Patricia Irene Rideout-Rosenberg

Patricia Irene Rideout-Rosenberg, contralto (b at Saint John 16 Mar 1931; d at Cambridge, Ont 8 Sep 2006). Trained in Toronto by Ernesto Vinci after piano and voice lessons in New Brunswick, Rideout performed extensively across Canada from 1954 until 1990. The interpreter of many operatic roles from the standard repertoire, among them Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Bianca in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia and Mercedes in Carmen, she also participated in the premieres of several operas by Canadian composers, including Louis Riel (1967) by Harry SOMERS and Shivaree (1982) by John BECKWITH. On CBC Radio she has given first Canadian performances of many major vocal works of the 20th century. She also introduced North American and European audiences to many new Canadian works, including Bruce MATHER's Madrigal III, written for her. A number of these performances have been recorded. Performances in major choral works with most of Canada's leading orchestras and choral societies have won her much acclaim. She was also an original member of the Festival Singers, 1956-68. Rideout taught voice at Queen's University and the University of Toronto during the 1980s. Her services as an adjudicator and competition juror were frequently requested. In 1987 she remarried and became Patricia Rideout-Rosenberg.