OSM highlights for spring and summer 2016

The internationally-revered Orchestre symphonique de Montréal continues its blockbuster 2015-2016 season with a major 10-city U.S. tour that runs from March 14 to 26 to mark the 10^th season of Grammy-winning Maestro Kent Nagano as OSM music director. The program will include Stravinsky’s immortal The Rite of Spring which audiences in Montréal can see the OSM perform first at the Maison Symphonique de Montréal at Place des Arts, from March 8 to 10.

There are also several other must-see concerts to wind down the OSM’s 82^nd season:

French conductor Alain Altinoglu will appear for the first time with the OSM, in Holst’s The Planets as well as works by Simon Bertrand, Scott Good and Jeffrey Ryan (April 12, 13 and 14); while Finnish conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste will be heard in Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony (April 20 and 21). Also, Russian conductor Vasily Petrenko will make a much-anticipated return to the OSM in Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, “Titan” (May 11 and 12).

Music lovers and film buffs will also enjoy the program Dina Gilbert and Movie Soundtracks with Dina Gilbert, OSM assistant conductor, and legendary Québec actor and the evening’s host, Rémy Girard (April 26). This concert is presented without projections.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Peter Oundjian and in the company of violinist Leila Josefowicz, will perform Shéhérazade.2, a dramatic symphony for violin and orchestra by John Adams written for Josefowicz (May 8).

Meanwhile, the OSM recital series welcomes the pianist duo of Maria João Pires and Pavel Kolesnikov (March 6), internationally-renowned Quebec contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux and pianist Daniel Blumenthal in a program of French art songs (April 19); as well as pianist Murray Perahia (May 4).

There is also a series for organ lovers: The OSM organist emeritus and titular organist of the Grand Orgue de Notre-Dame in Paris, Olivier Latry, will be the soloist in Poulenc’s Concerto for Organ, String Orchestra and Tympani (April 20 and 21), while Canadian organist Ken Cowan will be playing with OSM principal trumpet Paul Merkelo (April 16). Also, organist in residence Jean-Willy Kunz will be soloist in Anatomie d’un souffle (Anatomy of a Sigh), a premiere for six dancers and organ by choreographer Danièle Desnoyers to music by, among others, John Rea (May 6 and 7), a co-production with Danse Danse.

The OSM POP concert series – fresh from hugely-successful concerts with Mika and Blue Rodeo – welcomes famed French singer Patrick Bruel performing orchestral versions of his greatest hits, with the OSM and Simon Leclerc, associate conductor of the OSM POP concert series (May 18, 19 and 20).

The OSM will perform a twin bill of youthful works by Schoenberg consisting of Transfigured Night and Pelleas und Melisande (April 6, 9 and 10). And to conclude the season, Maestro Nagano will lead the musicians and the OSM Chorus in the vital Britten War Requiem with soloists Catherine Naglestad, Ian Bostridge and Thomas Hampson (May 25, 28 and 29).

This summer, on August 5, the OSM will headline the famed outdoor classical music Festival Lanaudiere, which runs from July 9 to August 7. The OSM also presents its 5^th annual Classic Spree Festival (a.k.a. La Virée Classique) from August 10 to 13, and will announce the full line-up on May 24.

To reserve tickets or for more information about the OSM’s 82^nd season, call 514-842-9951 or visit osm.ca.