobias
The Georgia Straight (April 2015)
There were two performances that saved the day for me. Luretta Bybee’s Mrs. Lovett was nothing short of perfect in an imperfect situation – she was in great voice‚ and was funny and expressive. She injected life and laughter all the time she was on stage. And poor terrified Toby‚ played believably by Pascal Charbonneau‚ was terrific. Bravo to them both
VanCityBuzz.com (April 2015)
Rounding out the production’s stars was tenor Pascal Charbonneau as Tobias Ragg‚ perhaps the show’s most sympathetic character. With a clear and attractive voice and superior acting skills‚ Charbonneau lit up the stage with each appearance‚ giving the audience shining moments of humanity in a tale of monsters
Vancouver Sun (April 2015)
Megill was most fortunate in having a quartet of soloists who could underline and emphasise the dramatic drive of the Messiah’s narrative...Both tenor‚ Pascal Charbonneau and baritone‚ Philippe Sly offered performances that contained an operatic dimension in terms of dramatic characterisation. Charbonneau opened with a poised‚ floated “Comfort ye” and followed with a flamboyantly virtuoso and liberally ornamented‚ “Ev’ry valley”. Yet his most impressive contribution was a powerful and impassioned “Thou shall break them”. Charbonneau’s voice has matured and deepened in colour and inflection and his lyric diction and musicianship were of the highest order
BachTrack (December 2014)
Six magnificent soloists‚ suffice it to mention the tenor Pascal Charbonneau (David) we found this week at the Lille Opera in Castor and Pollux by Rameau /// Six solistes magnifiques‚ on se bornera à citer le ténor Pascal Charbonneau (David) qu’on retrouve cette semaine à l’opéra de Lille
La voix du Nord (October 2014)
L’engagement des chanteurs se situe à la hauteur de l’enjeu : leur attention au texte et à la déclamation mérite tous les éloges // The committed singers are up to the challenge: their attention to the text deserves praise
Concert Classic (September 2014)
Castor au timbre très clair...devient un partenaire sensible et nous émeut dans son air mélancoliquement voluptueux ‘Séjour de l’éternelle paix’ // Castor has a very clear tone...becoming a sensitive partner and moving us with his voluptuous melancholy air ‘Stay eternal peace’
Resmusica (September 2014)
David is intensely played and sung by the Canadian tenor Pascal Charbonneau. His occasional strain is in keeping with the role‚ and his lament for Jonathas is quite the tear-jerker
Opera Magazine (April 2014)
Comme d’habitude‚ Jean-Luc Choplin ‚ directeur du Châtelet‚ a réuni une distribution anglophone de haut vol‚ dont Blakeley a fait une équipe épatante. Citons en quelques-uns : la Sorcière de Beverley Klein ‚ le Chaperon Rouge de Francesca Jackson ‚ le Boulanger de Nicholas Garrett ‚ la Cendrillon de Kimy McLaren ‚ le Jack de Pascal Charbonneau : de vraies voix‚ et des comédiens prodigieux dans des rôles de composition /// As usual‚ Jean-Luc Choplin ‚ director of the Châtelet‚ gathered a top-flight anglophone cast‚ which Lee Blakeley has transformed into an amazing team. A few are worth a mention: the Witch of Beverley Klein‚ Francesca Jackson’s Little Red Riding Hood‚ the Baker of Nicholas Garrett‚ Kimy McLaren’s Cinderella and Pascal Charbonneau’s Jack: real voices and prodigious actors in supporting roles
Diapasonmag.fr (April 2014)
Le ténor Pascal Charbonneau passe du baroque français à l’univers de Broadway avec une aisance stupéfiante /// Tenor Pascal Charbonneau moves from French baroque repertoire to the universe of Broadway with astonishing ease
Le Figaro (April 2014)
Pascal Charbonneau‚ en Jack‚ et Kimy McLaren‚ en Cendrillon‚ dominent leur rôle avec virtuosité‚ et réussissent vraiment à donner une épaisseur à leur personnage /// Pascal Charbonneau‚ as Jack‚ and Kimy McLaren‚ as Cinderella‚ display virtuosic mastery‚ and succeed in giving real depth to their characters
ResMusica.com (April 2014)
Norma Nahoun et Pascal Charbonneau forment un couple d’amoureux craquants et mignons comme tout‚ frais‚ spontanés et au chant aguerri /// Norma Nahoun and Pascal Charbonneau form a charming and adorable pair of lovers. Fresh‚ spontaneous and vocally secure
ResMusica.com (February 2014)
Pascal Charbonneau a confère un charme voltigeur au Prince Saphir /// Pascal Charbonneau confers acrobatic charm to the role of Prince Saphir
Webthea (February 2014)
