By: Madeline Boldt and Adrian Rodriguez
Salle Bourgie marked its 15th anniversary on April 29 with a season launch that highlighted its steady growth and continued commitment to musical excellence. The event brought together artists, partners, and the public for an overview of what’s to come in 2025–2026.
The launch featured three short performances that reflected the range of programming ahead. Soprano Aline Kutan, with pianist Michael McMahon, performed a lyrical selection that opened the evening with warmth. Historical clarinetist Maryse Legault was joined by Gili Loftus on the pianoforte for a nuanced exploration of early music. Later, Sal Sissokho on the kora and Laurent Perreault-Jolicoeur on double bass offered a textured and intimate performance rooted in cross-cultural traditions.
Caroline Louis, Executive Director, spoke about the hall’s evolving role within the Montreal music scene and thanked the audience and partners for their ongoing support. Artistic Director Olivier Godin provided insight into the new season’s programming vision, emphasizing the balance between returning collaborators and new directions. Stéphane Aquin, Director of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, reaffirmed the connection between the museum and Salle Bourgie. He highlighted two related exhibitions that will complement Bourgie programming in the coming season: Kent Monkman: History Is Painted by the Victors and The Torlonia Collection: Masterpieces of Roman Sculpture.
Executive Director Caroline Louis and Artistic Director Olivier Godin at the Salle Bourgie’s 2025–2026 season launch event. Photo: Frédéric Faddoul
Pierre Bourgie, whose name the hall bears, delivered a few emotional words, like a father speaking proudly about the baby who has become a fully-grown, successful adolescent. He also expressed pleasant surprise that the hall was full for the launch. This connected to the main story of Salle Bourgie’s current season: a steady growth in audience attendance, with an average of about 70% of seats filled throughout the year.
The new season builds on that success with a wide range of concerts across series both well-established and newly-expanded. In conversation, Louis and Godin opened a window of insight into the upcoming season. When asked about their overarching vision, they immediately spoke of the Complete Schubert Lieder Project project, which is now entering its second year. “We needed to have a project that would bring people together… be really meaningful to our audience—to music lovers,” Godin says.
Mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter and pianist Kristian Bezuidenhout will present A Schubert Evening, while baritone Wolfgang Holzmair and pianist Olivier Godin perform Schubert’s song cycle, Winterreise. The season also includes appearances by soprano Sylvia Schwartz, baritone Samuel Hasselhorn, mezzo-soprano Victoire Bunel who are just some of the European and Canadian singers who will contribute to the hall’s long-term exploration of Schubert’s vocal works. Some of these presentations include dance and visual elements to add context and variety to the listening experience.
Bezuidenhout, this season’s artist-in-residence, features prominently. In addition to his Schubert concerts, he performs solo on historical keyboards and collaborates in chamber music settings with Quatuor Consone. His presence reflects the hall’s continued investment in period instruments and historically-informed performance.
The ongoing, strong collaboration with Les Violons du Roy continues, with seven programs that range from Vivaldi’s Estro Armonico to the Italian-themed Rome, from Corelli to Nino Rota. Musicians from Orchestre symphonique de Montréal also return with several concerts, including Intensely Schubert, Strings and Saxophone with Steven Banks, and Immortal Ravel.
In the piano series, Leif Ove Andsnes, Beatrice Rana, Víkingur Ólafsson, and Alexandre Tharaud headline a lineup that spans the Romantic repertoire, twentieth-century works, and major solo cycles. Élisabeth Pion and Janina Fialkowska are also featured.
Chamber music remains central to the season, with groups and soloists such as Quatuor Esmé, Trio Tetzlaff-Tetzlaff-Dörken, violinist Jinjoo Cho, and violist Tabea Zimmermann leading concerts in various formats. Programs span standard repertoire and less familiar works, allowing audiences to experience a wide musical range in the intimate space the hall offers.
