He did not study at a music conservatory and he only started singing professionally at the age of 30. But that does not matter, because he has been working his butt off for almost 15 years as a professional opera singer and a very interesting opportunity has just presented itself to him, since he has just been selected to participate, along with seven other opera singers, in the 24th Great Tenor Tournament to be held on September 7 at the Szczecin Opera House in Poland.
Born in Donnacona, Dany Leclerc lived there until he was 30. Now residing in the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu region, the man who managed personnel in the Canadian Armed Forces for several decades is eager to give new impetus to his career as an opera singer through his participation in this international competition.
An unusual journey
Mr. Leclerc explains that he did not follow the usual path for singers, which consists of starting singing in high school or CEGEP, then continuing at university or at the conservatory. “The singers I meet or work with have at least 15 years more experience than me. That was a challenge and forced me to work very hard.”
Having benefited from the advice of singing teachers such as Monique Pagé from Quebec and Adrienne Savoie from Montreal, Danny Leclerc, now 44 years old, has so far had great success in opera.
Career Achievements
“One of the most significant moments in my career was when I sang the Requiem by Verdi, with orchestra and the Montreal Summer Choir, at the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church on the Plateau Mont-Royal in Montreal. It is one of my very beautiful achievements, it is a masterful work.
Danny Leclerc also particularly enjoyed singing the role of Rodolfo in Bohemia by Giacomo Puccini. He played this role in three theatres, in Valleyfield, Montreal and at the Théâtre Outremont. “It was really, really nice to sing this role that seemed like it was written for me, given how easy it was to recreate the character. Rodolfo was easy for me to understand and I had a good time finding the right emotions that make up the theatrical interpretation.”
Danny Leclerc goes on to explain that Rodolfo is an artist who gravitates in the world of creators in the Latin Quarter in Paris. “While these are often somewhat troubled people, Rodolfo is not and he actually has a love story that I would describe as “regular”. So I didn’t have to create a character who suffers from any mental illness or psychosocial problem to play this role.”
Moreover, one critic describes Mr. Leclerc’s talent in the following manner: “His singular voice is a harmonious encounter between a unique timbre, an impressive agility in the high registers and a captivating power. On stage, his natural presence is combined with a subtle mastery of acting, giving him a striking authenticity.”
An important step
The tenor tournament that Danny Leclerc will be participating in in Poland is an important event in the world of opera. It is following a rigorous selection process that he became the only singer to represent the Americas. Four participants come from Poland, two from South Korea and one from Spain. “This is a trip that requires giving many interviews on television and radio. There will also be many artists’ agents and representatives of opera houses on site. Most of the singers who participate in this tournament subsequently sign contracts with one or another of these houses,” Mr. Leclerc explains.
In this competition, he will sing Ah! Rise up sunRomeo and Juliet as well as Yours is my whole heartby Franz Léhar (in French: I gave you my heart).
Another unique feature of this competition is that instead of having a regular panel of judges, members of the audience decide who the best singers are. “Each tenor sings two arias and then all eight tenors will sing together. There is then a 30-minute break during which each spectator receives a rose that allows them to vote for the singer of their choice.”
Intense preparation
In terms of preparation for this tournament, Mr. Leclerc receives several professional support. He has also taken German diction classes in order to have an accent closer to that appreciated by the people of Poland, especially since this competition is televised and German is spoken by a large number of Poles. He also took a performance preparation session with the luminary Claude Webster who offers such classes to opera singers. He adds: “We rehearse, we rehearse and we prepare ourselves mentally to have fun. In total, this represents 15 to 20 hours of work per week.”
Mr. Leclerc obviously hopes that the opportunities that may arise after his participation in this competition will allow him to devote himself full-time to opera. “I see that this is a dream come true. I want to work in Germany and Eastern Europe, because the contracts that are given to opera singers are for one or two years, whereas here they are very short periods. If I have this opportunity, my career will be launched and it will give me the opportunity to sing almost everywhere.”
Finally, Danny Leclerc is grateful to Carmelle Matte who directs the Rythm’Ô cœur troupe of Donnacona. “I started singing around the age of 12 with this choir and it was Carmelle who gave me the taste for singing. I was part of her choir for 10 years.”
