Even before stepping into Maison symphonique on Apr. 17th, the atmosphere felt charged. A full house had gathered, and there was no mistaking the quiet excitement in the air.
As the lights dimmed, a hush settled across the room. From the top of the hall, a single spotlight lit up the Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique, where Jean-Willy Kunz, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s organist-in-residence, appeared with a welcoming smile. The audience greeted him with an enthusiastic ovation before he began Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in B minor, BWV 544. The deep, resonant sounds of the organ immediately set a reflective mood, creating the perfect bridge to the evening’s centerpiece: Mozart’s Requiem.
Jean-Willy Kunz. Photo: Antoine Saito
Following Kunz’s performance, chorus master Andrew Megill led a small ensemble from the OSM Chorus in Bach’s Jesu, meine Freude (BWV 227). This intimate section of the program subtly built momentum for the larger forces that would follow. After intermission, the stage filled with the full OSM Chorus and orchestra. Anticipation grew as the soloists took their places, and the energy in the room visibly lifted when conductor Rafael Payare entered to an immediate standing ovation.
The OSM Chorus conducted by Andrew Megill. Photo: Antoine Saito
From the first measures of the Requiem, Payare’s leadership was unmistakable. His conducting was vivid and precise. The orchestra, chorus, and soloists responded with tight coordination, maintaining a careful balance between power and restraint. Every transition was seamless, and the phrasing was thoughtfully controlled, from the grandest crescendos to the most intimate passages.
At moments, Payare’s physical energy was so intense that he had to pause briefly to wipe his face, a small sign of how much he was pouring into the performance. Meanwhile, the audience was fully immersed, maintaining an attentive silence throughout.
Myriam Leblanc, Julie Boulianne, Joé Lampron-Dandonneau, and Robert Gleadow with the OSM. Photo: Antoine Saito
Among the soloists, soprano Myriam Leblanc stood out with her clear, expressive tone, and bass Robert Gleadow anchored the quartet by his impressive physical presence and his authoritarian bass voice. Together with mezzo-soprano Julie Boulianne and tenor Joé Lampron-Dandonneau, they formed a cohesive ensemble.
The evening closed with three rounds of applause and with the shared sense that a religious experience had passed between stage and audience.
For more on Orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s season visit www.osm.ca
