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Joliette, August 7, 2018 – It was in the full heat of summer that the 41st season of Festival de Lanaudière concluded Sunday. To the delight of festival-goers, however, the performance by Orchestre Métropolitain (conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin with soloist Marc-André Hamelin) was more than refreshing! The concert featured Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Symphony No. 7, “Leningrad”. With his usual flamboyance, Nézet-Séguin masterfully led his orchestra to a grandiose finale.
This year, the Festival’s Artistic Director Gregory Charles built the Festival program around the evocative theme “All is fair in love and war”, giving audiences at the event the opportunity to discover and enjoy a more contemporary vision of classical music.
Concerts at the Amphitheatre: A favourite of festival-goers
The programming of the 41st season offered a delightful mix of classical and modern works, with artists from many different horizons on the Amphitheatre stage. This well-rounded season featured a diverse and representative selection of talented performers: women and men in equal number as well as artists of diverse origins. Although Mr. Charles has recently stepped down, Festival de Lanaudière are so pleased to have been able to collaborate with him for the last two seasons.
As custom would have it at Festival de Lanaudière, internationally renowned orchestras and conductors again rose to the occasion to thrill music lovers at the event: the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Kent Nagano, Orchestre Métropolitain, and conductors Roderick Cox, Stephen Layton, Susanna Mälkki and soloists adored by music lovers: Stéphane Tétreault, Marc-André Hamelin, Alexandre Da Costa et Marc Hervieux to name only these leading artists and ensembles. The Festival also celebrated the universe of jazz with the Orchestre national de jazz de Montréal, the Jireh Gospel Choir, and presented the concert Céline Symphonique, a tribute to Céline Dion, created by Gregory Charles, this concert garnered immense popular success!
Concerts in the Churches: A must for music-lovers
Talented artists also dazzled audiences in concerts presented in the region’s churches. These venues provide audiences with the much-appreciated opportunity to enjoy a more intimate ambiance and contact with performers. This year, a full roster of world-renowned artists included violinist Rachel Barton Pine (July 5th); violinist Boson Mo with pianist Tony Yike Tang (July 6th); The Canadian Guitar Quartet (July 10th); the Gryphon Trio (July 12th); violinist Amy Hills accompanied by pianist Meagan Milatz (July 17th); soprano Ève Dessureault with Romain Pollet at the piano; the piano tandem of Anagnoson & Kinton (July 19th); the choir Voces Boreales directed by Andrew Gray (July 29th); and the Arod Quartet (July 30th). All these musicians transformed magnificent evenings into moments of grace within the different churches of the Lanaudière region.
Outdoor musical movie screenings: Moments of wonder for the whole family
In partnership with Montreal’s Place des Arts and the municipalities of Joliette, Saint-Charles-Borromée, and Notre-Dame-des-Prairies, the Festival de Lanaudière proudly presented its 13th Outdoor Movies season. Each Tuesday night during the season marked the screening of a movie under the stars, free of charge. Fun for the whole family!
This festival component was launched on July 10th with La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast). Festival goers also enjoyed Polina, danser sa vie (Polina, July 17th); Coco (July 24th), and Le maître de la scène (The Greatest Showman, July 31st).
The Festival extends heartfelt thanks to all its partners
Festival de Lanaudière wishes to thank its major partners whose contribution directly sustains the highest standards of artistic excellence and hospitality for which the Festival is renowned. They include our Presenting Partner Hydro-Québec, in collaboration with 98.5 FM, the Government of Quebec through the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and Tourisme Québec, the Government of Canada through Canadian Heritage, Desjardins, Yamaha Music, Société de la Place des Arts, the municipalities of Joliette, Notre-Dame-des-Prairies, and Saint-Charles-Borromée, Tourisme Lanaudière, Montreal Airports, Amaro, Mr. Jean-Pierre Léger, the J.-A. DeSève Foundation, the Azrieli Foundation, Power Corporation, as well as numerous partners in the areas of culture, the media, hotels and accommodations, and restaurants.
See you again soon for our 42nd season – From July 6th to August 4th, 2018!
The entire team at Festival de Lanaudière is pleased to invite audiences to take part in its 42th season next year. Until then, you can register online to receive our newsletter by visiting the Festival’s homepage at www.launaudiere.org and following us on Facebook. Stay informed about Festival de Lanaudière’s exciting new season!
Finally, yet importantly, Festival de Lanaudière warmly thanks its team of volunteers, the Friends of the Festival, for their commitment and the high quality of their customer service standards.
Photo credit: Pure Perception
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