INTERMISSION THE EXCLUSIVE WEBZINE FOR ALL DONORS OF THE OPÉRA DE MONTRÉAL
Opening Aria A Crossing of the High Seas: Riders to the Sea and Le Flambeau de la nuit
Rose Naggar-Tremblay: Life Beyond the Atelier
Adapting to COVID-19: The Artistic Perspective
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p. 12
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NO. 01 | FEBRUARY 2022
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A word from the General Director Welcome to INTERMISSION, a webzine/magazine created especially for our donor family! This new publication is something special we wish to share with our community of supporters who make so many wonderful things possible. Intermission will be published three times each season to shine a light on the many different aspects of our company, and to celebrate the family of artists, donors and colleagues who bring it all together. In this first issue, you will read about how our company re-directed its activities during the pandemic to keep artists working and to keep the opera moving forward. You will uncover the genesis of our recent collaboration with Ballet Opera Pantomime and I Musici de Montréal – Riders to the Sea/Le Flambeau de la Nuit – presented last September. You will also learn more We are deeply grateful for your support! Each about our artists in residence at the gift makes an essential contribution to the Atelier lyrique and read testimonials quality and impact of opera in our brilliant city. about our donors and what they We offer this special content to welcome you are most passionate about. We look into the life of the Opéra de Montréal with open forward to showcasing more of these arms, and to show you the incredible things personal stories with each issue. that your support makes possible! Enjoy!
PATRICK CORRIGAN
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Table of contents
A Crossing of the High Seas: Riders to the Sea and Le Flambeau de la nuit
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Our Artistic Director’s Top 5 Productions
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Emerging Voices: Vanda Treiser and the Atelier lyrique
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Rose Naggar-Tremblay: Life Beyond the Atelier
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Espace Transition at the opera
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Adapting to COVID-19: The Artistic Perspective
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In Celebration of Bernard Stotland
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Opera Quiz
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Credits Editorial Team: Translation: Graphic Design: Photos:
Blue Canoe, Véronique Gauthier, Antoine Gervais, Amy Grainger, Daniella Johnson-Meneghini, Marie-Pier Perron, Jean-Pierre Primiani Le Trait Juste, John Trivisonno Marie-Claude Paquette Brent Calis, Marianne Charland, Yves Renaud 4
Olivier Kemeid, librettist (left) Hubert Tanguay-Labrosse, composer (right)
Riders to the Sea and Le Flambeau de la nuit: A Crossing of the High Seas Sea, shipwreck, unleashing of the elements: this is what awaited the audience who attended performances of this collaborative production of the Opéra de Montréal, Ballet Opéra Pantomime (BOP), and I Musici de Montréal chamber orchestra last September. The program featured two short operas: Riders to the Sea by Ralph Vaughan Williams and the world premiere of Le Flambeau de la nuit, libretto by Olivier Kemeid and music by Hubert Tanguay-Labrosse.
From The Aeneid to Le Flambeau de la nuit As the co-directors of BOP Hubert Tanguay-Labrosse and Alexis Raynault were developing their project, Vaughan Williams’ opera quickly came to mind. “It’s a work we like very much, and we wanted to combine it with a new work that would address the same themes,” explains Hubert Tanguay-Labrosse. After reading Olivier Kemeid’s own re-reading of The Aeneid, they approached the author about a collaboration. “My relationship with the sea is present in several of my works. It is a subject that nourishes me and challenges me a lot. They had the right intuition that my world would fit in well with Riders to the Sea,” quipped the playwright. 5
A Fortunate Introduction to the Creation of an Opera Wading into opera for the first time, the playwright’s confidence and experience came to him through the guidance of Hubert and Alexis. But far from holding him back, the constraints of the operatic world inspired him in his writing: “I have no problem reworking my texts and refining them. In opera, it’s the music that dominates. What matters is that the text can be put into the singer’s mouth, and at no time did I feel that I had to distort my language to make that work.” His main challenge? Time limits. “I tend to write very long plays, so writing a 40-minute opera is a super interesting exercise for me!”
