Virée classique de l’OSM | A Requiem of Contrasts

The PAN M 360 team is very present at the Virée classique, presented by the OSM. Alain Brunet, Alexis Desrosiers-Michaud and Alexandre Villemaire report on what they saw and heard at the concerts presented in Montreal until August 18.

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and its choir were in top form for the first concert of the Virée classique weekend, in Guiseppe Verdi’s Requiem.

What’s striking from the outset is the respect and accuracy of the nuances, as indicated in the score; the “very soft” indications are almost imperceptible, and the “very loud” ones shatter the ceiling, to the point of literally vibrating the plexiglass on stage. On the other hand, when singing piano, consonants must be exaggerated, and both soloists and chorus lose the first consonants of words. Conversely, the consonants at the end of words are more sonorous.

The four soloists, including the tenor, Oreste Cosimo (forgotten in the program), sing not with the score in hand, but placed on a lectern. In this way, they can “play” their text. Mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb stands out in this respect, detaching herself from the score to interact with her counterparts, or staring at the audience to convey emotion.

The chorus is solid, fair and balanced. It sings loud enough to take its place in the din of the Dies Irae and the Tuba Mirum. In the Sanctus, however, the orchestra and choir are on two different levels. The orchestra is loud and festive, while the choir is restrained and angelic. This part, with 8 voices, should stand out more to perceive the various entries and avoid being swallowed up.

Photo credit: Antoine Saito