Madeleine Pierard started her career as a pianist in Napier, New Zealand and later as a member of The New Zealand Youth Choir, The Tudor Consort and Voices New Zealand. After completing studies at Victoria University of Wellington (reading Musicology, Composition and Biomedical Science), she completed her MMus at the RCM International Opera School in London. Madeleine was also a 2009/10 trainee at the National Opera Studio in London, sponsored by The Royal Opera. She has won a number of awards during her London residency, notably the Lies Askonas Prize, the Great Elm Award at the Wigmore Hall, The Les Azuriales Ozone Opera Competition in France and the Singer’s Award at the Royal Overseas League Competition. Madeleine is also a New Generation Artist with the Arts Foundation of New Zealand and winner of the 2005 Lexus Song Quest. In 2008, she was named as ‘What’s Hot’ by the international Opera Now magazine. She studies with the soprano, Yvonne Kenny.
Madeleine Pierard sang Helena A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Cherubino, Prince Charmant CENDRILLON and Thaïs at the RCM and Justice THE FIRST COMMANDMENT with the Classical Opera Company, Flowermaiden PARSIFAL and Marzelline FIDELIO with NBR New Zealand Opera, Costanza L’ISOLA DISABITATA in Hobart and Vitellia LA CLEMENZA DI TITO with Auckland Opera Studio. She was a Jette Parker Young Artist for two years from 2010 and sang Lisa LA SONNAMBULA, Sandman HÄNSEL UND GRETEL, High Priestess AIDA, Noémie CENDRILLON, Nymph RUSALKA, Slave SALOME, Musetta in John Copley’s production of LA BOHEME and Contessa di Folleville IL VIAGGIO A REIMS and covered Donna Anna, Leila LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES, Marfa THE TSAR’S BRIDE and Electra IDOMENEO for the Royal Opera. She returned to Royal Opera House to sing Berta IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA and cover Mademoiselle Jouvenot ADRIANA LECOUVREUR, and also sang Fauré’s REQUIEM and Poulenc’s GLORIA with the Royal Ballet. Other productions include, Musetta for New Zealand Opera, Istanbul Zorlu Performing Arts Center, Raymond Gubbay at Royal Albert Hall, and Longborough Festival Opera, Violetta LA TRAVIATA for New Zealand Opera, Pat Nixon NIXON IN CHINA for Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Régine Saint Laurent in Rufus Wainwright’s PRIMA DONNA and Spiritus in Jack Body’s PASSIO at Auckland Arts Festival, Female Chorus THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA for Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, China, Ann Trulove THE RAKE’S PROGRESS for Bury Court Opera, ERWARTUNG for Shadwell Opera and Elettra IDOMENEO, title role LOUISE ,Cecilio LUCIO SILLA for Buxton Festival, Lady Macbeth MACBETH for English Touring Opera, and Miss Jessel TURN OF THE SCREW for New Zealand Opera.
Madeleine has performed extensively on the concert platform throughout NZ and the UK: Notable oratorio soloist performances include CARMINA BURANA, Mozart REQUIEM and Haydn NELSON MASS at St Martin-in-the-Fields under Ivor Setterfield, Verdi’s REQUIEM with the Cleveland Philharmonic, Beethoven’s 9th SYMPHONY and Handel’s MESSIAH for New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in Auckland and Wellington, Haydn’s CREATION in the King’s Lynn Festival and Vaughan Williams’ Dona NOBIS PACEM, Beethoven’s ODE TO JOY, Poulenc’s STABAT MATER at Royal Festival Hall with the London Philharmonia and CARMINA BURANA for Birmingham Royal Ballet at London Coliseum. Madeleine has appeared in recital at the Wigmore and Cadogan Halls, appeared with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Jonathan Lemalu in recitals in Jersey and London, in a sell-out recital series in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with Simon Lepper. She has sung frequently with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in New Zealand and China including a tour under Pietari Inkinen with Jonathan Lemalu and Simon O’Neill. She also made a ten-centre recital tour throughout New Zealand with her sister, mezzo-soprano, Anna Pierard and pianist, Terence Dennis. She has a particular interest in performing contemporary works, premiering SYMPHONY NO. 2 written for her by New Zealand composer, Ross Harris, with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg and has made recordings with the NZSO under James Judd, featuring works by Lyell Cresswell and Beethoven.
Future engagements include a return to Royal Opera House, Covent Garden to sing Overseer and cover Chrysothemis ELEKTRA, concerts for Queensland, Melbourne and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras, and in Europe.
