Bernard Labadie

Bernard Labadie is internationally recognized as one of the foremost conductors of the Baroque and Classical repertoire. He founded Les Violons du Roy in 1984 and served as their music director for 20 years. He is also the founding conductor and music director of La Chapelle de Québec. With these ensembles, he has toured extensively to major venues including Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Concertgebouw, the Barbican Centre, and has appeared at the Whitsun Festival (Salzburg). Labadie was principal conductor of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in New York from 2017 to 2025. 

Recent and upcoming guest appearances include The Cleveland Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company, San Francisco Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, Boston Baroque, NDR Radiophilharmonie (Hannover), National Symphony Orchestra (Washington), Orchestre National de Lyon, National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa), and Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

In North America, Labadie has conducted The Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the symphony orchestras of Boston, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh, among others. Internationally, he has led performances with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Academy of Ancient Music, The English Concert, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, WDR Symphony (Cologne), and HR Symphony (Frankfurt).

Labadie’s discography includes several award-winning recordings on Dorian, ATMA, Erato/Warner Classics, and Hyperion. Highlights include Handel’s Apollo e Dafne and Mozart’s Requiem with Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec, both of which received Canada’s Juno Award.

In recognition of his artistic achievements, Labadie has been named an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Québec, and a Chevalier des Arts et Lettres du Québec.