Voir Grand, Voir Devant: Montréal, Day 2, Part 3: The show!

Define a period described as “several hours”.

I know I said it might be an interval of several hours before the continuation of this blog, and that it is now a matter of days since the last posting, but there are decisions to be made. Is it better to sit in your hotel room blogging all day, or should one be out there having experiences worth blogging about. It's quite a conundrum that: if you just sit in your room blogging, then you have nothing to blog about, whilst if you fill your day with wondrous experiences, then you end up exhausted and have no time to blog.

Moderation in all things, that is the key.

That's very profound for you, and actually quite sensible, if you don't mind me saying.

I don't mind at all, and thank you, I think. But isn't about time you told your reader about Thursday evening before he/she loses interest? You can philosophise later, when you've got nothing important to say.

So, where were we? Ah yes, there we were sitting in seats 6, 8 and 10 in Row Q in the Theatre Hector-Charland, in L'Assomption, waiting for Les Filles de Caleb to begin. I bought the CD for the show last November, some months before the actual première of the show, and felt a warm glow spreading as the musicians began playing the introduction/overture.

It hadn't happened again had it?

What hadn't happened again?

You mentioned a 'warm glow spreading' That sometimes happens to you doesn't it?

Do you mind!! There have been odd occasions when all is not as it should be in the medical adhesive department, but that's not was I was talking about in this instance. It was a warm glow of pleasure, coming from hearing and seeing a live performance of something you have only heard before in a recorded version. So, as the first notes of “Dans les bois” were heard, a warm feeling of recognition and expectation spread through me.

Is that what happened early this morning, and is that why you're having to do lots of washing? Ah no, that was the medical adhesive malfunction type of warm glow wasn't it?

Good grief! Have you no compassion, no sensitivity? But as a matter of fact, I had better go down to the hotel laundry to check on the progress of rather a lot of washing. There will, however, be no further mention of washing or medical adhesive, is that understood? Our reader does not want to read about such things.

I hear you can do polls on blogs now, so you could gauge the wishes of your reader that way. At least you might get a 100% yes, or know, or don't know.

The stage at Theatre Hector Charland is quite large, and it needs to be for the production of Les Filles de Caleb. There is no orchestra pit: the musicians are on stage for the entire performance, and form an integral part of the events which take place on stage. To tell this family saga effectively requires a great deal of ingenuity, and the theatrical methods used are supplemented by still and moving images,as well as scene-setting sound effects.

Yes, yes, yes … all very technical and critique type reporting, but that's not what this was about. Tell him/her/them why you were really here!

The songs, the music, the singers. OK? But what I hadn't bargained for was that this folk-opera would be so packed with emotion. Michel Rivard's songs are wonderful – Emilie, Berthe, Blanche, Ovila, Napoleon and the others are brought to life through these pieces of poetry set to music. You know who my favourite artiste was going to be before I got to the theatre, and Luce did not disappoint. Without sounding trite and fawning, Mme Dufault's voice is magical – and in this story of a woman leading a life of extreme difficulty, I have to tell you that there were one or two occasions when emotion almost overcame me. She was not alone in effectively transmitting the emotions of the events unfolding before our eyes. I have not read the books, or seen the TV series, so I came to this experience without any foreknowledge beyond that available in the publicity. I left the building with a much enhanced vision and understanding of the hardships encountered by the folk living in the near wilderness areas of Québec, and I am sure elsewhere in Canada.

At the intermission, Louise turned to me to seek my reactions to the first part of the show. I found myself unable to speak for several moments, such was the dramatic conclusion to the first act.

What a big girl's blouse!

Be quiet. And how many people do you think will understand that phrase, if they don't come from the north of England?

Would you have preferred “You big softy!”

I don't mind admitting that as I get on in years...

Oh no, just a moment while I tune up the violin...

...that things get to me more emotionally. There's nothing wrong with shedding a tear or two from time to time. And talking about violins,they can't half tug at your own strings, you've got to admit. Anyway, after the interval, the show went on...

As it must do...

and we became more involved in the stories of these ageing and developing characters. I loved it., Bruno Pelletier, who could very easily be crowned the next Czar of Russia, if he's interested in the job, played a spurned lover who turned to the church and then became unspurned, so left it. (@Michel V. - don't bother looking up that word in your dictionary, it doesn't exist, – les mots solite et insolite! ) .

