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Jean-Sébastien Bou

Baritone/Bass-baritone
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Domaine de représentation : Monde


After studying voice with Mady Mesplé and then at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, Jean-Sébastien Bou’s carreer quickly took off in Europe.

In 2000, he made his debut as Pelléas (Pelléas et Mélisande), which he has since been singing regularly at many international venues (Opéra Comique of Paris, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Düsseldorf Opera, Stanislavski Theater in Moscow, Liceu of Barcelona…).

He quickly established himself in the French repertoire with Iphigénie en Tauride (Oreste) and Werther (baritone version) in Tours, Faust (Valentin) in Lille, Le Roi malgré lui (Henri de Valois) in Lyon and at the Opéra Comique, where he has also sung the title role of Mârouf and Lakmé (Frédéric), Le Comte Ory (Raimbaud) in Lyon, Carmen (Escamillo) in Dresden and Lyon, as well as the title role in Hamlet in Saint-Étienne.

His eclectic repertoire ranges from baroque music: Les Boréades/Borilée under the direction of William Christie at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, Adamas/Apollon in the same opera under the direction of Marc Minkowski in Zürich, L’Orfeo (title role) in Avignon… to the 20th century repertoire: L’Amour des trois oranges (Farfarello) at the Paris Opera, Saint François d’Assise (Frère Bernard) at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, A Midsummer night’s dream (Demetrius), The Rape of Lucretia (Tarquinus)… and to contemporary creations: Roméo et Juliette by Pascal Dusapin, Les Boulingrins by Georges Aperghis at the Opéra Comique, Charlotte Salomon by Marc-André Dalbavie at the Salzburg Festival and the title role in Claude by Thierry Escaich in Lyon… Besides, he also regularly sings the Italian repertoire: Don Giovanni (title role), Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro), Don Pasquale (Malatesta), La Bohème (Marcello), Madama Butterfly (Sharpless), Pagliacci (Silvio)…

A fervent champion of French melodies, he also often appears in recitals, interpreting in particular the complete work of Charles Bordes melodies, which he has recorded with French pianist François-René Duchâble.

Among his notable recordings, let us mention La Vie parisienne (Virgin Classics DVD) and Claude (Bel Air Classiques) at the Opéra de Lyon, Carmen at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, L’Amour des trois oranges at the Paris Opera, Fiesque by Lalo (Deutsche Grammophon CD), La Mort d’Abel by Kreutzer and Le Cœur du moulin by Gabriel Pierné for Timpani‘s (Diapason d’Or 2009).

His career has led him to work with such conductors as Alain Altinoglu, Sylvain Cambreling, Jean-Claude Casadesus, William Christie, Myung-Whun Chung, Charles Dutoit, Louis Langrée, Marc Minkowski, Ludovic Morlot, John Nelson, Hervé Niquet, Antonio Pappano, Jérémie Rhorer, François-Xavier Roth, Christophe Rousset, Esa-Pekka Salonen… and stage directors like Luc Bondy, Stéphane Braunschweig, Robert Carsen, Jérôme Deschamps, Laurent Pelly, Denis Podalydès, Olivier Py, Eric Ruf, Krzysztof Warlikowski, Bob Wilson, Francesca Zambello…

Recently, he was heard in Carmen (Escamillo) in concert version at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, at the Opernhaus Zürich and in Luxembourg, Così fan tutte (Don Alfonso) at the Drottningholm Festival, in Bucarest, Würzburg, Grenoble and at the Opéra Royal de Versailles, Fantasio (Prince de Mantoue) at the Radio-France Festival in Montpellier and at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Pelléas et Mélisande and Ariadne auf Naxos (Musiklehrer) at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Le Comte Ory at the Opernhaus Zürich, at the Opéra Comique and in Versailles, Mârouf (title role) by Rabaud in Bordeaux and at the Opéra Comique, Le Roi Carotte by Offenbach in Lyon, Madama Butterfly (Sharpless) and Eugene Onegin (title role) in Tours and at the Téhâtre des Champs-Elysées, Manon (Lescaut) and Fortunio (Clavaroche) at the Opéra Comique, Sigurd (Gunther) by Reyer in Nancy, Samson et Dalila at the Opéra du Rhin… He has also interpreted the title role of Don Giovanni at the Köln Oper, at the Festival of Drottningholm, in Versailles, at La Monnaie in Brussels staged by Krzysztof Warlikowski, at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris and in Bremen under the baton of Jérémie Rhorer. This part has become one of his signature roles.

He also took part in the creation of Point d’Orgue by Thierry Escaich at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and at the Opéra de Bordeaux and in Le Soulier de Satin by Marc-André Dalbavie at the Opéra de Paris, but also in Shirine by Thierry Escaich in Lyon and in Il Viaggio by Pascal Dusapin in Aix-en-Provence.

