After pursuing parallel studies at Sciences-Po and at the conservatoire (with Paul Guigue and Cécile Fournier) in Grenoble, François Rougier was quickly recognized as a tenor to watch: laureate of the Concours international de chant de Clermont-Ferrand in 2011, he took part in the first Académie de l’Opéra Comique in 2013 and later joined the Nouvelle troupe Favart from 2018 to 2023.

In 2006, Mirella Giardelli entrusted him with his first roles, including Platée and Ferrando, in two productions based on Rameau and Mozart with the Atelier des Musiciens du Louvre.

In 2012, he discovered the work of stage director Alexandra Lacroix in Il Mondo della Luna by Haydn and subsequently became an associated artist with her company, as well as with Angers Nantes Opéra, whose general and artistic director she has been since 2026. This long-term collaboration, marked by his participation in around fifteen opera productions conceived and directed by Alexandra Lacroix, has deeply shaped his relationship to the stage, his approach to multidisciplinary work, and his perspective on operatic repertoire.

His musical and theatrical qualities make him a regular guest at numerous opera houses: Opéra de Paris, Opéra Comique, Opéra du Rhin, Angers Nantes Opéra, Bordeaux, Dijon, Rouen, Limoges, Avignon, Lille, Rennes, Aachen, Lausanne, Liège… Among the roles he has recently performed are Don José and Franck in The Carmen Case by Alexandra Lacroix and Diana Soh at the Opéra de Bordeaux and the Opéra de Limoges, L’Aumônier in Dialogues des Carmélites staged by Tiphaine Raffier at the Opéra de Rouen, Grigori in Boris Godounov staged by Jean-Romain Vesperini and Radamès in Aïda déchaînée after Verdi staged by Frédéric Roels at the Opéra Grand Avignon, Marinoni in Fantasio staged by Thomas Jolly at the Opéra Comique, Sidi-Toupi in Belboul by Alexandra Lacroix after Massenet and Farnaz Modarresifar at the Opéra de Reims, Giannino in L’Uomo Femina by Galuppi staged by Agnès Jaoui at the Opéra de Dijon, Faust, Calaf, and Paolo in Don Giovanni aux enfers by Simon Steen-Andersen at the Opéra du Rhin, and Le Voisin in L’inondation by Pommerat and Filidei at the Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg.

In concert, he performed in 2024 at the invitation of René Jacobs in the role of Don José with the B’Rock Orchestra at the Philharmonie de Paris, Teatro Real Madrid, De Singel in Antwerp, the Philharmonie Köln, Dortmund Konzerthaus, and the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg. He is also regularly invited by many orchestras (Capitole de Toulouse, Strasbourg, Montpellier, Avignon-Provence, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Liège, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Orchestre national de Hongrie…) for concert performances of operas and oratorios.

Highlights for the 2026–2027 season include Trinculo in La Tempête by Frank Martin at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, Don José in The Carmen Case by Alexandra Lacroix and Diana Soh at Angers Nantes Opéra and the Opéra de Dijon, Le Vieux in the world premiere of Les Chaises by Philippe Forget, after Ionesco and staged by Alexandra Lacroix at the Opéra de Limoges, and Mister W in L’Enfant et la nuit by Franck Villard at the Opéra Grand Avignon.

Upcoming releases include L’Uomo Femina with Le Poème Harmonique, Zampa with the Bayerischer Rundfunk orchestra, and Jean de Nivelle with the Orchestre national de Hongrie.

François Rougier has been represented by RSBA since 2014.