Training the great voices of tomorrow

Performing Arts

Training the great voices of tomorrow

In preparation for the Rallye des Arts, the team of the Brigade Arts Affaires de Montréal (BAAM) met with the institutions that will take part in this event.

Since when has the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal existed?

L’Atelier lyrique was founded in 1984, four years after the Opéra de Montréal, to develop and train the next generation of opera singers in Canada.

What is the mission of the Atelier lyrique?

The Atelier lyrique is a professional development program for young opera artists. It is a kind of safe space between mastery and career where artists are trained in singing, musical performance, languages and stage performance. Courses are given by local experts and invited international artists.

How are the resident artists selected?

The Atelier lyrique organizes auditions across Canada, in cities that have singing faculties (such as Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal). The auditions are for young artists in their twenties who have completed their academic studies before they become self-employed. Out of approximately 130 candidates, ten will be selected for the national final: the Gala TALENT de l’Atelier lyrique. This year, the Gala will take place on November 14. Donors of Opéra de Montréal are invited to attend in order to award the Prix du Public. Of these ten artists, about four or five will be chosen to be part of the Atelier lyrique. Year after year, the Atelier welcomes a dozen artists in residence, including a pianist. Sometimes the Atelier opens internships for directors, as was the case last season. Interns are selected based on their career potential and the resources available to the company to assist them in their artistic and professional development.

What does the training an artist receives at the Atelier lyrique look like?

Training at the Atelier lyrique takes an average of two years. In addition to training in singing, performance, language and games, artists also attend career management seminars on various topics: financial management, personal branding, social media, donor relations, etc. They have individual and group rehearsals as well as master classes. Moreover, since the Atelier’s offices are adjacent to those of the Opéra de Montréal, it is not uncommon for artists to come and ask us questions.

What distinguishes the formation from the Atelier lyrique?

L’Atelier offers a customized program for young artists that adapts to their needs, according to their current career path. It is a very rich, dense program that instills great discipline in artists and teaches them self-management and autonomy. It is also the only bilingual program in Canada.

Could you tell us about the CoOpéra project?

CoOpéra has been in existence for fifteen years. It is a program to fight against school drop-out. An opera is created from scratch with young people in 5th and 6th grade of primary school from CSDM schools located in difficult environments. As a collaborative art, opera is an excellent way to teach young people to work in teams and develop their collaborative spirit. CoOpéra is one of many community projects. Indeed, the Opéra de Montréal is best known for its four annual productions presented at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, but the Opéra has a whole range of community activities, such as CoOpéra, which is still unknown. The artists of the Atelier are often called upon to participate in these projects by giving workshops. They often act as transmission belts to carry them out.

Can we see the artists of the Atelier lyrique in concert?

Absolutely! In addition to their training, there are also opportunities for services. Artists can play small roles in Opéra de Montréal productions and perform with partner orchestras, such as the Orchestre Métropolitain, the Orchestre symphonique de l’Agora, the Orchestre symphonique de Longueuil or the Orchestre symphonique de la Vallée du Haut-Saint-Laurent. They can also be seen at the Gala de l’Atelier lyrique or as part of community activities such as CoOpéra. This allows them to perform in large venues, as well as smaller ones. They are vibrant ambassadors of opera in the community.

the development of inclusive and multiple stage projects that place intercultural dialogue at the heart of their artistic creations.They use a heterogeneous distribution that is representative of diversity in terms of population and plurality. They explore different artistic disciplines such as visual arts, documentary, literature, music, dance and performance in the dramatic construction of their creations. Interdisciplinarity allows them to explore different scenic languages by promoting intercultural dialogue.