What’s on in Montreal – Some choice arts and entertainment events for December Richard "Bugs" Burnett December 5, 2024 499 What’s on in Montréal courtesy of Tourisme Montréal CLASSICAL Under the baton of Grammy-winning maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin with vocals by Kim Richardson, Elisabeth St-Gelais, Mélissa Bédard and Michel Rivard, the Orchestre Metropolitain presents Holiday Melodies (December 5 and 6) at the Maison Symphonique. Then Nézet-Séguin conducts the OM and an all-Canadian cast of soloists in Handel’s Messiah at Notre-Dame Basilica on December 9 and 11. The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal presents ‘Tis the Season with Kent Nagano with guest vocalist, superstar contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux, at the Maison Symphonique on December 10 and 11. The Orchestre Classique de Montréal performs Handel’s Messiah in the crypt of Saint Joseph’s Oratory on December 12. For their 18th production of Handel’s Messiah, Les Violons du Roy and conductor Bernard Labadie welcome a quartet of soloists – including Liv Redpath and William Thomas in their Québec debut – at the Maison Symphonique on December 14. The Ensemble Caprice also performs Handel’s Messiah at the Maison Symphonique on December 22. Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal’s timeless adaptation of The Nutcracker returns to Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier for its 60th year Photo: Sasha Onyshchenko HOLIDAY CONCERTS The Holiday House Party at the Centaur Theatre features McGill University jazz performance students (eight singers and eight instrumentalists) for two shows on December 5 and 6, under the direction of jazz legend Ranee Lee. The Lyric Theatre Singers presents Candlelight Christmas 2024 at Concordia University’s Loyola chapel for four concerts, from December 12 to 15. Under the direction of Bob Bachelor, the company’s 46 singers will perform their timeless holiday repertoire of classical songs to Broadway-style showstoppers. Bourgie Hall presents the 10th edition of their highly-anticipated holiday classic A Charlie Brown Christmas featuring the Taurey Butler Trio. This four-concert series (December 18 and 19) will sell out, so get your tickets early. The glorious and historic Church of St. Andrew and St.Paul – whose Gothic Revival architecture looks like it comes straight out of Robin Hood – has scheduled their hugely popular Carols by Candlelight concerts with the A&P Choir on December 20 and 21. DANCE The prestigious Danse Danse series presents Colombian choreographer Andrea Peña’s acclaimed BOGOTÁ in the Espace Rouge of the Wilder Building from December 11 to 14. Danse Danse will present Colombian choreographer Andrea Peña’s acclaimed BOGOTÁ Photo: Félixe Godbout Delavaud Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal’s timeless adaptation of The Nutcracker by Quebec choreographer Fernand Nault returns to Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier for its 60th year. This two-act ballet based on Hoffmann’s classic tale is set to the music of Tchaikovsky and brings together more than 60 dancers and 100 extras, plus Les Grands Ballets Orchestra under the direction of conductor Dina Gilbert. If you have never seen it, this famed production is a must. Runs from December 12 to 30. Witches: Out of the Shadows at Pointe-à-Callière chronicles the little-known history of witches, with more than 400 objects from European and American collections Divination Hand © The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic THEATRE For its annual holiday pantomime, Hudson Village Theatre presents Cinderella. With singing, dancing and silly jokes, the Hudson Village Theatre Panto is a hugely entertaining family theatre experience. Runs from December 13 to January 5. EXHIBITIONS The Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex presents the exhibition Witches: Out of the Shadows which chronicles the little-known history of witches, with more than 400 objects from European and American collections. Pendulums, crystals, tarot cards, herbariums and interactive elements enable visitors to explore such practices as divination, spells, healing, and protection rituals, and examine the beliefs, symbols and fascinating practices of witchcraft. Cirque du Soleil will present OVO at the Bell Centre from Dec. 27 to Jan. 3, with matinée and evening shows Photo: Vlad Lorenzo CIRCUS ARTS Cirque du Soleil presents their show OVO at the Bell Centre from December 27 to January 3, for a total of 14 matinee and evening presentations. COMEDY Canadian comedian K. Trevor Wilson headlines the Beanfield Theatre on December 5, superstar Russell Peters brings his Relax World Tour to the Bell Centre on December 6 and Moroccan-Canadian stand-up comic Gad Elmaleh headlines the Bell Centre on December 11. Michelle Sweeney headlines her Gospel Brunch concert at Le Balcon on December 28 DRAG A Drag Queen Christmas hosted by Brooke Lynn Hytes features guest drag stars Plasma, Q, Shea Coulee, Trinity The Tuck, Miz Cracker, Manila Luzon, Venus and Montreal’s very own Gisele Lullaby at the Olympia Theatre on December 7. POP MUSIC American country music singer Conner Smith headlines the Beanfield Theatre (December 7), and Canadian punk rock legends The Flatliners bring their Holiday Mêlée Tour to Club Soda (December 12). The HERA benefit concert for La Dauphinelle at the Fairmount Theatre on December 6 features an all-star cast of guest musicians including Melissa Auf der Maur and Sam Roberts. Canadian music legend Any Kim brings his annual Andy Kim Christmas benefit concert to Le 9e on December 7. Musical guests include Dan Hill, Men Without Hats and Sass Jordan. Then Montreal soul legend Michelle Sweeney headlines her Gospel Brunch concert at Le Balcon on December 28. 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.
