Simon Rivard is one of the most sought-after conductors on the Canadian music scene, as evidenced by his recent appointment as Music Director of the Edmonton Opera, the first in the company’s history.  

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This upcoming season, he will collaborate with Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Orchestre symphonique de Québec, and Opéra de Montréal (Puccini’s La bohème), among others. At the Edmonton Opera, he will be conducting Strauss’ Die Fledermaus and Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle. 

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Rivard has conducted orchestras such as Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Orchestre Métropolitain, Orchestre symphonique de Québec, Toronto Summer Music Festival Orchestra, Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra (Switzerland), and the Göteborgs Symfoniker (Sweden). From 2018 to 2022, he was the Resident Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, where he was mentored by Gustavo Gimeno and Sir Andrew Davis. From 2018 through 2024, he was the Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. Born in Montréal, Rivard studied orchestral conducting at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal and McGill University.