For photo credits see below.What’s on in Montreal – Some choice arts and entertainment events for May Richard "Bugs" Burnett May 9, 2024 1401 What’s on in Montréal courtesy of Tourisme Montréal CLASSICAL Twenty-four top new-gen classical pianists from around the world compete for $200,000 in prizes and grants at the Piano 2024 edition of the prestigious Concours musical international de Montréal from May 5 to 16. The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal closes its 90th season with The Majestic Organ Symphony by Saint-Saëns conducted by Grammy-winning Maestro Rafael Payare at the Maison Symphonique from May 28 to 30. DANCE NOS AMOURS – The Saga of The Montreal Expos opens in Montreal cinemas on May 3 At the forefront of contemporary dance in Montreal, Agora de la danse presents Chœur et chorégraphes by interdisciplinary artist André Pappathomas, from May 8 to 11 in the Wilder Building. At Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens presents a gem of the classic repertoire, the Romantic ballet Giselle (May 30 to June 2) which was first performed by the Paris Opera Ballet in 1841. DRAG Jimbo’s Drag Circus World Tour stars Canadian drag legend Jimbo from RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8 and Canada’s Drag Race at the Olympia Theatre on May 19. CINEMA Filmmaker Robbie Hart’s much-anticipated feature documentary NOS AMOURS – The Saga of The Montreal Expos opens in Montreal cinemas on May 3. COMEDY British actor and comedian Omid Djalili headlines the Rialto Theatre on May 25. THEATRE The Segal Centre for the Performing Arts remounts playwright Selina Fillinger’s critically-hailed comedy POTUS or Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive (May 12 to June 2). POTUS is about seven brilliant women who try to keep the U.S. President out of trouble when a White House PR nightmare spins into a global crisis. Georgia O’Keeffe Ram’s Head, Blue Morning Glory, 1938. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe, New Mexico, gift of The Burnett Foundation Over at Centaur Theatre Company, seven of Montreal’s top actresses – Deena Aziz, Leni Parker, Joy Ross-Jones, Espoir Segbeaya, Warona Setshwaelo, Felicia Shulman and Julie Tamiko Manning – explore what it means to be a woman working with Shakespeare today in Thy Woman’s Weeds. Directed by Amanda Kellock. Runs to May 12. A festival of contemporary dance and theatre, the 18th edition of the Festival TransAmériques presents some 25 shows from May 22 to June 5. FTA highlights include the radical theatre satire of Carte noire nommée désir at Usine C (May 23 to 26), CIRCUS ARTS The Cirque du Soleil presents KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities under the Big Top in the Old Port from May 23 to July 14. EXHIBITIONS Exhibition Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore: Giants of Modern Art at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Photo MMFA, Denis Farley This is your last chance to see the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts’ blockbuster O’Keeffe and Moore: Giants of Modern Art exhibition examines the lives and art of two 20th century icons, American painter Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) and British sculptor Henry Moore (1898-1986). Runs to June 2. Over at the McCord Stewart Museum, the new Norman Parkinson: Always in Style exhibition explores the work of one the pillars of 20th-century fashion photography. This North American premiere runs to September 15. LITERATURE The inaugural Montreal Mystery Book Festival at La Grande Bibliothèque brings together English- and French-language writers from around the world for panel discussions, author Q&As, book signings and meet-and-greets, from May 24 to 25. That same weekend, the 13th edition of Montreal Comic Arts Festival will be held on Saint-Denis Street between Gilford and Roy, from May 24 to 26. Dawn Tyler Watson headlines and emcees the Stella Music Festival’s Women in Music Grand Concert POP MUSIC Montreal rock legends GrimSkunk headline MTELUS (May 10 and 18), Hip Hop icon Ice Cube (May 10) and classic rockers Styx (May 21) at Place Bell, The Tina Trons play two sets of 80s post-punk New Wave at NDG’s legendary Wheel Club (May 18), Hip Hop icon and legendary rapper Slick Rick The Ruler at Theatre Paradoxe (May 21), former Skid Row lead singer Sebastian Bach at the Beanfield Theatre (May 24), Québec rock icon Michel Pagliaro headlines an acoustic show in the Studio-Cabaret at Espace St-Denis (May 24), and legend-in-the-making blues guitarist Christone ”Kingfish” Ingram headlines Le National theatre (May 31). Other May shows of note: The biggest Latin music festival in Canada, Fuego Fuego headlines the Olympic Park (May 25 and 26), as does Montreal indie rock band Half Moon Run’s new one-day festival L’Appel Montréal (May 30). Montreal soul queen Michelle Sweeney headlines her popular Gospel Brunch with Michelle Sweeney & The Gospel Tribe at Le Balcon music hall and restaurant on May 11, and Montreal’s international Queen of the Blues Dawn Tyler Watson headlines and emcees the Stella Music Festival’s Women in Music Grand Concert at Le Gésu Theatre featuring female performers from various backgrounds, including flamenco music group Fuego Flamenco, on May 30 at 7:30 pm. Dubbed “Mr. Montreal” by the CBC, arts and culture journalist and columnist Richard “Bugs” Burnett knows Montreal like a drag queen knows a cosmetics counter.
