A year to worry about for Celine Dion
It is through short videos published on the internet that Celine Dion gave her news to the public this year. And they have never been particularly pleasing. In the spring, the star had announced the postponement of her summer European tour due to muscle spasms, the same ones that had forced her to extend her new show in residence in Las Vegas to 2021. After several months of radio silence and as many absurd rumours, the bomb fell this week. In a video message, the diva of Charlemagne announced that she suffered from a rare neurological disease called Moersch and Woltman syndrome, which affects her when she walks and when she uses her vocal cords. Contrary to what many hoped, 2023 will therefore not be the year of getting back in shape. Small consolation: in the spring, it will appear in the credits of love againan American romantic comedy in which she plays herself and for which she has just recorded a new song.
Marc-Andre Lemieux, The Press
The “Grey Power” against Joe Rogan
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, PRESS ARCHIVES
Gilles Vigneault had his songs removed from Spotify to protest Joe Rogan’s misinformation.
The life of a journalist sometimes gives you these improbable little pleasures, such as being able to place the names Joe Rogan and Gilles Vigneault in the same sentence. A few days after Neil Young, who removed his albums from Spotify in protest against the smoky theories about COVID-19 carried by the popular podcast of the hero of the brosthe premier streaming company lost another of its peasants in the venerable person of the bard of Natashquan. Even if he does not have exactly the same listening figures as FouKi, the nonagenarian thus reminded us of what it means to stand straight as an oak tree.
Dominic Tardif, The Press
The dismissal of LaFlamme sets fire to the powder
PHOTO JUSTIN TANG, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Lisa LaFlamme, awarded the Order of Canada by Governor General Mary Simon last November
Experienced anchors have not all been treated with as much consideration in 2022. While in Quebec, TVA celebrated the retirement of Pierre Bruneau with drums and trumpets, in English Canada, the head of antenna Lisa LaFlamme was curtly shown the door by CTV after 35 years of loyal service. Her firing raised issues of sexism and ageism, including because she sported gray hair. At least the popular reporter had a happier fall. She returned to the air in September to cover the death of Elizabeth II as a special correspondent for CityNews, then received the Order of Canada in November.
Marc-Andre Lemieux, The Press
How to dance with Russian artists?
PHOTO SARAH MONGEAU-BIRKETT, THE PRESS
Daniil Trifonov, in concert with the OSM at Maison symphonique, last April
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced cultural institutions to draw a line with Russian artists called upon to perform on our stages. This did not go without certain waltzes-hesitations. Two weeks after the start of the Russian military operations, the Orchester symphonique de Montréal (OSM), for example, decided to withdraw the young Russian pianist Alexander Malofeev from a program conducted by guest conductor Michael Tilson Thomas at the Maison symphonique. A decision strongly criticized by the international musical community. A month later, the same orchestra turned around and welcomed world-renowned Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov. “We therefore made the decision not to boycott the artists, unless they support this war,” confided the OSM’s CEO, Madeleine Careau, to our columnist Mario Girard. Art can rise above politics; nevertheless, we will hear few Russian programs in Montreal theatres.
Frederic Murphy, The Press
The ecologists sprinkle the canvases
PHOTO JUST STOP OIL, SUPPLIED BY REUTERS
Environmental activists doused the painting with soup The sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh at the National Gallery in London on October 14.
Glasgow, Paris, London, Berlin, Madrid, Potsdam, The Hague, Vienna, Oslo, New York, Canberra, Milan and most recently Vancouver. Works of art have been targeted this year by environmental activists. “Why are we protecting these paintings when we are not protecting the millions of lives that will be lost to climate and societal collapse? “, justified the organization Just Stop Oil. These blows shocked the art world, because if the actions did not damage the works, they fear the worst. A hundred international museums have called for an end to this vandalism and for a constructive dialogue on social issues.
Eric Clement, The Press
Will Ticketmaster be held accountable?
PHOTO JOEL C RYAN, INVISION/AP ARCHIVES
Taylor Swift in concert at Wembley Stadium in London in June 2018
The chaos surrounding the sale of tickets for the tour eras by Taylor Swift has caused a lot of ink to flow and even alerted the authorities. After a postponement of the sale due to too much demand, the singer’s admirers who had a code for the presale on the Ticketmaster platform rushed for the tickets (as did the resellers). All seats were sold out at this time, so the general sale that was to follow was cancelled. The angry Swifties must now fall back on resale sites, where prices in some cases reach several thousand dollars. Alerted by admirers and some elected officials, the United States Department of Justice is now investigating the circumstances of this sale.
Marissa Groguhe, The Press
Will we see Delaf’s Lagaffe?
BOARD PROVIDED BY DUPUIS
The publication of the album The return of Gaston Lagaffewhose Quebec cartoonist Delaf signs the gags and the drawing, was suspended in May.
Cold shower for the Quebec cartoonist Delaf: announced in March, the publication of the album The return of Gaston Lagaffe, whose gags and drawing he signs, was suspended in May. Franquin’s daughter opposes the resurrection of the character by the Dupuis editions, arguing that her father did not want the character to survive him. The case has gone to court arbitration and, at press time, the court’s decision has yet to be issued.
Alexandre Vigneault, The Press