By Yorg
I was pleased to arrive on time, just minutes before the performance at the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT). As I made my way up to the third floor where the show would be held, I ran into my new friend, France. In a bit of a rush, I quickly slipped into the venue without much time for small talk. Inside, the atmosphere was lively and engaging, with a uniquely immersive setting waiting to be discovered.
This is a vibrant season for live entertainment in Montreal, with theater and music taking center stage. Just a few blocks away, the CFL Eastern Final was underway at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium. The Montreal Alouettes were narrowly defeated by the Toronto Argonauts by two points, leaving local football fans somberly wandering the streets, visibly disappointed by the game’s close finish. Hours after the final whistle, a chill lingered in the air. Luckily, I found a nearby parking spot, though I had some difficulty locating a pay station.
In collaboration with the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT), Chants Libres and Oktoecho were debuting the distinctive, immersive opera Sainte Marine. Created by Marie-Annick Béliveau, Katia Makdissi-Warren, and Charlie Poirier-Bouthillette, this work explores a spiritual and dreamlike encounter with Saint Marine. The presentation unfolds without a strict narrative, weaving together the voices of past and present. The story draws inspiration from the remarkable life of a 5th-century Maronite monk who lived in Lebanon while concealing her gender. She resided in a monastery with her father, adopting a masculine identity to in order to remain there. Her reputation grew, but a scandal arose when she was falsely accused of fathering a child with an innkeeper’s daughter. Expelled from the monastery, she lived on charity and fasting while raising the child. After three years, she and the child were allowed back, though her true identity was only discovered after her death.
The sphere’s immersive audio and video elements enrich the storytelling, supporting the performance rather than overshadowing it. This fusion of visuals, sound, and interaction creates a shared experience where emotion meets reflection. Hymns of Saint-Éphrem, which Saint Marine would likely have sung, are woven into the performance, alongside music composed by Lebanese-Quebecer Katia Makdissi-Warren, blending traditional and contemporary instruments inspired by Maronite music. In Saint Marine’s time, the Maronites spoke Syriac, the language of Christ, which is still used in Maronite liturgy. The opera’s lyrics are in both French and Syriac, lending the work a mystical, sacred quality. Although I couldn’t fully understand the language, the emotional depth of the songs and interactions conveyed the story’s essence.
This presentation is an unforgettable auditory and visual experience. If you’re interested in exploring something eclectic, don’t miss it—it will leave you wanting more. Unfortunately, only two performances remain, tonight and tomorrow.
SAINTE MARINE
9 – 11 November 2024
Satosphère, Société des arts technologiques
1201, Boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal
ARTISTS:
Marie-Annick Béliveau, Mezzo-Soprano
Marie-Hélène Breault, Flute
Aymen Trabulsi, Nay
Pamela Reimer, Piano
Bertil Schulrabe Percussions
Michel Duval, David Cronkite and Clayton Kennedy, bass
Conception
Katia Makdissi-Warren: Design and composition
Marie-Annick Béliveau: Design, booklet and artistic direction
Charlie Poirier-Bouthillette: Video design
Normal Studio: Immersive production
Mathieu Robineau: Sound design
Flavie Lemée: Lighting
Marianne Lonergan: Scenography and costumes
Jean Aoun: Syrian Chants Specialist
