Evening Program - La beauté du monde

COMPOSER: JULIEN BILODEAU

LIBRETTO: MICHEL MARC BOUCHARD

Languague : French and German with English and French surtitles

Premiere: Productions ODM inc., Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts, Montréal, November 19, 2022 Duration: 2h47 (includes first and second intermissions (25 and 20 minutes respectively)

Jacques Jaujard Damien Pass Esther France Bellemare Jacob Émile Schneider Alexandre Rosenberg Rocco Rupolo Franz Wolff-Metternich John Brancy Rose Valland Allyson McHardy Dr Bruno Lohse Isaiah Bell Hermann Göring Matthew Dalen Jeanne Boitel Layla Claire

Conductor

Jean-Marie Zeitouni Assistant Conductor Hubert Tanguay-Labrosse Stage Director Florent Siaud Assistant Stage Director Natalie Van Parys Stage Design Romain Fabre Costumes Sarah Balleux

Lighting Nicolas Descoteaux Videos Gaspard Philippe Chorus Master Claude Webster Rehearsal Pianist Esther Gonthier Rehearsal Pianist (Chorus) Pierre McLean

A PRODUCTION OF:

Productions ODM inc. with the financial support of SODEC

We warmly thank Marie-Christine Tremblay and Jacques Marchand for their exceptional support of new works at the Opéra de Montréal.

November 19, 22, 24, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. and November 27, 2022 at 2 p.m. Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts

PUBLIC PARTNERS

The Opéra de Montréal sincerely thanks the Ministère de la culture et des communications du Québec, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, the Conseil des arts de Montréal and the City of Montreal.

Experience the magic of the Opera

BMO is excited to present magical moments at the Opéra de Montréal. Prepare to be enchanted by captivating stories and incredible vocal performances.

PATRICK CORRIGAN

It is with great excitement that we are finally presenting the highly anticipated new Quebec work, La Beauté du monde. After two postponements, this largescale opera, involving over 225 artists, artisans, and technicians—on stage, behind the scenes, and in the orchestra pit—, is finally being brought to life on our main stage.

We are extremely proud of and grateful to the huge team that has been brought together for this project—starting with its creators and the artists, as well as our production teams, whose determination and patience have been matched only by their great ability to adapt. Bringing a new opera into the world is a long-term endeavour. For the past six years, the team has been putting all its many talents and its passion into achieving their vision for this world premiere—despite the difficult circumstances we have all been facing. I would also like to thank our prolific creative duo, librettist Michel Marc Bouchard and composer Julien Bilodeau, whose shared vision has continued to guide us towards the arrival of this new work. And finally, for his passion and his talent in bringing new operas into the world, we tip our hat to Michel Beaulac, our brilliant Artistic Director.

One of our raisons-d’être, as an arts company, is to create. Opera exists for and thanks to its audience. La Beauté du monde is an entirely Quebec-made creation that examines a captivating historical event; it is a work that has the potential to propel our local talent throughout the world. While it played out over 80 years ago, the subject at the heart of this opera remains strikingly relevant and topical. The characters at its core—willingly risking their lives to further an ideal—make choices that will influence the course of history.

Thank you for joining us at this major event. Enjoy the show!

Complice de l’Opéra de Montréal

MICHEL BEAULAC

Key Encounters

The safeguarding of the Louvre’s artwork during the German occupation of Paris… the perilous journey of a painting by Matisse… the destruction of works of art deemed degenerate by a fascist and decadent regime. These are among the elements that give the world premiere of this new opera a timeless—and indeed, universal—dimension.

Skilled composer Julien Bilodeau, and Quebec theatre’s leading light Michel Marc Bouchard pay tribute here to all those who protect art by denouncing such barbaric invasions as those that ransacked the sites of Palmyra and Mosul at the start of this new millennium.

Much like the key meeting of French museum director Jacques Jaujard and his German counterpart Franz Wolff-Metternick, the librettist and composer have joined forces for this new work in which art and major social upheaval intersect.

La Beauté du monde is in keeping with the company’s artistic process, which sits at the crossroads of creation and the history of music in Quebec.

It is a privilege to welcome you to this major operatic event that celebrates these new times at the Opéra de Montréal.

Enjoy the premiere!

FLORENT SIAUD

Though one may understand the severity of the subject of this opera on the safeguarding of cultural heritage amid the chaos of the Second World War, it remains devastating even today. In 2018, when the Opéra de Montréal honoured me with this invitation, I thought the subject matter was captivating and that its representation on stage already seemed necessary. Little did I realize that, over the years, it would tragically become very topical once again.

It is compelling to imagine how such figures as Jacques Jaujard (Director of the Louvre and the national museums), Rose Valland (Conservation Attaché at the Jeu de Paume), and their many associates (working in the shadows) enabled thousands of works of art to narrowly escape being burned, disfigured, or irreversibly destroyed. How do we preserve the memory of their gesture of resistance and prevent our consciences from falling into the slumber of amnesia? Amid the urgency and horror of this unbearable conflict, what could have motivated these souls, risking their very lives, to dedicate themselves to this concern for the absolute?

