On Thursday May 30 in Salle Bourgie at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, excerpts from three new operas written and composed by women will be presented for the first time. In collaboration with Le Vivier, Musique 3 Femmes and Sixtrum, Fables and Legends – Opera of Today (the title of the evening) will present the results of three commissions to three female composer/librettist duos. The first is by Analía Llugdar and Emné Nasereddine (Émile Nelligan Prize 2022), entitled Je suis fille de la fille (I am Daughter of the Daughter). The second, by Rebecca and Rachel Gray, is a black comedy entitled Raccoon Opera, featuring a particularly charismatic raccoon (!!). The third musical/libretto duo is formed by Alejandra Odgers and Nicole O’Bomsawin. This opera, entitled Nanatasis, features puppets that bring traditional Abenaki legends to life.
Several artists will be on stage, including Andréanne Brisson-Paquin (soprano), Krystina Marcoux (percussion), Nicole O’Bomsawin (storytelling) and Sixtrum (percussion ensemble).
I had the chance to speak with Kristin Hoff, General and Artistic Director of Musique 3 Femmes, who explains how these operas are closely connected to our contemporary reality, with themes such as immigration, exile, the revival of aboriginal cultures and the housing crisis!
