Sonia del Rio

Sonia del Rio
Born	Sonia Boisvenu (1940-01-29)January 29, 1940 Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec Canada
💼 Occupation	dancer, choreographer

Sonia del Rio is a Spanish classical and flamenco dancer, dance teacher, lecturer and castanet concert performer. She is a personality of Quebec dance. She is the daughter of Emile Boisvenu and Thérèse Jacques.

Life and career

Sonia del Rio (Boisvenu) was born in Rouyn in Quebec. The family settling in Montreal, she began at the age of 13, studying classical and Spanish dance at the Lucasse-Morenoff studio. His meeting with Jose Greco will be decisive. She undertook studies in Spain with renowned professors, such as Mercedes y Albano, Raquel Lucas, Azorin and Jose Granero. Her hard work made her the only Canadian to graduate from the Real Escuela Superior de Arte Dramatico y Danza in Madrid.

Her undeniable talent was quickly noticed and she evolved in Europe with the prestigious ballet companies of Pilar Lopez, Jose de la Vega (National Choreography Prize), Jose Greco, Mariemma, Pilar de Oro y Alfredo Gil, Rafael Aguilar and finally the Antonio ballet. She was also a soloist at the La Scala Opera Theater in Milan and danced for four years at the Le Châtelet Theater in Paris, with Luis Mariano. Back home, Mrs. Ludmilla Chiriaeff, founder of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, asked her to join the École supérieure de danse du Québec. She will occupy the functions of teacher and choreographer there for several years.

She has also shone as a choreographer and principal dancer with the Opéra de Montréal, the Orchester Symphonique de Montréal and the Orchester Symphonique de Québec.

In 1975, she created the SONIA DEL RIO SPANISH AND FLAMENCO DANCE SCHOOL. In 1997, hired by Skate Canada, Sonia del Rio collaborated on a Spanish choreography with gold medalist Paul Duchesnay for the Junior Figure Skating Team of Quebec. In the summer of the same year, she presented a concert at the Château de Dampierre-sur-Boutonne. The rave reviews from the press earned him a second invitation in July 2000.

Ultimate consecration, she received on October 14, 1998, in the name of His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain, the Order of Isabella the Catholic, the highest distinction granted to a foreign artist. In August 1999, Sonia del Rio was named godmother of the Féria de Montréal at the Olympic stadium, in addition to being a dancer-choreographer of the Great Portuguese Corrida Taurine.

The year 2000 is a flamboyant year for Sonia del Rio. Among other things, she was invited to set a choreography at the Théâtre du Rideau Vert in Montreal, in a play by Ionesco. In March, she was appointed artistic director of the Muestra Cultural Ibero-latinoamericana de Montréal. On April 6 and 7, she dances Carmen by Bizet with the Orchester Symphonique de la Montérégie.

In June, she danced Caprice español by Rimsky-Korsakov with the Orchester Symphonique de Laval. In July and August, Sonia del Rio makes a European tour where she dances, in Barcelona as part of a conference illustrated by the famous dancer Jose de La Vega, telling the career of the flamenco dance icon of the years 20 and 30, Vincente Escudero. Sonia del Rio embodies the role of the partner of the latter, Carmita Garcia.

A grant holder from the Conseil des Arts et Lettres du Québec, Sonia del Rio returns to Spain to revitalize her art. Lucia Real and Merche Esmeralda will be his teachers. In the summer of 2001, Sonia del Rio bowed out in Spain, in Madrid, as a guest artist at the Castillo de la Coracera Dance Festival on June 23, 2001 with the participation of the Canadian Embassy. That evening she celebrated 40 years of artistic life, having made her professional debut in Spain in 1961, with the famous Spanish ballet by Pilar Lopez.

Returning to Quebec, the great lady of Flamenco opened a dance school in Trois-Rivières in September 2001. In the spring of 2002, at the request of actress Sophie Faucher, she performed a choreography for the theater play "Apasionada", recounting the life of Frida Kahlo, directed by Robert Lepage.

Between 2000-2010 Sonia del Rio divides her time between France, Spain and Quebec (see above).

In 2008 Sonia del Rio danced at the International Festival of Montguyon in France. Also in 2008, as part of the festivities for the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City, she presented, accompanied by actress France Desjarlais and flautist Jean Dury, the evolution of ties between France and Quebec through 400 years of history.

Sonia del Rio illustrates by dancing the historical journey of this production entitled DE L'ILE D'ORLÉAN TO LA CONTRESCARPE. The show, from the Île d'Orléans to the Contrescarpe, gets great press reviews in France in the Sud-Ouest newspaper.

