Bernard Labadie has established himself worldwide as a leading conductor of Baroque and Classical repertoire, a reputation closely tied to his work as Founding Conductor of Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec. With these two ensembles, he regularly tours Canada, the US, and Europe in such major venues as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Kennedy Center, The Barbican, The Concertgebouw, and the Salzburg Festival, among others.
Labadie has become a regular presence on the podiums of leading North American orchestras, including the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, and the Symphony Orchestras of Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, St. Louis, Houston, Atlanta, Montreal, Toronto, and Miami’s New World Symphony.
Increasingly in demand among period-instrument orchestras as well, he frequently leads the Academy of Ancient Music and has worked with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The English Concert, and Collegium Vocale Gent Orchestra, and soon with the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin. 2017 conducting engagements feature debuts with the Norwegian and Vienna Chamber Orchestras, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, the Orchestre National de Lyon, and appearances with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne.
An eminent opera conductor, Maestro Labadie has served as Artistic Director of Opéra de Québec and Opéra de Montréal. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut during the 2009-2010 season with Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, a work he also led at the Cincinnati Opera in 2011 and with which he made his 2017 debut at the Canadian Opera Company. Other highlights include Handel’s Orlando with Glimmerglass Opera, Mozart’s Così fan tutte at the Mostly Mozart Festival, and Mozart’s Lucio Silla with Santa Fe Opera.
Bernard Labadie’s extensive discography comprises many critically acclaimed recordings on the Dorian, ATMA, and Virgin Classics labels, including a collaborative recording of Mozart’s Requiem with Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec, both of which received Canada’s Juno Award. Additional recordings include C.P.E. Bach’s complete cello concertos with Truls Mørk and Les Violons du Roy, and Haydn’s piano concertos with Marc-Andre Hamelin.
In 2016, Bernard Labadie received the Samuel de Champlain award in Paris. He was honored with a 2005 appointment as Officer of the Order of Canada and his home province named him a Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Québec in 2006.
Labadie is OSL’s fifth titled conductor, joining the distinguished roster of Pablo Heras-Casado (2011-2017), Roger Norrington (1990-1994), Charles Mackerras (1998-2001), and Donald Runnicles (2001-2007).
