“Even with my mask, you can see that I’m smiling!”, Yannick Nézet-Séguin was launched onto the stage of the Maison symphonique, which on Saturday afternoon received its first spectators for six months (eternal!). Once it turned its back, still You can feel his smile, and hear what comes out of the orchestra.
The audience returns it to him with loud applause. Despite the variants, despite the mandatory sanitizer at the entrance (“No, sir, no symptoms, don’t travel outside …”), although the little red disappeared during the break, more than 200 enthusiasts came to the arena of arts. To listen the Metropolitan Orchestra.
The entry and exit procedure in the room feels much smoother than it was in September, and the wait at the entrance is minimal, as we have seen. Only a small quack: a voice asking the spectators, at the end of the ceremony, not to get up before naming their class … without enumerating the aforementioned rows. Baffled in the room.
Photo by Kathryn Lefevre, special collaboration
Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Orchester Métropolitain
The train conductor took advantage of the presence of the Minister of Culture, Natalie Roy, and the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Stephen Gilbyault, to emphasize how “culture is treated with respect in Quebec, even if there is still a lot to be done.” He knows these issues well. He directs two South Border orchestras, where funding for the arts is more dependent on private sponsorship.
The ceremony was also opened with an American makeup. Umoja, we commend unity, By African-American Valerie Coleman, it was created two years ago by the conductor of the Quebec orchestra and the Philadelphi Orchestra and is inspired by the Swahili response songs. It is very generous and tonal music, played a lot by austenatus of strings and seasoned with many or less strange rhythms. We think of a few of the specific works of Bernstein or Copeland.
Today’s pianist is Toronto pianist Tony Seki Yeon, aged 19, who came to play the piano Concerto pour piano By Clara Schumann. He and Yannick Nizet Segwen had the opportunity to get to know each other during the China International Music Competition, the second to have accompanied the finalists with his band from Philadelphia.
Photo by Kathryn Lefevre, special collaboration
Concert with the young prodigy and first prize of the China International Music Competition, Tony Seki Yun, who performs Concerto pour piano By Clara Schumann, supervised by Yannick Nzeit Segen
Yoon has a nice temper, with a fiery, irresistible side, overflowing a little at times. He follows the conductor with a finger and an eye in quick movements, and is clearly more interesting for the piano part, very Chopin, than an orchestral accompaniment without much rest (again a very Chopin trait).
The central “Romanticism”, which is rare for a concerto, concerns only the piano and the solo cello (part introduced by the expressive Caroline Melott), an opportunity for the young artist to demonstrate his sense of singing. Orchestral players, like the audience, are hanging by his fingers. A pianist whose development we will follow with great interest.
The top of the concert was of course delicious Symphony N.The 2 De Brahms, part of four full-on concerts over a period of a few weeks. Re-energized with the presence of a “real” audience, Nzit Segan went there with this enthusiastic warning before grabbing his club: “We might mistake an excess of decibels at the end of the symphony, and we won’t apologize!”
Lead band Brahms gave very deep, generally balanced and always hesitant. The contrasts between the vocals and the ones carried away are emphasized by great art, as the musician took the time to savor the first clips and store energy to release into the climax. And as promised, Nzit Segan unleashed the monsters in the final match. We will order more!
The concert will be broadcast online from April 9-18.