L’ardeur juvénile de Pascal Charbonneau en adolescent Alieia réussit à nous faire accepter le transfert de soprano à ténor du seul rôle « féminin » à l’origine conçu comme un travesti /// The youthful ardour of Pascal Charbonneau as teenager Alyeya succeeds in making us accept the transfer from soprano to tenor for the only "feminine" role originally conceived as a mezzo trouser role
Alta Musica (October 2013)
Im etwas heterogen besetzten‚ reinen Männerensemble (die kleine Mezzorolle der Prostituierten ist in Straßburg gestrichen) überzeugen der ganz hell timbrierte Pascal Charbonneau als Aleja /// In this all-male cast (in Strasbourg the small mezzo role of the prostitute is cut) the very bright timbre of Pascal Charbonneau is convincing as Aljeja
Badische Zeitung.de (October 2013)
Le ténor canadien Pascal Charbonneau possède l’allure juvénile et la voix fraîche qui conviennent à Aljeja /// Canadian tenor Pascal Charbonneau has the youthful look and fresh voice to suit Aljeja
Classique Info (October 2013)
Pascal Charbonneau (émouvant David dans David et Jonathas de Charpentier)‚ est touchant dans le rôle du jeune tatar Aljeja‚ non seulement par son sens aigu du drame mais aussi par la beauté de son timbre et la couleur et la chaleur de sa voix de ténor /// Pascal Charbonneau (moving as David in Charpentier’s David et Jonathas)‚ is touching in the role of the young Tartar Alyeya‚ not only because of his sharp sense of theatre‚ but also because of the beauty‚ colour and warmth of his tenor voice
Classique News (October 2013)
...le rôle d’Aljeja généralement dévolu à une voix de femme‚ interprété avec une émouvante simplicité par Pascal Charbonneau /// ...the role of Aljeja is generally performed by a female voice‚ here interpreted with touching simplicity by Pascal Charbonneau
Concert Classic (October 2013)
...l’Aljeja de Pascal Charbonneau‚ ténor au timbre clair et pur‚ incarne un adolescent attendrissant de jeunesse et de naïveté... /// ...the Aljeja of Pascal Charbonneau‚ a tenor with clear and pure tone‚ touches with his youthfulness and naivety
Forum Opera (October 2013)
Di insolita potenza tenorile per il ruolo‚ si è mostrato l’Aljeja di Pascal Charbonneau ‚ che alla figura scenica del ragazzo del Daghestan ha regalato una efficace rappresentazione /// Of unusual vocal power for the role‚ tenor Pascal Charbonneau gives an effective portrayal of the boy from Daghestan
GB Opera.it (October 2013)
Si fanno notare...l’incisivo Pascal Charbonneau nel piccolo ruolo di Alieja /// Of note...the incisive Pascal Charbonneau in the small role of Alieja
Giornale Della Musica.it (October 2013)
...mais la distribution homogène‚ d’où emergent...et le touchant Pascal Charbonneau Alyeya ///...from the homogenous cast‚ emerges...Pascal Charbonneau as a touching Alyeya
Le Figaro (October 2013)
High tenor Pascal Charbonneau‚ a growth of stubble on his face‚ was indefatigable as David‚ his voice sounding as fresh 2 1/2 hours in as it did at the beginning
San Francisco Chronicle (April 2013)
Pascal Charbonneau incarne délicieusement le rôle de David. Il sait nuancer à merveille sa voix de ténor léger. Sa prestation est toujours pleine de cœur. L’expression de son conflit et de sa douleur est pénétrante et son physique s’accorde parfaitement à son personnage de jeune berger /// Pascal Charbonneau deliciously portrays the role of David. He has the ability to shade his light tenor voice to marvelous effect. The expression of his conflict and of his pain is penetrating and his physique is in perfect agreement with the character of the young shepherd
Classique News (January 2013)
Pascal Charbonneau excelle en revanche dans ce rôle de haute-contre à la française /// Pascal Charbonneau excels in this French haute-contre role
Forum Opera (January 2013)
David (Pascal Charbonneau) charme‚ touche‚ sa voix dépasse le décor et son émotion vibre loin /// David (Pascal Charbonneau) charms‚ touches; his voice goes beyond the sets and his emotion carries far
Toute La Culture (January 2013)
The singing was glorious. Special mention goes to tenor Pascal Charbonneau‚ in his role as the narrator...Charbonneau’s final solo was one of the most beautiful moments of singing I have heard in a long while: the tone‚ the control‚ the dynamics‚ the expression‚ it was all there. Along with the final‚ stunningly gorgeous chorus‚ Charbonneau left the audience in a trance‚ transported away from the hustle and bustle of shopping malls and muzak‚ to the heart of the Christmas spirit
BachTrack (December 2012)
