Opera of Today – May 30, 2024

Bourgie Hall presents

Fables and Legends – Opera of Today

This concert is an invitation to discover three original contemporary creations by women composers and librettists, winners of the MMP3F 2022 competition. Performed by outstanding vocal and instrumental artists, these chamber operas highlight some of modern society’s greatest contradictions.

Je suis la fille de la fille sets to music the poetry of Franco-Lebanese author Emné Nasereddine, winner of the Prix Émile-Nelligan, weaving an unexpected connection between three generations of women who were previously separated by all aspects of life. The Gray sisters then present an absurdist dark comedy, Raccoon Opera, featuring one paticularly charismatic raccoon and set against the backdrop of the housing crisis. Finally, the opera Nanatasis brings to life three traditional Abenaki legends in a dreamlike setting, reinterpreted by renowned storyteller Nicole O’Bomsawin with music by composer Alejandra Odgers.

Artists
Christopher Gaudreault, conductor

Canadian conductor and pianist Christopher Gaudreault is a captivating and uniquely versatile artist, equally at home in the operatic, orchestral, and choral repertoires. In spring 2024, Gaudreault will make his mainstage debut at the Opéra de Montréal conducting La Traviata with the Orchestre Métropolitain, lead a concert for voice and string orchestra with Ensemble Obiora for the Société d’art vocal de Montréal, and conduct the world premieres of two new operas with Musique 3 Femmes.

This past September, Christopher was a finalist for the second time at the Besançon International Competition for Young Conductors in Besançon, France following a previous invitation in 2021. As a member of the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal, in addition to his work as an opera coach and pianist, Gaudreault has had the opportunity to assistant conduct under the leadership of conductors Christopher Allen, Nicole Paiement, Nicolas Ellis, and Jacques Lacombe. Christopher is looking forward to working as music staff with NUOVA Vocal Arts and Brott Opera this summer. He holds a master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Kenneth Kiesler, and a bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from the Schulich School of Music of McGill University.

Nicole O’Bomsawin, storyteller

An anthropologist and museum curator by training, Nicole O’Bomsawin is originally from Odanak and a member of the Abenaki First Nation. Between 1986 and 2006, she was the Director of the Abenaki Museum, Quebec’s first Indigenous museum institution (est. 1965). She now teaches anthropology at the Kiuna Institution and works in partnership with the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) in Quebec on the implementation of new strategies to foster closer collaboration between public bodies, research institutions, and Indigenous communities. In addition, she is involved with the Kapakan Alliance, an organization that promotes working with elders and coordinates a large number of intergenerational events and gatherings. Also a storyteller, Nicole O’Bomsawin regularly takes part in storytelling festivals to introduce the oral culture of the First Nations to a wider audience.

Andréanne Brisson-Paquin, soprano

Hailed for her generous stage presence and expressive voice, Montreal-born soprano Andréanne Brisson Paquin is equally devoted to several different musical genres, singing baroque, classical, operatic and even contemporary repertoire with the same commitment, rigour, and excitement. 

Ellen Wieser, soprano

​Hailed by critics for her “ethereal”, “powerful yet lucid”, and “silvery bright” voice, Canadian soprano Ellen Wieser turned heads at the Castleton Festival, where she created the role of Justice Ginsburg in the world premiere of Scalia-Ginsburg. Her commanding stage presence has been described as “tremendous”, “especially compelling”, “vibrant” and “a ray of sunshine” and has led to operatic and concert engagements with reputed Symphony and Chamber Orchestras and Opera companies across the United States, Canada and Asia.

Rebecca Gray, soprano

Rebecca Gray is a soprano, composer and improviser based in Toronto passionate about performing and creating fresh, complex and inclusive new works. A graduate of the University of Toronto Opera School, she appeared as Donna Elvira in University of Toronto’s Don Giovanni (2017), performed the titular role in Prima Zombie: the diva that wouldn’t stay dead (2017) and premiered the lead in Pomegranate (2019) with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre.

Odéi Bilodeau, soprano

Élise Boucher DeGonzague, mezzo-soprano

Mishael Eusebio, tenor

Mishael Eusebio is a dynamic tenor whose creativity and charisma bring unique interpretations into every project. His recent portrayal of Young Harvey in the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’s world premiere of Harvey Milk Reimagined was received with much acclaim as well as being featured on the Opera America Magazine.

William Kraushaar, bass

Born in Montréal, William Kraushaar is a classically-trained film score composer with a strong fondness for vocal music. Self-taught bass singer, he has earned himself a privileged position in a number of prestigious canadian vocal ensembles, namely the Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montréal (SMAM), l’Ensemble Caprice, l’Harmonie des Saisons, and many more.

Andrew Gaboury, puppeteer

Program
Analía LLUGDAR and Emné NASEREDDINE Je suis fille de la fille
Rebecca GRAY and Rachel GRAY Raccoon Opera
Alejandra ODGERS and Nicole O’BOMSAWIN Nanatasis – Opéra en trois légendes

Bourgie Hall
Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 7:30pm
A pre-concert chat with the artists will take place at 6:30pm

To purchase your tickets visit: www.mbam.qc.ca/en/bourgie-hall/