Perhaps some semblance of an answer can be found in the well-known words of André Malraux, for whom Jacques Jaujard served as Secretary General at the Ministry of Culture in Paris: “Art is anti-destiny.” Art is unquestionably characterized by a socio-historical context, placing it in a given time and space. But at the same time, and without contradiction, perhaps art continues to be essential to us today through the way in which it battles time. Art allows those who encounter it to step aside their own existence, to undergo a mysterious experience that is more than mere entertainment, to make some sense of a world that can sometimes seem absurd. Art in museums throws a burst of eternity right at us, one which must consume us, now more than ever, so that we may continue to live humanely, conscientiously, and uncompromisingly. Even in a world in which the pure and simple challenge of survival flies back at us like a boomerang, the question of a life brightened by artistic production has lost none of its importance. Far from providing just a quick answer, it is up to us to

combine the urgency of sustainability with the need to live in a way that reaffirms our humanity: only a deep and exacting awareness of the wider world can convince us that we must maintain the dignity of that which lives— within us, around us, independently of us, and beyond us.

Indeed, it is not in vain that we remember Jacques Jaujard, Rose Volland, and their allies, especially in light of this line by Ödön Von Horvath from his 1938 novel, A Child of Our Time: “At the beginning of a new age, angels stand in the silent darkness—angels with dim eyes and fiery swords.” Behind our closed eyelids, may we remain aware of the burning blades of these vigilant spirits. Thank you to the artistic, technical, and administrative teams of this adventure that allows us to remain on the alert.

PROLOGUE

Nice, 1924 – Art dealer Paul Rosenberg gives his young son Alexandre a painting entitled Femme assise (Seated Woman) by Henri Matisse.

ACT I

Paris – 1940

As the German invasion approaches, Jacques Jaujard, director of the Louvre, helped by department store wrappers and members of the Resistance, is seeing to the evacuation of the museum’s collections. Jaujard also agrees to help safeguard collections belonging to Jewish families, promising the now adult Alexandre Rosenberg that he will protect Femme assise, the painting his father had left him. Count WolffMetternich, German director of the bureau in charge of preserving the artistic heritage of occupied countries, arrives at a Louvre emptied of its contents. Jaujard, believing his days to be numbered, instead discovers in Wolf-Metternich an ally who, in the name of Art, stands against Hitler’s tyranny. The Nazis seize Femme assise, which disappears, much like the Jews do from Paris.

First intermission - 25 minutes

ACT II

Paris – 1943

Rose Valland, curator and superintendent of the Jeu de Paume Museum, is secretly compiling a list of the artwork stolen from Jewish families, some of which has been sent to Germany, sold for armaments, or even considered “degenerate” and set aside to be destroyed. Bruno Lohse, a German in charge of the plundered collections, selects a few choice pieces for himself. Hermann Göring, Hitler’s right-hand man, also helps himself to the loot, with Femme assise among the works he keeps. Göring draws a parallel between modern-day painters and psychiatric patients. He tragically amuses himself with Jacob, the young son of Jaujard’s assistant, Esther. Göring firmly believes in the State’s duty to control the meaning of Art. Hundreds of works deemed to be degenerate are destroyed before the devastated Valland and Jaujard. Femme assise is now untraceable.

Second intermission - 20 minutes

ACT III

Paris – 1944

In a cabaret, actress Jeanne Boitel, muse of the Resistance against the Nazi invaders, plans a meeting with Valland and Jaujard. With the collapse of Hitler’s regime on the horizon, members of the Resistance, led by Alexandre Rosenberg, need information to prevent a train filled with Jewish art collections from leaving for Göring’s manor in Germany. There is a fierce battle at the station. When the train is liberated, Jaujard searches in vain for Femme assise, the painting he had promised to protect.

EPILOGUE

All unite in song, celebrating the preservation of our global artistic heritage and the safeguarding of the world’s beauty.

Freely adapted

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JULIEN BILODEAU

CANADA

Julien Bilodeau is one of the most prominent composers of his generation. Having obtained two master’s degrees with great distinction from the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal, he furthered his studies in Paris (IRCAM, CCMIX) and in Frankfurt (Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst and the Modern Ensemble Akademie). In 2006, the Canada Council for the Arts awarded him the Robert Fleming Prize, given to the most promising young composer. His works, of very diverse styles and aesthetics, have been performed around the world by leading ensembles including the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Ensemble Modern, I Musici de Montréal, Ensemble Itinéraire, Orchestra of the Americas (New York), Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Métropolitain, and Nouvel Ensemble Moderne. As a grant recipient from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and the Fonds québécois de recherche, Julien Bilodeau also fulfills commissions from other sources. His first opera, Another Brick in the Wall, to a libretto by Roger Waters, premiered in March 2017 at the Opéra de Montréal under the direction of Dominic Champagne. The work won an Opus Award for “Musical Event of the Year” while Julien Bilodeau was recognized as “Composer of the Year.” In addition to La Beauté du Monde, Julien Bilodeau is also working with playwright Michel Marc Bouchard on La Reine-Garçon, his third operatic opus, a joint commission from the Canadian Opera Company and the Opéra de Montréal. Recently, his contribution to Quebec opera was recognized by the Société professionnelle des Auteurs et Compositeurs du Québec, which awarded him the Richard-Grégoire Prize.

MICHEL MARC BOUCHARD

CANADA

Playwright, screenwriter, and teacher Michel Marc Bouchard has written some twenty plays including Lilies (Les Feluettes); The Orphan Muses (Les Muses orphelines); Tom at the Farm (Tom à la ferme); Christina, the Girl King (Christine, la reine-garçon); The Divine, a Play for Sarah Bernhardt (La Divine Illusion); The Night Logan Woke Up (La Nuit où Laurier Gaudreault s’est réveillé); and Kisses Deep (Embrasse).

