From May 25 to June 17, more than twenty shows will be presented in the Montérégie region, and for the first time, in Montreal. Combining classical music and digital arts, Festival Classica will feature renowned artists from here and abroad. Audiences will be able to enjoy the great classics of composer Gabriel Fauré, as well as the mythical songs of Félix Leclerc in a symphonic version.

In this month’s article, we’ll provide an overview of the festival – one of Canada’s largest classical music festivals. More detailed information about the concerts will be included in our May and June issues. Festival Classica offers Festival Passports for enthusiasts who want to attend multiple concerts. That information is available on the website: www.festivalclassica.com

Marc Boucher

Baritone opera singer Marc Boucher is the Founder and Artistic Director of Festival Classica and the opera company, Nouvel Opéra Métropolitain

Right from the first production of Lux Aeterna on May 25th at Salle Claude-Champagne on the UdeM campus, audiences will be treated to world-class musicians, including Stéphane Tétreault (violin cello), Conductor Mathias Maute, Elvira Misbakhova (violin), Stéphane Beaulac (trumpet), tenor Marc Herviieux, Alain Trudel conducting Orchestre de Trois Rivieres, and many, many more outstanding musicians. Festival Classica has earned an outstanding reputation in the classical music world, and it’s a prestigious booking for world-class musicians and singers. Founder Marc Boucher will be taking baritone role in L’Homme qui Rit on May 31.

On May 31, as well as June 6 and 14, Nouvel Opéra Métropolitain will present their first three productions. (NOM is the opera division of Festival Classica.) For Marc Boucher, the Founder and Artistic Director of Festival Classica, these inaugural performances are close to his heart.

Marc is an opera performer with a solid international reputation. In fact, for many years he sang in Europe because of a lack of operatic work in Montreal. He believes passionately that there needs to be more local performance opportunities for singers trained at Montreal universities such as McGill and Université de Montréal. Putting action behind his belief, Marc and his colleagues at Festival Classica have established a new Montreal area opera company, Nouvel Opéra Métropolitain. The NOM will offer two world premiere productions and one unique rediscovery, in a musical and digital perspective. Most of the cast members will be from Quebec, but artists from France will also be performing.

Festival Classica

Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon will be performed outside with a full orchestra on June 10

“I believe that by creating an opera company, we can economically present productions that will appeal to Montrealers. We have world-class singers here who have been trained at our universities, but there aren’t enough opportunities for them to work. With Nouvel Opéra Métropolitain we’re giving Canadian singers a chance for more work locally. We are creating sets by using digital backdrops. Technology allows us to do this today.”

Each Festival Classica has a popular music component, and this year’s major outdoor concert will be Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon. Marc states, “We’re going to stage this in Parc de la Cité in St. Hubert. It’s a huge park and we’re expecting to draw 10,000 people. Our production includes a full orchestra, choir and outstanding vocalists.  We’ve presented The Wall several times – and this performance will appeal to Pink Floyd and classical music fans alike.”

Jazz fans will enjoy Claude Bolling’s Suite for Flute #1 on May 26 at Eglise Sainte-Famille, followed by Suite for Flute #2 on May 28.

The indoor concerts will be presented in churches in St. Lambert, Longueuil, Boucherville, St. Bruno and Greenfield Park. The majority will be at Festival Classica’s unofficial headquarters in St. Lambert at the St. Lambert Catholic Church at 41 Avenue Lorne.

For more information about Festival Classica, please visit their website: www.festivalclassica.com We’ll have more detailed concert information in our May issue.