...the most touching is the young tenor Pascal Charbonneau‚ who possesses a superb voice. His interpretation of the Narrator was sensitive and sincere /// ...le plus touchant étant le jeune ténor Pascal Charbonneau‚ doté d’une voix superbe. Son interprétation du Récitant était sensible et sincère
La Presse.ca (December 2012)
Pascal Charbonneau’s tenor was the first voice we heard and it mixed easily‚ like syrup on a stack of cakes...Mary‚ mezzo Michèle Lozier‚ soothed our aching ears with her whole milk tone and shapely phrasing. She and Charbonneau were outstandingly and unforcedly dramatic
Montreal Gazette (December 2012)
The singing was simply gorgeous. In a strong cast‚ the two singers playing the title roles were outstanding. Pascal Charbonneau’s David was gentle on the eye and intense in his singing
Opera Britannia (August 2012)
In the orchestra‚ the recorders blend so well with the voice of high tenor Paul Charbonneau (David) that‚ at times‚ his words seem to emerge from the composite sound. Here is passion and sincerity and he manages to convey a fastidious integrity. The love between him and Jonathas (Ana Quintans) is all the more intense because barely expressed
Opera Critic (August 2012)
Neal Davies interprets Saul with agonised force‚ while Pascal Charbonneau and Ana Quintans bring enthralling sensitivity to the David and Jonathas roles
The Stage (August 2012)
...Pascal Charbonneau (David)‚ Neal Davies (Saul) and Frédéric Caton (the Philistine king‚ Achis) all excellent
The Telegraph (August 2012)
The notorious haut-contre part of the ambitious shepherd-boy David (needing more punch than a countertenor can give‚ but precariously high for a tenor) is gamely tackled by the Canadian tenor Pascal Charbonneau
The Times (August 2012)
Pascal Charbonneau used his high‚ limpid tenor to lyrical and sometimes passionate effect as David
Opera Magazine (September 2012)
...le David de Pascal Charbonneau est juste‚ stylé et émouvant /// Pascal Charbonneau’s David is right‚ stylish and exciting
Avant-Scène Opéra (July 2012)
Pascal Charbonneau compose un David sincèrement engagé‚ à la couleur idiomatique pour le rôle /// Pascal Charbonneau composed a genuinely committed David idiomatic colour for the role
Concerto Net (July 2012)
Pascal Charbonneau’s David is beautifully judged‚ with both refinement and passion that grows as the evening evolves
Financial Times (July 2012)
Charpentier’s music is marvelous‚ and there is no faulting Baroque music’s champion William Christie conducting Les Arts Florissants. Canadian tenor Pascal Charbonneau has nearly a countertenor range‚ and his David is impassioned and beautifully sung
France Today (July 2012)
...le merveilleux David du Canadien Pascal Charbonneau‚ idéal de haute-contre à la française...voilà le niveau exceptionnel que l’on attend d’un grand festival international /// ...the wonderful Canadian David Pascal Charbonneau‚ true model of a French haute-contre ...this is the exceptional level that is expected of a major international festival
Le Figaro (July 2012)
Aus dem Ensemble ragt der junge Tenor Pascal Charbonneau als David heraus... /// Of the soloists‚ young tenor Pascal Charbonneau’s David stands out
Online Musik Magazin (July 2012)
The power of David et Jonathas (1688)‚ like that of most opera‚ originates in the plangent intensity of its vocal phrases: they approached the heartbreaking as enunciated by the high tenor (haute-contre) Pascal Charbonneau and the soprano Ana Quintans in the title roles
The Sunday Times (July 2012)
Pascal Charbonneau uses his high‚ limpid tenor to lyrical effect as David
Telegraph Seven Magazine (July 2012)
L’ensemble de la distribution vocale porte d’ailleurs la griffe William Christie‚ gage d’excellence‚ comme le David du ténor canadien Pascal Charbonneau‚ futur Goliath des planches lyriques. // The entire cast bears William Christie’s trademark of excellent quality‚ like the David of the Canadian tenor Pascal Charbonneau‚ future Goliath of the lyrical scene
Telerama.fr (July 2012)
The power of David et Jonathas (1688)‚ like that of most opera‚ originates in the plangent intensity of its vocal phrases: they approached the heartbreaking as enunciated by the high tenor (haute-contre) Pascal Charbonneau and the soprano Ana Quintans in the title roles
The Times (July 2012)
...un merveilleux couple avec le très touchant Medoro de Pascal Charbonneau
Concert Classic (March 2012)
Pascal Charbonneau rayonne de clarté...
