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She was born on Jan. 17, 1927 to Marianna Gelina and Freddy Lambert of Macamic Quebec Canada. She grew up on the Macamic farm where, in addition to the joy of constant contact with animals and the outdoors, she was instilled with a lifelong love of music. After her formal education and private studies with Anna Amlenfant, she was awarded a scholarship by the Canadian Government for a three-year study of music and voice in Italy. She attended with fellow Quebecers Andre Turp, Robert Savoie, Guy Lepage, and Joseph Rouleau.
Among her many honors in the U.S., she was the winner of the American Opera Auditions. As a result, she appeared with the Summer Festival of Milan at Teatro Nuovo as Musette, in La Boheme. The cast also included well-known artists Arlene Saunders, George Shirley, and Spiros Malas. Musetta became her lucky role, having sung it innumerable times with luminaries such as Licia Albanese and Salvatore Baccaloni. She was also the winner of the 1950 Canadian Broadcasting Company contest of artists. She appeared countless times in Canadian concert, opera, operetta, and television.
In 1967 she shared the stage with George London in Charpentier's Louise at the Opera of Quebec, appearing on CBC TV in Montreal. Other appearances with Montreal Television were Poulenc's Stabat, and Mater and Honegger's King David. One of her truly great accomplishments was in 2004 when the city of Montreal paid homage to Constance Lambert for her artistry.
She is predeceased by her husband, Ronald J. Picinich.
She is survived by her daughter, Michelle J. Hesterfer; and granddaughter, Julianne; her son, Marc R. Picinich, his wife Jessica; and granddaughters, Kate, Samantha, and the late Loren.
A memorial service will be held at Saint Anne's Church 15-05 St Anne Street, Fair Lawn, on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 10:30 a.m. The family respectfully asks that any expression of sympathy be made in the form of a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association.
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