In concert, he has also sung Faust (Valentin) at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Werther (Albert) at the Opéra de Vichy, Les Horaces by Salieri at Theater an der Wien and at the Opéra Royal de Versailles, Les Indes Galantes in Budapest, La Jacquerie by Lalo at the Montpellier Festival, Duruflé’s and Fauré’s Requiem with the London Philharmonia and at the Berlin Philharmonie, Beethoven’s Le Christ au Mont des Oliviers and Berlioz’s Messe solennelle at the Musikfest Bremen and at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées with Le Cercle de l’Harmonie, Tarare with Les Talens Lyriques at the Opéra Royal de Versailles, the Theater an der Wien, the Cité de la Musique in Paris and at the Théâtre de Caen, L’Enfance du Christ with the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris at the Philharmonie de Paris, Les Pêcheurs de perles à la Philharmonie de Paris et Manon à Lyon et au Théâtre des Champs-Elysées.

Among his main projects, let us point Les Mamelles de Tirésias / Le Rossignol and Der Rosenkavalier at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, On purge bébé by Philippe Boesmans in La Monnaie and at the Opéra National de Lyon, Iphigénie en Tauride in Montpellier, Macbeth Underworld and Fantasio at the Opéra Comique, Le Nozze di Figaro in Marseille, Werther at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and La Scala di Milano. In concert, he will perform Faust et Hélène by Lili Boulanger with the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest of Rotterdam and at the Edinburgh International Festival with Les Siècles, Iphigénie en Aulide with Le Concert de la Loge and Ariane by Massenet with the Bayerische Rundfunk Orchestra.

 

August 2022

This biography should not be edited without permission from Intermezzo.

 

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Repertoire
BERLIOZ - Les Troyens (Chorèbe)
BIZET - Carmen (Escamillo)
BIZET - Les Pêcheurs de Perles (Zurga)
BRITTEN - The rape of Lucretia (Tarquinius)
BRITTEN - Midsummer night's dream (Demetrius)
DEBUSSY - Pelléas et Mélisande (Pelléas)
DONIZETTI - Elisir d'amore (Belcore)
DONIZETTI - Don Pasquale (Malatesta)
DONIZETTI - Lucia di Lammermoor (Enrico)
ESCHAICH - Claude (Claude)
GOUNOD - Faust (Valentin)
GOUNOD - Le médecin malgré lui (Sganarelle)
GLUCK - Iphigénie en Tauride (Oreste)
LEONCAVALLO - I Pagliacci (Silvio)
MASSENET - Werther (Werther / Albert)
MASSENET - Manon (Lescaut)
MEYERBEER - Les Huguenots (Nevers)
MONTEVERDI - L'Orfeo (Orfeo)
MOZART - Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni)
MOZART - Cosi fan tutte (Guglielmo / Alfonso)
PUCCINI - La Bohème (Marcello)
PUCCINI - Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)
PURCELL - Dido and Aeneas (Aeneas)
RABAUD - Mârouf Savetier du Caire (Mârouf)
RAVEL - L'Heure espagnole (Ramiro)
RAVEL - L'Enfant et les Sortilèges (Le chat / L'horloge)
ROSSINI - Guillaume Tell (Guillaume Tell)
ROSSINI - Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
ROSSINI - Le Comte Ory (Raimbaud)
STRAUSS (R.) - Ariadne auf Naxos (Musiklehrer)
TCHAIKOWSKI - Eugene Onegin (Eugene Onegin)
THOMAS - Hamlet (Hamlet)
VERDI - Falstaff (Ford)
VERDI - Un Ballo in Maschera (Renato)
VERDI - Il Trovatore (di Luna)
VERDI - Don Carlo (Posa)
WEBER - Der Freishütz (Ottokar)
Discography

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Messager – Fortunio

C. Dubois (Fortunio), A.C Gillet (Jacqueline), F. Leguérinel (Maître André), J.S Bou (Clavaroche), P.N Martin (Landry), P. Derhet (Lieutenant d'Azincourt), T. Dear (Lieutenant de Verbois), A. Feix (Madelon), L. Bertin-Hugault (Maître Subtil), G. Buffière (Guillaume), S. Jouffroy (Gertrude), L. Podalydès (Comédien)
Orchestre des Champs-Elysées, Les Eléments, L/ Langrée
DVD Naxos, 2020

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Rossini – Le Comte Ory

P. Talbot (Le Comte Ory), J. Fuchs (La Comtesse), G.Arquez (Isolier), E.-M. Hubeaux (Dame Ragonde), P. Bolleire (Le Gouverneur), J.-S. Bou (Raimbaud), J. Devos (Alice), L. Podalydès - L. Reynaud - D. Podalydès, mise en scène
E. Ruf, scénographie - C. lacroix, costumes - S. Daniel, lumière - C. Bon, chorégraphie
Les éléments - J. Suhubiette, direction - Orchestre des Champs-Elysées - L. Langrée, direction
DVD Opéra Comique - C Major - 2019

