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Montreal, Tuesday, April 30, 2024 – Bourgie Hall of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is delighted to unveil its 2024-2025 season. Developed by Artistic Director Olivier Godin and Executive Director Caroline Louis, it emphasizes excellence, beauty and discovery, with more than 90 exciting concerts rooted in a wide variety of styles and traditions.
Olivier Godin
Olivier Godin and Caroline Louis are thrilled to unveil the details of this abundant and innovative programming that reflects the venue’s image: “Again this year, the public will hear the finest musicians from both Quebec and Canada and will discover top artists who stand out on the international scene. Furthermore, this season marks the beginning of a major new project at Bourgie Hall: the performance of Schubert’s complete lieder, a body of work of inestimable richness. We hope you will eagerly join us on this ambitious musical adventure as it unfolds over the years to come.”
Caroline Louis, Photo by David Ospina
Offering many great musical moments, Bourgie Hall’s 2024-2025 season will take listeners on a journey through a variety of musical genres and eras. It includes more than 90 concerts, with 50% of its programming showcasing Quebec and Canadian artists. Early music will shine thanks to the presence of renowned ensembles (Les Violons du Roy, Stile Antico, Les Talens Lyriques) as well as concerts featuring Bourgie Hall’s newly restored Flemish harpsichord. Strings take centre stage with a new series that includes performances by esteemed artists (Leonidas Kavakos, Kerson Leong, Antoine Tamestit).
Audiences will also be able to appreciate the remarkable sound of Bourgie Hall’s recently acquired Hamburg Steinway piano with highly-anticipated appearances by outstanding and internationally acclaimed pianists (Benedetto Lupo, Louis Lortie, Louise Bessette).
The cycle of Schubert’s complete lieder, an ambitious project spanning several seasons, will overlap with the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death in 2028. Schubert composed these short pieces throughout his entire life, which will be performed by renowned vocal artists, pianists, and ensembles (Benjamin Appl, Ian Bostridge), in concerts highlighting the genius of this famous Austrian composer. Apart from Schubert, numerous vocal recitals will feature great voices performing a vast repertoire (Christian Gerhaher, Barbara Hannigan).
This season, the Italian Days will showcase this country’s rich musical heritage, with repertoire ranging from the Middle Ages to modern music. The season also includes several jazz concerts (Harrison Kennedy, Kellylee Evans) and music from both here and abroad (Oktoecho). Echoing four exhibitions and collections presented in the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, five concerts will feature masterpieces ranging from Flemish Baroque masterpieces to French music of the Belle Époque, as well as Canadian folk songs and Inuit throat singing.
Bourgie Hall continues its initiatives to support up-and-coming artists. International artists share their expertise with advanced students in master classes that are open to the public. Furthermore, musical canvases and three lectures, in conjunction with concerts being presented, allow listeners to broaden their musical and artistic knowledge.
In order to make concerts accessible to the widest possible audience, reasonable subscription packages ensure that ticket prices remain affordable. As usual, MMFA Members enjoy a 15% discount on the General Public rate at all times. Those who are 34 and under enjoy a 50% discount on the General Public rate as well as rush tickets for $10 (subject to availability).
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS 14TH SEASON
GREAT NAMES AT BOURGIE HALL
Located at the heart of a vast museum complex and endowed with exceptional acoustics, for 14 seasons Bourgie Hall has been offering music lovers unforgettable encounters with artists of international calibre from both here and abroad.
Among the outstanding artists performing at Bourgie Hall are pianists Louis Lortie, Jean-Baptiste Fonlupt, Charles Richard-Hamelin, Benedetto Lupo, Herbert Schuch, Elisabeth Brauss, Louise Bessette, Francine Kay, Sofya Gulyak and Kirill Gerstein; violinists Leonidas Kavakos and Stella Chen; violist Antoine Tamestit; cellist Steven Isserlis; singers Ian Bostridge, Barbara Hannigan, Christian Gerhaher and Benjamin Appl; rising star of the guitar Raphaël Feuillâtre and Cuban virtuoso Manuel Barrueco; as well as conductors Jonathan Cohen, Bernard Labadie and Christophe Rousset, to name only a few.
Among the high-calibre ensembles that Bourgie Hall wiemll be welcoming this season are the Modigliani Quartet, Stile Antico, The Tallis Scholars and Les Talens Lyriques.
SCHUBERT LIEDER – YEAR 1
This season and for many to come, Schubert’s lieder take the spotlight at Bourgie Hall. A wide range of artists will be invited to revive and even reinvent this rich repertoire of vocal music.