His works, translated into more than 20 languages, have been performed worldwide. He has received numerous awards, including the National Arts Centre Award, the Chalmers Award, the Dora Mavor Moore Award, the Montreal and Toronto theatre critics associations awards, the Premio Candoni Arte (Italy), the SACD Prize (Paris), and the Lambda Literary Award (New York). His exceptional contributions to the LGBTQIA2S+ and theatre communities respectively earned him the Laurent-McCautcheon Award and the Gascon-Thomas Award.

Several of his plays have been adapted for the screen, either for the cinema or for television: Lilies (Genie Award – Best Canadian Film), The Orphan Muses, The Tale of Teeka (Gemini Award – Best Dramatic Work), Heat Waves, Tom at the Farm (Venice Film Festival – Critics’ Prize), Christina, the Girl King (FFM – People’s Choice Award), and The Night Logan Woke Up.

In 2016, the Opéra de Montréal presented Les Feluettes, his first opera, to music by Kevin March.

He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Knight of the Order of Quebec, a Companion of Arts and Letters of Quebec, and a member of the Academy of Letters of Quebec. In 2021, he received the Athanase-David Prize, Quebec’s highest distinction in the field of literature. His name entered the Larousse Dictionary in 2015.

JACQUES JAUJARD

DAMIEN PASS

Damien Pass was a member of the Paris Opera Young Artists Program, with whom he made his debut at the Opéra Bastille in 2009. He is often featured at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, where he recently created the role of Dedale (Le Monstre du Labyrinthe), also heard in Lille, Marseille, and Paris. More recently, he appeared as Lucifer (Sonntag aus Licht) at the Opéra-Comique and as the Ghost of Hector/Mercure (Les Troyens) for the Festival Berlioz. OdM debut

ESTHER

FRANCE BELLEMARE

France Bellemare was a member of the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal (2013-2016). She has appeared frequently at the Opéra de Montréal, including as Rose (Lakmé), Anna (Nabucco), Madeleine (Silent Night), the Confidante (Elektra), The Mother (Another Brick in The Wall), Micaëla (Carmen), and the Woman (La voix humaine). Other engagements include Crobyle (Thaïs) at the Metropolitan Opera, a reprise of The Mother at the Cincinnati Opera, the First Lady (Die Zauberflöte) with Opéra de Québec, and Mimì (La bohème) in Montreal, Hong Kong, and Saskatoon. Last OdM appearance: La voix humaine (2020)

JACOB

ÉMILE SCHNEIDER

Émile Schneider is an actor most noted for his performance in the film Là où Attila passe…, for which he was nominated for a Prix Iris as Best Actor in 2017. He has also appeared in Après la neige, Le rang du lion, Les poètes de Ferré, Embrasse-moi comme tu m'aimes, Le pacte des anges, Les fleurs oubliées, Je finirai en prison, Maria Chapdelaine, Le Club Vinland, and on several television series as well. OdM debut

BASS-BARITONE FRANCE, AUSTRALIA

SOPRANO CANADA

ACTOR CANADA

ALEXANDRE ROSENBERG

ROCCO RUPOLO

A distinctive talent on the Canadian opera scene, Rocco Rupolo is a past member of the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal and has performed several roles at the OdM. His Rodolfo (La bohème) at the Highlands Opera Studio in 2018 garnered praise from Opera Canada magazine: “Rupolo commanded attention in every scene and was vocally strong throughout.” He debuted with the Opéra de Québec as Alfredo (La traviata) in 2019, reprising the role with the Icelandic Opera in 2021. Last OdM appearance: Lucia di Lamermoor (2019)

FRANZ WOLFF-METTERNICH

JOHN BRANCY

John Brancy’s musicality and communicative power attracted praise from the New York Times as “a vibrant, resonant presence”. A First Prize (Art Song) winner of the 2018 Concours Musical International de Montréal, his recent engagements include a San Francisco Opera debut as Donald (Billy Budd), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte) in San Francisco and at the San Diego Opera, Ein deutsches Requiem with Opéra National de Bordeaux, and Steward (Flight) at Pacific Opera Victoria. OdM debut

ROSE VALLAND

ALLYSON MCHARDY

A unique vocal colour and commanding stage presence are hallmarks of Allyson McHardy’s performances. Hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as “a singer of enormous imagination and versatility,” she has collaborated with renowned conductors at prestigious companies worldwide, in such works as L’enfant et les sortilèges, La clemenza di Tito, Das Rheingold, and The Dream of Gerontius. She won Opus awards for Opéra de Montréal’s Dead Man Walking and Opéra de Québec’s Der Fliegende Holländer. Last OdM appearance: Riders to the sea & Le flambeau de la nuit (2021)

TENOR CANADA

BARITONE USA

MEZZO-SOPRANO CANADA

DR BRUNO LOHSE

ISAIAH BELL

Isaiah Bell appears internationally as a performer, his work characterized by a “beautiful tenor, command of style, and natural stage presence.” He is also active as a composer, director, and writer, combining these disciplines in his show, The Book of My Shames. In recent seasons, he translated, adapted, and performed La voix humaine at City Opera Vancouver and created the role of Antinous in Rufus Wainwright’s Hadrian at the Canadian Opera Company. Last OdM appearance: Elektra (2015)

