Monday, February 22, 2010
Spotlight
Our first weekend is already over! We’ve watched as kids and grownups enjoyed themselves to the max, great artists from all over delivered brilliant performances, and the most demanding foodies sated their refined palates. And that was just for openers! In fact, all three Festival programs promise a dizzyingly diverse and dynamic 2nd course, melting the wintry heart of February. Here’s a brief glimpse of what’s to come:
The new Crossroads of Flavour in Complexe Desjardins
Start with the new Crossroads of Flavour, opening tomorrow at 11 a.m. and running until Saturday, February 27. Complexe Desjardins is transformed into a market, in a culinary showcase of the best that Quebec producers and artisans have to offer. Divided thematically into zones representing the regions of Quebec, the Grande-Place welcomes such attractions as the Bakery, offering breads, pastries and chocolates, the General Store and its many organic products, the Cellier de chez nous featuring Quebec alcoholic beverages, the Zinc, a relaxing zone where guests can raise a glass, enjoy culinary demonstrations by chefs or join in culinary workshops-including those presented in the GE Café by T-Fal and chef Jonathan Garnier of the Guilde Culinaire de Montréal-and the Lait à la bouche Mobile Boutique, a futuristic circular boutique presenting some 40 innovative dairy products made from 100% Canadian milk. Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Shows and premieres!
Elisapie Isaac - On the heels of her brilliant run as one half of Taima, welcome There Will Be Stars, Elisapie Isaac’s magnificent debut solo album. Whether singing in English, French or Inuktitut, drawing inspiration from folk, rock, and even disco, she’s fashioned a sound that showcases her voice in a new light-a quality that drew the likes of Martin Léon, Richard Desjardins, Pierre Lapointe and Antoine Gratton to the album. Montreal premiere. Tonight and Friday, February 26 and Saturday, February 27, L’Astral. Presented by CBC Radio 2.
Adrian Vedady Quartet with special guest Marc Copland - Montreal double bassist Adrian Vedady is 
a jazzman with a considerable following among fans, critics and other musicians for his style, precision and sound musical judgment. He unveiled his new album, In Three Acts, at the 30th Festival International de Jazz de Montréal this past summer. Performing here with a quartet, he treats us to the additional pleasure of a special guest, American pianist Marc Copland and his richly imagistic music. Wednesday, February 24, L’Astral.
Martine St-Clair - Finally, it arrived: Entre vous et moi, the compilation of greatest hits from a singer who’s been making them for 25 years. And the MONTREAL HIGH LIGHTS Festival is proud to host the media premiere of this highly-anticipated show! The grand return of a Quebec favourite. Love is in the air! Wednesday, February 24 and Friday, February 26, Gesù - Centre de créativité. Presented by MusiMax.
12 hommes rapaillés - 12 voices raised in song: a moving, unique, perfectly poised tribute to Gaston Miron. A major undertaking in Quebecois song, it was a phenomenal success, selling more than 30,000 copies and drawing unrestrained praise from the critics. This genuine tour de force, a major musical moment hosted by Les FrancoFolies last summer, is back live onstage following an incredible success at Théâtre Maisonneuve this fall. With Michel Rivard, Yann Perreau, Daniel Lavoie, Richard Séguin, Vincent Vallières and many others. Don’t miss it! Thursday, February 25, Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts.
Agnès Jaoui - Actress and director Agnès Jaoui turns singer and brings in her group Quintet Oficial to 
unveil the new album Dans mon pays. The musical passport bears the stamps of Cuba, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina or Andalusia, and the citizenry includes Vincent Segal (cello and artistic direction), Roberto Gonzalez Hurtado (guitar), Eric Chalan (double bass) and Maurice Manancourt (percussion). It’s a French-Cuban marriage, in a major Montreal premiere. Thursday, February 25 to Saturday, February 27, Cinquième Salle, Place des Arts. Presented by Air France.
Tickets will be available at Métropolis, the Festival’s central box office (excluding those concerts presented at Place des Arts), from the Ticketpro and Admission networks and at the Place des Arts box office, as well as the box offices of venues hosting the shows.
