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Opéra bouffe du Québec (OBQ) kicks off its season with a new artistic and musical director, Julien Patenaude, who succeeds Simon Fournier. Known for his sense of humour and comedy, Patenaude is a great fan of operetta and, in fact, has previously sung three roles with the company.
Julien Patenaude
Photo: Antoine Duguay
One of the first things he had to do after taking the helm last December was to choose the main work of the 2025-26 season. His decision quickly fell on Franz Lehár’s popular operetta The Merry Widow.
“I hope the selected works will be useful,” says Patenaude. “The Merry Widow is staged frequently, which allows the artists to learn roles they will be able to revive in the future, as opposed to more obscure works.” He acknowledges that OBQ is often a springboard for young opera singers. Patenaude is very aware of this reality and, thanks to his own experience as a professional singer, he will be able to guide these young artists well. This is why he planned a cast where less-experienced artists work alongside established artists like Pierre Rancourt, Dominic Lorange and Richard Fréchette.
La Vie parisienne, 2024 Photo: Bonnallie-Brodeur
The Laval native is happy to be surrounded by a seasoned, well-knit team and immediately felt at ease. Alain Zouvi has returned as stage director, an obvious selection. “Alain already knows the chorus, and its abilities, well. It’s always pleasant to have a director who understands opera singers. With pianist Giancarlo Scalia, who has accompanied OBQ for many years, we make a great team where I feel well supported,” says Patenaude. He also highlights the dedicated work of the well-established Board of Directors that manages the company.
Patenaude is also aware that a company like OBQ relies heavily on its resident amateur choir. “My goal is for work to be enjoyable,” he says, “and the chorus well represented. Of course I want to put on the best possible performance, but always with enjoyment and laughter. When we have fun, our cohesion is better, and so is the performance.” The Merry Widow will be presented from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2 at Théâtre des Muses de la Maison des arts de Laval.
Translation: Isabel Garriga
Find Opéra bouffe du Québec at www.operabouffe.org.
This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
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