HERMANN GÖRING

MATTHEW DALEN

Praised in Opera Canada for his “warm tone,” Matthew Dalen is a former member of the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal (2021). Recent and upcoming engagements include Handel’s Messiah with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with the Orchestre classique de Montréal, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Niagara Symphony. He has also been heard in the title role of Schubert’s Fierabras at VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert and as Borsa in Edmonton Opera’s Rigoletto. In 2021, he joined the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal. Last OdM appearance: The Magic Flute (2021)

JEANNE BOITEL

LAYLA CLAIRE

Praised for her colourful, flexible voice and graceful stage presence, Layla Claire begins her season with this production before debuting at Deutsche Opera Berlin in the title role of Oceane and starring in another world premiere as Venere (Venere e Adone) at Staatsoper Hamburg. Recent highlights include Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) at the Salzburg Festspiele, Zurich Opera, and Staatsoper Munich; Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) at Glyndebourne; and Sandrina (La finta giardiniera) at the Aix-en-Provence Festival. Last OdM appearance: Don Giovanni (2016)

TENOR CANADA

TENOR CANADA

SOPRANO CANADA

CANADA

CANADA

FRANCE, CANADA

JEAN-MARIE ZEITOUNI

Jean-Marie Zeitouni is principal guest conductor of the Colorado Music Festival and Artistic Partner of the Edmonton Symphony. His résumé includes engagements as artistic director of I Musici de Montréal, music director of the Columbus Symphony and the Banff Centre’s Opera as Theatre program, assistant conductor and chorus master of the Opéra de Montréal, chorus master of the Orchestre symphonique de Québec and Opéra de Québec, and a 12-year collaboration, in various capacities, with Les Violons du Roy. Last OdM appearance: Samson et Dalila (2015)

ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR

HUBERT TANGUAY-LABROSSE

Winner of the Grand Prize in the OSM Competition in 2009, Hubert Tanguay-Labrosse began studying music in school programs at Le Plateau and Joseph-François-Perreault schools. He is a graduate of the Juilliard School in clarinet and the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal in conducting, later studying composition with Serge Provost and Jonathan Dawe. In 2013, he founded the BOP (Ballet-Opéra-Pantomime) company, of which he is Co-Artistic and Musical Director. Working in this capacity, he collaborates with artists of all backgrounds to produce daring, new, multidisciplinary works. Also active as a pedagogue, he leads the chorus of the Père Lindsay Music Camp each summer and, for five years, led the youth symphonies of Joliette and Sherbrooke. Last OdM appearance: Riders to the sea & Le flambeau de la nuit (2021)

STAGE DIRECTOR

FLORENT SIAUD

Passionate about 20th and 21st century theatre, Florent Siaud has staged several productions in Montreal, including Les Enivrés (Théâtre Prospero), Toccate et Fugue (Centre du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui), Nina, c’est autre chose (La Chapelle), and classics like Les Trois sœurs (MonumentNational), Britannicus (TNM), and Hamlet (Théâtre Rouge). Opera stagings include Pelléas et Mélisande (Opéra National de Bordeaux), La tragédie de Carmen (Théâtre Impérial de Compiègne), and Les Bains macabres (Théâtre de l'Athénée in Paris). OdM debut

ASSISTANT STAGE DIRECTOR

NATALIE VAN PARYS FRANCE

Natalie van Parys has devoted her career—as a performer, choreographer, stage director, and teacher—to the choreographic and operatic repertoires of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. As an assistant stage director, she has worked on productions of Turandot at the Opéra de Nancy and Samson et Dalila at the Mariinski Theatre, among others. Her own stagings include Apollo et Hyacinthus at La Cité de la Musique and Anacréon in Japan and Germany. OdM debut

CANADA

CANADA

SET DESIGNER

ROMAIN FABRE

Romain Fabre is dedicated to set and costume design, while also occasionally teaching at the National Theatre School of Canada. His work includes collaborations with Olivier Kemeid (Sous la nuit solitaire), Claude Poissant (Tom à la ferme), Martin Faucher (Disparu(e)(s)), Marc Beaupré (Ce samedi il pleuvait), Sylvain Bélanger (L’enclos de l’éléphant), and Florent Siaud (4.48 Psychose, Illusions, Don Juan revient de la guerre, Les Enivrés, Toccate et fugue, Britannicus, and La tragédie de Carmen). OdM debut

COSTUME DESIGNER

SARAH BALLEUX

Sarah Balleux designs costumes for theatre, the circus, and television. Her refined creations seek to highlight the subtle balance and contrasts that define the characters and the performers portraying them. Her work has notably been seen in La nuit des rois (TNM), Le Vrai Monde? (Duceppe), Saloon and Nezha (Cirque Éloize), and Alix et les Merveilleux (Avanti), as well as in productions by Théâtre Advienne que Pourra, a company she has co-directed since 2005 (Le magicien d’Oz, Songe d’une nuit d’été, Anne la maison aux pignons verts). OdM debut