The Nuit blanche à Montréal…
for the entire family!
Saturday, February 27
The Nuit blanche à Montréal presented by Hydro-Québec literally has something for everyone. Bring the whole family, and create your own wild and varied schedule of activities. Here are some suggestions:
…Plateau-Mont-Royal and Mile-End
Ceramic painting (Céramic Café-Studio) - 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. - ADMISSION FEE -Paint a plate, a bowl or a mug, and enjoy a grilled panini sandwich (or a piece of cake) and coffee or tea!
Ready-to-wear Art (Galerie et Ateliers Graff) - 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. - FREE - Watch as a work is silkscreened onto self-adhesive vinyl. Then take a piece of this work with you into the streets of Montreal, becoming a “messenger of art”!
La nuit blanche du conte (Théâtre de l’Esquisse) - 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. - FREE - A dynamic and interactive evening of tall tales with Arbraconteurs and their guests.
…Quartier des spectacles et Centre-Ville
Marionette Marathon (Galerie Off the Hook) - 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. - FREE - A night of non-stop marionette mayhem featuring the new show Yorgo & the World.
An Irish Nuit Blanche…with a twist! (McCord Museum of Canadian History) - 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. - FREE - Join in the festive atmosphere of the O’McCord Pub, take part in a night of improv, and revel in your Irishness!
The Mind of Diane Dufresne (Espace Création Loto-Québec) - 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. - FREE - Enter the mind of Diane Dufresne via this exhibition created by the diva and her husband. Indulge in word-play and leave a trace of your visit by using a paintbrush to sign the giant scrapbook.
Snowball Effect! (Grande Bibliothèque) - 9 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. - FREE - Watch authors and illustrators creating in the heat of the moment!
Le Rendez-vous d’hiver (UQAM) - 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. - FREE - The best of Québec cinema and live music (DJ) all night long in the Ciné-parc d’hiver hosted by Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois
Origami Icebergs (Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal) - 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. - FREE - Create origami icebergs and join creating a collective piece!
La Nuit blanche à Montréal prend d’assaut la Place des Festivals (Place des Festivals) - Noon to 3 a.m. - FREE - Dance, create, imagine and immerse yourself in a visual and auditory experience in l’Espace L’Oréal, in a transformed Place des Festivals!
…Pôle Maisonneuve
Dazzling Birds of Prey (Parc Olympique outdoor site) - 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. - FREE - Admire birds of prey-including the world’s largest owl-as they fly overhead under the stars, in the heart of Montreal…
Moonlit Evening (Biodôme de Montréal) - 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. - PAYANT - A nocturnal, magical walk along the Biodôme pathway through softly blue-lit ecosystems. An incredible experience!
Swim with the Whales (Parc Olympique Sports Centre) - 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. - FREE - Bring your family for a dip in the pools housed in Québec’s biggest Sports Centre, enjoy AQUART, the only underwater art exhibit in Canada, and “meet the whales” on our giant screen!
Butterflies Fly Free: on the Wings of Biodiversity (Montréal Botanical Garden) - 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. - ADMISSION FEE - Enjoy the magical atmosphere of our greenhouses by night with Insectarium guides, and thousands of butterflies from all over the world.
…Quartier Vieux-Montréal et Quais du Vieux-Port
The BMO Ferris Wheel and Carnival Attractions (BMO Bank of Montreal Celebration of Light) - Noon to 3 a.m. - FREE - It’s carny time at the Celebration of Light! The Ferris Wheel, games of skill, and fortune-telling by NomadUrbains.
Line Up for C&W Dancing at City Hall! (Montréal City Hall) - 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. - FREE - Get ready for the Nuit blanche at City Hall featuring country dancing and dance exhibitions. Grab your cowboy hat and boots!
Bermudas Madness! (Atrium Le 1000 de La Gauchetière) - 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. - ADMISSION FEE - Celebrate summer… because the weather’s always perfect on the skating rink in Atrium Le 1000! Wear your Bermuda shorts and t-shirts and skate to the rhythm of summer hits!