Between 2005 and 2011

Sonia del Rio occupies the Quebec stages by presenting her conferences

Flamenco lived, told and danced, by Sonia del Rio among others, at the Belles Soirée of the University of Montreal.

Anthologie de la danse Espagnole is presented at the Château Ramesay, in the company of guitarist Serge Beauchemin, at the Château Dufresne, in the company of Kristin Molnar on the violin and Serge Beauchemin and at the Chapelle Historique, in the company of the famous pianist Marie-Andrée Ostiguy and the actress Christine Lamer, without forgetting the musicians Caroline Plante, Dominique Soulard, guitarists, and the singer El Chele (Jose Lumbrera).

The 7th ORGUES ET COULEURS Autumn Festival invites Sonia del Rio accompanied by the organist Régis Rousseau to present dances from the Spanish Renaissance.

The Orchester Dymphonique de la Montérégie under the direction of Marc David presents the concert version of Bizet's opera Carmen. The actor Edgar Fruitier tells the story of Merimée, Sonia del Rio dances some excerpts from this famous opera.

Trois-Rivières, Terrebonne, Repentigny, Magog and Joliette applaud Sonia del Rio in various concerts.

In December 2010, Sonia Del Rio appeared in the art book “El Flamenco que vivi” written by José de la Vega. The only Canadian to appear in this book, she rubs shoulders with the greats: Antonio Gades, Ismael Galván, Merche Esmeralda and Maria Pages.

Personal life

She has been married to Claude Normand since 1974, ex-cameraman at Radio-Canada. She has a son named Sebastian. She lived seven years in France in the Charente-Maritime region.

