The classic festival season has already been launched for a week with Classica on the South Shore. Everyone is back to full power, if not more. And the spectators in all this?
It was three months ago. In March, some – not so much in classic – asked for visibility and predictability as if we were at the edge of a cliff. However, the summer, then already largely programmed, unfolds as if the COVID-19 had never existed. The Orford, Domaine Forget and, of course, Lanaudière festivals will be running at full speed, the Maison Trestler will welcome artists on Wednesdays all summer, the Montreal Chamber Music Festival, which had organized a session at the autumn, does another one in mid-June.
The major question remains the presence of the public. He has been timid since the January recovery. It’s not a Montreal or Quebec phenomenon, but a North American one and, for all sorts of reasons, global. If the Metropolitan Opera sells seats at 25 dollars on the day of the performances, its empty seats cannot be explained in the same way as those of the Vienna Opera, where the abundant Russian clientele is lacking.
A call for air
On May 10, the American firm Impacts Experience, which specializes in advising cultural institutions in the United States, published a study entitled The pandemic has changed the types of cultural entities that people prefer to visit. This redistribution is studied by a post-pandemic desirability index according to the activities. Envy has roughly returned to a pre-pandemic state for museums and stadiums, it has increased for zoos or parks, but remains in deficit by 20 to 30% for concert halls, theaters and cinemas .
The results are logical since they promote outdoor activities. We can therefore bet on a good year for the Lanaudière amphitheater. We cannot, however, draw hasty conclusions on all the outdoor events, because Impacts Experience has not estimated the combination of the crowd effect with the benefit of the open air.
Lanaudière 2022, therefore, unfolds over an unusual length, from June 30 to August 7. It is “supercharged”, not only in duration, but also in content, which clearly reconnects with the ambitions of an international festival and the very idea of ”festival”, that is to say projects artistic that we do not necessarily see during the year. The event also falls back, in a way, on its “traditional” feet, because the OSM can ensure its launch with its musical director, as in the past. It will be recalled that Kent Nagano’s personal summer schedule took him out of Montreal until the beginning of August, which had led to a complete redeployment, in particular of dates.
Rafael Payare and the OSM will therefore open Lanaudière on June 30 and 1er July with programs they will then bring on tour in Korea. At the other end, on August 6 and 7, Yannick Nezet–Seguinback from his European summer, will lead the 1er act of The Valkyrieon the one hand, and the piano concerto by Schumann with Helene Grimaud, the other. Don’t overlook the Orchester Métropolitain’s third concert on July 31, Rossinimania!with, under the baton ofAriane Matiakhtwo vocal giants, Lawrence Brownleeand Michael Spyressharing the stage with our Quebec mezzo Rihab Chaiebwho has just triumphed at the Met in Satyagraha by Phillip Glass.
The major international visits are those ofAkademie für Alte Music Berlinfor three Beethoven programs, and the pianist alexander Kantorowin recital on July 27, Lanaudière also welcoming William Christieand its musicians. The most original projects are undoubtedly the bird catalog of Messiaen, unrolled at night and in the early morning, then during the day by Pierre-Laurent Aimard. Let us also note the first musical encounter of Charles Richard Hamelinand Marc-Andre Hamelinwith Les Violons du Roy.
Summer one weekend at a time
Overall, much more than a festival, Lanaudière 2022 will be a test. Will we observe the extension of a spring sluggishness in terms of “desire for shows”, or will the festival be a springboard towards a return to a form of normality?
Created in Quebec
Even if their environment is the great outdoors, the Domaine Forget festivals, for the last year of Paul Fortin, and Orford Music will depend on the public’s appetite for the indoor experience. Orford launches on July 8 with Alain Lefevreand will end with Anderson and RoeAugust 12. The undeniable highlight was to be the arrival of the great pianist Martin Helmchenfor two concerts on July 22 and 23. But this presence has just been cancelled. The spotlight is therefore more than ever on Marc-Andre Hamelinwho will play the Hammerklavier Sonata of Beethoven on July 30. He will do the same at Domaine Forget on August 5th.
The Estate will pay tribute to Joseph Rouleau on June 25, with singers and winners of the Competition musical international de montreal. The following week, July 2, Bernard Labadieand Les Violons du Roy will find Benedetto Lupo in the 4e Concerto by Beethoven. The orchestras will parade at the Domaine: the OSQ with Bramwell Toveythe Metropolitan with Yannick Nezet-Seguinthe loop being closed with jonathan Cohenand Les Violons du Roy on August 20, during a concert bringing together Karina Gauvin,Marie-Nicole Lemieux,JJean-Francois Lapointeand Charles Richard Hamelin.
If Orford and Forget have returned to their quasi-normality, not necessarily their greatest hours, but a season of standard caliber, the Quebec Opera Festival is like Lanaudière, in tonic mode. Not only will Jean-François Lapointe, artistic director, be putting on a great show on July 29, with Faust by Gounod featuring Thomas Bettinger, Patrick Bolleire, Anne-Catherine Gillet, Jerome Boutillierand Sarah Bissonnettein a staging by Jean-Romain Vesperini, but he will alternate it with the world premiere of Yourcenar. An island of passions ofEric Champagneon a booklet ofHelene Dorionand of Marie Claire Blais. The Champagne opera has been staged at the Palais Montcalm and will also be presented by the Opéra de Montréal at the Salle Pierre-Mercure. The opera festival maintains its collaboration with the Jeunesses musicales through A merry widow and will offer a youth show: Three andersen’s tales.
All the organizations will be active this summer: the OSM will organize its Virée from August 10 to 14, with a concert at the Olympic Park on August 10; OM will meet music lovers on Mount Royal on August 2 with the 5e Symphony by Beethoven; the Montreal baroque festival will return to its summer quarters from June 23 to 26 at the Rialto theater with a theme centered on women composers. Classica is held until June 19, with in particular the Vespers of Monteverdi, Sunday evening, and a program of Stabat Materconcocted by Luc BeausejourSaturday, June 11. James Ehneswill headline three concerts at the Montreal Chamber Music Festival; the Saint-Eustache Opera Festival will present Bohemian July 7; Valerie Milotand Charles Richard Hamelinwill travel to the Bic Islands in mid-August, and Richard Turpconcocted a dozen free concerts in Lachine between July 8 and 22, in particular, on July 16 and 17, a great cello weekend with Elinor Frey, Cameron Crozman, Noemie Raymond-Frisetand Stephane Tetreault.
It remains to complete this rich summer menu, completed in Montreal by lesciné-concerts Star Wars of francis Choiniere August 26 and 27, with proposals from Ottawa. the Chamberfest will notably welcome the Danish quartet on August 4, when Music and others worlds has not announced its program yet.