Thousands of Quebecers will attend a national tribute ceremony Tuesday evening to Karl Tremblay, the late singer of the Cowboys Fringants, whose death caused shock waves throughout the province. Here is what you need to know about this event which promises to be very emotional.
Where and when will this ceremony take place?
At the request of the singer’s family, the Quebec government organized a secular ceremony in tribute to Karl Tremblay, rather than a national funeral. So, instead of taking place in a church or cathedral, this event will take place at the Bell Center.
Last Thursday, tickets were offered free of charge on the Ticketmaster platform to fill the approximately 15,000 places available to attend this event. These all found buyers in just a few dozen minutes. The lucky ones will be able to enter the Bell Center from 6 p.m., an hour and a half before the start of this ceremony, at 7:30 p.m.
What will this ceremony consist of?
The event will be marked by a performance of around twenty minutes from the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, then by speeches totaling around ten minutes from certain members of the Cowboys Fringants, whose music makes the audience vibrate. Quebec for more than a quarter of a century. The musical feature film America Cries – The Movie, produced in 2020 by video artist Louis-Philippe Eno, will then be screened at the Bell Center in memory of the singer, who over time has become a monument of Quebec song. The event will end at the end of this documentary, around 9:30 p.m.
Among the dignitaries who will take part in this tribute to Karl Tremblay, we include the Premier of Quebec, François Legault, as well as the Minister of Culture and Communications, Mathieu Lacombe.
The Quebec flag which flies on the central tower of the Parliament Building will also be flown at half-mast from dawn to dusk on Tuesday.
Will we be able to attend this ceremony outside the Bell Centre?
The many Quebecers who were unable to obtain a ticket last week for this ceremony will be able to view it on a giant screen which will be installed near the Bell Centre. “We expect a significant number of people outside,” says Ewan Sauves, spokesperson for Prime Minister François Legault. This specifies that a security perimeter will be erected for the occasion to ensure the passage of pedestrians who will gather near the home of the Montreal Canadiens to attend this vibrant tribute to Karl Tremblay.
For those who cannot travel to downtown Montreal, a broadcast of the event will also take place live on the social networks of the Cowboys Fringants, who have paid tribute several times in recent days to the late singer, who He passed away on November 15 following a long battle with prostate cancer. He was 47 years old.
Residents of L’Assomption will be able to watch this ceremony on a large screen which will be installed in the public square of the municipality, which was renamed in the name of Karl Tremblay a few days after the announcement of his death by his relatives. The singer had lived in this Lanaudière town for around twenty years, where he leaves many residents in mourning.