Michel Plasson inspires the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Karina Gauvin in a program of French delights

By Richard Turp, 04 April 2014

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Reviewed at Maison symphonique, Montreal on 3 April 2014

Debussy, Nocturnes: Nuages

Debussy, Nocturnes: Fêtes

Britten, Les Illuminations, for soprano or tenor and strings, Op.18

Fauré, Pelléas et Mélisande, Op.80

Chausson, Symphony in B flat major, Op.20

Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal

Michel Plasson, Conductor

Karina Gauvin, Soprano

Rafael Payare and his Montrealers show off their jazz chops

Ian Cochrane, 11th March

Rafael Payare boldly programmes Kinan Azmeh's Suite for Improvisor and Orchestra in a diverse concert bill that also features long-standing Principal Flute Timothy Hutchins.

****1

A national treasure revisits Montreal: Angela Hewitt plays Mozart

Ian Cochrane, 28th February

Angela Hewitt joins the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal for an exquisite rendering of a Mozart concerto, and Leonard Slatkin conducts Tchaikovsky's Winter Daydreams.

****1

Last minute jump-in Hankyeol Yoon saves the day in Montreal

Ian Cochrane, 21st January

Virtuosic Alina Ibragimova joins the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal for a dynamite performance of Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto, while youthful conductor Hankyeol Yoon leads polished Rachmaninov.

****1

Payare, Lamsma and the OSM: Korngold and Bartók in Montreal

Ian Cochrane, 3rd December

The Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (OSM), conductor Rafael Payare, and violin soloist Simone Lamsma joined forces in a program that featured seminal works by two musical titans who settled in the United States after fleeing Europe in the mid-twentieth century.

****1

Faust’s bargain, Berlioz’s triumph in Montréal’s season launch

Ian Cochrane, 17th September

Rafael Payare leads a fevered account of desire, damnation and sonic grandeur, ably supported by Karen Cargill and Andrew Staples.

****1

Benjamin Grosvenor’s Ravel sparkles in Montreal

Ian Cochrane, 1st May

The British are coming! An exciting evening of Ravel and Vaughan Williams with conductor Andrew Manze and pianist Benjamin Grosvenor in Montreal.

****1

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Richard Turp

Born in Montreal but raised in London, Richard Turp has worked in music for the last 30 years in his hometown, first as an operatic tenor and subsequently as an artistic administrator. He is presently Artistic Director of Les Concerts Lachine and the Lachine Music Festival.