Classical music
Given Quebec's relatively young national history, we can't speak of a "classical music tradition". That said, the genre has been very popular in the country since the dawn of the 20th century, when it enjoyed a number of great figures (mostly in the contemporary sphere). Between the 1950s and 1970s, names such as Pierre Mercure, Serge Garant, Gilles Tremblay and Montrealers Claude Vivier, a dark genius, and Jacques Hétu, Canada's most-played composer abroad, developed a contemporary music that was uniquely Québécois. A few decades later, classical music is far from having left the country, and great local artists are doing it proud. Such is the case of Alain Lefèvre, piano star, violinist Angèle Dubeau, particularly popular, and many Montrealers, including Louis Lortie, great interpreter of Chopin, Alain Trudel, much-played composer and artistic director of the Orchestre symphonique de Laval, Alexandre Da Costa, violinist and Juno award winner in 2012, Marc-André Hamelin, pianist renowned for his immense repertoire and his passion for composers considered unplayable, as well as two of the country's great voices, bass Joseph Rouleau and soprano Karina Gauvin. On the conducting front, Montreal continues to shine with the birth of two national monuments in this field: Walter Boudreau, icon and iconoclast at the helm of the Société de musique contemporaine du Québec, and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, immense conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
Nézet-Séguin is also the life director (yes, yes) of the Orchestre Métropolitain, renowned for its excellent recordings and performing most of the time at the Maison symphonique de la Place des Arts. This same hall is home to Canada's great philharmonic entity: theOrchestre symphonique de Montréal. Directed by Rafael Payare since 2021, the OSM is considered Canada's most prestigious symphony orchestra, and one of the finest in North America, if not the world. And let's not forget to mention I Musici, the Montreal Chamber Orchestra, made up of fifteen musicians performing a wide repertoire ranging from baroque to contemporary. The ensemble regularly tours the world, winning prizes and distinctions in the process.
And for music lovers visiting between early July and early August, the Festival de Lanaudière is a must. Inviting renowned soloists from the national and international scene, this event is considered one of the most prestigious in North America.
The French song
Quebecers are passionate about language. Nothing could be more natural in an officially bilingual nation. For the French-speaking part of the country, French is a pillar of national cultural identity that must be promoted and preserved through numerous initiatives. In the field of music, this includes a 65% quota for French-language songs on French-language radio stations. What's more, singing in French is also an opportunity to appeal to the French market. And for some artists, it's even a militant choice. All in all, French chanson is a big business, and one that's not in the doldrums. From Quebec's first chansonniers such as Robert Charlebois (a Montrealer, by the way), Félix Leclerc and Gilles Vigneault - monuments to the French equivalent of Brassens - to international stars such as Céline Dion and Garou, not forgetting the famous Beau Dommage and the Cowboys Fringants (two great local prides), each generation has contributed its stone to the edifice. Artists such as Cœur de Pirate, Pierre Lapointe, Bernard Adamus and Catherine Major have had a profound impact on the province's song scene since the 2010s, often even beyond its borders. Today, they are followed by a new generation such as Charlotte Cardin, Fouki, Hubert Lenoir and Les Louanges, to name but a few, who are driving the renewal of Quebec's francophone chanson.
While there isn't a single French chanson scene in Montreal - rather a constellation of great names - the city does boast a few good addresses specializing in the genre, the famous "boîtes à chansons". All the better, because listening to chansonniers live is one of the most Québécois experiences you can have. As for festivals, Les FrancoFolies de Montréal (in June) is Quebec's major music and Francophone event, as is Coup de Cœur Francophone, with its program centered around emerging songwriters. And let's not forget to mention Francophonies, the Carrefour Cartier's very own record store, dedicated to promoting French-language music on all media (vinyl, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, magazines, books, etc.).
Aboriginal music
In 2021, 2.6% of the Quebec population was of Aboriginal origin, a figure that rose by 14.3% between 2016 and 2021. More united than ever before, and heard by a Trudeau government that cares about its minorities, Aboriginals are becoming more visible. Naturally, the same applies to the cultural field. Aboriginal artists are increasingly present on the Quebec music scene, thanks in particular to major festivals such as Innu Nikamu and Présence Autochtone, giving them real visibility. Among the Quebec native artists to watch, the most traditional are the Black Bear group of singers and drummers. Amazing. A rising star on the Canadian scene, Élisapie sings in French, English and Inuktitut - her mother tongue - about today's Inuit culture and people. Activist and rapper Samian is also a celebrated and revered figure, highly emblematic of the Aboriginal scene.
