Voi che sapete

This new mini-series (three in total) of uploads is dedicated to something of a most pleasant enigma of the musical world: two people, a married couple, who can be considered one of the truly best and complementary singing partnerships in the twentieth century. Both of French-Canadian heritage, both possessors of light, lyric voices of excellent technique; both most suited to classicist works of the 18th century; both extremely lovely people. I'm talking, of course, of Leopold Simoneau and Pierrette Alarie. Their recordings, both presented and available in other sources, testify to a personal and artistic relationship that can only be properly described as "the perfect vocal marriage".

As an additional point of interest, I'm providing a short biography of Alarie, the female part of the duo.

Pierrette made her acting debut on radio at the age of 14 then began to sing regularly for the Montreal operetta company, the Variétés lyriques. She was already well-known in Quebec by the time she met Léopold at the studio of Salvator Issaurel. Alarie made her Metropolitan Opera in New York debut in December 1945 as Oscar in Verdi's "Un ballo in maschera". She spent three years with the company, from 1945 to 1948, singing roles such as Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann and serving as understudy for Lily Pons. During this time, she and Leopold were married. She moved with her husband to Paris in 1949 to make their debuts at the Opéra Comique. The couple's reputation continued to grow following appearances at the Aix-en-Provence, Edinburgh, Glyndebourne, Vienna, Munich and Salzburg Festivals. Many of their performances on stage, in concerts and in recording studios were made together: Romeo and Juliet, Vincent and Mireille, Tonio and Marie, Almaviva and Rosina, Alfredo and Violetta, and, most often, Belmonte and Blondchen.

The first except, Cherubino's loving canzone from Mozart's "Le nozze di Figaro", is sung by Alarie. Though many versions of the aria exist, I would vouch wholeheartedly that Alarie's rendition is, perhaps, one of the warmest, sincerest and most wondrous renditions that are available. Enjoy :)!