Illuminations – March 5, 2023 LiveEvents February 28, 2023 804 Orchestre Classique de Montréal presents Illuminations As part of the Montréal / Nouvelles Musiques Festival, this concert celebrates a wonderful array of 20th century works. Soprano Magali Simard-Galdès’ crystalline voice shines with the words of poet Arthur Rimbaud in Britten’s Les Illuminations. Canadian composer Brian Cherney’s Illuminations is inspired by elements of Jewish mysticism and is an evocative work for strings exploring the transformation of the mind through meditation. The program also includes a work considered one of Britten’s greatest, Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, each movement reflecting a trait of his teacher’s personality including clever imitations of other great composers. ArtistsMagali Simard-Galdès, Soprano Magali Simard-Galdès is a young Canadian soprano renowned for her shimmering tone, her refined musicality and her magnetic stage presence. She made an acclaimed German debut in November 2020 at Oper Köln in the role of Agnès in Written on Skin (Benjamin). The production was streamed online due to covid-19 restrictions and a studio recording with the Gürzenich Orchester under François-Xavier Roth was released in 2022. In past seasons, she has sung with Montreal Opera in Written on Skin (Agnès), Opera Carolina in Rigoletto (Gilda) and DiChiera’s Cyrano (Roxane), Canadian Stage and Vancouver Opera in the world premiere of The Overcoat (Mad Chorus), Opéra de Montréal in Dialogue des carmélites (Constance) and Carmen (Frasquita), with Opéra de Québec in Werther (Sophie), with Wexford Festival Opera in Le pré aux clercs (Nicette) and with Opera Lafayette in Bonsoir voisin (Louisette) On the orchestral stage, she has performed with the Houston Symphony, the National Arts Center Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Québec, Arion Orchestre Baroque, L’Harmonie des saisons, I Musici de Montréal, l’Atelier lyrique de Tourcoing, l’Opéra Grand Avignon, le Festival Classica et le Festival de Lanaudière. Magali has graduated from Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal and Montreal Conservatory of Music. She has received First-prize at both the Récital-concours international de mélodie française du Festival Classica and Canadian Music Competition. Alain Trudel, Conductor Artistic Director of the Orchestre symphonique de Laval, Toledo Symphony and Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, Alain Trudel is hailed as an “enormously talented conductor, musician and performer” (La Presse). He has served as a guest conductor with all major Canadian orchestras and appeared with orchestras in the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, Sweden, Brazil, Russia, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Latin America. He regularly leads Opéra de Montréal productions and has conducted operas in Cincinnati, Detroit, Quebec City and Toronto. Alain’s years at the helm of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, student orchestras at the University of Ottawa, Western University and the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal (his alma mater), and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada are testimony to his commitment to younger generations. He is also known as “the Jascha Heifetz of the trombone” (Le Monde de la musique) and performed as a soloist across the planet. He is the recipient of the prestigious International Trombone Association Award for his outstanding contribution in this regard. Yamaha’s signature mouthpiece bearing his name is distributed internationally. Alain is a respected composer whose works are performed throughout the Americas and Asia. Among others, he received the Académie Charles Cros’ Grand Prix du Disque, the Virginia Parker Prize, the Opus Award, and was recently named Chevalier of the Ordre national du Québec. RepertoireIlluminations by Brian CherneyLes Illuminations by B. Britten avec Magali Simard-Galdes Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge by B. Britten Sunday March 5, 2023 at 3:00pmTo purchase your tickets visit: https://en.orchestre.ca Pierre-Mercure Hall300 Boul. de Maisonneuve E,Montreal, QC H2X 3X6