Pop, rock, electro
Made more or less from the same wood as its American twin, the Montreal scene is renowned for its dynamic independent music scene. It's home to such icons as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Rufus Wainwright, Arcade Fire and Suuns; electro champions like A-Trak, Kaytranada, Men I Trust and Chromeo; experimentalists like Dirty Beaches, Planet Giza and Kara-Lis Coverdale; and eccentric icons like Grimes and the superb pianist Chilly Gonzales. And what about the French-speaking scene? Young artists are far from going to sleep - on the contrary, they're actually awakening. We've got nuggets like Marie Davidson from the duo Essaie Pas, with her sensual, mechanical new wave, Koriass, spearheading new Quebec rap, and the epic pop of Lydia Képinski.
Montreal's hectic nightlife is far from a legend, with so much to choose from when it comes to concerts. One of the most popular venues for contemporary music fans is MTELUS. Located in the heart of the city, this legendary venue, long known as Métropolis, can accommodate 2,300 people. All the big names in pop have played here, from David Bowie to Rita Mitsouko to Björk. Not far from here is another Montreal staple: l'Astral. Intimate and acoustic, it also stands out for its cutting-edge programming. And finally, if you're looking for local nuggets or future stars, there's no better address than Les Foufounes Electriques. A veritable temple to the underground, the venue is as much a haven for Montreal's fringe as it is for the hip and trendy. You can listen to everything, and it's often very good. On the festival front, music lovers flock in unison to Pop Montréal, the meeting place of the international independent scene, or, in winter, toIgloofest, a breathtaking electronic music festival with its feet in the snow. Otherwise, anyone looking for good Montreal record shops will be well served. The discerning hunter first goes to Cheap Thrills, specialists since 1971 in jazz, alternative rock, avant-garde and experimental music of all kinds, then to Atom Heart, one of the best addresses for indie rock, pop or electronic vinyl.
Theater, humor and circus
Quebec is a theater country. And as French people, we can't ignore it, having directed, adapted, performed, edited and read such leading playwrights as Wajdi Mouawad, Michel Tremblay, Larry Tremblay, Évelyne de la Chenelière, Marie Laberge and Carole Fréchette. Naturally, the cultural capital of such a theatre-loving region offers a plethora of stages dedicated to the genre. One of the most popular is undoubtedly the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, with its beautiful Italianate-style auditorium and superb productions of major works from the national and international repertoires, from Molière and Koltès to Shakespeare and Michel Tremblay. Another pillar of the city, the Théâtre du Rideau Vert, has seen the cream of local playwrights perform on its stages over the past 70 years: Antonine Maillet, Michel Tremblay, Gratien Gélinas and Marie-Claire Blais to name but a few. To be sure of finding a new Quebec creation, head for the Centre du Théâtre d'Aujourd' hui, which since 1968 has been promoting and disseminating local and Canadian French-language playwriting through creations and revivals of the repertoire. Otherwise, the most contemporary scene in town is certainly Théâtre Espace Go, specialized in the discovery of new writing, both textual and scenic. The venue also makes a point of highlighting the contribution of women to the theatrical adventure. The city also hosts a particularly interesting event every spring, the Festival St-Ambroise Fringe de Montréal, an international festival of free expression combining theater, dance and music.
Given the number of Canadian comedians who have made a career in France, it's easy to see the importance of humor in Quebec. Bons vivants devant l'Eternel, Quebecers are particularly fond of humor, so much so that a National School of Humor was founded in Montreal in 1988. Since then, the school has graduated over 400 writers and comedians, including many of the great contemporary names in Quebec humor, such as Jean-Marc Parent, Lise Dion, Laurent Paquin, Jean-Michel Anctil, Martin Matte, Guillaume Wagner, François Bellefeuille and Philippe Laprise. Unsurprisingly, Montreal - the birthplace of the world's biggest comedy event, the famous Just for Laughs festival - is brimming with comedy venues. The most prominent in town? Without a doubt, the Bordel Comédie Club, a former brothel (hence the name) converted into an American-style stage where five artists perform at a frenzied pace every evening. For confirmed talent, head for Salle André-Mathieu, also a major presenter of the performing arts in the country, or Théâtre St-Denis, not only one of the finest but also one of the most popular theaters in town, with its emphasis on comedians. Otherwise, for stand-up or improv, Club Soda remains a must-see venue. It's also the home of the Ligue Nationale d'Improvisation, a 40-year-old local institution that has elevated improvisation to an art form.
Finally, it's impossible to talk about the performing arts in Montreal without mentioning the circus: as the Canadian (and even American) capital of the genre, Montreal's reputation in this field is well established. The city boasts a festival devoted entirely to the circus arts(Montréal Complètement Cirque in July), a professional school (the National Circus School), TOHU, a city of circus arts, and of course the headquarters of the highly prestigious Cirque du Soleil. In its wake, the city also boasts numerous professional troupes (Cirque Éloize, Les 7 Doigts de la Main...) that will delight fans of the discipline.
