Recognized internationally for his expertise in the 17th and 18th century repertoire, Bernard Labadie is the founder of Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec. For over 27 years, he has led the two chamber ensembles during the regular season in Quebec City and Montreal, on tour through North America and Europe, and on over 15 recordings for the Virgin Classics, Dorian, and ATMA labels.

 

Highly sought after as a guest conductor, Bernard Labadie regularly appears with some of North America’s most prestigious orchestras in cities such as Chicago, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Houston, and Toronto. In 2009, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut with Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

 

In Europe, he has taken to the podium with Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Symphony, and the Radio-France Philharmonic Orchestra, and conducted at the Liceu in Barcelona. He is also a regular guest with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

Period instrument orchestras are calling upon Bernard Labadie with increasing frequency as well. He will be a frequent guest with the Academy of Ancient Music in coming seasons, and has been hailed for his appearances with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The English Concert, and Collegium Vocale Gent.

 

As a leading ambassador for music in his native city of Quebec, Bernard Labadie was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2005 and a knight of Ordre national du Québec in 2006. In 2008, he received the Banff Centre’s National Arts Award for his contribution to the development of the arts in Canada, as well as an honorary doctorate from Laval University