Migration: A Timeless Story In Le Flambeau de la nuit, we follow refugees fleeing their country—in this case, a mother and son—, from their departure to their crossing’s tragic outcome. Emphasizing the theme’s timelessness, the opera avoids setting a specific place or time. It has a symbolic, mythological element inspired by thousands of stories of shipwreck and migration that have marked history, literature, and the author’s life. “There was the migration of my father’s family, who left Egypt in 1952, that of Virgil, the Syrians, the Senegalese.” And the Boat People who crossed his path in the Bahamas when, at the age of 10, young Olivier spent a year on a sailboat with his family. These Boat People were lost off the coast of Florida, and Olivier and his family were the last to see them alive.
This is also Hubert Tanguay-Labrosse’s first experience composing an opera, and his choices, such as instrumentation emulating the movement of the sea and a highly present choir succeed in creating the right, evocative atmosphere. “I find it easier to write for the voice than for any other instrument, as the text already gives indications of what directions to take. It should be said, however, that Olivier’s words were easy to set to music, from the outset.”
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We aren’t giving lessons in morality by telling this story. We are trying to be one with the characters, and I believe our aim is more about touching people and paying tribute to these sacrificed lives, about recognizing their deep humanity.
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Hubert Tanguay-Labrosse
Olivier Kemeid
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Tackling a Delicate Subject With Sensitivity What are the issues that need to be pondered when staging a sensitive and highly mediatized topic such as migration? “To come close to doing justice to this theme, you must truly engage and put your heart and soul into it,” affirms Olivier Kemeid. “Even if the libretto is not set in a specific era, people will still find links with recent events,” adds Hubert Tanguay-Labrosse. To make the production inclusive at all stages of development, the design team worked with people who had experienced migration in real life. Le Flambeau de la nuit is also enriched by the Kurdish Iranian musician Showan Kavakol, who plays a traditional Central Asian instrument, the kamancheh, bringing a special colour to the project without being stereotypical. “I also have the impression that my background and writing journey, and the fact that I have dealt with exile several times in my plays, allows me not to feel that I am exploiting someone else’s experience.” affirms Olivier Kemeid. Without any doubt, this work left no one unmoved. Last fall, audiences were able to interpret the work for themselves, much to the delight of its creators!
In an interview with Véronique Gauthier, writer
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Highlights! We asked our Artistic Director, Michel Beaulac, to share with us what he feels were the 5 most outstanding productions of the last decade, at the Opéra de Montréal.
Porgy and Bess Composer: George Gershwin Date: January 2014 First collaboration with the Montreal Black community and the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir
Elektra Composer: Richard Strauss Date: November 2015 Exceptional collaboration with the great Spanish sculptor Victor Ochoa
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Les Feluettes Composer & Librettist: Kevin March | Michel Marc Bouchard Date: May 2016 Michel Marc Bouchard’s masterpiece revisited, a forerunner of diversity and LGBTQ+ issues
Another Brick in the Wall – The Opera Composer & Librettist: Julien Bilodeau | Roger Waters Date: March 2017 An iconic work transposed to opera and the best-selling production in the OdM’s history
Written on Skin Composer & Librettist: George Benjamin | Martin Crimp Date: January 2020 A masterpiece of the 21st century, this massive artistic success also marks our first collaboration with Philippe Dubuc for the costume design.
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Emerging Voices: Vanda Treiser and the Atelier lyrique
Vanda Treiser has been championing and supporting the Atelier lyrique for many years. In 2015, she made a first gift to underwrite the National Auditions which brings the ten finalists to Montreal for a thorough evaluation process. Then, in 2017, she made an extraordinary $1M pledge over 10 years to create the Vanda Treiser Initiatives, helping the programme soar to new artistic heights by bringing in coaches from around the world, developing masterclasses, and giving each artist the means to explore their personal curriculum during their residency. In 2021, the Directorship of the Atelier lyrique was named in honour of Vanda Treiser to crystallize this special bond. Here is a look back on this remarkable philanthropic journey.
