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L’Orchestre philharmonique du Québec (OPQ), founded in 1986 on Montreal’s South Shore, now brings together more than 50 professional musicians dedicated to democratizing classical music in the Montérégie region and beyond. Led since 2019 by violinist Alexandre Da Costa, the ensemble has adopted an innovative approach by presenting a new face of classical music that combines accessibility and proximity. This year, OPQ is celebrating its 40th season with a bold program combining classical works and contemporary creations, performed across much of southern Quebec.
Alexandre Da Costa and the Quebec Philharmonic Orchestra
Longueuil, Boucherville, Saint-Hyacinthe, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Montreal: the tone has been set for the new season. “We have reached the point where we need to define precisely what we want to build with this orchestra,” says Da Costa. “To begin with, we want to assert our presence throughout the Montérégie region: we are the orchestra of the people of Montérégie.” The public will be able to discover a series of classical, youth and hybrid concerts.
“The Boléro concert is a tribute to the Basque Country through the prism of Ravel. He described himself first as Basque, then French. This heritage is very much felt in Ravel’s music, but people ultimately know little about Basque music. That’s why we gave our concert this particular focus,” explains Da Costa, who happened to be in San Sebastián, a city located in the Basque Country in Spain, at the time of the interview. The concert will feature the txistu, a traditional Basque flute played alongside a small drum, in the hands of virtuoso Garikoitz Mendizabal. Basque pianist Josu Okiñena will perform repertoire, never before heard in Canada, by composer Jesús Guridi, who hails from the same region. And, of course, there will be masterpieces by Ravel, including the famous Boléro, which Da Costa will conduct for the first time with the OPQ.
Alexandre Da Costa
“Our mission is to bring classical music to the general public,” he says. “But it all starts with the young people. If we want future generations of classical-music lovers, we need to reach out to young people by presenting this music in a light-hearted and enjoyable context.” That’s why the group has included several youth projects in its programming: Mozart and Friends, Film Music and a spring concert. Young people will be introduced to this repertoire through stories that demystify the lives of composers, families of instruments, and highlight the power of music in cinema. They’ll get to appreciate the magic of the orchestra from their seats, close to the stage.
During the festive season, audiences will be treated to singer Jeanick Fournier, who took the nation by storm on Canada’s Got Talent which she won in 2022. “When I met Jeanick, I was impressed by her vocal power, but also by the way she lives and breathes music,” says Da Costa. “She is extremely generous and authentic when she sings. It’s a rare quality, and it’s a great pleasure to share the stage with her and the musicians of the orchestra for this occasion.”
A universal symbol of brotherhood, humanism and freedom, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 has played a key role in many moments of unity and reconciliation around the world. In this spirit, Da Costa and the OPQ present a new, updated version in which the fourth movement will be sung to French lyrics by Louis-Philippe Hébert on the themes of freedom, peace, diversity and inclusion. “From Ludwig to Charlebois is my favourite project,” says Da Costa. “We will present Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in a chamber version reduced to 18 musicians. Despite this, the emotion remains the same, the message is intact. In addition, the text of the fourth movement speaks to us about peace with a more contemporary perspective and an assumed sincerity, because there is still a long way to go to achieve this ideal desired by Beethoven and by each of us.
“We can’t wait to see the response from the Montérégie audience. We hope to expand in the coming years. We have virtuoso musicians: recently, 20 new young people filled vacant positions. It’s also an orchestra with a lot of energy that has a lot to offer the region’s audience.” In fact, the orchestra has a big surprise in store, revisiting the great hits of the 1980s that saw its birth, from Eye of the Tiger to On va s’aimer and Thriller. This season of L’Orchestre philharmonique du Québec promises to be inspiring, rejuvenating and breathtaking!
Find L’Orchestre philharmonique du Québec at www.philharmonique.quebec.
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