Jacqueline Woodley; Annina Haug; Pierre Rancourt

Daunais: Melodies - Songs Jacqueline Woodley; Annina Haug; Pierre Rancourt

This new album album features 27 lovely and appealing songs in various styles by French-Canadian composer Lionel Daunais, including some world premiere recordings. For over fifty years, Lionel Daunais exerted an undeniable influence on the Quebec opera scene through his many activities as a singer, composer, lyricist, director, radio personality and artistic director. He studied singing, musical writing and acting in Montreal. 1926 was a significant year: he made his operatic debut in Mireille (Gounod), he gave his first recital at the Ritz Carlton, he recorded his first two 78 rpm discs and he won the Prix d'Europe, a scholarship allowing him to go to Paris where he perfected himself as a lyrical artist and composer. The Lionel Daunais Fund of the National Archives of Quebec contains all of his manuscripts, scores, iconographic documents and sound recordings. His work includes: 250 melodies and songs for voice and piano (including 4 cycles); 25 songs for youth; 19 arrangements of melodies by Anna Malenfant; 67 secular works for choir; 10 sacred works for solo voice or choir; 84 arrangements of folk songs for choir.