- Schubert: The Dream (September 25): Ema Nikolovska (soprano), Nicolas Ellis (conductor) and the Orchestre de l’Agora open the season
- Rachel Fenlon, Soprano and Pianist! (October 4)
- Forgotten Harmonies: Schubert and his Contemporaries (November 2): Magali Simard-Galdès (soprano) and Simon Poirier (natural horn)
- Schubert’s Swan Song (February 13): Benjamin Appl (baritone) and Eric Lu (piano) ● Schubert, Earth & Heaven (February 23): Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal ● Ian Bostridge, tenor and Julius Drake, piano (February 26)
- CMIM Laureates (June 1): Harriet Burns (mezzo-soprano), Julien Van Mellaerts (baritone) and Ian Tindale (piano)
VOCAL RECITAL
Bourgie Hall’s intimate atmosphere is ideal for vocal recitals. Lovers of songs will be delighted by the appearance of renowned singers, in duet or accompanied by an instrumental ensemble, who will thrill audiences with their voices and exceptional performances.
- Barbara Hannigan, soprano and Bertrand Chamayou, piano (November 26) ● Christian Gerhaher, baritone and Gerold Huber, piano (January 28)
- Between Worlds (March 16): Donna Brown (soprano), Frédérique Cambreling (harp), Margaret Maria (cello) and the Molinari Quartet
MUSICIANS OF THE OSM
Bourgie Hall continues its long and rewarding collaboration with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, a prestigious partner featured in this series that brings their music closer to our audience.
- Romanticism Transfigured (September 27): Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht and Johanna Müller-Hermann’s String Quintet in A minor, Op. 7
- Mozart and the Clarinet (January 24): works by Mozart and Beethoven
- Four Cellos (March 7): cello ensemble from the OSM
- Schubert’s Famous “Trout” Quintet (May 9)
LES VIOLONS DU ROY
Les Violons du Roy has performed at Bourgie Hall since the very beginning. With obvious mastery and ease of interpretation, they excel in the vast repertoire for chamber orchestra.
- A Voice for Bach (October 11): Hugh Cutting (countertenor) and Bernard Labadie (conductor) ● The Timeless Violin (February 14): Kerson Leong (violin) and Nicolas Ellis (conductor) ● Mozart’s Friendships (February 28): Isaac Chalk (viola), Stéphane Fontaine (clarinet), Mélisande McNabney (fortepiano) and Jonathan Cohen (conductor)
- Requiem for Strings (April 4): Antoine Tamestit (viola and conductor)
- Chaconnes and Passacaglias (May 16): Bernard Labadie (conductor)
- Symphony in the French Manner (June 6): Raphaël Pidoux (cello) and Nicolas Ellis (conductor)
EARLY AND BAROQUE MUSIC
Mainly performed on period instruments, these concerts celebrate the variety and rich sounds of early music.
- A Voice for Bach (October 11): Hugh Cutting (countertenor) and Bernard Labadie (conductor) ● La Fonte Musica: Enigma Fortuna (October 20)
- Musica Pacifica (October 23)
- Leonidas Kavakos, violin (November 7)
- Les Talens Lyriques (November 20)
- Fretwork & Iestyn Davies, countertenor (December 1)
- Près de votre oreille Ensemble (December 10)
- A Christmas Tale: Les trois messes basses (December 14): François Zeitouni (organ and harpsichord) and Jean-François Beauvais (actor)
- The Tallis Scholars: In dulci jubilo (December 15)
- Le Concert de l’Hostel Dieu – The Ghosts of Hamlet (March 8 & 9)
- Stile Antico: The Prince of Music: Palestrina in the Eternal City (April 2)
- Les Idées heureuses: Passiontide Concert (April 18)
- Chaconnes and Passacaglias (May 16): Bernard Labadie (conductor)
CHAMBER MUSIC
With an intimate atmosphere, remarkable acoustics, and true proximity with the performers, Bourgie Hall was designed for an optimal chamber music experience.