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Gounod – Faust (version from 1859)

B. Bernheim, V. Gens, A. Foster-Williams, J.-S. Bou, J. Mars, A. Séguin, I. Perruche
Les Talens Lyriques - Choeur de la Radio Flamande - C. Rousset
Palazetto Bru Zane - 2019

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Rameau – Les Indes galantes

C. Santon-Jeffery (Hébé/Zima)/K. Watson (Emilie)/V. Gens (Phani)/R. Van Mechelen (Dom Carlos, Valère, Damon)/J.-S. Bou (Osman, Adario)/T. Dolié (Bellone, Huascar, Dom Alvar)
Purcell Choir/Orfeo Orchestra/György Vashegyi
Glossa music, 2019

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Mozart – Don Giovanni

J-S. Bou (Don Giovanni),‎ R. Gleadow,‎ M. Papatanasiu,‎ J. Boulianne,‎ J. Behr,‎ A. Grevelius,‎ M. Scoffoni,‎ S. Humes,‎ S. Petitjean
Le Cercle de l'Harmonie / Jérémie Rhorer
Alpha / 2017

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Méhul – Uthal

K. Deshayes, Y. Beuron, J.B. Bou, S. Droy
Les Talens Lyriques / C. Rousset
CD Palazzetto Bru Zane / 2015

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Lalo – La Jacquerie

V. Gens, N. Gubisch, C. Castronovo, J.-S. Bou, B. Pinkhasovich, P. Bolleire…
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Patrick Davin
CD Palazzetto Bru Zane, 2016

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Sacchini – Renaud

M.Kalinine, J. Dran, JS Bou, P. Boisseau, J. Fuchs, K. Velletaz, C. Santon, J. Borghi, C. Dubois, P. Bourgeois
Les Talens Lyriques – Christophe Rousset
CD Palazzetto Bru Zane, 2013

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Rameau – Les surprises de l’amour

A. Brahim-Djeloul, V. Pochon, C. Mutel, K. Deshayes, A. Dahlin, JS Bou, …
Les Nouveaux Caractères – Sébastien d’Hérin
Glossa 2013

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Vogel – La Toison d’or

M. Kalinine, JS Bou, J. Van Wanroij, J. Borghi…
Le Concert Spirituel - Hervé Niquet
CD Glossa 2013

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Kreutzer – La mort d’Abel

K. Velletaz, Y. Tanimura, J. Borghi, S. Droy, JS Bou, PY Pruvot, A. Buet
Les Agréments – Guy Van Waas
CD Palazzetto Bru Zane, 2012

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Bordes – Mélodies sur des poèmes de Paul Verlaine

S. Marin-Degor, JS Bou
François-René Duchâble, piano
CD Timpani 2012

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Lalo – Fiesque

R. Alagna, M. Canniccioni, B. Uria-Monzon, F. Ferrari, JS Bou, A. Gabba…
0rchestre National de Montpellier Languedoc Roussillon – Alain Altinoglu
CD Universal 2011

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Prokofiev – L’amour des trois oranges

P. Rouillon, C. Workmann, HE Minutillo, G. Antoine, B. Banks, JL Ballestra, J. Van Dam, B. Uria Monzon, V. van Halem, JS Bou, L. Cirillo…
Orchestre de l’Opéra National de Paris – Sylvain Cambreling
DVD Arthaus Musik 2011

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De Séverac – Le cœur du moulin

JS Bou, S. Marin-Degor, PY Pruvot, MT Keller, S. Revault d’Allonnes, C. Berry, A. Destraël…
Orchestre Symphonique Région Centre Tours – Jean-Yves Ossonce
CD Timpani 2010

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Bizet – Carmen

AC Antonacci, J. Kaufmann, I. D’Arcangelo, N. Ansellem, E. Xanthoudakis, V. Vizin, JS Bou, JP Fouchécourt, M. Rose, J. Imbrailo
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House – Antonio Pappano
DVD Decca 2008

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Pierné – Sophie Arnould

S. Marin Degor, JS Bou, D. Lamprecht
Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg – Nicolas Chalvin
CD Timpani 2008

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Offenbach – La vie parisienne

JS Bou, M. Callahan, MR Wesseling, L. Naouri, M. Canniccioni, M. Devellereau, JP Fouchécourt, J. Garcia, C. Mortagne, B. Hool…
Orchestre de l'Opéra de Lyon - Sébastien Rouland
Laurent Pelly
DVD Virgin Classics 2007

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Tansman – Le Serment

M. Devellereau, JS Bou, F. Dalis, A. Gabriel, D. Haidan, E. Génovèse
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France – Alain Altinoglu
CD Harmonia Mundi 2007