The European adventure for Payare and the OSM

The OSM musicians and their new musical director, Rafael Payare, kick off a European tour on Friday filled with excitement, reunions, but also a genuine desire to conquer.

This five-city tour begins in Zagreb, before continuing to Budapest, Vienna, Brussels and London. As I did in March 2019, I will have the pleasure of accompanying the band for the second half of the tour in order to make you live this adventure through a series of chronicles.

Touring life is one thing. The touring life of a 97-piece orchestra is another. Topics will not be lacking.

Obviously, I can’t wait to see how the music lovers in these cities will welcome Rafael Payare, whose name has little resonance in Europe. “It’s true that for the moment, he is not known,” confided to me Madeleine Careau, CEO of the OSM. It is we who are going to discover it. It’s a challenge, but I have to say, once people see him leading, they embrace him. »

Rafael Payare leaves Montreal with an impressive number of works under his arm (see the OSM website) which make up the various programs that will be offered.

Orchestras often establish programs according to themes. There is also the presence of soloists who tour a lot around the world. In short, there are many constraints. “You have to arrive with a choice of works and create programs adapted to the needs of the theatres,” adds Madeleine Careau.

Building on the solid reputation of his orchestra, Rafael Payare will attempt to seduce the European public with three high-calibre soloists. First, Montrealer Bruce Liu, winner of the International Chopin Piano Competition in 2021, who will offer Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini by Rachmaninoff, a work that the Quebec public was able to hear during the last Classic trip.

“It’s rare for an artist like him to be able to perform in a city like Vienne,” says Madeleine Careau. He is talented, but he still needs to build his fame. It’s an incredible opportunity for him. »

Violinist Augustin Hadelich will return to the OSM in Brussels to perform the Concerto n^oh 5 for violin in A major of Mozart. As for the Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, he will accompany the OSM for the first time to Zagreb, Budapest and London to give the Piano Concerto in G major by Ravel (presented on October 12 at the Maison symphonique).

In short, I have few fears about the success that Rafael Payare and the OSM should experience (the conductor recently put the public of South Korea in his pocket). That said, as a good manager, Madeleine Careau has some concerns, particularly with regard to London, a city where the musical offer is abundant.

“These cities, like everywhere else, are going through a recession. We didn’t feel that in South Korea. Everything is outrageously expensive, but people don’t seem to be held back. In Europe, it is something else. And then there’s London, where we haven’t been in forty years. We are the first foreign orchestra to perform at the South Bank Center since the pandemic. Will people travel to go to the concert? »

Rafael Payare has previously performed in London while leading the Ulster Orchestra. But for his name to resonate loudly in the city of Charles III, you have to go there on a regular basis. Several orchestras are attached to the city, in addition to all those who are invited. That’s a lot of chefs parading behind the desks.

You should know that this tour was established before the pandemic and that it was to be done with Kent Nagano. After the arrival of Rafael Payare, we redid the itinerary of the tour which was to begin in Russia. The conflict with Ukraine changed everything.

You suspect that such an operation cannot be done without additional financial assistance. It is not box office revenues that will allow 97 musicians to perform in five cities. “It’s impossible to do that without support,” says Madeleine Careau. Otherwise, each ticket would have to be sold for around $1,000. We are fortunate to be able to count on the OSM Foundation, whose mission is to promote the orchestra internationally. The money she gives us each year allows us to tour, film our concerts and record records. In short, to project the OSM elsewhere in the world. »

Before leaving Madeleine Careau, who maintained an Olympian calm despite the scale of this project, I wanted to know her personal expectations. “My goal is to maintain the OSM’s reputation internationally. Few orchestras travel the way we do. We must not forget that when we perform in these cities, we become a kind of ambassador. Our presence makes people talk about Montreal, Quebec and Canada. »

So I’ll see you on Sunday when the OSM will perform in Mozart’s city for a series of two different concerts. Lots of exhilarating moments ahead!