CANADA

LIGHTING DESIGNER

NICOLAS DESCOTEAUX

Nicolas Descoteaux has worked on a wide range of opera, theatre, circus, and music productions, collaborating with renowned companies in Montreal and abroad. For the opera stage, he has designed lighting for Les Bains macabres (Théâtre Impérial de Compiègne); Don Giovanni, Quai Ouest, Cavalleria rusticana, and Pagliacci (Opéra national du Rhin); Fando et Lis (Opéra de Saint-Étienne); Pelléas et Mélisande (Opéra National de Bordeaux); Nicandro e Fileno (Les Boréades); and Aliénor (Opéra de Limoges). OdM debut

SWITZERLAND

VIDEO PROJECTIONS

GASPARD PHILIPPE

Gaspard Philippe is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, where he had the opportunity to work with several directors, including Eric Jean, Philippe Cyr, and Florent Siaud. Upon graduating, he worked as a multimedia designer and integrator with HUB Studio. He currently works on a variety of productions in the fields of dance, theatre, music, and opera, as well as on interactive installations, with a focus on sound design, lighting, and video. OdM debut

CANADA

CHORUS MASTER

CLAUDE WEBSTER

Claude Webster has worked in the field of opera as a rehearsal pianist and vocal coach for some thirty years. His work is widely recognized in North America and Europe. Internationally sought after as a specialist in the French repertoire, he has participated in many programs including those in Tel Aviv, Berlin, Ravinia and New York. He was the head coach at the Atelier lyrique de l'Opéra de Montréal from 1997 to 2017 and has been the Opéra de Montréal’s chorus master since 2007. Last OdM appearance: Il Trovatore (2022)

CANADA

CANADA

REHEARSAL PIANIST

ESTHER GONTHIER

Esther Gonthier enjoys a busy career as a rehearsal pianist, vocal coach, and concert artist. Having worked on over 120 operas, she has a vast knowledge of the repertoire and holds an enviable position in the world of vocal arts. She regularly works with the Opéra de Montréal, Canadian Opera Company, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Opéra de Québec, Festival de Lanaudière, and Orchestre Métropolitain, as well as assisting noted conductors and accompanying high-calibre soloists. Last OdM appearance: Il Trovatore (2022)

REHEARSAL PIANIST (CHORUS)

PIERRE MCLEAN

Pierre McLean is much sought-after as a vocal coach, accompanist, pianist, and musical director working in these various capacities with such institutions as Université de Montréal, the Schulich School of Music, Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Opéra de Montréal, Jeunesses musicales Canada, Productions Belle Lurette, the Canadian Vocal Art Institute, Opéra-Théâtre de Rimouski, and Concours musical international de Montréal, as well as with other music ensembles and soloists. Last OdM appearance: Il Trovatore (2022)

FIRST VIOLINS

Marcelle Mallette, principal Johanne Morin, associate Ryan Truby, assistant Florence Mallette Alexander Lozowski Helga Dathé Yubin Kim Carolyn Klause

SECOND VIOLINS

Lyne Allard, principal Lucie Ménard, associate Lizann Gervais, assistant Sylvie Harvey Claudio Ricignuolo Jean Ai Seow Flaviu Zanca

VIOLAS

Elvira Misbakhova, principal Julie Dupras, associate Brian Bacon, assistant Gérald Daigle Jean René Camille Mireault-Lalancette

CELLOS

Christopher Best, principal Thérèse Ryan, associate Vincent Bergeron, assistant Christine Harvey Veronika Ronkos

DOUBLE BASSES

Marc Denis, principal Gilbert Fleury, associate Réal Montminy, assistant Catherine Lefebvre

FLUTES

Caroline Séguin, principal Jocelyne Roy, 2nd and piccolo

OBOES

Kirsten Zander, principal Mélanie Harel, 2nd and English horn

CLARINETS

Simon Aldrich, principal François Martel, 2nd and bass clarinet

BASSOONS

Michel Bettez, principal Carmelle Préfontaine, 2nd and contrabassoon

FRENCH HORNS

Jocelyn Veilleux, principal Simon Bourget Corine Chartré-Lefebvre, assistant horn

TRUMPETS

Francis Pigeon, principal Lise Bouchard

TROMBONES

Patrice Richer, principal Trevor Dix

TIMPANI

Julien Bélanger, principal

PERCUSSION

Alexandre Lavoie, principal

STAGE CHORUS ORCHESTRA CHORUS

SOPRANOS

Valérie Bélanger

Geneviève Dompierre-Smith

Marie-Claire Drolet Julie Ekker Meghan Fleet Véronique Gauthier

Danielle Lalonde Isabelle D. Leclerc Léa Weilbrenner

MEZZOS

Jeanne Bovet

Marie-Christine Duplessis Zanga Elizabeth Ekholm Charlotte Gagnon Anne Julien Catherine B. Lavoie Michèle Sutton Marie-Claude L’Heureux

TENORS

Pascal Blanchet Mishael Eusebio Éric Gauvin

Julien Girard Nathan LeLièvre Angelo Moretti Gustave Richard Jaime Sandoval David Trower

BARITONES

Simon Chaussé

Jonathan Bédard John Johnston Clermont Tremblay Samuel Tremblay

BASSES

Pierre-Etienne Bergeron

Michel Duval Claude Grenier Jorge Trabanco

SOPRANOS

Pascale Brigitte Boilard Audrey Larose-Zicat Virginie Mongeau Eugénie Préfontaine

MEZZOS

Chantal Denis Julie Goupil Andréanne Moreau Béatrice Stoklas

TENORS

Nils Brown Bernard Cayouette Wesley Harrison Mike Melino

SUPERNUMERARIES

Andrew Albanese Florent Deschênes Alexis Gauthier Sylvain Jr Giroux Olivier Hardy Jean-Louis Luque Thomas Lussier Marie-Christine Raymond Child : Florent Bélanger

THÉRAPIE PAR LA MUSIQUE

LA BEAUTÉ DU MONDE

For the Safeguarding of Art

Let us travel back to the days of World War II, when, along with all the human tragedy, another massacre was taking place: that of artwork squandered, stolen, and destroyed under the ideology of the Nazis. From the seasoned pen of Michel Marc Bouchard, with vibrantly textural music by Julien Bilodeau, comes the opera La Beauté du monde, bearing a message that still resonates today, reminding us of the importance of those who contribute to the safeguarding and preservation of art.

