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ARTS THIS WINTER ΩDance by TAO FEI & HANNAH RAHIMI Montreal’s upcoming dance season gives audiences plenty to savor through the winter months: a batch of visiting artists and companies, as well as a cross section of homegrown hotshots, with offerings ranging from big classical ballet productions to magnetic solos to gems on the edge of contemporary and avantgarde practices. One thing is for sure: this will be the time to discover virtuosic dancing in its many incarnations. Last chance to decide whether 2011 will be naughty or nice: Reigning enfant terrible Dave St-Pierre closes out Théâtre La Chapelle’s fall season with another provocative piece, Le cycle de la boucherie (Nov. 29 to Dec. 17). The 18+ dance theater work, featuring no-holdsbarred performers like Vincent Morelle and Sylvia Camarda in explicit entanglements, marks the Quebec choreographer’s first collaboration with the Canadian-led, Dutch contemporary company Dance Works Rot - terdam/André Gingras. For wholesome, PGrated fare, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal returns to Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier STRAIGHT RIGHT... Featuring Ève Garnier and Victoria May PHOTO danse-cite.org BATSHEVA PHOTO Gadi Dagon BELOW: PERSONAE, featuring José navas PHOTO Valérie Simmons with their perennial family favorite, Fernand Nault’s The Nutcracker (Dec. 10 to 30). The live Tchaikovsky score and the first curtain reveal of the Kingdom of Sweets in spires the fuzzy feeling every time. The Danse Danse season resumes in January with two renowned choreographers each taking the stage. First is an intimate engagement with José Navas/Compagnie Flak, at Cinquième Salle. The veteran Venezuelan-born Quebec choreographer will perform Personae (Jan. 11 to 28), a brand-new suite of stripped-down solos set to music ranging from Patti Smith to Rachmaninoff. TF Contemporary dance company Mandala Sitù takes the stage at Agora de la Danse in a presentation of Bijoux (Jan. 18 to 21). In this intimate, poetic creation, five male choreographers intersect with five female dancers to question ideas of femininity and identity. UKbased dancer and choreographer Akram Khan brings two award-winning works to the Théâtre Maisonneuve, displaying his unique blend of contemporary dance and Kathak, classical Indian dance. In Gnosis, he melds Eastern chants, live music and magical choreography (Jan. 24 to 25), followed by Vertical Road, which draws inspiration from Sufi tradition and the Persian poet Rumi, featuring the music of Nitin Sawhney (Jan. 26 to 28). If you’re craving the cutting edge, check out the newly formed collective C’est Juste Lundi in their very first performance, Pierre-Marc et ses angèles… les derniers bleus, in which four dancers explore the intersection between the absurd and the profound at Théâtre La Chapelle (Jan. 25 to 28). Montréal Danse, which is celebrating its 25 th anniversary, kicks off the month with two productions at Agora de la danse. Jean-Sé - bastien Lourdais push - es the limits of the body with his edgy, corporeal choreography in a premiere performance of Three Skins (Feb.1 to 3). In George Stamos’ Husk, three dancers collaborate with musician /composer Jackie Gallant in a profound navigation of gender and the mind/body dicho - tomy (Feb. 8 to 10). In the spirit of Valentines Day, the young Central-African choreographer Ghislaine Doté tackles the theme of marriage in Merry Age, a comic and lively Virtuo Danse performance at Agora de la danse (Feb. 15 to 18). In multi-cultural Montreal, audiences may be particularly interested in explorations of migratory identity such as Danse-Cité’s Straight Right ou l’art d’être Nulle part Ailleurs (Feb. 16 to 25, Espace Go). Ève Garnier and Victoria May perform four stories of migration, displacement and memory staged by local and international choreographers, composers and photographers. HR Over at Usine C, strap on your seatbelts for an appearance by Lisbeth Gruwez, wild child of the Belgian avant-garde and muse of Jan Fabre. She packs in all of her feral wattage into Birth of Prey (Feb. 23 to 25), a rock-star solo work backed by an onstage drummer and guitarist. A North American premiere. The highlight of Danse Danse’s 2011-2012 season has to be the Montreal return of Israel’s Batsheva Dance Company with a new piece by Artistic Director Ohad Naharin, entitled Hora (Mar. 1 to 3). Naharin’s now-classic 50 DECEMBER 2011 / JANUARY 2012