- Fauré, Hahn and Chamber Music (October 16 & 17): Louis Lortie, piano and the Modigliani Quartet
- Puccini and Chamber Music (October 19): Quartetto Noûs
- Castalian String Quartet (November 13)
- Pierrot Meets Petrushka (November 27): Israeli Chamber Project
- Stella Chen, violin and Gilles Vonsattel, piano (January 21)
- Trio Élégiaque (February 5)
- Another Side of Chick Corea (February 6)
- Steven Isserlis, cello and Connie Shih, piano (February 11)
- Cuarteto Quiroga (February 19)
- Van Kuijk Quartet and Parker Ramsay, harp (March 5)
- Around the World in One Hour (March 11): Aubree Oliverson (violin) and Federico Gad Crema (piano)
- Steve Reich’s Complete Works for String Quartet (April 1): Mivos Quartet ● Adolfo Gutiérrez Arenas, cello and Gilles Vonsattel, piano (April 11)
- Of Two Hemispheres (May 1): Dominique Beauséjour-Ostiguy (cello) and Jean-Michel Dubé (piano)
MUSICIANS OF THE OM
We’re renewing our partnership this year with the Orchestre Métropolitain, with 3 chamber music concerts and 3 family concerts with fabulous actors!
Chamber Music
- Romeo and Juliet (February 27)
- Christian Blackshaw in Quintet (March 23)
- Paris, 1900 (May 21)
Family Concerts
In 2024-2025, three family concerts in collaboration with the Orchestre Métropolitain will take place on Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Created, written and directed by François Racine, they are accompanied by a soundtrack performed by OM musicians, who share the stage with popular actors.
- The Music-Loving Witch with Valérie Blais (October 27)
- Cupid and the Song of Hearts with Emmanuel Bilodeau (February 16)
- Springtime Music with Natalie Tannous (May 11)
ITALIAN DAYS
In October, set course for Italy! Bourgie Hall invites you on a memorable journey exploring three eras of music.
- Benedetto Lupo, piano (October 18)
- Puccini and Chamber Music (October 19): Quartetto Noûs
- La Fonte Musica: Enigma Fortuna (October 20)
OUTSTANDING PIANISTS
Acclaimed worldwide for their immense talent and musicality, these pianists will offer 17 breathtaking recitals: Louise Bessette (October 12); Louis Lortie (October 16 & 17, February 4 and March 9); Benedetto Lupo (October 18); Clare Hammond (November 15); Tomás Alegre (November 24); Kirill Gerstein (December 7); Herbert Schuch (January 15); Imogen Cooper (January 30); Raoul Sosa (February 9); Francine Kay (February 25); Elisabeth Brauss (March 12); Charles Richard-Hamelin (April 12); Jean-Baptiste Fonlupt (April 30); and Sofya Gulyak (May 13).
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE: LOUIS LORTIE
To celebrate 40 years in music, this multi-award-winning Quebec pianist honours us with a residency at Bourgie Hall to share his virtuoso interpretations.
- Fauré, Hahn and Chamber Music (October 16 & 17)
- Ravel’s Complete Works for Piano: Recital No. 1 (February 4)
- Ravel’s Complete Works for Piano: Recital No. 2 (March 19)
SPOTLIGHT ON STRINGS
Strings take centre stage in our programming, with this new series featuring a host of stellar artists playing violin, viola, and cello.
- Leonidas Kavakos, violin (November 7)
- Orchestre de l’Agora (December 13)
- Stella Chen, violin and Gilles Vonsattel, piano (January 21)
- Steven Isserlis, cello and Connie Shih, piano (February 11)
- The Timeless Violin (February 14): Kerson Leong (violin) and Nicolas Ellis (conductor) ● Around the World in One Hour (March 11): Aubree Oliverson (violin) and Federico Gad Crema (piano)
- Requiem for Strings (April 4): Les Violons du Roy and Antoine Tamestit (viola and conductor) ● Adolfo Gutiérrez Arenas, cello and Gilles Vonsattel, piano (April 11)
- Of Two Hemispheres (May 1): Dominique Beauséjour-Ostiguy (cello) and Jean-Michel Dubé (piano)
- Symphony in the French Manner (June 6): Raphaël Pidoux (cello) and Nicolas Ellis (conductor)
JAZZ 5 À 7
Starting at 5 p.m., enjoy a drink at the Bourgie Hall bar, then at 6 p.m. take in a performance by outstanding artists from the local and international jazz scenes.
- Inspiration Blues (September 26)
- Samuel Bonnet Trio – Hybride (November 21)
- Kellylee Evans – Winter Song (December 12)
- A Charlie Brown Christmas: the return of a Holiday classic! (December 18 & 19) ● David Chesky Trio (January 23)
- Another Side of Chick Corea (February 6)
- Street Beat Suite with the Lorraine Desmarais Trio (April 3)
- Rémi Bolduc, saxophone and Baptiste Trotignon, piano (April 24)
- Marianne Trudel Plays Antônio Carlos Jobim (May 15)
MUSIC FROM HERE AND ABROAD
Appreciate a musical experience steeped in a panoply of traditions from here and around the world!