Vanda Treiser with Chantal Lambert, Director of the Atelier lyrique 10
Tell us how it all started…
In 2017, you made a $1M pledge to create the Vanda Treiser Initiatives. What made you choose to direct your support to the Atelier lyrique specifically?
My late husband Benjamin and I were long-time subscribers and we used to go to the Opera with friends. Then, one opening night, we met Chantal Lambert – and, as the saying goes, the rest is history… We immediately felt so welcomed, like we belonged to this group of opera lovers. Anyone who has met Chantal knows just how warm and generous she is, and this is true of all her relationships: the way she cares for the artists in residence and nurtures their development is truly impressive.
I wanted to feel like my contribution made a difference and could have a positive impact for the artists in residence. Choosing to pursue an artistic path is a very courageous choice and they need all the support we can give them. I started off with the National Auditions, but I quickly realized that we needed to do more to make our programme competitive and ensure it is the #1 choice for aspiring artists across Canada.
It must give you great satisfaction to see how much the Atelier lyrique programme has evolved over the years…
I am so proud of the Opéra de Montréal and all that we achieved as a company, and that’s why I have been involved as a board member. There’s such a spirit of optimism and ambition, shared by the artists, the staff, the board, and the donor community. It gives me great joy to be part of this Opera family.
Every year, when I meet the new cohort and when I see the graduates transition to their professional career, I am so amazed by the quality of these artists – just how refined and polished they are, on- and off-stage. They just keep getting better! And it’s not just a matter of musical talent, which is undeniable; they are curious and passionate and engaging, and it’s so heartening to witness their exceptional collaborative spirit.
Thanks to Vanda Treiser’s support, the 2021-2022 Atelier lyrique artists in residence - ten singers and two pianists will take part in public events, master classes and concerts. 11
Nearly two years after completing her training at the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal, mezzo-soprano Rose Naggar-Tremblay takes a look back at this most unusual past year. One thing is certain: while the pandemic wreaked considerable havoc on her plans, it didn’t take long for new projects to fall into place, sparking her inner creator and performer.
Rose Naggar-Tremblay Life Beyond the Atelier Thinking big, from the comfort of home
all of my activities, there are human relationships. What makes me happy is genuine interaction with others and having several voices coexist in the same piece of work.”
The artist, who had been planning to spend the year in Europe, had to resign herself to keeping both feet firmly planted on Quebec soil. “When you finish up at the Atelier, you sort of get the impression that it’s ‘now or never.’ Contacts are all lined up, people want to help you, they’re expecting you. And then, all of a sudden, you find yourself tied down, unable to move. My reflex was to do everything I could to recreate the movement right here. Seizing the momentum but channeling it into local projects.”
The Cooperathon: a foray into the world of innovation Last fall, it was this interest in human relations that led Rose to take part in the Cooperathon, the largest open innovation competition in Canada, in which the Opéra de Montréal awards a prize. Working with her colleague Stephanie Sedlbauer, she focused on what she considers to be the industry’s biggest problem: the lack of a connection between the audience and the artist. “To the
Teaching languages, composition, classical music, pop music… the singer threw herself into a variety of projects. “This year, I realized that, at the core of 12
spectator, the artist is more or less anonymous. Market studies have shown that no matter who has the lead role—big star or young emerging artist—ticket sales are pretty much the same. The artists are therefore interchangeable, which leads to great fragility.” The two women created a project called Echoes, aiming to foster engagement between audiences and artists. Against all odds, their project won the prize. “Since then, we have been dealing with various industry stakeholders, making sure that a protocol is established that will allow spectators to leave with something tangible, so that they can further the discussion. A podcast, for example.” What motivated her to sign up for a competition aimed at entrepreneurs? “It was a golden opportunity to learn something. We received an enormous amount of training, we had incredible coaches, and I’m very proud of what we created.” The competition also allowed her to get to know one of the jury members, who went on to become her manager. “She’s an incredible woman. Our meeting was a pivotal point in my year!”
