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Francais (French)
Montréal, Monday, August 1, 2022 – Chants Libres is thrilled to announce the program for its seventh edition of OPER’ACTUEL | Works in Progress, where audiences will be treated to performances of operas in progress by five composers from Canada and abroad (Canada, France, Italy and Lithuania). Three performances will be held on Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28, at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal’s Théâtre Rouge.
Discover the operas of tomorrow…
OPER’ACTUEL has promoted the work of many composers and librettists since its inception. The seventh edition will feature five new pairings, selected through an international call for projects. Audiences will hear 15-minute excerpts of each piece, which span genres from musical theatre and classical opera to experimental forms.
…Performed by new music specialists
This event is a rare opportunity to witness the latest trends in new opera and vocal composition. Our seventh edition is no exception, featuring an array of international talent, such as rising Canadian star and Juno Award winner, Keiko Devaux (Classical Composition of the Year).
Marie-Annick Béliveau
Here are a few words from mezzo-soprano Marie-Annick Béliveau, the newly appointed artistic director of Chants Libres and one of this year’s featured soloists: « This edition brings together an entire community of talent, and I am absolutely thrilled that Ensemble Paramirabo and conductor Jean-Michaël Lavoie are joining us to deliver this top-notch program. Chants Libres one of those rare companies that has a performer as artistic director. I like to think that this will colour our approach during the residency week leading up to the event. »
In a new twist this year, OPER’ACTUEL will be coproduced by Chants Libres and Ensemble Paramirabo. The instrumentalists in this new music ensemble will add a professional dimension to the event. “We are excited to work on these brand-new pieces that are still being written. It’s a project that speaks directly to our mission to promote the voices of new talent,” says Jeffrey Stonehouse, the ensemble’s artistic director.
To round out the program, audiences will be treated to a sneak peak of Backstage at Carnegie Hall, a bilingual opera on racism and guitar by Tim Brady (composer) and Audrey Dwyer (librettist). The world premiere of the complete opera will be performed by Bradyworks in collaboration with Chants Libres at Centaur Theatre in late September.
This seventh edition will highlight collaboration among creators, performers and producers. It’s a fantastic summer event that invites music lovers to dive into the fascinating world of new opera and vocal works.
5 OPERAS IN PROGRESS
Keiko Devaux (Canada), L’écoute du perdu (Marie Brassard, staging)
Marco Antonio Pérez-Ramirez (France), Jailli – mis brujerías (Laurence Saboye, libretto)
Jesse Plessis (Canada), L’épaisseur du silence (Thomas Ayouti, libretto)
Nicola Straffelini (Italy), Future Games (Carlo Cenini, libretto)
Vytautas Bucionis (Lituania), La Noix & Le Diamant (Caroline Allard, libretto)
+ A SNEAK PEAK OF A NEW OPERA
Backstage at Carnegie Hall
An opera about racism and the electric guitar
Tim Brady, music | Audrey Dwyer, libretto
Soloist: Ruben Brutus, Tim Brady
Soloists
Sarah Albu, Marie-Annick Béliveau, Émilie Daoust-Versailles, Raphaël Laden-Guindon, Frédéricka Petit-Homme, Brittany Rae
Ensemble Paramirabo
Jean-Michaël Lavoie, Music Director
Marie-Annick Béliveau, Artistic Director
Ensemble Paramirabo
Tickets
Saturday, August 27, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 28, 2 p.m.
Théâtre Rouge at the Conservatoire
4750 Av. Henri-Julien, Montréal
Regular tickets: $10 Students: $5
TICKETS
About Oper’Actuel
OPER’ACTUEL’s seventh edition is a co-production by Chants Libres and Ensemble Paramirabo, in collaboration with Bradyworks and Musique 3 Femmes.
With support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and the Conseil des arts de Montréal.
This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Francais (French)
