Elisabeth Saint-Gelais arrives with a wealth of awards and professional accolades that testify to a talent already finely honed at such a young age. The Innu-born Quebecer recently gave an interview to my colleague Alexandre Villemaire, which I invite you to listen to carefully (in French – use Youtube functions to get automatic English subtitle translation) :
So I’ll leave you to discover the young lady and concentrate on this album, her first ever. Identified as a ‘calling card’ in the programme notes, Infini has the reduced volume, in terms of duration, of a thrifty object. It’s what’s known in the pop world as an EP, or mini album. Seven tracks totalling barely 25 minutes is a short time, but the quality of what you hear is well worth more. Through the romantic repertoire of French melody, a luminous soprano capable of lyricism and depth unfolds with an impressive assurance. Elisabeth’s voice has a natural suppleness that allows her to embrace the most subtle emotional inflections of the texts and melodic lines sung. The power she can project shows no sign of roughness or effort. And what impeccable diction! I haven’t encountered this degree of clarity in a classical singer since Marie-Nicole Lemieux.
It’s a real joy to listen to these vocal gems expressed with such style, commitment and warmth. All that’s left is to campaign for a full album as soon as possible! In the meantime, don’t miss the chance to hear her in a recital or concert near you (check out her CALENDAR). A talent like this will very quickly be monopolised by the big stages elsewhere in the world.
