Nelligan, the opera by André Gagnon and Michel Tremblay created more than 30 years ago, will mark its return this fall with six performances in Brossard, Gatineau, Longueuil, Sherbrooke, Saint-Jérôme and Terrebonne.
The opera, which retraces the great moments in the life of Quebec poet Émile Nelligan, will be made up of part of the cast of actor-singers who have trod the boards of the Théâtre du Nouveau-Monde, in Montreal in 2020. they include the tenor Robert Marien in the role of old Nelligan and the baritone Dominique Côté in that of young Nelligan. Kathleen Fortin takes on the role of the poet’s mother, Frayne McCarthy plays Nelligan father, while Marie-Thérèse Fortin embodies the role of Françoise. The cast also includes Jean Maheux as Père Seers and Jean-François Poulin as Charles Gill – the latter sings La Chasse-Galerie, one of the opera’s best-known arias.
The musical framework based on the tunes of André Gagnon is also interpreted by Rosalie Asselin on the piano, Chloé Dominguez on the cello and Esther Gonthier on the piano and musical direction. Anthony Rozankovic made the arrangements for two pianos and a cello. The series of concerts echoes the double album released last November.
Opera Nelligan tells the story of the “national poet” Nelligan, who died on November 18, 1941 after spending more than 40 years in the Saint-Jean-de-Dieu psychiatric hospital in Montreal.
The opera will be presented on October 15 at the Théâtre du Vieux-Terrebonne, on October 19 at the Odyssée hall of the Maison de la Culture de Gatineau, on November 4 at the Pratt hall.
