What’s on in Montreal – Some choice arts and entertainment events for February Richard "Bugs" Burnett February 11, 2025 182 What’s on in Montréal courtesy of Tourisme Montréal BLACK HISTORY MONTH February marks the 34th anniversary of Black History Month in Montreal. This year’s theme is “All That We Carry”. Some events listed here celebrate Black History Month. February is the 34th Black History Month CLASSICAL Conducted by Rafael Payare, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal presents Ravel and Prokofiev With Weilerstein and Payare showcasing cellist Alisa Weilerstein (February 12 and 13) at the Maison Symphonique. EXHIBITIONS The PHI Centre in Old Montreal presents the hotly-anticipated exhibition Jean-Marc Vallée: Mixtape, a multimedia and sound journey into the memory and work of the famed Montreal film director for whom mixtapes were an essential part of his creative process. With the participation of Marc-André Grondin, Denis Villeneuve, Vanessa Paradis, Laura Dern, Reese Witherspoon and others. Runs February 13 to May 4. Free admission but reservations required. Black Theatre Workshop presents Vierge will run at the Segal Studio at the Segal Centre February 12 to March 2 THEATRE Canada’s oldest Black theatre company, Black Theatre Workshop presents Vierge which – with heart and humour – follows four Congolese-Canadian girls as they navigate Christianity, virginity and teenage hormones. Runs at the Segal Studio at the Segal Centre for the Performing Arts (February 12 to March 2) as part of BTW’s 54th season. The Segal also brings back the smash Off-Broadway musical Titanique which turns one of the greatest love stories of all time into a hysterical musical fantasia as seen through the eyes of Céline! This hilarious all-Canadian production stars the superb Véronique Claveau as Céline Dion with show-stopping performances of such hits as My Heart Will Go On and All By Myself with a full band. Runs February 2 to 16. CIRCUS ARTS The only presenter specializing in contemporary circus in North America, La TOHU in their state-of-the-art circular performance hall presents Australian company Circa reinterpreting the classic Swan Lake in Duck Pond (February 5 to 9); and Maputo-Mozambique fuses movement, juggling, singing and percussion (February 19 to 23). Montréal En Lumière festival takes place in the Quartier des Spectacles from February 27 to March 9 MONTRÉAL EN LUMIERE The 26th edition of the MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE festival takes place in the Quartier des Spectacles from February 27 to March 9, with gourmet programming beginning on February 20. The festival’s main outdoor site is Place des Festivals where visitors can enjoy the Loto-Québec Skating Loop and the Ferris wheel. The 22nd annual Nuit blanche is on Saturday, March 1. DANCE Les Grands Ballets Canadiens present Sleeping Beauty, choreographed to the magnificent score of Tchaikovsky, with Les Grands Ballets Orchestra under the direction of Dina Gilbert, February 19 to 23 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. Les Grands Ballets Canadiens will present Sleeping Beauty COMEDY Canada’s only all-Black comedy tour, the 13th annual Underground Comedy Railroad Tour headlines The Comedy Nest (February 2) with co-headliners Tamara Shevon, Daniel Woodrow, Keesha Brownie and Montreal’s very own Rodney Ramsey. The Hyprov: Improv under Hypnosis show with legendary improvisational comedian Colin Mochrie and master hypnotist Asad Mecci headlines MTELUS on February 21. Powerhouse out comedian Jessica Kirson headlines the Olympia Theatre on February 28. DRAG SHOWS Accompanied by her band, Montreal drag superstar Rita Baga brings her SPRAYNET musical tour – including numbers from her début album – to the Olympia Theatre on February 26. POP MUSIC R‘n’B queen Jully Black brings her Songs and Stories Tour to Théatre Outremont (February 18), Canadian hardcore punk band Counterparts at Club Soda (February 18), Mexican pop princess Yuridia at the Olympia Theatre (February 19), and French rapper Tiakola at Place Bell (February 20). 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.