He has a superb voice. If you haven't heard him sing, you could do worse than watch a very interesting video which appeared on social networking sites today – a flash mob in Moscow celebrating his voice and his imminent visit there, for the third time, I think. It's at https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=2382435714603

There is movement in Russia gaining momentum to have another Quebecoise visit them. Go on Luce, you know you want to!!

For once I am in total accord!

Michel Rivard had cast his players well, each convincing us of their conviction in their respective roles, and delivering them to a very high standard. A sigh of disappointment had rippled around the auditorium before the performance, when it was announced that the part of Blanche would be taken by a young lady whose name I did not catch on Thursday evening. There was disappointment that Stephanie Lapointe was not present, but Chloé Lacasse performed the role admirably. Par hasard, oops, by chance, this morning (Monday 17th) I happened to see her photograph in a poster advertising a competition for young artistes, and displaying images of former winners beneath. I saw a familiar face, and sure enough, on further examination, I am fairly certain that it was Chloé Lacasse who played Blanche. My young Russian friends will be pleased to learn this fact, as they were quite disappointed last Friday that I could not give them her name! ;-)

It's now Tuesday 18th, and I have just had it confirmed by Luce that the part of Blanche was played not by Chloé Lacasse, but by Pascale Montreuil. I must check out that poster again, and my eyes, but I should have known that the young ladies several thousands of miles away would know better than me who it was.

As the show reached its conclusion, I had reached that strange place where one is enjoying something so much, and yet there is a lump in your throat which threatens to stop you breathing, and which must be controlled lest a sudden relaxation allows a howl of anguish to be released.

You what?

OK, I was choking back the tears. Is that simple enough for you to understand, strange inner voice?

The applause for the cast and musicians was rapturous, and none received a greater reception than Luce. Pauses for satisfied grin.

We waited for the audience to file out of the salle, and then made our way to the front, and watched as the various lighting systems and audio-visual displays were switched off. It was a bit bizarre to see where a few seconds before had been a forest, or a blizzard, or railroad station, to see the so familiar words “Microsoft Windows is closing down”. We waited for a little while and then Luce emerged from the wings, to greet us warmly and then invite us backstage, where most of the cast were relaxing together. We had arranged, well actually I had asked and Luce had agreed, to have a couple of posters signed for Daria and Iraida, but not one to do things by halves, Luce had five posters ready for us, one for each, all duly autographed by her and other cast members. 

She kindly introduced us to Michel Rivard, who made us welcome, and introduced us to his dog. Luce also introduced us to Yves Lambert, famed for his contribution to the Québecoix folk-music tradition. Here he is rehearsing “Joues l'accordion”, with Michel Rivard: http://youtu.be/OHP766H2vfc .

Luce's stage-husband Daniel Boucher also took the time to sign a program for a third of our 'Filles de Russie” , Eugenia, who had anglicized her name to Jane. He also recorded a little video message for her. 

Unfortunately Czar Bruno had a long journey home that night, so he had left immediately after the performance. Once again I was so impressed by the genuinely warm welcome we received from these good people. It transpired that Luce was due to run in a 10k race in Montréal on 16^th October, and then was soon to take part in the New York Marathon. I told her about our Great North Run, and will continue to drop subtle hints to tempt her to come over to take part!

At last we took our leave of Luce and the others, knowing that she faced quite a long drive home herself. Thank you Luce, for another wonderful evening, for the performance and the time afterwards, which is very special to me.

Now Sylvain works in Laval, which is virtually on the opposite side of Montréal from his home in Repentigny, and he normally sets off for work at about 04.30. We left L'Assomption just after midnight, and it takes quite a while to drive into the Centre-Ville where my hotel is situated. So you can imagine how much sleep he wasn't going to get! Thank you very much to Louise and Sylvain for their hospitality, and the rides in that lovely big Dodge Charger!

I think it was about 01.00 when I got back to the hotel, and I was so tired, physically and emotionally, that I wasn't able to send the intermediate report on the evening's proceedings to “Les Filles de Russie” (And I think they were actually waiting!) The computer was opened, switched on, and then went into sleep mode a few seconds after me.

Here are some more video clips from Les Filles de Caleb, for your information and enjoyment:

Luce chante “Voir grand, voir devant”: http://youtu.be/3ezjIV3Pueo

et “Ovila ma solitude”: http://youtu.be/nxLzwgdyuO0

and a little promo: http://youtu.be/RtUa2_f2-ds