Olivier Godin, Pierre Bourgie, Caroline Louis, and Stéphane Aquin. Photo: Frédéric Faddoul
Contemporary music is well-represented with Roomful of Teeth, among others. These programs are designed to highlight new compositions and evolving performance practices. Other concerts like Fragments of a Century in Images and Music and Dance: All That Remains add a multidisciplinary dimension to the season.
The 5 à 7 Jazz series returns with early evening concerts that feature artists such as Kate Wyatt, Jazzlab Orchestra, and Ariane Racicot’s trio. These programs aim to reach a wider audience and maintain the hall’s links with Montreal’s jazz community.
In the Music From Here and Abroad series, Alanis Obomsawin and Jeremy Dutcher will share the stage in a program centered on Indigenous voices and stories. Later in the season, Sissokho and Perreault-Jolicoeur return for a full-length concert titled Roots. Other featured artists include Lapelúda and Bruno Deschênes.
Engaging with various cultural segments of the city’s diverse landscape is something that Godin and Louis have prioritized this season. “It is important that programming reflects where we live and our community,” says Louis. Collaborating with presenters who bring varying art forms to the stage, such as Dance Dance, brings together unlikely audiences. Their Music From Here and Abroad and 5 à 7 Jazz series are increasingly popular, bringing in new crowds. “They’re growing—both of them. There’s lots of demand for those concerts,” says Louis.
Several concerts are linked to museum exhibitions, including events tied to the Kent Monkman retrospective and the Torlonia Collection. These concerts often include guided tours and related programming that bridge the museum and concert experiences.
The upcoming season promises to bring the best of the best to centre stage, regardless of the artists’ level of recognition. When it comes to striking the balance between featuring world-renowned musicians and emerging artists, Godin says “Quality is always the first thing that we’re looking for.” Community is critical to the core values of the organization, and as a means of supporting local talent, over 50% of their programming puts forth Canadian and Quebec musicians at different stages of their careers.
Guest presenters play a visible role again this season. Ensembles like Constantinople, Clavecin en concert, and Trio Fibonacci return with programs that range from Viennese classics to new creations. These partnerships continue to make Salle Bourgie a shared space for musical communities from across Quebec and beyond.
Salle Bourgie’s 2025–2026 season launch event. Photo: Frédéric Faddoul
La Scena Picks: Highlights from the 2025–2026 Season
From solo recitals to cross-cultural fusions, Salle Bourgie’s 15th season offers a wide artistic range. Here are our top picks — one from each of the hall’s major series:
In the Outstanding Pianists series, Víkingur Ólafsson’s recital promises a landmark evening with a program combining Bach, Beethoven, and Schubert.
The Schubert Lieder project continues with A Schubert Evening, featuring Anne Sofie von Otter and Kristian Bezuidenhout, an ideal pairing for the hall’s intimate acoustics.
Les Violons du Roy return with Souvenir de Florence, a rich string-based program that showcases the ensemble’s precision and lyricism.
From the Musicians of the OSM series, Strings and Saxophones with Steven Banks offers a refreshing blend of timbres and repertoire.
In Music From Here and Abroad, the duo of Alanis Obomsawin and Jeremy Dutcher stands out for its emotional depth and cultural resonance.
The 5 à 7 Jazz pick goes to Kate Wyatt Quartet, bringing sharp improvisation and local flair to the early evening format.
Chamber Music features the Trio Tetzlaff-Tetzlaff-Dörken in a performance that combines finesse with firepower.
Spotlight on Strings is headlined by violist Tabea Zimmermann and pianist Javier Perianes, a rare Montreal appearance for this acclaimed duo.
In the Contemporary Music series, Roomful of Teeth will deliver a bold vocal program that continues to stretch the boundaries of ensemble singing.
Fifteen years after its founding, Salle Bourgie remains a steady and respected institution. The 2025–2026 season reflects careful planning, a sense of continuity, and a readiness to take on new artistic ideas without losing focus.
For more on Salle Bourgie’s 2025-2026 season, visit www.mbam.qc.ca/en/bourgie-hall