Concerto Net (March 2012)
Ekaterina Bakanova‚ soprano russe en Angelica et le canadien Pascal Charbonneau ténor juvénile pour Medoro forment un couple tout mignon
Webthea.com (March 2012)
Pascal Charbonneau‚ un Acis soave e al tempo stesso di notevole forza espressiva‚ dalla voce tenorile piena e consistente
Teatro.org (November 2011)
Ci ha commossi l’ Acis a tratti infantilmente smarrito di Pascal Charbonneau ‚ dalla bella voce di haute-contre ‚ sempre alla ricerca del giusto accento e costantemente attento ad esprimere col giusto colore la frase musicale
Opera Click (October 2011)
Le ténor canadien Pascal Charbonneau‚ dans le rôle d’Acis‚ lui offre une réplique idéale tant le couple dégage jeunesse et fraîcheur. Outre son physique avenant‚ il possède un timbre suave et expressif qui convainc autant dans les moments d’éclats - tel l’air « Love in her eyes sits playing » - que dans ceux plus expressément tendres et langoureux
Classique Info (August 2011)
Le timbre de Pascal Charbonneau est suffisamment marqué pour ne pas faire d’Acis un portrait palichon mais au contraire dessiner un berger athlétique à la vocalise déliée
Forum Opéra (July 2011)
His beautifully sustained high tenor in their heartfelt duet ’Not While I’m Around’ was the evening’s vocal highlight
Opera Magazine (July 2011)
Pascal Charbonneau’s sweet tenor makes Tobias’s “Not While I’m Around” a high point
New York Times (May 2011)
...tenor Pascal Charbonneau is poignant as the young simpleton Toby
Wall Street Journal (April 2011)
Flute/Thisbe was marvellously portrayed by Pascal Charbonneau. Whether intentionally or not‚ he gave an uncanny impersonation of the role’s creator‚ Peter Pears
Opera Magazine (July 2010)
Pascal Charbonneau turned the unrewarding part of Flute into a tour de force. This Flute “is” sexually ambiguous‚ frustrated‚ resentful and yet a diva-in-the-making
Opera Today (July 2010)
...there are some vivid cameos‚ including Pascal Charbonneau’s wide-eyed Flute
Financial Times (June 2010)
The scenes with the mechanicals – Neal Davies a winningly comic Bottom‚ Pascal Charbonneau irresistible as Flute – had charming spontaneity
The Independent (June 2010)
Among the Mechanicals‚ Pascal Charbonneau’s Flute gave particular pleasure
The Telegraph (June 2010)
The mechanicals‚ as ever‚ test the director’s inventive powers. I like very much Jonathan Best’s studious‚ besuited Quince‚ the petite Pascal Charbonneau as Flute (and a worryingly attractive Thisby)
The Arts Desk (June 2010)
Of the others‚ all excellent‚ Pascal Charbonneau stands out as an oddly fetching Flute
What's On Stage (June 2010)
All the principals throw themselves into their roles. Pascal Charbonneau’s Art is a fascinatingly unstable hero‚ his epiphany constantly under threat from his own temper – his plangent operatic tenor in marked contrast to Nadim Naaman’s musical theatre-style singing as the beatific Lance (as in Lancelot‚ get it?). Charbonneau sounds tortured
Gramophone blog (March 2010)
...part of the magic of the music and of John Fulljames’s direction is that it allows influence to flow from innocence to experience as well as vice versa‚ adding a quality to the solo performances‚ notably of Yvonne Howard (Myrtle) and Pascal Charbonneau (Art)
The Guardian (March 2010)
...this is an extraordinarily accomplished piece of work...Soprano Claire Wild and tenor Pascal Charbonneau are wonderfully convincing as the chief protagonists‚ with mezzo Yvonne Howard doubling brilliantly as the bag-lady and Arthur’s despairing mother...it’s certainly a major achievement
The Independent (March 2010)
Pascal Charboneau was a creditable Art‚ skillfully portraying the character’s central dilemma
Musical America (March 2010)
...there is lyrical power from Pascal Charbonneau as Art‚ Claire Wild as Quin‚ and Yvonne Howard as a mystic bag-lady called Myrtle (presumably Merlin in a skirt)
The Times (March 2010)
...charmant numéro de ténor léger chez Pascal Charbonneau
Cyberpresse (September 2009)
Silvio and Beppe‚ the former rather slickly dressed for a villager‚ were smartly projected by Étienne Dupuis and Pascal Charbonneau
Gazette (September 2009)
The excellent Marzelline and Jaquino were Claire Ormshaw and Pascal Charbonneau
Opera Magazine (August 2009)
With Pascal Charbonneau and Claire Ormshaw as Jaquino and Marzelline‚ this is a strong ensemble
Independent on Sunday (June 2009)
Clare Ormshaw and Pascal Charbonneau made a charming Marzelline and Jaquino
The Telegraph (June 2009)
...of the tenors Pascal Charbonneau had the most opulent‚ fully projected tone