- Oktoecho – Saimaniq-Sivumut (November 6)
- Oktopus – Folklore from the East (February 20): concert and lecture
- Mediterranean Nights (March 25): Paul Merkelo (trumpet), Chris Fossek (guitar) and Nathan Keezer (percussion)
- The McDades (April 25)
CONCERTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH EXHIBITIONS
The unique location of Bourgie Hall within the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts makes it possible to explore connections between music and the visual arts, creating a symbiosis between concerts and exhibitions.
Saints, Sinners, Lovers and Fools: Three Hundred Years of Flemish Masterworks (on display in the MMFA from June 8 to October 20, 2024)
- A Covey of Birds (October 9): Luc Beauséjour, harpsichord *
- Flemish Music in the Time of Rubens (October 23): Musica Pacifica *
ᐅᐅᒻ ᒪᖁᑎᒃ uummaqutik: Essence of Life (on display in the MMFA starting November 8, 2024) ● Oktoecho – Saimaniq-Sivumut (November 6)
Joyce Wieland (on display in the MMFA during winter 2025)
- The McDades (April 25)
Berthe Weill (on display at the MMFA during spring / summer 2025)
- Paris, 1900 (May 21) *
*These three events are offered as part of the Musical Canvases series, which combines a visit of the exhibition with the concert afterwards.
ARTS CROSSROADS
Music converges with other disciplines, each enriching the other to create a unique artistic experience.
Music and visual arts:
- Charles Ives and the Piano Sonata No. 2, Concord, Mass., 1840-60 (October 12): concert and lecture, Louise Bessette, piano
- Molinari: From Painting to Music (October 22): Molinari Quartet and Odile Portugais, soprano
Music and film:
- Charlie Chaplin’s Smile (November 3)
TRIBUTES
The season will also be punctuated by tributes to great artists from the 16th century to the present day.
Shostakovich
- Trio Élégiaque (February 5)
- Requiem for Strings (April 4): Les Violons du Roy and Antoine Tamestit (viola and conductor) Fauré and Hahn
- Fauré, Hahn and Chamber Music (October 16 & 17) : Louis Lortie, piano and the Modigliani Quartet
Charles Ives
- Charles Ives and the Piano Sonata No. 2, Concord, Mass., 1840-60 (October 12): concert and lecture, Louise Bessette, piano
Guido Molinari
- Molinari: From Painting to Music (October 22): The Molinari Quartet and Odile Portugais, soprano
Palestrina
- Stile Antico: The Prince of Music: Palestrina in the Eternal City (April 2)
Maurice Ravel
- Ravel’s Complete Works for Piano: Recital No. 1 (February 4): Louis Lortie, piano ● Ravel’s Complete Works for Piano: Recital No. 2 (March 19): Louis Lortie, piano Schoenberg
- Romanticism Transfigured (September 27): Musicians of the OSM
- Pierrot Meets Petrushka (November 27): Israeli Chamber Project
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
An abundance of diverse new works and contemporary repertoire, performed by high-calibre artists.
- Molinari: From Painting to Music (October 22): The Molinari Quartet and Odile Portugais, soprano
- Barbara Hannigan, soprano and Bertrand Chamayou, piano (November 26) ● Between Worlds (March 16): Donna Brown (soprano), Frédérique Cambreling (harp), Margaret Maria (cello) and the Molinari Quartet
- Steve Reich’s Complete Works for String Quartet (April 1): Mivos Quartet ● Warhol Dervish (June 4)
GUITAR
Whether in jazz, classical or blues, hear the guitar’s many sounds played by some of the finest performers of our time.
- Samuel Bonnet Trio (November 21)
- Raphaël Feuillâtre (November 22)
- Mediterranean Nights (March 25): Paul Merkelo (trumpet), Chris Fossek (guitar) and Nathan Keezer (percussion)
- Manuel Barrueco (April 27)
All details of the 2024-2025 season are available at bourgiehall.ca.
Inaugurated in September 2011, Bourgie Hall is a 462-seat concert hall at the heart of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Possessing exceptional acoustics, it has quickly made a name for itself as one of Canada’s most beloved venues for concert music. Located in the nave of the former Erskine and American Church, its spectacular architecture includes a collection of twenty Tiffany stained glass windows that is unique in the country. Bourgie Hall presents over a hundred concerts a year in various musical styles, ranging from jazz to classical works, from Baroque music to contemporary creations. Its high-calibre programming features some of the most prominent Canadian and international musicians of their generation, whether they be at the beginning of their careers or already well established.
This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Francais (French)