Career

• 1953-1958: Sonia Del Rio studied classical ballet and Spanish dance at Studio Lacasse Morenoff (Maurice Lacasse Morenoff and Carmen Sierra Lacasse Morenoff,) as well as with Tatiana de Koudriarzeff (classical ballet).
• 1957-58-59: Sonia begins her career as a dancer in the most select cabarets in the city of Montreal, featuring great renowned singing stars such as Edith Piaf, Joséphine Baker, Rina Ketty, Sammy Davis Jr., and Tony Bennet. As well as famous Quebec artists, Sonia will dance alongside Michel Louvain, Muriel Millard, Les Jerolas, Monique Gaube, and the fanciful ti Gus and ti Mousse (Denise Hémond and Real Beland) without forgetting the pianist Georges Tremblay and many others . Sonia del Rio will be performing at the Jean Grimaldi Theater alongside actors Olivier Guimond, Juliette Petry, Manda Parent, Claude Blanchard and Jeanne Bianchi.
• 1960: October 24 Sonia embarks on board the Homeric to complete her dance studies and try her luck in Europe. In Paris she studied Spanish dance with Lutyce de Luz. She is immediately noticed by the famous dancer Luisillo who engages her in his company which is on display at the Théatre de L'Etoile. Following this first success Sonia moved to Spain to perfect her knowledge of classical, folk and Flamenco Spanish dance. In Madrid she studied with Hector Zaraspé (classical ballet), Pedro Azorin (Spanish folk dances) Alberto Lorca (dances of the Escuela Bolera) and later Jose Granero (classical ballet).
• 1961: Noticed by the wonderful dancer Pilar Lopez, Sonia del Rio signs a one-year contract with the Pilar Lopez ballet. Antonio Gades is the star dancer of the company. This first international tour will take Sonia to Italy at the Eliseo Theater in Rome, as well as at the Verona Arena Opera Festival, a famous opera festival that takes place every summer in the Roman amphitheater in Verona. The Middle East dance festival will host Ballet Pilar Lopez in Syria and Lebanon. Tour interrupted by a revolution between Syria and Israel. Back in Spain, the ballet Pilar Lopez will perform at the Festival de Danza de Espana.
• 1962: Sonia del Rio is hired as the first dancer in the Spanish Ballet of the famous dancer Jose de la Vega. (Jose de la Vega National Choreography Prize in 1961) Laura Salinas is the Etoile dancer. In their company and five other dancers as well as a classical singer and pianist, accompanied by guitarists and a flamenco singer Sonia del Rio will make her debut at the Salle Pleyel in Paris. In Barcelona Sebastien Gash, ballet critic at Destino, (an Express-like magazine) Gash wrote about Sonia del Rio "After seeing her dance, with Sonia del Rio it is the temperament that dominates, this light pace, who seems effortless, racy, noble and that smile that has always followed him despite the passing years. I predict a great and long career for him. Remember his name. SONIA DEL RIOBallet José de La Vega.
• 1963-64-65: Finally Sonia's big dream comes true! Dance with the most famous dancer on the planet José Greco! Jose Greco, is a Spanish dancer choreographer known for having popularized Spanish dance worldwide on the stage and on the screen mainly in the 1950s and 1960s. (1956 Around the World in 80 Days) is the film that will thrill the heart of Sonia del Rio to become a Spanish dancer with the hope of one day dancing with this immense dancer. With the Ballet of Jose Greco Sonia will travel the planet. First tour in the United States and Canada. The Ballet Jose Greco, will be on display, among others, at Lincoln Center in New York, and the Hollywood Bal Theater, a modern theater with a capacity of 18,000 seats hosting outdoor shows on the heights of Hollywood. In Montreal the company will perform at La Place Arts in 1963 and Sonia del Rio will be proud to dance for her family. Radio Canada television will invite Sonia del Rio to an interview for various television programs, and Sonia will make the "" front page" of the largest French and English language daily newspapers in Quebec.
• 1965: following her immense successes, Sonia del Rio will receive a scholarship from the Ministry of Education of Quebec, which will allow her to perfect her knowledge of dance (still this desire to learn) under the direction of Jose Granero, Pedro Azorin, Alberto Lorca and Mercedes y Albano.
• 1966: Return with the ballet Jose Greco for a tour in Hollywood, San Francisco, New York, which will end in England at the Royal Festival Hall in London. * 1967: Sonia del Rio is invited to dance with the Orchester Symphonique de Montreal under the direction of Alexandre Brott (Le Caprice Espagnol by Korsakov) as well as for the concerts Populaires Radio Canada commented by the golden voice of Quebec Henri Bergeron . * 1967: Again with José Greco who is now named for this tour (Jose Greco and his Gipsys) the company will be on display in South Africa, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and then fly to the Philippines in Manila and in Australia in Sydney and Melbourne. Sonia del rio once again will be noticed as a soloist by the media of these countries. »Sonia del Rio oustanding soloist beside Jose Greco and Nana Lorca, « a Spanish Gysies from Montreal cet... Sonia del rio will represent Australian airline Quantas Airways for the inaugural flight from Sydney via Mexico City. Advertisement distributed in Time magazine.
• 1967: October–November. December Sonia del Rio joins the Spanish ballet of Mariemma, icon of Spanish classical dance. With the company of Mariemma Sonia del Rio will make her debut at La Scala in Milan in the opera La Vie Brève by Manuel de Falla. Ravel's Boléro will also be on the bill and Sonia del río will dance as a soloist. At the Piccola Scala in Milan, a small theater next to the illustrious theater of the same name, the Mariemma ballet company will present its traditional Spanish dance program.
• 1968: Sonia del Rio will perform at the Théâtre le Chatelet in Paris with Luis Mariano and Francis Lopez and the Ballet Goyesca by Pilar de Oro and Alfredo Gil. Sonia del rio will dance in the operetta Le Prince de Madrid by Francis Lopez under the musical direction of Jean Claude Casasur featuring Luis Mariano. She will know May 68 on the barricades of Paris, while all the theaters of Paris will go on strike.
• 1969: Successive engagements in Paris, London, Italy and several cities in France with the ballet of Rafael Aguilar. Sound and light concerts in the most famous castles of France, Italy and show in Ajaccio in Corsica. London, at the Shakespeare Theater. In France at the Château de Blois and in Italy in Turin at the Palazzo Real in Torino.
• 1970-1971: Return to the Le Chatelet theater with the Ballet Goyesca de Pilar de Oro and Alfredo Gil as first dancer. Sonia will hold the role of Colombine in the Commedia dell'arte tableau of the operetta "La Caravelle d'or" by Francis Lopez starring the unforgettable Luis Mariano, who unfortunately, struck down by illness, must give up his role at the after a few months. Luis Mariano died on July 14, 1970. Autumn 1971 Still at the Chatelet Theater Sonia del Rio appeared in the operetta "Louisiane mes amours" by Henri Bourtayre with the ballet by Jacques Fabre. This grand spectacle operetta did not meet with the expected success.
• 1971: Return to Montreal. Sonia del rio principal dancer with the corps de ballet of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in the opera La Traviata in a choreography by Partrick Shupp and Sonia del Rio. * 1972: Back in Madrid Sonia dances on Spanish television for the Eurovision Song Festival. She also dances in the musical Irma la douce for Spanish television.
• 1972: Sonia del Rio's last tour with the greatest ballet companies in Spain. Les Ballets de Madrid directed by the incomparable Spanish dancer Antonio (Antonio Ruiz). The latter invites Sonia del Rio to dance as a soloist in the ballet Le Tricorne by Manuel de Falla inspired by Leonide Massine in costumes designed by Pablo Picasso. The flamenco ballet L'Amour Sorcier by the same author will also be on the programme. These ballets are presented at the Palace of Congresses in Madrid. One evening, what was the surprise of Sonia del Rio when she saw the famous novelist and journalist Andrée Maillet of the newspaper Le Devoir. Andrée Maillet will later detail in her weekly column with much praise and admiration the solo performance of Sonia del Rio in the ballet Le tricorne by Manuel de Falls.
• 1973: On the advice of Mariemma, director of the Madrid Conservatory, Sonia del Rio enrolls in the (El Real Escuela Superior de Arte Dramatico y Danza de Madrid. In 1974, she will become the only Canadian to graduate from this illustrious institution.
• 1973: Meet Claude Normand director of photography and cameraman for Radio Canada in San Sebastien 1974: Returns to Quebec
• 1975: She marries Claude Normand and from this union will be born to them a son named Sebastien in 1977.
• 1979-1981 Guest teacher at the Boys and Girls Club in Kahnawake - director : Linda Dear
• 1972-1980: teacher and choreographer in SPANISH DANCE at the Dance Academy of the Grands Ballets Canadiens, which later became the Ecole Supérieure de Danse du Québec
• 1980-1983 At the request of the Spanish Ambassador, Mr. Elias , she created a school of Spanish dance in Ottawa at the Center Espanol - director: Rafael Valenzuela
• 1986: Choreographer at the Montreal Opera 1987: Choreographer at the Conservatoire d'Art Dramatique du Quebec
• 1988: Choreographer at the Opéra de Montréal, at the Atelier d'Opéra de l'Université de Montréal, at the Théâtre Pluriel at the Espace de Montréal, at the Rideau Vert and at the Opérette de Drummondville
• 1991: Choreographer for the Atelier de Jules Stage and Lyric of the University of Montreal 1998: Personality of the week from La Presse newspaper
• 1998: She received the Lazo de Dama de la Orden de Isabel la Católica, Spain, the highest decoration granted to a foreign artist
• 2000: Laureate of the Grand Prix d'expression du Québec (SPEQ)
• 2000: Prize from the newspaper La Voz, awarded to the artist of the year from the Hispanic community of Montreal

