Conservatoire de musique de Gatineau
Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle
Under the direction of conductor Yves Léveillé and surrounded by the Museum's world-class collection of aircraft, the choir of the Conservatoire de musique de Gatineau, accompanied by two pianos and a harmonium, will perform the original version of this masterpiece of Romantic choral music. The concert will feature mezzo-soprano Renée Lapointe and baritone Luc Lalonde, as well as a few surprise guests.
Tickets:
18 $ families: 1 or 2 adults with 2 children
9 $ adults
6 $ students and seniors
5 $ children from 4 to 15 years
Tickets can be purchased at the Conservatoire de musique de Gatineau and at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum as of March 24, 2012.
Musical Repertoire
Kyrie eleison — Chorus
Gloria in excelsis Deo — Soloists and Chorus
Gratias agimus tibi — Contralto, Tenor and Bass Soloists
Domine Deus — Tenor Solo
Qui tollis — Soprano and Contralto Soloists
Quoniam — Bass Solo
Cum Sancto Spiritu — Chorus
Credo — Soloists and Chorus
Crucifixus — Soprano Solo
Et resurrexit — Soloists and Chorus
Preludio religioso (offertory) — Piano Solo
Sanctus — Chorus
O salutaris Hostia — Soprano Solo
Agnus Dei — Contralto and Chorus
About the work
The Petite Messe Solennelle was composed in 1863, at the request of Count Alexis Pillet-Will, and is dedicated to his wife, the Countess Louise Pillet-Will. Rossini referred to the work as "the last mortal sin of my old age." It is one of a collection of pieces he wrote after retiring from opera, which he compiled under the title Sins of Old Age (and which also includes the famous "Cat Duet").
On the last page of the score, Rossini, who died in 1868, wrote the following inscription, which summed up his state of mind in his later years: "Dear God – here it is finished, this poor little Mass. Is this music I have written truly sacred, or is it damnable? I was born to write comic opera, as you well know! Not much skill, a little heart, and that's about it. Praise be to you, and grant me entry into Paradise."
On the front page of his score, Rossini wrote: "Petite Messe Solennelle [...]. Twelve singers of three sexes – men, women and castrati [...], twelve cherubim in all."
The work is divided into two parts and combines march-like rhythms and majestic tempos with rich and, at times, surprising harmonies.
Soloists
Renée Lapointe
Saguenay native Renée Lapointe has two master's degrees, one in vocal performance and the other in instrumental teaching. The Fondation de l'Opéra de Québec presented her with the Raoul Jobin Award in 1990 and the Prix de scène, in conjunction with the Prix d'excellence de la culture, in 1993. In addition to many notable appearances in recitals and oratorios, Ms. Lapointe has performed various roles in operas and operettas both here in Canada and elsewhere, under the direction of a number of distinguished conductors. Renowned for her warm, flexible voice, her charismatic presence and her versatility, she is regularly invited to sing at prestigious musical events.
Luc Lalonde
Canadian baritone Luc Lalonde starred in the title role of Canadian opera Louis Riel by Harry Somers in January 2005 at Place des Arts in Montreal. The production received an Opus award for the musical event of the year for the 2004–2005 season. Among Mr. Lalonde's previous roles are the High Priest in Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns), Don Pedro in La Périchole (Offenbach), Gregorio in Roméo et Juliette (Gounod), Dandini in La Cenerentola (Rossini), Leporello in Don Giovanni (Mozart), Pistola in Falstaff (Verdi) and Dulcamara in L'Elisir d'Amore (Donizetti). His oratorio repertoire includes Elijah (Mendelssohn), Te Deum (Dvořák), Petite Messe Solennelle (Rossini), Carmina Burana (Orff), the Ninth Symphony (Beethoven), Messa di Gloria (Puccini), Ein deutsches Requiem (Brahms) and Requiem (Mozart). He made his European debut in Belle-Île-en-Mer in 2007.
Director of the Conservatoire de musique de Gatineau Choir
Yves Léveillé
Yves Léveillé is a prize recipient from the Conservatoire de musique de Gatineau in clarinet and chamber music. Since 1985, he has taught clarinet, chamber music and introductory conducting at the Conservatoire de musique de Gatineau, where he also directs the choir and the wind orchestra. From 1983 to 2003, he played bass clarinet with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, first clarinet with the Orchestre des concerts symphoniques de Gatineau and first clarinet with the Savoy Society of Ottawa. He is a founding member of the Ensemble du Jeu présent and served as director of the École de musique d'Orléans (MIFO) from 1992 to 1995. He is currently the artistic director of the Orchestre symphonique de l'Outaouais.
Opening hours of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Regular schedule: Wednesday to Monday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed Tuesdays except statutory and school holidays.
Closed Christmas Day. Open New Year’s Day.
Aviation and Rockcliffe Parkways.
