{{Short description|New Zealand opera singer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox academic | name = Madeleine Pierard | honorific_suffix = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = {{#statements:P18}} | image_size = | alt = | caption = Pierard performing the role of Miss Jessel in the New Zealand Opera production of ''The Turn of the Screw'' | birth_date = {{#statements:P569}} | birth_place = {{#statements:P19}} | death_date = {{#statements:P570}} | death_place = {{#statements:P20}} | resting_place = {{#statements:P119}} | resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} --> | other_names = | citizenship = | nationality = | fields = | workplaces = {{#statements:P108}} | patrons = | alma_mater = {{#statements:P69}} | thesis1_title = | thesis1_url = | thesis1_year = | doctoral_advisor = {{#statements:P184}} | academic_advisors = {{#statements:P1066}} | doctoral_students = | notable_students = | known_for = | author_abbrev_bot = | author_abbrev_zoo = | influences = | influenced = | awards = {{#statements:P166}} | signature = <!--(filename only)--> | signature_alt = | website = <!-- {{URL|www.example.com}} --> | footnotes = | spouse = | children = }} '''Madeleine Sophie Clare Pierard''' is a New Zealand lyric soprano opera singer and teacher. She holds the Dame Malvina Major Chair in Opera at the University of Waikato.
==Early life and education==
Pierard grew up in Napier. She was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma at the age of six, and spent two years in hospital.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2016-12-19 |title=Twelve Questions with Madeleine Pierard |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/twelve-questions-with-kiwi-opera-star-madeleine-pierard/4RM7X5KMGG22PTELDDLTSILB34/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref> She enrolled in a biomedical degree, but soon found she preferred studying music, having studied piano. She started singing lessons whilst studying composition with Jack Body.<ref name=":0" /> Pierard sang in the New Zealand Youth Choir, The Tudor Consort and Voices New Zealand chamber choir.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Madeleine Pierard {{!}} Arts Foundation New Generation |url=https://www.thearts.co.nz/artists/madeleine-pierard |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=Arts Foundation |language=en-US}}</ref>
Pierard earned a Bachelor of Music with Honours in performance and composition from Victoria University of Wellington, and a Master of music from the Royal College of Music in London, where she studied with Lillian Watson.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=University of Waikato |url=https://profiles.waikato.ac.nz/madeleine.pierard |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=profiles.waikato.ac.nz}}</ref>
== Opera career == International performances include Richard Strauss's ''Four Last Songs'' with the English National Ballet at Sadler's Wells, Meleagro in ''Atalanta'' in the London Handel Festival, Justice in ''The First Commandment'' with the Classical Opera Company, Das erste Blumenmädchen in ''Parsifal'', Marzelline in ''Fidelio'', with the Auckland Philharmonia and New Zealand Opera, and Musetta in ''La Boheme'' with Longborough Festival Opera. Pierard sang Sandman in ''Hänsel und Gretel,'' High Priestess in ''Aida'' and Noémie in ''Cendrillon'', all with The Royal Opera. <ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Madeleine Pierard: "sumptuous singing" at home and away |url=https://www.fivelines.nz/articles/madeleine-pierard-sumptuous-singing-at-home-and-away |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=Five Lines |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Madeleine Pierard|url=https://sounz.org.nz/contributors/1707 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203152239/https://sounz.org.nz/contributors/1707 |archive-date=2024-12-03 |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=sounz.org.nz |language=en}}</ref> She has appeared with Kiri Te Kanawa and Jonathan Lemalu, and performed a number of oratorios, including ''Carmina Burana,'' Mozart's ''Requiem'' and Haydn's ''Nelson Mass'' as St Martin-in-the-Fields under Ivor Setterfield, Verdi's ''Requiem'' with the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra, Haydn's ''The Creation'' in the King's Lynn Festival and Vaughan Williams' ''Dona Nobis Pacem'' and Karl Jenkins' ''The Armed Man'' at The Royal Festival Hall.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Madeleine Pierard |url=https://orchestrawellington.co.nz/about/people/artists/madeleine-pierard-2025 |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=orchestrawellington.co.nz}}</ref><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rising Star: Madeline Pierard |url=https://www.pacanz.co.nz/news/madeline-pierard |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=PACANZ – Performing Arts Competitions Association of New Zealand |language=en}}</ref>
New Zealand performances include the female lead in Purcell's ''Dido and Aeneas'' with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra in 2023, and Brahms' Lieder with Michael Houstoun in the Hawke’s Bay Festival.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Crump |first=Bryan |date=2023-10-17 |title=The prime of Ms Madeleine Pierard |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/concert/programmes/three-to-seven/audio/2018911524/the-prime-of-ms-madeleine-pierard |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}</ref>
[[File:Madeleine Pierard 2026.jpg|thumb|right|Pierard performing at the Dame Malvina Major Foundation's 35th anniversary concert, at Government House, Wellington, on 11 March 2026]] Pierard was appointed as the Dame Malvina Major Chair in Opera at the University of Waikato in 2022.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2024-12-15 |title=International soprano at Opera School in Whanganui |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/whanganui-chronicle/news/professorial-role-at-opera-school-for-madeleine-pierard/QMAKDHRLCY3CUX2QIBP7TRNFAU/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref>
== Awards == Pierard has won a number of awards and scholarships while studying and performing. Pierard won the Lexus Song Quest in 2005, the Dame Malvina Major Foundation's Mina Foley Award in 2014, the Lies Askonas and the Royal Overseas League Prize, and was a Jette Parker Young Artist at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden. Pierard also won the Les Azuriales Ozone Opera Competition on the Côte d'Azur, France, and the Elm Vocal Award at the Wigmore Hall, England, and won a New Generation Award from the New Zealand Arts Foundation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Madeleine Pierard |url=https://musicint.co.uk/opera-performer/madeleine-pierard-soprano/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=Music International |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-05-15 |title=Scholarships – Dame Malvina Major Foundation |url=https://dmmfoundation.org.nz/grants-scholarships/scholarships/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2" />
== Personal life == Pierard is married to conductor and violinist Michael Joel. They have three daughters.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> In her spare time, Pierard likes to ice cakes.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-16 |title=Madeleine Pierard returns to New Zealand – The New Zealand Opera School |url=https://operaschool.org.nz/madeleine-pierard-returns-to-new-zealand/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=operaschool.org.nz |language=en-US}}</ref> Pierard's older sister Anna Pierard is also an opera singer.<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{YouTube|kOGqquztGRM|Recital}}, Pierard singing "Vissi d'arte" (''Tosca'', Giacomo Puccini) with David Gowland, pianist, a guest appearance during TANZOS Farewell Gala Concert, 22 January 2024
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pierard, Madeleine}} Category:New Zealand academics Category:New Zealand women academics Category:Academic staff of the University of Waikato Category:Victoria University of Wellington alumni Category:New Zealand operatic sopranos Category:Alumni of the Royal College of Music Category:People from Napier, New Zealand Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people