The artistic and general director of the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde (TNM), Lorraine Pintal, will leave her position at the end of August 2024 after more than 30 years at the head of the Montreal institution.
Pintal made the announcement in an open letter published Thursday, saying she had been considering the move for some time.
She said that in recent years, she had decided to remain “captain of the ship” to face difficult times marked by the pandemic, inflation and labor shortages.
Pintal is delighted that the rising generation is interested in the path it has traced and claims to leave room for “a powerful breath of change, renewal, transformation”.
She also indicates that the timing of her departure is not a coincidence, because several theater projects will conclude in 2024, including the expansion work and the restructuring of senior management.
“I will ensure a transition that I hope is harmonious and unifying until December 2024, in the interest of the TNM and its teams,” she added.
The board of directors also paid tribute to Pintal, highlighting the “road that she paved for creation, the voice of women, the diversity of practices, raising awareness among young audiences, cultural citizenship, eco-responsibility and the universal accessibility of art in Quebec. »
A long career
Lorraine Pintal has led the TNM since 1992, when she became the first woman to assume this role. She succeeded Jean Gascon, Jean-Louis Roux, André Pagé and Olivier Reichenbach.
Pintal received her diploma from the Montreal Conservatory of Dramatic Art in 1973, after which she and colleagues founded a theater troupe, “La Rcouche”.
During her career, she has directed nearly 150 productions, including Madame Louis 14 And Oranges are green by Claude Gauvreau, as well as The winter of strengthby Réjean Ducharme.
In 2014, she made a brief foray into the political world by running under the banner of the Parti Québécois in the riding of Verdun. However, she was defeated by former minister Jacques Daoust.
Pintal is a member of the Order of Canada, as well as an officer of the National Order of Quebec.