Christiane Eda-Pierre

Christiane Eda-Pierre (born March 24, 1932) is a French lyric coloratura soprano of Martiniquan origin, who sang in a wide variety of roles, from baroque to contemporary works.

Eda-Pierre was born in Fort-de-France, Martinique, and came to France to study at the Paris Conservatory, where she was a pupil of J. Decrais and Charles Panzéra. She graduated with honors in 1957. The same year, she made her professional debut in Nice, as Leïla in Les pêcheurs de perles.

She made her debut at the Opéra-Comique in 1958, as Lakmé, at the Aix-en-Provence Festival in 1959, as Papagena in The Magic Flute, and at the Palais Garnier in 1960, as Lucia di Lammermoor. She sang there the standard lyric coloratura roles of the French and Italian repertories. She also won great acclaim in Mozart roles, especially Konstanze in The Abduction from the Seraglio, as well as the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Donna Anna and Elvira in Don Giovanni, The Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute.

Eda-Pierre was much appreciated in French baroque opera, particularly the works of Jean-Philippe Rameau, including Les Indes galantes, Zoroastre, Les Boréades (taking part in the first modern performance in September 1964), and Dardanus. She was also very active on French Radio where she sang in little performed works, such as Rossini's Le siège de Corinthe, Bellini's Il pirata, Bizet's La jolie fille de Perth, as well as Berlioz's Béatrice et Bénédict and Benvenuto Cellini.