Canada's theatre scene lost one of its brightest lights yesterday when the longtime director of the Stratford festival, Richard Monette, died in a London, Ont. hospital of a pulmonary embolism.

The 64-year-old director ran the festival from 1994 until he retired last year.

Born to a working-class family in Montreal, Monette attended Loyola College, now known as Concordia University.

He made his professional theatre debut as Hamlet at Toronto's Crest theatre.

Monette first arrived at Stratford in 1965 as an actor, and performed small roles in Henry IV, parts 1 and 2, and in Julius Caesar.

He went on to play a wide variety of Shakespearean roles in theatres in Toronto and London, England, returning to act at Stratford in the '70s.

"I remember first seeing Richard on the Stratford Festival stage as Berowne in Love's Labour's Lost," says Antoni Cimolino, Stratford's general director.

"He was brilliant -- so brilliant that it changed my life and I'm sure the lives of many, many others. He made one of the most difficult parts in Shakespeare seem effortless and a joy. And so he did for the all the great roles he played, from Hamlet to Hosanna."

Monette directed his first play at Stratford, The Taming of the Shrew, in 1988, and was appointed artistic director designate in 1992. He pushed for a variety of types of theatre at Stratford, from West Side Story to Dracula.

The change brought record levels of attendance to the theatre, boosted by more school bookings and children who came with their parents and grandparents.
 
"I'm a really rabid, militant, born-again, when it comes to bringing kids to the theatre," Monette said in an interview with The Canadian Press when an ad campaign for the revamped theatre lineup was launched.

"I think it is the most important thing for the future of the theatre and for the kids."

Monette's collegues at the Stratford festival were saddened by his loss, and remembered his dedication to the festival.

"I will sorely miss his wit, his insight, his advice and especially the warmth and wisdom that were among his many distinguished attributes," said Des McAnuff, Stratford's current artistic director.

"His love for the festival was the centre of his being. His accomplishments as artistic director . . . have set the standard by which all others will be judged."

-With files from The Canadian Press.