We spoke to the two major creative artists, who have joined forces to tell us this story.

WHEN HISTORY AND CURRENT EVENTS COLLIDE

The idea for La Beauté du monde came from Michel Marc Bouchard, soon after his experience with Les Feluettes at the Opéra de Montréal.

“Creative endeavours are sometimes born of coincidence,” he says. “It was at a time when a series of archaeological and heritage sites were being destroyed—like the ransacking of the Bagdad Museum, the Temple of Bel, the destruction of Aleppo, and the library in Mosul."

Julien Bilodeau and Michel Marc Bouchard TEXT: Véronique Gauthier

©Pierre-Étienne Bergeron and Julien Bilodeau

At the same time, artistic director Michel Beaulac asked him if he had any ideas to submit for another new work at the Opéra de Montréal. It didn’t take much more than that for the project to fall into place, with composer Julien Bilodeau soon joining the adventure.

A SECOND OPERA… A BAPTISM

While they are both collaborating with the Opéra de Montréal for a second time, Julien Bilodeau and Michel Marc Bouchard are undergoing a whole new experience with La Beauté du monde, creating the work from completely original material. With Les Feluettes, the librettist had adapted his own play for the opera stage, while the composer had transposed an album by Pink Floyd for Another Brick in the Wall.

“As everything was invented from scratch, I see this opera as a great birth,” says the composer, who has discovered a true passion for vocal writing. “It was quite a challenge to set so many words to music, compared to the much more succinct libretto for Another Brick in the Wall.”

approaches. In theatre, the word is action, while in opera, the music is action. For opera, I rely much more on the poet within me. While theatre reproduces oral character, I choose my words for opera based on their sound.”

To adapt to the medium, the playwright found his own musicality in the words, in their rhythms, and in the different way of constructing sentences. “Some of my characters express themselves with fewer syllables, while others spread out more. Then, I put my trust in the composer! In opera, he is the artist who reigns supreme. I’m here to deliver a clear and precise proposal that he will then develop through his music.”

FROM THEATRE TO OPERA

In developing his opera libretto, Michel Marc Bouchard drew on the musicality of words. “As an author, it’s extraordinary to be able to explore the lyrical dimension of one’s work. Writing for theatre and writing for opera require very different

COMPOSING, INSPIRED BY WORDS AND AN ERA

The musicality of the author’s text greatly simplified Julien Bilodeau’s work. “It’s so well constructed! From the very first reading, I had shivers,” he recalls. “Michel Marc was careful to tailor his pen to a specific metric, which made my prosody

"I came across a documentary on Jacques Jaujard, who had helped save the Louvre’s art during the Second World War, and I thought to myself, this is the stuff of opera."

© 1945 Musée du Louvre / Pierre Jahan

much easier. The text could be adapted to music in a very natural way.”

Before sitting down to begin composing, the musician first immersed himself in the context of the era. “The setting is Paris in the 1940s; so, I read up on the composers from that time: banned or censored composers, those picked up by the regime, those of the resistance. I listened to their music, I lived in it, and it comes through the work’s aesthetics.”

How does he describe his musical

we’re able to talk to each other without being on the defensive, and we’re open to each other’s comments and criticism,” adds Michel Marc Bouchard.

“Collaboration is what fires me up most when it comes to opera,” affirms the composer. “The deepening of artistic relationships, like the one I have with Michel Marc, is so invaluable. For a composer who is used to working alone, there is a lot of light in it.”

style?

“I have always written a great deal for orchestra, so, obviously, the orchestral contribution is always very significant, very replete. I work a lot with melodic lines, textures, and colours. Harmonically, there is always a tonal anchor point that serves as a base, but there is a lot of spice above the mooring. One could describe my music as being in line with Britten, with a French touch, notably in the orchestration of the woodwinds.”

His use of an orchestral chorus, placed in the orchestra pit and treated as a section of the orchestra, is also reminiscent of Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé or Debussy’s Sirènes.

A SMOOTH AND ENRICHING COLLABORATION

In meeting each other, the two artists laid the foundations for a solid creative team. So much so that, after having written La Beauté du monde, the pair has kept going by collaborating on another new opera, La Reine-Garçon, which will see the light of day before audiences in 2024.

“I’ve found a kindred spirit, there’s no doubt,” says Julien Bilodeau. “We have man aged to establish a common vocabulary,

THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S INVOLVEMENT

Throughout the process, the two creative artists were supported by the experience and external perspective of Michel Beaulac, Artistic Director of the Opéra de Montréal. “Michel is totally dedicated to this project. He is putting his whole heart into it,” states Michel Marc Bouchard. “He’s able to shine a light on the right places to guide us,” adds Julien Bilodeau. “He is at once a screen, a lightning rod, a compass, and a beacon that allows us to align ourselves and realign ourselves in our work. It’s quite extraordinary.”

