''I express myself through music. It liberates me in ways that words simply cannot. For me, a world without music is no world at all. Through a simple but powerful message, music is what connects people and we, the musicians, are the messengers.''


Canadian soprano Rachel Rhea, also known as Rachel Guertin-Lambertson, is known for her great musicality and sensitivity on stage. Her genuine, charming presence, combined with the warmth and agility of her voice, easily captivates the audience, making her a promising young artist.

Rachel obtained her Bachelor of Music in classical voice performance at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal and her Master of Music at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, with a mention of excellence. During this period, she performed at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam and was a soloist in Mozart's Davide Penitente, with Koor Meneer de Wit and the Mozart orchestra, directed by Ivo Meinen, at the Zuiderkerk and the Dominicuskerk, in Amsterdam. The young singer has also distinguished herself in several international competitions including the Concours International de Chant Lyrique de Canari (Public's Choice Award), the Compétition Nouvelles Étoiles (first place), the Neapolitan Masters Competition (second place), the Progressive Musicians Carnegie Hall Competition (second place), the Concours du Chœur de la Montagne (first place), the Concours Musical de Sherbrooke (first place), the Pierre-de-Saurel Music Competition (second place), and the VI Concurso Internacional de Canto ''Martín y Soler'' (finalist).

Rachel is the recipient of prestigious awards and scholarships, including the Holland Scholarship offered by the Amsterdam Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, the Aida Scholarship offered by the Jeunesses Musicales de Canada, as well as an important grant to participate in renown programs such as the Weimar Bach Cantata Academy, under the direction of Helmuth Rilling, and the Académie Internationale de Musique du Domaine Forget de Charlevoix.

Her first appearance was in 2018, when she sang the aria Zerfliesse mein Herze from Bach's Johannes-Passion during the Montreal Bach Festival, directed by Julian Prégardien, at the Church of St. Andrews and St. Paul and at the Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, in Montreal. Throughout the last years, Rachel was also seen performing the leading roles of the Noémie in Massenet’s Cendrillon, Papagena and Knabe Zwei in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and Ida in Strauss's Die Fledermaus. In March 2023, Rachel was a chorister in Bach's Markus-Passion, performed with the Kölner Akademie, under the direction of Michael Alexander Willens, at the Konzert Theater Coesfled. Rachel has recently made her debut in the role of Pamina, in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, during the Summer Session of the Lyric Opera Studio Weimar, in Germany.

She has worked with several renowned teachers, coaches, and directors including Helmuth Riling, Kathy Saltzman Romey, Julien Prégardien, Damon Nestor Ploumis, Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet, Janet Williams, Byron Knutson, Barbara Bonney, Alexander Oliver, Roberta Alexander, Martin Vacha, Ed Spanjaard, Margreet Honig, Ira Siff, and more.

Since the age of six, Rachel has extensively studied classical piano and ballet, as well as other dance styles such as ballet-jazz, contemporary and flamenco. At the age of 12, she played the role of an angel in Les Grands Ballets Canadiens' ballet The Nutcracker, which helped her develop a sense of confidence on stage. Originally from Montreal, she grew up in a French and English-speaking environment, making her fluent in both languages. She also has great ease in Spanish and German.

 

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