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Celebrating their 40th season, Quebec’s chamber ensemble Les Violons du Roy make their anticipated return to the Isabel with “one of the world’s leading Baroque sopranos” (Opera News), Karina Gauvin, and renowned contralto, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, who has graced the world’s biggest stages.

Les Violons du Roy was founded by Bernard Labadie and is now under the musical direction of Jonathan Cohen. Its fifteen members specialize in the chamber orchestra repertoire of the Baroque and Classical periods, which they perform using copies of period bows. In addition to their regular concert series in Quebec City and Montreal, their extensive North American touring schedule includes regular stops in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. They have also appeared in Asia, South America, and in such European venues as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Philharmonie in Berlin. Their thirty-six recordings on the Dorian, ATMA, Virgin Classics, Naïve, Hyperion, Erato, Decca Gold, and Analekta labels have garnered three Juno Awards, a Félix, and a Grammy nomination.

Les Violons du Roy will be joined onstage by “one of the world’s leading Baroque sopranos” (Opera News), Karina Gauvin, and renowned contralto, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, who has graced the world’s biggest stages.

Recognized for her work in the baroque repertoire, Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin also sings Beethoven, Mahler, Britten, and music by 20th and 21st century composers. Her honours include the title of “Soloist of the Year” awarded by the Communauté internationale des radios publiques de langue française, first prize in the CBC Radio competition for young performers, and the Virginia Parker Prize and Maggie Teyte Memorial Prize in London.