The Bohlen-Pierce system - La Scena Musicale

NEW ORGANIZATIONS
A BAROQUE COLLECTIVE IS BORN!
by PHILIPPE GERVAIS
This month at the Rialto, music lovers
can catch the debut production of
the Mont-Royal Baroque Collective.
Susan Toman and David Menzies,
both McGill graduates, created the
ensemble; Susan is a harpsichord player specializing
in French music and David has a light
tenor voice, which is ideal for baroque repertoire.
The co-founders met with me to discuss
their upcoming project.
LSM Why this new ensemble, what makes
it stand out from the others?
ST – Our collective will be a flexible ensemble,
varying the number of musicians according to
the needs of each project. We plan to produce
a short, fully staged baroque or classical opera
with chamber orchestra every year. Our debut
production is Pygmalion, the opera-ballet by
Jean-Philippe Rameau. The collective also offers
advanced students and emerging artists
the chance to work with us, helping them
jumpstart their careers.
PYGMALION
or
THE TRIUMPH OF LOVE
Despite its being short and having a seemingly
light subject matter, Rameau’s Pygmalion,
which will be performed soon
in Montreal, is an important
milestone in the history of
French music. In its time it
was one of Rameau’s most admired
works. Composed in
just eight days, Pygmalion
was premiered in Paris on August
28, 1748, and was an immediate
success.
Pygmalion contains a
number of remarkable passages,
beginning with the
overture, one of Rameau’s
best, in which the motifs with
repeated notes imitate the
movements of the sculptor at
work. The contrast between
the opening and closing
moods is also striking–the opera begins with
a sense of drama, marked by Pygmalion’s despair
and the jealousy of his lover and moves
toward a conclusion that is radiant and festive.
MISS PUVIGNÉ, The first singer to
perform the role of “the Statue”
LSM Why did you choose Pygmalion?
ST – The story of Pygmalion is well known: a
sculptor becomes enamored of the beautiful
female statue he just created. With a little help
from L’Amour, the statue comes to life. The
myth has inspired a number of painters, writers
and composers. It seemed appropriate for
our company launch, as Pygmalion shows
how a work of art can come to life, transform
itself and live for all to enjoy when artist puts
love and energy into its creation.
LSM The opera is quite short; will there
be anything else on the program?
DM – Yes, we have put together a prologue
using music from one of Rameau’s other
opera-ballets, Les Indes galantes, which will
showcase Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière and her
baroque dance troupe, Les Jardins Chorégraphiques.
Additions such as this were commonplace
in Rameau’s time. In fact, we know
that in a 1754 performance, Pygmalion was
presented along with the second act of Les
Indes galantes.
LSM Do baroque dance and contemporary
staging make a good combination?
DM – Absolutely! We are very lucky to be able
to work simultaneously with a renowned
baroque dance troupe and a stage director—
Jordan Gasparik—who is well acquainted with
contemporary theatre. Rather than attempt
an historic reconstruction, which would have
involved elaborate costumes and sets, this
combination allows us to present the opera in
a modern and elegant style in keeping with the
simplicity of Greek mythology.
Although the choir appears only briefly (but
to great effect!), the role of Pygmalion is quite
challenging. He ends the show with an ariette,
a virtuosic Italianate aria full of flamboyant,
technically demanding melismas.
The Pygmalion myth provides an ingenious
pretext for combining sculpture with the
charms of dance. The statue,
newly come to life, decides to
learn the art of dance, so valued
by 17 th Century French
society. The Graces take her
education in hand, and
demonstrate a series of ten
dance steps, taking the statue
from the slow and sensual
sarabande to the energetic
tambourin. Here, Rameau
shows the full range of his orchestration
skills, presenting
a series of “various characteristics
of dance.”
Rameau’s Pygmalion
• April 13 and 14, 7:30 p.m., Rialto
Theatre; 6:30 p.m.: art exhibit
opening featuring Geneviève Chevalier, sculptor
www.mtlbaco.wordpress.com
TRANSLATION: DAYNA LAMOTHE
LSM
A MONTREAL
SINGATHON
by LORENA JIMÉNEZ ALONSO
MONTRÉACAPPELLA, a non-profit organization
founded by Michael Dyck and Glynn
Rankin, two a cappella singers and enthusiasts,
will showcase the best in local and
international a cappella music with a oneday
festival at La Sala Rossa this month. It
will bring together 335 singers from a variety
of Canadian and American groups, including
the Harmonia Westmount Women’s
Choir, After Hours (University of Rochester),
Chœur des hommes de FACE, Aural Fixation
(Boston University), Effusion A Cappella (Mc-
Gill University), Vocation, Wibi A Cappella
(York University), Chœur Maha, the Exchange-NY,
the Montreal Intercultural Choir,
La Horde Vocale, Minor Adjustments (SUNY
Plattsburgh), the Monday Night Choir, VoxA4,
Chœur de chambre Tactus, Ensemble vocal
Les Fous de la Gamme, Concerto Della
Donna and the Ensemble vocal À ContreVoix.
A flat rate of $10 will get you access to the
whole day of performances—including an
occasional beatbox battle and a masterclass
led by Andrew Gray, the artistic director
of the Chœur des Enfants de Montreal.
April 22 at La Sala Rossa
www.montreacapella.com
14
APRIL 2012