Louise Roy

Roy, Louise

Louise Roy. Soprano, b St Boniface (now part of Winnipeg), 25 May 1924, d Toronto 27 Jul 1985; ARCT 1946, Artist Diploma (Toronto) 1951. Her studies with J. Roberto Wood in Winnipeg and Ernesto Vinci at the RCMT led to first awards (1949) in the CBC's 'Singing Stars of Tomorrow' and 'Nos Futures Étoiles'. Roy sang major roles 1950-3 with the COC and performed with the CBC Opera Company and 'Théâtre lyrique Molson,' in concert with many Canadian orchestras and choirs, and on tour for the JMC. She was one of Canada's leading dramatic sopranos at the time of her first retirement in the mid-1950s.

Roy returned to performance with a recital 10 May 1974 at Town Hall in Toronto, after which the critic John Kraglund wrote, 'Miss Roy is still blessed with the strong, beautiful voice which won her earlier acclaim' (Toronto Globe and Mail, 13 May 1974). She joined the COC chorus and sang with them until 1979, when she retired to do volunteer work for the Red Cross.