Kent Nagano’s last season with the Orchestre symphonique de Montreal will be anything but a ‘winding down’ process. In fact, it will be a celebration worthy of all he has brought to the Montreal soundscape – and the perfect ‘adieu’. The Maestro, along with Andre Robitaille, the OSM’S summer season spokesperson, unveiled the programming for the summer on May 2nd – and it is sure to please music lovers of all backgrounds and ages.
One of the summer season highlights will be the ‘Grand Opening Free Concert’ for the ‘8th Edition of the OSM Classical Spree’ on Wednesday August 7th at 8:00pm, taking place outdoors on the Esplanade at the Olympic Park. It will be a wonderful opportunity for the whole family to enjoy a spectacular show under the direction of Kent Nagano. There will be 500 choristers and an orchestra joined by four soloists including Leslie Ann Bradley and Mario Bahg with a performance of Verdi’s Requiem. ‘A great master of the opera, Verdi gave this work a truly theatrical dimension: profound vocal lyricism, powerful choral and orchestral forces and the famous Dies Irae with its striking effect’. It is expected to be a very special, highly charged and powerful, emotional experience.
The OSM Classical Spree will run from Wednesday August 7th to Sunday August 11th and include a total of 31 concerts, 11 of which will be conducted by Maestro Nagano, as well as a multitude of free performances and activities being offered at the Maison Symphonique, in the different halls of Place des Arts, at Complexe Desjardins and out in the open on Sainte-Catherine Street – where there will be activities you can participate in to ‘get you moving to the rhythm of the festival’, such as Immersive Yoga Sessions with a musical performance, a Bhangra workshop and dance from India’s Punjab region, as well as Percussion Workshops.
Each concert has a maximum duration of 45 minutes and ticket prices start at only $10 – factors to encourage one and all to come out and experience classical music differently. Masterful performers of all generations will dazzle you with symphonic concerts, chamber performances and recitals – and to broaden everyone’s horizons of musical discovery, there will be concerts of Indian classical music and interpretations by Indigenous artists.
“The great tradition of Montreal summer festivals is unique in the world. Our city’s truly special seasonal atmosphere perfectly reflects the ‘DNA’ of Montrealer’s spirit – for in summer we celebrate our zest for life, conviviality and warmth after a long winter”.
Here is the main part of the lineup for the OSM Summer season (see link below for other events, details and tickets):
- July 5th: THE OSM AND ALTINOGLU – OPENING OF THE FESTIVAL DE LANAUDIÈRE
- July 23rd: OSM IN THE PARKS CONCERT- WILFRID-BASTIEN PARK, SAINT-LEONARD, MONTREAL
- July 24th: OSM IN THE PARKS CONCERT- BLAINVILLE EQUESTRIAN PARK
- July 25th: OSM IN THE PARKS CONCERT- SORBONNE PARK, BROSSARD
- July 27th: FESTIVAL DE LANAUDIÈRE
- August 2nd: BOHEMIAN OUTING – FESTIVAL DE LANAUDIÈRE
- August 3rd: KENT NAGANO AND MAHLER IN SYMBIOSIS – FESTIVAL DE LANAUDIÈRE
- August 7th: CLASSICAL SPREE OPENER – ESPLANADE PARC OLYMPIQUE
- August 9th to 11th: OSM CLASSICAL SPREE FESTIVAL
- *TICKETS AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS OF SATURDAY MAY 4th 2019
- For program details or to purchase tickets you can go online to www.osm.ca/en/home-osm or by telephone (514) 842-9951 or (1-888) 842-9951