Is There Life Hiding on Mars? (Montréal Planétarium) 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. - FREE - Explore places on the Martian surface where primitive life may have taken refuge…
Strange Science (Montréal Science Centre) - 6:15 p.m. to 3 a.m. - FREE - Movement, action, fun, the scientific alphabet… and Strange Matter: the hands-on exhibit!
… and don’t forget Art Souterrain and its 4 km of underground art!
Souffle léger, tout n’est pas que souffle léger (Palais des congrès) - 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. - FREE - A life-size reproduction of a concrete caravan that questions our frantic pursuit of happiness, a garden chair facing a TV set featuring a schmaltzy soap-opera remake…
L’oeuvre en chantier (Centre de commerce mondial) - 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. FREE - A re-created a construction site, with tools and materials positioned in an unforeseen manner in order to give them new meanings.
Hover (CDP Capitale) - 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. - FREE - A panoramic mosaic of life-sized still figures to be viewed from below.
And this is just a glimpse of what awaits you during the Nuit blanche à Montréal. For all the details, visit montrealhighlights.com. And Festival fans can also consult a mobile-friendly version of the program on their cellphones and mobile devices at the following address: montrealenlumiere.mobi.
The party takes a break in Old Montréal and on the Quays of the Old Port…
but keeps rolling on the Place des Festivals!
Once again this year, there’s a break in activities in Old Montreal and on the Quays of the Old Port (except for the skating rink) until the weekend-Friday, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. / Saturday, from noon to 3 a.m. (for the Nuit blanche) / Sunday, from noon to 6 p.m. But the party never stops, because the action heats up starting tomorrow in l’Espace L’Oréal on the Place des Festivals!
Every day
- Yuga, le film in the Ambiosphère L’Oréal, Espace L’Oréal (Place des Festivals), presented free every day, every half-hour, from noon to 9 p.m. (until 3 a.m. during the Nuit blanche; excluding Sunday and Monday)
- Leonard Cohen Artworks Exhibition in the Galerie Lounge TD (Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan) (until 3a.m. during the Nuit blanche)
- Festival of Quebec Cheeses, Complexe Desjardins, Wednesday, February 17 to Saturday, February 20
- Storytellers’ Corner, Espace L’Oréal (Place des Festivals), a presentation of the Maison internationale du conte, 12:30p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (excluding Sunday and Monday):
Stories and storytellers
Tuesday, February 23
- D’une parlure d’Acadie à la chouenneuse de Charlevoix with LeVêKe and Alexandra Bouchard
- Contes de nos villages (Québec/Burkina Faso) with Bebeto Lonsili and Éveline Ménard
- Quand la pluie rencontre le feu: contes africains with Bebeto Lonsili and Hamidou Savadogo
Wednesday, February 24
- Des histoires à dormir deboutte! with Francis Desilets and Éric Michaud
- Jamais je ne t’oublierai with Raynald Barbarie and Andrée Dufort
- Contes de l’ours et autres contes innus with Nicole Filiatrault and Mélissa Mollen-Dupuis
Thursday, February 25
- Les contes du magasin L’Heureux with Claudette L’Heureux
- Contes des Grandes eaux with Lucie Bisson
- Voix de la jungle with Franck Sylvestre
Friday, February 26
- La rôdeuse with Alexis Roy
- Contes d’hiver et de forêt with Anne-Marie Aubin and Alain Charpentier
- Rouge: contes à vif! with Céline Jantet and Nicolas Rochette
Saturday, February 27
- Histoire de se conter des… histoires! with André Lemelin
- Paroles croisées de femmes du Sud with Isabel Dos Santos and Patricia Vial
- Il n’y a pas de rue sans histoires with Éric Gauthier
Don’t miss the Festival’s Finest Tables!
José Maria da Fonseca Stops by KOKO, Monday, February 22 to Wednesday, February 24, starting at 5 p.m. - KOKO is thrilled to welcome Domingos Soares Franco, senior winemaker of Portuguese winery José Maria da Fonseca. Join him for a taste of his irresistible array of wines, each available by the glass. After some opening remarks, Franco will be making the rounds to impart his love for his work and the unceasing innovations developed at his outstanding vineyard. KOKO Restaurant + Bar
The Full Montée, Monday, February 22 to Wednesday, February 24, starting at 6 p.m. - On the menu: grilled specialties (it goes without saying) but more importantly, a playful twist on Portuguese classics. Chef Martin Juneau is given free rein to interpret the spirit of Iberian cuisine. La Montée.
