International Opera Singer
It is with great sadness that the family of Pierrette Alarie-Simoneau has to announce that she took her last graceful bow on the stage of life on July 10, 2011. Born on November 9,1921 in Montréal to Amanda and Silva Alarie, she took after her mom (also known as Maman Plouffe in the television series Les Plouffes), and followed in her footsteps. By the age of 9, she was already known in the world of Theatre. After a short career as an actress, she started her now famous path in the world of Opera. She met her husband, Léopold Simoneau (the acclaimed tenor) while studying voice. They were married in 1946. Together they embarked on a great and illustrious international career in the world of Opera and Recitals. She continues to bring joy and passion to the world through the many recordings she made. Among many artistic honours and recognitions, Pierrette Alarie-Simoneau received theOrder of Canada tn 1967, the very first year of the awards and in 1995 was elevated to the rank of Companion of the Order of Canada. She leaves behind 2 very sad daughters, Isabelle and Chantal and together with their respective husbands, Johnny and Bill, wish to express their everlasting gratitude to the staff of Sunrise Senior Living in Victoria, for their dedicated care and deep compassion towards our much loved Maman. She won the heart of everyone she ever met.
At the request of Mme. Alarie there will not be a service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, 2340 Richmond Ave. Victoria, BC, V8R 4R9. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mccallbros.com
44 Responses
Cheres Isabelle et Cantal,
je m’excuse d’avoir pris tant de temps a vous ecrire. L’annonce du deces de votre maman m’a beaucoup attriste. J’ai un peu perdu une maman des chanteurs en la perdant. Elle etait toujours a mon ecoute, pleine d’affection et de conseils, une confidante de premier ordre.
Il n’y avait pas si longtemps encore , on s’etait parle au telephone lors des deces de mon papa et de mon frere. Elle avait ete remplie d’affection et de sympathies a mon egard!
Je n’oublierai jamais tous ces bons moments partages en sa compagnie soi dans le contexte d’Opera Piccola, ou a la maison en tant qu’amis. Elle a connu toutes les etapes de ma carriere et de ma vie depuis 1982.
Elle me manquera enormement!
Mes sympathies et mon amour vous accompagnent, en esperant vous revoir dans un futur rapproche.
Je vous prie de garder contact!
Je vous embrasse toutes les deux.
Et je garde le souvenir de ses yeux, sonsourire et de son grand coeur profondement grave dans mon coeur!
Un vieil ami!
Benoit Boutet
Dear Isabelle, My condoleances to you and your family. Your mom was a geat lady with such a glorious voice. I grew up listening to her and always admired her for her high notes, her coloratura and fabulous staccato!! It was such an honor to sing for her at the Governer General Awards in Ottawa years ago and so nice to have seen you back then too. May she rest in peace and
may she enjoy duetting with your dad again and singing higher than the angels!
Sincerely,
Aline Kutan
Dear dear Sa and Chantal,
We are deeply saddened learning the news of Maman’s passing. I will never forget meeting Pierrette at Banff, staging “The Telephone” for which I was the understudy and then years later sang it for the Canadian Opera co. as a representative at Expo in Vancouver, (that you Isabelle managed) . A thrill of a my life.
Leopold and Pierrette have never left my memory as being the adopted parents of this “L’enfant prodigue”…. Leopold’s label for this tormented baritone.
Together they shaped my passion for voice and set my mind and talents in the solid foundation of loving my career as a singing teacher. For this I am eternally grateful.
All our Love to your family and sincerest condolences. God bless you all.
Tom Oliver 905.544.7765
LenTo Isabelle and Chantal and husbands , I was deeply saddened by the news of Pierrette ‘s passing .We volunteered together at the Eric Martin Hospital and became good friends . I visited her several times at Somerset House and saw her last at the Odeon Theater for an opera performance beamed in from New York . She always sat at the very front and was surrounded by several friends . I am so sad that I didn’t know of her illness and would have liked to visit her before her passing . That is a regret I have to live with. She was such an example of graciousness and generosity , there are not many like her . With deeply felt sympathy , Lena Toneff
Dear Chantal and Isabelle:
Please accept my condolences on the death of your mother, Pierrette. I had been meaning to write to your mother since last autumn. I’m sorry that I did not. I wanted to share a memory that resurfaced after I saw the Lincoln Centre’s production of South Pacific – why now? I don’t know. It goes like this: my grandmother – Hattie, who knew your mother, maybe they attended the same church, in Montreal, or perhaps your mother was an invited guest periodically – my grandmother was a church organist and choral singer. My grandmother had been given me voice lessons for a year or so (I was 14) and she asked your mother if she could give an opinion on my voice. I remembered being introduced to your mother, I see her, sitting on the edge of the sofa, in the living room – she listened and gave her opinion:’.. nice voice .. but .. small, emphasis on small.’ She also suggested that I not be given formal training until I’m seventeen. Well, I’ve started those lessons – forty years later. I would also have told her that I have fallen in love with operas and the voices.
Caroline Luce (Toronto)
Mes plus sinceres synpathies pour le deces de votre mere.
J’etais une des infirmieres de votre pere a la dialyse renale a Victoria.
Je demeure a Moncton au N.B. maintenant. C’est une de mes amie de Vancouver qui madonner la nouvelle.
Gisele
Mes plus sincères sympathies à la famille Alarie. J’ai toujours admiré la gentillesse, le professionnalisme et l’aspect humain de cette grande dame avec laquelle j’ai étudié la mise en scène d’opéra au Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal, et également avec Léoplod Simoneau pour la technique vocale et l’interprétation des oeuvres musicales. Pierrette Alarie et Léopold Simoneau furent en particulier de très célèbres mozartiens. Fort heureusement nous pouvons encore les entendre par leurs enregistrements. Merci pour la beauté que vous avez offerte aux auditeurs à travers le monde.
mes plus sinceres condoleances a vous tous votre mere étais la cousine de mon pere pierre alarie,fils de la famille donat omer alarie.bonne chance
Dear Chantal and Isabelle,
I was so very sorry to hear of the passing of your beloved Maman!
You know how much she and your late father meant to me for the almost 40 years I knew them. They were both a great influence on my life and career!
Their photos are hanging on my office walls and the many scores they gave me are on my library shelves. At least once a day I have Pierrette and/or Léopold singing on my computer or iPod.
I remember the first time I met you both when you moved to Tiburon!
How many times do I remember them telling me how proud of both of you they were.
They both belong to the immortals of great singing and they will always be with us forever!
Love to both of you. David
What a wonderful lady, Pierrette will be missed by all who knew her.
Love to both of you,
George