Awards, honors and tributes

• 1978 “Artist of the Year” prize awarded by the newspaper Le Soleil from the city of Chateauguay
• June 24, 1998 On the occasion of Spain's National Day, Mrs. Sonia del Rio (Boisvenu) will be decorated IN THE NAME OF HER MAJESTELE KING JUAN CARLOS 1st (qDg) of the "LAZO DE DAMA ISABEL LA CATOLICA" the highest distinction awarded to a foreign artist for all of her career and services rendered to Spain.Sonia del Rio will be ennobled with an honorary title under his civil name ( Iltma.SRA.Dama. SONIA BOISVENU ) The Consul General of Spain in Montreal Mr. Castroviejo will have the honor of decorating Dame Sonia Boisvenu (del Rio)
• November 29, 1998 The largest daily newspaper in French America the LA PRESSE newspaper names Sonia del Rio "PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK"
• 1999 Sonia del Rio is named Godmother of the Feria de Montreal 2000 Sonia del Rio receives the Prize of the Société du Patrimoine d'Expression du Québec (speq) (Hélène Baillargeon Prize)
• 2000 The j journalists from the Spanish community of Montreal from the newspaper "La Voz" name Sonia del Rio "Artist of the Year in Greater Montreal" 2016 THE MONTREAL FLAMENCO FESTIVAL pays tribute to Sonia delRio at the Theater Outremont. The Mayor of Montreal Mr. Denis Coderre will be very proud to contribute to this festival which highlights the diversity of Montreal's culture, its richness and its creativity in the presence of the Consul General of Spain Don Antonio Bullon and his wife. Mr. Bullon will speak to honor Sonia del Rio.

External links

• https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/musique/479559/5e-festival-flamenco-de-montreal-hommage-a-sonia-del-rio-une-artiste-flamboyante
• https://discover.dcd.ca/items/16293
• https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/region-zero-8/segments/entrevue/155996/sonia-del-rio-danseuse-flamenco-native-rouyn-noranda
• https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3334227
• https://pierreturcotte/editeur, Vivre ma vie et Danser, Sonia de Rio/Monique Khouzam-Gendron et Pascale Garber

Category:1940 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian choreographers Category:Canadian expatriates in Spain Category:Canadian female dancers Category:Canadian women choreographers Category:Dance teachers Category:Flamenco dancers Category:People from Rouyn-Noranda

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