After two pandemic-related postponements, the curtain is finally getting ready to rise on the work, which was originally to be performed at Théâtre Maisonneuve with the desire to remain close to the audience. On the stage of Salle WilfridPelletier, the grandiose fresco will be given the opportunity to truly come to life, exhibiting all the passion, generosity, and love of its two seasoned creators. Come let them move you as they tell this story of heroic destinies… and of tragedies that remain at our doorstep even today.

Supporting artists

Because we know that music is essential to the well-being of Quebec society, today and tomorrow.

Together with programs like l’Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal, we support a diverse range of Canadian talent across the country through the RBC Emerging Artists Project.

Visit rbc.com/emergingartists

helps build vibrant communities and strong economies.

Marie-Christine Tremblay & Jacques Marchand

Photos: © Tam Photography

GRATITUDE

INITIATIVES

Through the support of the Vanda Treiser Initiatives, the Atelier lyrique’s artists in residence benefit from the finest available resources as they work to fulfill their vocal and artistic potential—such as in these two master classes, in September 2022, with international stars Nicole Car and Etienne Dupuis, headliners in our production of Il Trovatore.

Vanda Treiser and Chantal Lambert

© Brent Calis

OUR HEARTFELT

TO THE VANDA TREISER

FOR ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR EMERGING ARTISTS!

© Kevin Calixte

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THE FRIENDS OF THE OPÉRA DE MONTRÉAL

A special thanks to the FRIENDS of the Opéra de Montréal whose contributions strongly encourage us in the pursuit of our mandate

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À la mémoire de J.-G. Benoit Paul Benoit Serge Benoit Michel Bertrand

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Diane Galarneau

John Galaty

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Laurent Gignat

Isabelle Giguère

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Lise Goulet

Amy Grainger

Amelie Gravel

Gillian Greig

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Joelle Hafsi

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Yves Hébert

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Barbara Hykle

Claudine Jacques Nadine Jean-François Marc Joanis Brian Jones

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Catherine Ohandjanian

Lourdes Olguin Zuniga

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Alfred Ouellet

Georges Ouellet

Guy Ouellet

Jean Ouellette

Genevieve Page

P.K. Pal

Jennifer Paquet

Lucien Paquette

Jean-Pierre Paradis Louise Paré Charles S.N. Parent Joanne Patterson

Giuseppe Paventi

Aline Payette et Jacques L'Écuyer

Michele Pekovich

Ineza Pelczynska

Vladimir H Perez Zavala

Ghislaine Perron

Jean-Marc Perron

Roger Peters

Marie-Soleil Pichette Yves Pigeon

Colette Pilon et Howard Bergman

Serge Poisson-de Haro

Catherine Potvin

Shirley Pow Chong

Nathalie Pratte

Zorana Prelevic

Marie-Claude Prévost

Gilles Proulx

Kate Puxley

Elsa Quiros-Calinoiu

Emmanuel Raufflet

Micheline René

K Rice & R Fréchette

Nathalie Riel

Marc-André Roberge C-S Robichaud

Madeleine Rocheleau

Michel Rochon

Kem Rogers

Johanne Ross

Renée & feu Joseph Rouleau

Helene Rousseau

Catherine Rowe

Denis Roy Hélène Roy

Marie-Christine Roy Yves Roy

Yolanda Sabetta

Benoit Sabourin

Lucie Sanfaçon

Léo Savoie

Marianne Schlegel

Judy Serve

Richard Shedleur

Michael C. Shklar

Heidy Simonin

Michael Smith

Johanne Spenard

Suzanne Spinelli

Geneviève St-Amand Deirdre Stevenson Raymonde St-Pierre Sara and Irwin Tauben D. Théberge Gérard Therrien Simon et Mathilde Tinawi Rita Torres

À la mémoire de Huguette Tourangeau À la mémoire de Madame Anne-Marie Trahan Martine Tremblay

Yolande Tremblay Huguette Trudel

Jacques Turcotte

Josée Turpin

Daniel Tweed

Suzanne Vadboncoeur

Margo Valade-Beaudet

Louise Veulleyx Karine Venne Marc Vézina Susan Vincelli

Dionysios Vossos

Anita Warriner Mai Why & Peter Levitt Richard Wilson Theresa Wilson Robert Yates

Salam Yazbeck

Elizabeth Yohannan

Louise Yoshinaka

Tamara Zakon

Irina Zavyalova Daniella Zilkha

Major Partners

Presenting Partners

ATELIER LYRIQUE PARTNERS MEDIA PARTNERS

SERVICE PARTNERS

Marie-Claude Paquette, designer graphique Place des Arts Sélect Vins AdVini TACT ViniPassion

PERMANENT TEAM

Patrick Corrigan, general director Hélène Turp, associate to the general director

Michel Beaulac, artistic director Catherine Levac, artistic administrator

Louis Bouchard, strategic operations director

ATELIER LYRIQUE

Chantal Lambert, director / Marie Maous, program coordinator / Geneviève Lessard, production manager / Esther Gonthier, head vocal coach / Ariane Girard, principal voice teacher / Holly Kroeker, training assistant