Diving into new work After being postponed due to the pandemic, the concert in which Rose performed her cycle Healing—for which she wrote the words and co-wrote the music with Éric Champagne—took place last April. It was a touching moment, the first time she had an opportunity to see her Opéra de Montréal family again. “The timing could not have been better. The current context gave the work additional meaning.” The singer has two projects lined up in the coming year: taking Healing on the road and recording an EP of songs titled Paris en bouteille.
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More and more, my projects seem to be straddling the border between classical music and popular song. That is where I find cultural life to be at its richest.
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– Rose Naggar-Tremblay
Rose won 1st Prize as well as the Prize for Best Performance of a Canadian Work at the 82nd edition of the OSM Competition. Rose, performing the world premiere of her song cycle Healing, Opéra de Montréal, April 2021. 13
Pierre Vachon, Director, Civic Action and Education with participants of ET at the opera’s 3rd edition
Espace Transition at the opera When you are the author, artist, and interpreter of your own creation, magical things can happen.
For teens and young adults living with mental health conditions, Espace Transition (ET) at the opera provides a space that gives that magic a place to be nurtured. You want your gifts and achievements to be honoured. You want to live a happy, healthy life where you have a chance to create and explore. That is part of what makes you human. That simple wish is not always guaranteed for people living with mental health conditions. Stigma and misunderstanding still push many to the margins of our society. We believe artistic creation can be a lever for transformation. And since ET at the opera was founded in 2018, we have seen this co-creation process support, engage, and empower young adults on their path to recovery. Over a 3-month span, every week, 15 young creators diligently become artisans and performers in creating a mini-opera inspired by a work presented at the Opéra de Montréal.
ET at the opera gives participants an opportunity to experience all facets of opera’s rich, multi-dimensional art form. They work side by side with professional artists to produce their own creation for a LIVE performance. The past year presented new challenges we have never faced. But our ET at the opera participants were determined to face this challenge with all the strength and determination they bring to their everyday lives. Working in compliance with health and safety measures, the first cohort of the year was able to present its imaginative adaptation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute — called The Enchanted Museum — at the Cinquième Salle at Place des Arts in January. Shortly after, the second cohort began creating their work, which culminated in a five-scene adaptation of Verdi’s La Traviata, including the famous “Libiamo” chorus! The premiere was recorded at the Cinquième Salle in May in front of an intimate audience of family, friends, and staff.
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We are so heartened to see that our donor community shares our commitment to supporting projects like ET at the opera, which have such a meaningful and transformative effect on the lives of these young people.
Imagine opera spreading out its arms to embrace the wider community, forging healing ties – through the power of artistic creation – between our youth and the brighter future that awaits them. Now moving on to its third season, this is what our work in precious collaboration with the clinical team at the CHU Sainte-Justine is sustaining. This is ET at the opera.
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I loved my experience despite the various limitations caused by COVID. It gave me the opportunity to do things that I would not have been able to do otherwise.
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– A participant
Participants in the project ET at the Opera, 2020-2021 15
Adapting to COVID An Interview with the Production Team
2020-2021 end of season concert with a visit from Nathalie Roy, Minister of Culture and Communications
When the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic gained in importance and the Opéra de Montréal, along with many other employers, asked its employees to work from home until further notice, no one could imagine it would last this long. As the news - coming mainly from Europe - unfolded on our screens, we could tell where things were headed. And as it turns out, things have been quite difficult because Although public health authorities have allowed concert halls to to this day, the entertainment reopen with some restrictions, we must think back to the very industry is still waiting for a beginning of the pandemic to fully understand the scope of all that return to normal. has been accomplished over the last two years. It was mid-March of
2020 when the two elements that appeared to be most urgent were set in motion: to postpone the presentation of La voix humaine/ L’hiver attend beaucoup de moi, and cancel the rehearsals of The Magic Flute that were to begin shortly thereafter. Yet, the utmost priority of the Opéra de Montréal’s artistic team was to reassure the artists, as well as their agents, and offer them some peace of mind while preserving the existing trusting relationships. It became clear that rushing into things was not a good idea and that, now more than ever, taking the time to align every artistic decision with the production and communications teams was necessary.
