The Orchestre Classique de Montréal (OCM) will welcome several renowned Quebec female soloists for its last two concerts of the season. Conductor Geneviève Leclair will lead the “Grandes québécoises” concert on Thursday, May 17, 7:30 p.m., at Salle Pierre-Mercure, while Jacques Lacombe will provide musical direction for the concert “Eroica: to our health heroes” on Friday, May 27, 8 p.m., at the Maison Symphonique of the Place des Arts.
“We are ending the season on a high note with these two concerts led by two quality conductors. After the sudden loss of Maestro Brott, it is important for the OCM to continue its tradition of offering concerts that meet the expectations of our public. I am very confident that with Geneviève Leclair and Jacques Lacombe it will be a great success.” says Taras Kulish, General Director.
OCM’s 83rd season will be unveiled on June 14 at the annual benefit gala at the Sofitel hotel. The company will then announce who will succeed to Maestro Brott as Music Director of the ensemble.
Grandes Québécoises
Thursday, May 17 at 7:30 pm – Centre Pierre-Péladeau, Pierre-Mercure Hall
The May 17 concert will be conducted by a protégé of the recently deceased maestro Boris Brott, Quebec conductor Geneviève Leclair. Boris had taken the chef under his wing for the last fifteen years, and she led OCM’s presentation of the opera As One which was acclaimed by critics in 2020.
Harpist Valérie Milot and flautist Nadia Labrie will present their nuanced interpretation of Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp, before giving way to young pianist Élisabeth Pion in Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D major. The twin sisters Nadia Labrie, flautist, and Annie Labrie, guitarist, will then evoke Latin American panache in the Concerto Tradicionuevo by Franco-Quebec composer Patrick Roux. This concert will also mark the centenary of Lotte Brott (1922-1998), former director of the OCM, with the world premiere of the piece “She rides a bicycle with a cello on her back and a baby in the basket” by the composer Canadian Carmen Braden.
As part of its 82nd season entitled Women of Distinction, the OCM pays tribute, at each of its concerts, to a highly accomplished woman outside the music world who has marked the community in her own way. Before the concert and in her presence, the OCM will pay tribute to Pauline Marois, the first woman to be elected Premier of Quebec.
This concert is generously presented by Marie-Christine Tremblay and Jacques Marchand.
Program
Valérie Milot, Harp
Élisabeth Pion, Piano
Annie Labrie, Guitar
Nadia Labrie, Flute
Geneviève Leclair, Conductor
Orchestre classique de Montréal
She rides a bicycle with a cello on her back and a baby in the basket, Carmen Braden (PREMIÈRE)
Concerto for flute & harp in C major, K. 299/297c, W. A. Mozart
Piano Concerto no. 11 in D major, J. Haydn
Concerto Tradicionuevo for flute & guitar, Patrick Roux
Tickets: $25 – $59
On sale at: orchestre.ca
EROICA: For Our Healthcare Workers!
Friday, May 27 at 8 pm – Maison symphonique of the Place des Arts
Thanks to the generous support of the evening’s sponsor, Medicom, the OCM invites 200 health care workers from the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) and the Jewish General Hospital (JGH) free of charge. A vibrant tribute will be given to them.
“It is with great emotion that we organize this last concert of the season in order to highlight the true heroes of our society who have worked tirelessly and taken care of us for more than two years!” says Taras Kulish, Director General of the OCM.
This concert will also be an opportunity to hear several musicians selected for the Canimex mentoring program, supported by the Canimex Group and the RBC Foundation. The thirteen students from the Faculty of Music of the Université de Montréal will join the orchestra for this great concert.
Programme
Jean-Philippe Sylvestre, Piano
Suzanne Taffot, Soprano
Jacqueline Woodley, Soprano
Rose Naggar-Tremblay, Mezzo-Soprano
Emmanuel Hasler, Tenor
Matthew Dalen, Tenor
Jean-Philippe Mc Clish, Baritone
Les Filles de l’île & Les Chantres Musiciens, Choirs
Jacques Lacombe, Conductor
Evgenii Sakmarov, Assistant Conductor
EROICA, Symphony no.3, op. 55, by Beethoven
Choral Fantasy, op. 80 by Beethoven
Tickets: 25$ – 149,99$
On sale at placedesarts.com
