Labour Day Weekend marks for many the last “official” summer weekend. Why not take advantage of it to spend it at Tremblant and enjoy one of the numerous concerts offered as part of the Fête de la musique? Among the guest artists, not to be missed are the performances of the young prodigy, pianist Jan Lisiecki, who will play a concert dedicated entirely to Chopin, a concert with Lorraine Klaasen and her group, and of Angèle Dubeau & Friends, who will present “Les chemins de l’errance” (The roads of wandering), with such guests as Lewis Furey and La Pietà.

The Mayor’s Parade with the group Kumpa’nia, a group of 15 percussionists in costume inviting citizens to join them, will enliven the sectors of the Tremblant Village and of the Market Square this morning. They will then proceed to the site a little before noon to open the Fête de la Musique with Angèle Dubeau, artistic director of the event, and end their parade on St-Jovite’s rue Principale.

All details here…

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal starts its 77th season with a free concert, tonight, 7 p.m. at the corner of Maisonneuve and Saint-Urbain, right in front of the Orchestra’s future home, scheduled to open in one year. The concert, “an hommage to the courage of the people of Haiti,” is placed under the direction of the OSM’s music director, Kent Nagano. Will make appearances: writer Dany Laferrière reading excerpts of his latest book, soprano Marie-Josée Lord singing Gershwin’s Summertime and Luck Mervil in Mézanmi. Also on the program are Strauss’ symphonic poem Don Juan and Stravinsky’s suite from The Firebird, that becomes a ballet for circus artists, with the participation of Cirque Éloize.

Bring chairs and umbrellas if needed; concert will be held rain or shine.

You never go to sleep before singing E lucevan le stelle or sing Carmen’s Habanera in your head every time you meet a new man? Your friends constantly remind you that you should have completed your Cegep in music instead of administration? You prefer Broadway musicals? No problemo! I’m expecting you to show up, tomorrow night, 7 p.m., place Émilie-Gamelin, for Karaoke Opera, an event organised by Opéra de Montréal and The KARAOKE Channel, as part of the Montréal Pride Celebrations 2010.

The press release states: “Whether singing solo or with a group of friends, singers will choose from a selection of operatic arias in the style of Verdi, Bizet, Puccini, Mozart, Saint-Saëns and Rossini from works such as Carmen, Aida, La bohème, Tosca and others. Broadway selections include songs from West Side Story, Rent, My Fair Lady and more.”

So, I’ll see you there? Don’t count on me to step on the stage though and sing at the top of my lungs. (I’d be perfect in the accompanist’s role but I’m off the hook, technology will replace me!) I’ll be there to cheer you on though.

Lucie

To kick off this year’s edition of the Lanaudière Festival in style, a musical extravaganza is planned tomorrow night, that will feature seven soloists in works by five composers! The Festival’s Artistic Ambassador Alain Lefèvre, a great favorite of Festival audiences, is soloist in Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor. Also featured are Schumann’s rarely performed Konzertstück for four horns and orchestra, Russian violinist Alina Ibragimova in Mendelssohn’s beloved Violin Concerto and German soprano Anja Kampe in two excerpts from Wagner’s opera Tannhäuser. The orchestra will be led by Jean-Marie Zeitouni. All the details here…

To listen to Alain Lefèvre performing on The Child Prodigy, the André Mathieu bioepic, click here…

You want to get away for the weekend and would like to attend a great concert at the same time? I have just the thing for you. Indeed, at the Orford Festival, tomorrow night, Anton Kuerti will perform a mostly Schumann program, including the wonderful Fantasy Op. 17, a true masterpiece.

Robert Schumann was the first to see the genius of the young Johannes Brahms. A testimony to this friendship, Kuerti will also perform Brahms’s Intermezzi opus 119, tinged with tenderness and nostalgia.

You can hear them here…