It was yesterday afternoon that was held the 13th edition of the Prix Opus, salle Claude-Champagne. This annual gala recognizes the remarquable vitality of the Québécois classical music milieu. Several Analekta artists went home with five of the twenty-seven prizes awarded at the event, hosted by Mario Paquet and André Papillon.

Pianist André Laplante was the first Analekta artist to walk up the stage to receive the “Concert of the Year – Regions” Prize for his Chopin and Liszt recital, given at the Orford Arts Centre June 20, 2009. To listen to André Laplante in Chopin…

A few minutes after, Matthias Maute, artistic director of the Ensemble Caprice, joined Christopher Jackson from the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal to receive a joint prize for the concert “Le Faste de la France”, given on May 3, hailed as “Concert of the Year – Medieval, Renaissance and baroque repertoire”. The Ensemble Caprice also performed a frenzied Folia and ponctuated the awards with tidbits of music in the second half of the program. To listen to Gloria! Vivaldi and its angels (nominated in the category “Recording of the Year – Medieval, Renaissance and baroque repertoire”…

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s Youth Concerts program “Adventure at sea” won the “Young Public Production” prize. The OSM was also nominated for the concert version of Messiaen’s opera Saint François d’Assise and in the category “Recording of the Year – Modern and Contemporary repertoires”, for its album devoted to Unsuk Chin’s works. To listen…

Pianist Louise Bessette’s talent was recognized twice, first as “Performer of the Year” then for the remarkable work done to bring to life the “Messiaen Fall”, a unique event in which several Montreal musical organisations joined forces together to celebrate the French composer’s 100th anniversary. In a moving acceptance speech, she thanked Olivier Messiaen but also all the Canadian composers, many of which offered her works through the years. To listen to her latest album, devoted to Messiaen…