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The Opéra de Montréal may be a tight-knit family, but so is the opera world in Quebec. So, while waiting for everything to fall back into place, the management team redeployed the artistic budget to ensure artists could continue working. It was obvious all contracts would be postponed and honoured rather than cancelled. It’s a tangible and instant form of support that allowed those who, for the vast majority, are still in the field today, to catch their breath.
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We had to remain calm and keep a positive attitude. We had to keep our opera house alive all while complying with the ever-changing government regulations. We worked on developing multiple projects to be able to offer artistic productions, naturally in a renewed format, but subject to the same standards our public has grown accustomed to. Both the artistic and production teams were fully dedicated to overcoming any obstacle that might have stood in our way. The priority was to never compromise the artistic quality, whether that be because of the distancing or webcasting. – Catherine Levac, Artistic Administrator
Driven by the same spirit of solidarity and commitment, the production team took care of orchestrating the rest. Even a year or two in advance, the availability of a venue like WilfridPelletier is not guaranteed. This was compounded by the entertainment industry finding itself in the same situation, all shows having to be postponed. As a result, a massive game of musical chairs took place with a rather tentative calendar, evolving as the government restrictions did.
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After a year shaped by resilience and adaptability, the 2021-2022 season program was launched. This was the result of an enormous team effort and a close collaboration between producers, agents, artistic companies and more. But above all, it’s the result of a common goal that we never lost sight of; for the Opéra de Montréal, giving up was never an option. At all times, with artistic integrity and respect for the profession, only the best decisions were made with the most complete and detailed information available.
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It was very important to us. We did everything we could to multiply the solutions. That’s how we ended up launching a webcasting program that would not only provide exposure, but also royalties to a multitude of artists, musicians and technicians. We also fast-tracked our new works development program, which brought hundreds of artists in workshops and recordings. Additionally, we offered compensation to artists under contract whose productions were impacted. – Patrick Corrigan
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Left Page: 1. Hélène Turp (left) and Lucie St-Martin, soprano (right) 2. Geneviève Lessard, Production Manager, Atelier lyrique 3. Laurence Pronier, Stage Manager (left) and Dominique Cuerrier (right)
Catherine Levac (left) and Amy Grainger (right) 17
In Celebration of Bernard Stotland On October 1st, the Opéra de Montréal paid tribute to Mr. Bernard Stotland, President of the Board of Directors from 2013 to 2021. It was a special occasion for artists of the Atelier lyrique to perform beloved arias, in a particularly poignant concert within the context of live performances resuming in the fall.
Under the leadership of Mr. Stotland, the OdM has committed itself to community, artistic and creative collaboration, and nurturing the next generation of opera artists. In this spirit, forward-looking and filled with optimism, Mr. Stotland now hands over the baton to our new president, Maître René Branchaud.
For your many years of dedicated service, dear Bernie, our most sincere and heartfelt
THANK YOU!
Bernard Stotland, Past President (right) and René Branchaud, President of the Board of Directors (left). 18
Opera Quiz
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Dead Man Walking (2012-2013) Bluebeard’s Castle (2003-2004) Les Feluettes (2015-2016) Written on Skin (2019-2020)
Which opera has been performed the most often in the history of the Opéra de Montréal? a. b. c. d.
La Traviata Madama Butterfly La Bohème Carmen
How many new operas have been premiered at the Opéra de Montréal? a. b. c. d.
3 5 9 13
ANSWERS
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a. b. c. d.
1 – C. 2 – C. La Bohème (9 times); followed closely by La Traviata (8 times) and Madama Butterfly (8 times). 3 – B.
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Name the opera associated with this staging by the Opéra de Montréal.
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