Homage to Quinta do Va le Dona Maria, Tuesday, February 23, starting at 6:30 p.m. - Inspired by Quinta do Vale Dona Maria wines, Normand Laprise and his chef de cuisine Charles‑Antoine Crête conjure up a six-course meal that gives pride of place to the wines of this great Douro vineyard. A rare opportunity to rub shoulders with the vineyard’s owner, Cristiano van Zeller, one of Portugal’s most respected producers. A congenial evening sure to satisfy even the most demanding customers! Toqué!
From Porto to Montreal with guest chef Marco Gomes, Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24, starting at 5 p.m. - After a highly successful union with Parisian chef Fatema Hal last year, chefs Baron and Zaki are renewing the invitation and opening their kitchen doors to great Portuguese chef Marco Gomes, owner of Foz Velha in Porto. A blend of culture, knowledge and flavours coming together to create an unforgettable evening. Vertige.
BU Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Quinta do Portal, Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24, starting at 5 p.m. - Located in the magnificent Douro valley, the prestigious Quinta do Portal winery produces an impressive array of far-famed wines and portos. For two evenings only, BU is hanging up its Italian identity in favour of a Portuguese one. On the menu: six classic dishes paired with Quinta do Portal wines, with oenologist Paulo Coutinho on hand to discuss his products and answer questions. BU.
The Big Easy at Buonanotte, Wednesday, February 24, at 7:30 p.m. - Experience a “New World Cuisine” with a Louisiana Flare. Buonanotte welcomes New Orleans most celebrated chef, Duke LoCicero of Cafe’ Giovanni. Considered an entertainement and culinary trend setter, chef Duke will bring his expertise and unique style to an evening of Italian and Creole cuisine. Buonanotte.
Suckling Pig and Porchetta, Wednesday, February 24, starting at 5:30 p.m. - Rediscover suckling pig in the unparallelled dishes of chef Alexandre Loiseau. A four-course meal during which the chef will demonstrate his culinary savoir-faire by skillfully preparing, among others, suckling pig and porchetta. Cocagne.
Two Peas in a Pod, Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24, 6:30 p.m. - It’s no fluke that Alain Labrie ended up at Cuisine & Dépendance; after all, Jean‑Paul Giroux mirrors his expertise and passion for locally sourced ingredients perfectly. What’s more, both chefs have paired up with women in the front of house and are virtual carbon copies of each other when it comes to execution and components. The table is set for a blow-out feast that puts Eastern Townships ingredients in the spotlight. Cuisine & Dépendance.
A Trip to Portugal with Le Pégase, Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24, starting at 6 p.m. - Chef Châtelais invites you to take a culinary journey bursting with flavours and colours with a six-course meal that marries local products and Portuguese cuisine. Le Pégase.
Luís Américó at Newtown, Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24, starting at 6 p.m. - Chefs Marc-André Jetté and Patrice Demers of Newtown are proud to receive Portuguese chef Luís Américó of Mesa in their kitchen for two nights. Chef Américo is cooking up an exquisite six-course meal that will most certainly showcase his polished technique and solid culinary background. A distinctive evening steeped in flavour! Newtown.
Reminder
La Porte, Les péchés de Pinocchio, Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28, starting at 6 p.m. - New activity - In collaboration with the Rouyé family, Daniel Charbonneau and Mélanie Alain, chef-co-owners of gourmet resto-caterer Les péchés de Pinocchio, offer a menu based on fresh products with dishes that rival one another for flavour and colour. Can you resist the temptation? $60, without wine or $110, wine included (tax and tip not included). Reservations: 514 282-4996
Laurie Raphaël José Avillez, Portuguese Flavour Alchemist, Friday, February 26 - added date
HIGH LIGHTS Info-Line
514 288‑9955 or, toll-free, 1 888 477‑9955