GNOSIS, featuring Akram Khan PHOTO Valérie Simmons contemporary dances feature in the repertories of top-flight companies around the globe, but nothing is like seeing his distinctive technique on his own troupe—all guts and glory, especially the women. To see another worldclass ensemble, this time a bastion of Russian classicism, the 150- year-old Kiev Ballet performs Igor Zelensky’s Swan Lake (Mar. 8 to 11) at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. Its famed school in the Ukraine has produced some of the biggest ballet stars on the planet. Prefer another vision (sans tutus) of women dancing? Belgium-based Canadian dancer and choreographer Lise Vachon will visit Tangente at Mo nument- National with powerhouse dan cer Lisbeth Gruwez to present Sliding (Mar. 8 to 11), a brand-new duet of shifting silhouettes in an Edward Hopper-esque universe. And at the end of the month at Agora de la danse, don’t miss a second chance to see the latest piece by Canada’s leading contemporary choreographer Crystal Pite, with her Frankfurt-based company Kidd Pivot. First presented in Montreal at last summer’s FTA, The You Show (Mar. 21 to 24) is a four-part evening-length work for eight superhuman dancers tackling epic human themes. TF Agora de la danse presents Orlando, the newest work of choreographer Deborah Dunn, performed by members of Trial and Eros (Mar. 14 to 17). Seven dancers rehearse themes of androgyny and metamorphosis in this absorbing, surreal piece based on the Virginia Woolf novel. HR The final snowstorm in April will likely take place at Usine C: An appearance by Tokyo-based dancer, choreographer and multimedia artist Hiroaki Umeda, as part of the sixth edition of the Festival Temps d’Images. A major player of the Japanese avant-garde, Umeda will present the North American premiere of his acclaimed Holistic Strata (Apr. 19 to 21), a hyperkinetic, street style-inflected solo set against mind-warping projections of blustering black and white static. TF ΩTheatre ROBIN HOOD REDUX by JAMES GARTLER The winter months typically stir up feelings of isolation, financial frustrations, memories of lost loves and dreams of warmer nights. How fitting, then, that Montreal playhouses will bring these sentiments to life all across town in the coming months, offering a variety of productions aimed at exploring the struggles of the human heart, or simply shaking audiences out of their frozen funk. Robin Hood Redux: There Will Be Tights is likely to fall into the latter category. This Purple Doorknob Production promises to turn the legend of the Prince of Thieves on its ear by reversing the genders of the main characters. Evil Prince John becomes Princess Eileen, Maid Marian becomes Lord Marion, and even Robin himself becomes a herself. To find out if that translates into comedic gold, pay a visit to Mainline theatre (Nov. 30 to Dec. 3). Those seeking a reason to get up and dance will rejoice at the return of Mamma Mia! in the New Year. The ABBA-powered Broadway musical will take over Place-des-Arts for an eightperformance run (Jan. 3 to 8). Though most have likely seen the Meryl Streep film version by now, the show remains popular thanks to its ability to create a party atmosphere among the attendees. With classic hits like “Dancing Queen,” “Chiquitita” and “Winner Takes It All” woven into the plot, it’s easy to see why. MAMMA MIA! ARTS THIS WINTER Fans of Calgary-born playwright/actor/director Morris Panych are in for a run of good luck. His newest work, In Absentia, will make its world premiere at the Centaur Theatre (Jan. 31 to March 4). The play follows Colette, a woman whose spirit has been crippled since the kidnapping of her husband, Tom, a year prior, while on a business trip in Columbia. Holed up in their cottage, she catches sight of a young man who bears a strange resemblance to Tom and reaches out, offering him some escape from the cold. With young up-and-comer Jade Hassouné in the cast, along with Paul Hopkins (Segal’s The Play’s the Thing), this one is de finitely a must-see. Those hoping to get a taste of Panych’s more signature comedic GUY SPRUNG style, meanwhile, will