ARTISTIC AND PRODUCTION

Pierre Massoud, production director / Marie Hélène Larivière, production assistant / Patrick Belzile, technical director / Laurence Pronier, stage manager / Dominique Guindon, head of wardrobe / Sonya Bayer, head of wardrobe associate / Sandra Chirico, wardrobe supervisor & corsetiere / Elysabeth Daigle, wardrobe Assistant

ADMINISTRATION

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Catherine Gentilcore, communications and marketing director / Marie-Pier Perron, marketing manager / Daniella Johnson, communications manager / Darnyse Memnon, client services manager / Marine Geffroy, communications and marketing coordinator / Filémon Brault-Archambeault, client services coordonator / Estelle Mouden, coordinator’s aide / Alexandra Allard, Eden Paradis, Maika Bélanger, Nolwenn Picquet, client services agents

DEVELOPMENT

Jean-Pierre Primiani, development director / Antoine Gervais, manager, donor relations and partnerships / Amy Grainger, annual campaign coordinator

CIVIC IMPACT & EDUCATION

Pierre Vachon, director civic impact & education / Charlotte Gagnon, project manager, impact & education

FINANCES

Marie-Claude Lagacé, accounting agent

CONCERT TEAM

PRODUCTION

Pierre Massoud, production director / Marie Hélène Larivière, production assistant / Patrick Belzile, technical director / Drew Lyall, technical director assistant / Catherine Germain, project manager / Saturnin Goyer, assistant technical director, lighting / Olivier Ouellet-Hébert, assistant technical director, video

STAGE MANAGEMENT

Laurence Pronier, head stage manager / Joëlle Desjardins, Simon-Charles TremblayBéchard, Anne-Catherine Simard Deraspe, assistant to the stage manager

SURPERTITLES

Myriam Provost-Riel, projection / Christine Archambault, Mélanie Caillerez, Danny Kay, Shelley Gaffe, proofreaders

COSTUMES

Dominique Guindon, head – costume workshop / Sonya Bayer, associate head, costume workshop / Sandra Chirico, supervisor, costume workshop / Élysabeth Daigle, assistant, costumes / Cassandre Josepovic, workshop technician / Sandra Chirico, Marie-Claire Doyon, Mireille Tremblay, Daniel Beaudet, Priscillia Collin, Heetesh Patel, Marc-Antoine Roux, Marie-Pier Marier, seamstresses / Richard Provost, hatter and couturier / Fauve Du Tilly-Lefebvre, cutter and seamstress / Vincent Pastena, Patrice Gagnon, tailors / Nancy de Courval, knitter / Guylaine Gagnon, cordonnerie / Joël Boudreault, head dresser

PROPS

Madeleine St-Jacques, head, props / Philippe Pointard, assistant head, props / Martin Turgeon, Karine Cusson, Véronique Marcoux, Jeanne Dupré, Anne-Marie Bérubé, props / Christian Larochelle, prop maker

HAIR

Pierre Lafontaine, head – hair department / Denis Parent, assistant head, hair department / Marie-Ève Ménard, Kareen Deest, Manon Alexandre, André Duval, stylists

MAKE-UP

Julie Casault, head – makeup department / Camiel McLean, Mélina Di Cristo, Lyzanne Lasalle, Stéphanie Villemaire, makeup artists

RUNNER Rosalie Forget

TECHNICAL STAFF

Daniel Masse, head carpenter / Julie Latulippe, head carpenter assistant / Pierre Véniot, head sound / André Caron, head sound assistant / David Leblanc, Garry Jones, head props / Charles Denis, head fly / Éric Piché, head fly assistant / Saturnin Goyer, head lighting / Martin Dussault, assistant head lighting / Emlyn VanBruinswaardt, head video

Stage technical services are provided by: Le regroupement des techniciens de la scène du Québec inc. (RTSQ)

The Azrieli Foundation is proud to support Opéra de Montréal in discovering, elevating and amplifying new artistic voices through the Atelier Lyrique.

Photo: Pierre-Étienne Bergeron

FEB. 04 2023

7 P.M.

FEB. 05 2023

2 P.M.

MAR. 18, 21, 23, 26 2023

7:30 P.M. MAR. 26 2023

2 P.M.

L’ENFANT ET LES SORTILÈGES

Being a kid isn't the easiest thing in the world. Especially when it comes to choosing between what you want to do and what you should do. Emotions get in the way, consequences multiply and sometimes things just spill out. Ravel's L'Enfant et les sortilèges takes us to the heart of the imaginary world that becomes the bedroom of a wicked and turbulent child. The objects around him come to life before his eyes to punish him for his behavior. Anger gives way to fear, and malice gives way to kindness.

A whimsical production directed by Sylvain Scott, with the Atelier lyrique de l'Opéra de Montréal and the Orchestre de l'Agora, conducted by Nicolas Ellis.

AINADAMAR

GOLIJOV / HWANG

Ainadamar presents three images, three flashbacks to different key periods in the life of the poet and playwright Federico García Lorca through the eyes of his muse Margarita Xirgu. It features an orchestration whose striking intensity parallels the civil war that raged in Spain at the time, interwoven with the sounds of horse hooves and gunshots, where flamenco accents become the voice of pain.

LET'S TALK OPERA!

Prepare for this opera by attending this Let's Talk Opera event!

MARCH 12 Victoria Hall

Théâtre Maisonneuve

Théâtre Paradoxe