Virée classique | In chorus, with heart

To conclude this 2025 Classical Spree, the OSM organized a large choral gathering for two free performances. This performance, featuring 135 singers from 84 choirs, was led by renowned conductor Simon Rivard. The concert began with a world premiere, “Par-dessus le vacarme,” composed especially for the 50th anniversary of the Alliance chorale du Québec by Jeanne Laforest. It’s a magnificent piece, with a beautiful text that encapsulates our values, with harmonies dissonant enough to make it accessible to all. I believe it will spread like wildfire through the repertoire of the province’s choirs.

Next came the only non-Quebec piece on the program, Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine. It was one of the most beautiful performances of the Cantique I have ever heard, for the simple reason that every detail of the score was faithfully observed, making all the difference between a masterpiece and a sing-along. The most challenging work on the program was undoubtedly Lionel Daunais’ playful Figures de danse. This choral classic elicited a few laughs from the audience with its humorous lyrics. Aside from a few hiccups in the final movement, the challenge was met with flying colors. At several points during the concert, the audience was invited to sing along with the choir to the popular songs from the concert. Although he was rather discreet about traditional songs, he gave himself over to Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah and Yvon Deschamps’ Aimons-nous, before falling silent for the only a cappella piece of the concert, a touching arrangement of Quand les hommes vivront d’amour by the late Raymond Lévesque.

The concert ended with a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Choral Alliance, and of the 50th anniversary of the song Gens du pays, by Gilles Vigneault.