be happy to hear that Vigil is being staged by the Segal Centre (March 11 to April 1). Audiences in London, Paris and across Canada have enjoyed this tale of a bank employee who travels to be with his Aunt when she claims she’s on her last breath. For a look at an industry in a similar situation, make a note of Ars Poetica, opening at Infinitheatre (Jan. 17 to Feb. 12). This new comedy by local writer Arthur Holden follows the struggles of a Montreal literary magazine attempting to stay a - float with the help of a lawyer, of all things. LYNN NOTTAGE Originally workshopped as part of Infinitheatre’s series of public readings The Pipeline, Ars is directed by Guy Sprung. Centaur Theatre will present Pierre de Marivaux’s classic play The Game of Love and Chance, adapted and translated by Nicolas Billon (March 6 to April 1). First staged in 1730, this romantic comedy sees an upper-class girl switch places with her maid before meeting the boy her father would like her to marry. As it turns out, her suitor has also disguised himself as his chauffeur, in an attempt to get a more honest look at her personality. With servants and masters swapping roles, the resulting hyjinks force both couples to question the notions of social class, a theme also relevant in Intimate Apparel, which runs at the Centaur (March 27 to April 29). Apparel tells the story of African-American seamstress Esther, whose attempts to save money while serving the ladies of New York’s high society circles in 1905 unexpectedly lead to a marriage proposal and a chance at a better life. With a script by Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage, a six-person cast featuring local talent Lucinda Davis and a ragtime soundtrack to boot, this one sounds like an ideal way to bid farewell to the winter woes and welcome in spring. LSM DECEMBER 2011 / JANUARY 2012 51
- Page 2 and 3: CONTENTS DECEMBER 2011 — JANUARY
- Page 4 and 5: y CAROLINE RODGERS PHOTOS OF ANA SO
- Page 6 and 7: ON THE COVER SVADBA PHOTOS John Lau
- Page 8 and 9: N TES by CRYSTAL CHAN, REBECCA ANNE
- Page 10 and 11: discovery cd Transposing Tradition
- Page 12 and 13: PORTRAIT ALEXANDRE DA COSTA A passi
- Page 14 and 15: MUSICULTURE to create music for a f
- Page 16 and 17: MUSICULTURE IN MEMORIAM Maryvonne K
- Page 18 and 19: PHOTO Philippe Jasmin PORTRAIT NÉZ
- Page 20 and 21: OPERA HIROMI OMURA will play Leonor
- Page 22 and 23: PORTRAIT LAN TUNG Taiwanese-born er
- Page 24 and 25: CONCERT Previews by RENÉE BANVILLE
- Page 26 and 27: PREVIEWS A GREAT LIEDER PERFORMER A
- Page 28 and 29: 2011 DECEMBER in QUEBEC TO LIST YOU
- Page 30 and 31: TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY S
- Page 32 and 33: PREVIEWS Elsewhere in QUEBEC OPERA
- Page 34 and 35: Mozart: Don Giovanni. McGill S.O.;
- Page 36 and 37: SALUTE TO VIENNA Salute to Vienna b
- Page 38 and 39: jazz Jazz is particularly fond of h
- Page 40 and 41: JAZZ REVIEWS News from Europe Dutch
- Page 42 and 43: REVIEWS » cds • dvds• books A
- Page 44 and 45: REVIEWS CDs they had already record
- Page 46 and 47: variations ON A THEME Looking for a
- Page 48 and 49: CONTEST CIOC Pipe dream turned real
- Page 52 and 53: ARTS THIS WINTER Visual Arts by JUL
- Page 54 and 55: ADISQ 2011 NOMINATION ALBUM OF THE
ARTS THIS WINTER<br />
ΩDance<br />
by TAO FEI & HANNAH RAHIMI<br />
Montreal’s upcoming dance season gives audiences<br />
plenty to savor through the winter<br />
months: a batch of visiting artists and companies,<br />
as well as a cross section of homegrown<br />
hotshots, with offerings ranging from big classical<br />
ballet productions to magnetic solos to<br />
gems on the edge of contemporary and avantgarde<br />
practices. One thing is for sure: this will<br />
be the time to discover virtuosic dancing in its<br />
many incarnations.<br />
<strong>La</strong>st chance to decide whether 2011 will be<br />
naughty or nice: Reigning enfant terrible Dave<br />
St-Pierre closes out Théâtre <strong>La</strong> Chapelle’s fall<br />
season with another provocative piece, Le<br />
cycle de la boucherie (Nov. 29 to Dec. 17). The<br />
18+ dance theater work, featuring no-holdsbarred<br />
performers like Vincent Morelle and<br />
Sylvia Camarda in explicit entanglements,<br />
marks the Quebec choreographer’s first collaboration<br />
