Choral - my/maSCENA

Audience members circulate among the singers. Photo R. K. Basdeo

Polyphonic Extravagance Wows Audiences at the Gesù

By Rebecca Anne Clark on 19 April 2016 Baroque and Early, Choral, Concert Reviews, Contemporary

Musica Orbium, under the direction of Patrick Wedd, treated audiences to some stunning vocal performances at two performances of their concert “Extravagance Polyphonique” at the Église du Gesù last Sunday, April 17. The program, based around the illustrious motets Spem in alium by Tallis and Ecce beatam lucem by Striggio, also contained lesser-known gems, including works that predate the aforementioned motets such as Johannes Ockeghem’s Deo gratia à 36 and Josquin des Prez’s Qui habitat in adiutorio altissimi for 24 voices, as well as contemporary works including Patrick Wedd’s Nines₂, composed for Musica Orbium’s tenth anniversary, and Gregg Smith’s Sound…

Benjamin Britten

Britten’s War Requiem

By Kiersten van Vliet on 1 April 2016 Choral, Contemporary, Orchestral

This May, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal is closing its season with Benjamin Britten’s choral masterpiece War Requiem, conducted by Kent Nagano with soloists Catherine Naglestad, Ian Bostridge, and Thomas Hampson. Commissioned for the 1962 consecration of Coventry Cathedral, which was bombed in the Second World War, the War Requiem has transcended its origins, becoming a staple in memorial ceremonies for major tragedies and war. Given the current instability around the globe, War Requiem is quite timely. In 1939, with increasing tension in Europe, Britten and Sir Peter Pears sailed to North America, where they spent several years. The consequences of this decision were far-reaching.…

Emily d'Angelo au COC

Industry News: April 2016

By Shira Gilbert on 1 April 2016 Arts Industry, Choral, Circus, Contemporary, Opera, Orchestral, Quebec Music

Big Wins Toronto-based mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo has been named the winner of the prestigious Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. The 21-year-old D’Angelo, one of five winners from a pool of nine finalists, performed two arias with the Met Orchestra under the baton of Antony Walker at the Grand Finals Concert on the Met stage. Previous winners of the Met Auditions include many of the world’s great opera stars, such as Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Thomas Hampson, and Frederica von Stade. In 2015, D’Angelo won both First Prize and the Audience Choice Award at the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio Competition. Soprano Chelsea…

Gilbert Patenaude

Gilbert Patenaude: The Maestro Retires

By Julie Vovan on 1 April 2016 Choral

After 38 years as artistic director of the Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal, Maestro Gilbert Patenaude is ready to retire. What kind of musical and pedagogical legacy is he leaving? In 1978, Patenaude became the first lay musical director of the Petits Chanteurs. In the 60 years since its founding, the choir’s primary mission has been to offer musical accompaniment for the religious services at Saint Joseph’s Oratory. Patenaude’s arrival was a change of pace for the young singers. He took on the artistic direction and musical training, and still had time to compose his own pieces, including three operas. Just…

Airat Ichmouratov

This Week in Montreal (March 21–27)

By Kiersten van Vliet on 21 March 2016 Baroque and Early, Choral, Orchestral, This Week in Montreal

McGill Chamber Orchestra Montreal-based clarinettist and composer Airat Ichmouratov and the Kleztory Ensemble present Chamber Symphony No. 3, Op. 25 by the namesake composer, Clarinet Quintet in A major by Mozart, and miscellaneous klezmer repertoire. March 22, 7:30 pm. www.ocm-mco.org Caractère hébraïque et Monuments Slaves à l’OM In March, OM will taste the Slavic language and perform the powerful Glagolithic Mass by Janáček, a choral masterpiece. Christian Arming, conductor, with the great Finnish soprano Camilla Nylund, mezzo-soprano Julie Boulianne, tenor David Pomeroy, bass-baritone Andrew Foster-Williams, and the Chœur Métropolitain, celebrating 30 years this season. Symphony No. 8 by Dvořák will end the concert.…

Janácek’s Glagolitic Mass

By Caroline Rodgers on 1 February 2016 Choral, Interviews

On March 29, Yannick Nézet-Séguin will conduct the Glagolitic Mass by Leoš Janáček for the first time with the Orchestre Métropolitain. Very rarely played in Montréal, this impressive work will be part of the conductor’s Slavic Masterpieces concert. For the occasion, he stopped by La Scena Musicale for an interview. “I’ve never conducted the Glagolitic Mass,” Nézet-Séguin tells us. “I’m very much looking forward to doing so for the first time with my Montréal choir and orchestra. It’s going to be a great event in our musical season. I’ve long dreamed of conducting this piece.” The even is great not…

Cette semaine à Montréal (9 à 15 novembre) / This Week in Montreal (November 9 – 15)

By Kiersten van Vliet on 10 November 2015 Chamber Music, Choral, Opera, This Week in Montreal

Chapelle Historique du Bon-PasteurJeudi 12, 19 h 30, on entendra le pianiste Ilya Poletaev. Né à Moscou, ce virtuose est considéré comme l’un des pianistes importants de sa génération. Œuvres de Bach, Brahms, Chopin et Mozart. www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/chapellebonpasteurNov. 12, 7:30 pm. Pianist Ilya Poletaev. Born in Moscow, this virtuoso is considered to be one of the important pianists of her generation. Pieces by Bach, Brahms, Chopin, and Mozart. www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/chapellebonpasteurQuatuor Arcanto QuartetArcanto QuartetFondé en 2002, le Quatuor Arcanto fait ses débuts à Stuttgart et se produit ensuite sur de nombreuses scènes internationales. Violoncelliste reconnu sur les scènes montréalaises, Jean-Guilhen Queyras s’y produira pour…

Video of the Day – Christmas at King’s College

By Paul E. Robinson on 23 December 2013 Choral, Video of the day

From the great tradition of Christmas at King’s College, Cambridge, here is John Rutter’s arrangement of O Holy Night. The carol was composed by Adolphe Adam (1803-1856), the man who also wrote the score for the ballet Giselle.Paul E. Robinson

Video of the Day – Rattle and the BPO Play Britten’s War Requiem

By Paul E. Robinson on 11 December 2013 Choral, Contemporary, Orchestral, Video of the day

November 22 was the 100th anniversary of the birth of Benjamin Britten. During his lifetime Britten was recognized as one of the foremost composers of the Twentieth Century. Since his death his reputation has grown even more. The operas are performed regularly in most of the world’s leading opera houses and his vocal music is often heard in recitals and in churches.Britten developed a style that was contemporary but never academic. He had a great lyrical gift and a talent for expressing the meaning of words through music.In this 100th anniversary year his music is being celebrated throughout the world.…

This Week in Montreal: June 10 to 16

By La Scena Musicale Team on 14 June 2013 Choral, Orchestral, This Week in Montreal

25 Years: The Chœur Classique de MontréalThe Chœur Classique de Montréal presents great opera choruses with the Orchestra symphonique des Jeunes de Montréal, under the direction of Louis Lavigueur. The soloists include Natalia Savelyeva, soprano, Stéphanie Pothier, mezzo-soprano, Antoine Bélanger, tenor, and Joseph Rouleau, who will reprise the role of Boris Godunov, which he performed in 1987 on the occasion which first brought together the choristers of the Chœur Classique de Montréal. Maison symphonique, June 13 at 8:00 PM. choeurclassiquedemontreal.qc.ca- Renée Banville

Browsing: Choral