with the Canadian-led, Dutch<br />
contemporary company Dance Works Rot -<br />
terdam/André Gingras. For wholesome, PGrated<br />
fare, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de<br />
Montréal returns to Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier<br />
STRAIGHT RIGHT...<br />
Featuring Ève Garnier<br />
and Victoria May<br />
PHOTO danse-cite.org<br />
BATSHEVA<br />
PHOTO Gadi Dagon<br />
BELOW: PERSONAE,<br />
featuring José navas<br />
PHOTO Valérie Simmons<br />
with their perennial<br />
family favorite,<br />
Fernand<br />
Nault’s The Nutcracker<br />
(Dec. 10 to<br />
30). The live<br />
Tchaikovsky score<br />
and the first curtain<br />
reveal of the Kingdom<br />
of Sweets in spires the<br />
fuzzy feeling every<br />
time.<br />
The Danse Danse<br />
season resumes in<br />
January with two renowned choreographers<br />
each taking the stage.<br />
First is an intimate engagement with José<br />
Navas/Compagnie Flak, at Cinquième Salle.<br />
The veteran Venezuelan-born Quebec choreographer<br />
will perform Personae (Jan. 11 to<br />
28), a brand-new suite of stripped-down solos<br />
set to music ranging from Patti Smith to Rachmaninoff.<br />
TF<br />
Contemporary dance company Mandala<br />
Sitù takes the stage at Agora de la Danse in a<br />
presentation of Bijoux (Jan. 18 to 21). In this<br />
intimate, poetic creation, five male choreographers<br />
intersect with five female dancers to<br />
question ideas of femininity and identity. UKbased<br />
dancer and choreographer Akram Khan<br />
brings two award-winning works to<br />
the Théâtre Maisonneuve, displaying<br />
his unique blend of contemporary<br />
dance and Kathak, classical<br />
Indian dance. In Gnosis, he melds<br />
Eastern chants, live music and magical<br />
choreography (Jan. 24 to 25),<br />
followed by Vertical Road, which<br />
draws inspiration from Sufi tradition<br />
and the Persian poet Rumi, featuring<br />
the music of Nitin Sawhney<br />
(Jan. 26 to 28). If you’re craving the<br />
cutting edge, check out the newly<br />
formed collective C’est Juste Lundi<br />
in their very first performance,<br />
Pierre-Marc et ses angèles… les<br />
derniers bleus, in which four<br />
dancers explore the intersection<br />
between the<br />
absurd and the profound<br />
at Théâtre <strong>La</strong><br />
Chapelle (Jan. 25 to<br />
28).<br />
Montréal Danse,<br />
which is celebrating its<br />
25 th anniversary, kicks<br />
off the month with two<br />
productions at Agora<br />
de la danse. Jean-Sé -<br />
bastien Lourdais push -<br />
es the limits of the<br />
body with his edgy,<br />
corporeal choreography<br />
in a premiere performance<br />
of Three<br />
Skins (Feb.1 to 3). In<br />
George Stamos’ Husk,<br />
three dancers collaborate<br />
with musician<br />
/composer Jackie Gallant in a profound navigation<br />
of gender and the mind/body dicho -<br />
tomy (Feb. 8 to 10). In the spirit of Valentines<br />
Day, the young Central-African choreographer<br />
Ghislaine Doté tackles the theme of marriage<br />
in Merry Age, a comic and lively Virtuo Danse<br />
performance at Agora de la danse (Feb. 15 to<br />
18). In multi-cultural Montreal, audiences<br />
may be particularly interested in explorations<br />
of migratory identity such as Danse-Cité’s<br />
Straight Right ou l’art d’être Nulle part<br />
Ailleurs (Feb. 16 to 25, Espace Go). Ève Garnier<br />
and Victoria May perform four stories of<br />
migration, displacement and memory staged<br />
by local and international choreographers,<br />
composers and photographers.<br />
HR<br />
Over at Usine C, strap on your seatbelts for<br />
an appearance by Lisbeth Gruwez, wild child<br />
of the Belgian avant-garde and muse of Jan<br />
Fabre. She packs in all of her feral wattage into<br />
Birth of Prey (Feb. 23 to 25), a rock-star solo<br />
work backed by an onstage drummer and guitarist.<br />
A North American premiere.<br />
The highlight of Danse Danse’s 2011-2012<br />
season has to be the Montreal return of Israel’s<br />
Batsheva Dance Company with a new<br />
piece by Artistic Director Ohad Naharin, entitled<br />
Hora (Mar. 1 to 3). Naharin’s now-classic<br />
50<br />
DECEMBER 2011 / JANUARY 2012
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