New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal (OM), their conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the prestigious Deutsche Grammophon label are proud to be on the new DG Stage online portal this summer. Joining an impressive roster of internationally renowned artists, the OM will stream Beethoven's first 8 symphonies, recorded at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts's Bourgie Hall. Yannick Nézet-Séguin is one of Deutsche Grammophon's leading artists.
As of July 31, audiences around the world can celebrate A Summer of Beethoven with the Montréal-based orchestra through a series of four concerts, with cutting-edge sound and visual quality. Over 50 talented musicians will join forces with the best audio and video technicians to capture the OM's artistry in Bourgie Hall's magnificent acoustics. With two symphonies per concert, A Summer of Beethoven is celebrating the composer's 250th birthday.
"Live music is being transformed thanks to this Deutsche Grammophon initiative. This innovative platform features the greatest musicians in the classical world and gives audiences across the globe the chance to listen to the unique sound of my home orchestra. I couldn't be more proud to belong to these two great families—the famous Yellow Label and the OM—while we forge a new and exciting way to experience music together." - Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Artistic
Director and Principal Conductor, Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal
Recently launched by Deutsche Grammophon, DG Stage - The Classical Concert Hall provides an extraordinary technological and musical experience. Developed by the DG Premium service, it includes exclusive, custom content available for a limited time, including: recitals, chamber music, orchestral performances and opera.
Music lovers can find the biggest names in classical, including maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who records exclusively under the label.
"Beethoven was a revolutionary who changed the course of music history for ever. The 250th anniversary of the composer's birth is the moment to recall how he was driven to 'Play on, play against all odds'. His music, his courage and his humanity are for our time and for all times. We're delighted to collaborate with the Orchestre Métropolitain and Yannick-Nézet-Séguin and connect a global audience to A Summer of Beethoven. Their project makes the perfect match for DG Stage and adds an extra dimension to the Yellow Label's ambitious online classical concert hall. People worldwide will be able to experience their sensational music-making live and share in the fresh perspectives they are sure to bring to Beethoven." - Dr.
Clemens Trautmann, President of Deutsche Grammophon
Each concert will cost 9.90 Euros, which is about $15 Canadian. Concerts can be streamed for 48 hours after they have been put online.
These four concerts will be available starting on July 31 through the Orchestre Métropolitain and Bourgie Hall websites, or directly on DG Stage.
Mario F. Paquet, a classical music enthusiast and host of the OM's pre-concert talks, will present each of the 8 symphonies alongside the Orchestre's musicians. The talks will be recorded as short videos and will stream for free on the OM's website.
"Thanks to this partnership with Deutsche Grammophon, audiences all over the world can see the talent coming out of Montréal, Quebec and Canada. New to DG Stage, the OM is taking advantage of a golden opportunity to make their debut in the world of multimedia recordings. And what a debut it is! Thank you to our musicians for their dedication and resilience, and to Yannick for making this exceptional partnership come to life." - Jean R. Dupré, President and CEO, Orchestre Métropolitain
Schedule
Beethoven - Symphonies No. 2 and 4: Available starting Friday, July 31 at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), 8 p.m. Central European Summer Time (CEST)
Beethoven - Symphonies No. 5 and 6: Starting Friday, August 7 at 2 p.m. EDT, 8 p.m. CEST
Beethoven - Symphonies No. 7 and 8: Starting Friday, August 14 at 2 p.m. EDT, 8 p.m. CEST
Beethoven - Symphonies No. 1 and 3: Starting Friday, August 21 at 2 p.m. EDT, 8 p.m. CEST
Touching hearts at a safe distance
Nothing has been left up to chance during recording. The OM's return to performing is compliant with the public health measures put in place by the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST). All necessary measures have been taken to ensure the safety of OM musicians, technicians and the limited number of office staff on site. This includes making sure that no one is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, physical distancing of 2 meters, limiting access to the hall, installing one-way corridors, disinfecting the site and requiring masks when moving around the hall.
More about the Orchestre Métropolitain
Since it was founded in 1981, the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal has devoted considerable importance to Canadian artists in its programming, including instrumentalists, soloists, composers, singers and conductors. Over the last 20 years, the OM has grown alongside its artistic director and principal conductor, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, whose career continues to reach new heights. Having developed an exceptional bond with his musicians, the conductor has led many memorable—and sometimes adventurous—musical performances. Last September, the OM announced that it had renewed Yannick Nézet-Séguin's contract for life.
More about Deutsche Grammophon
One of the most prestigious names in global classical music since its foundation in 1898, Deutsche Grammophon has always stood for the highest standards of artistry and sound quality. Home to the greatest artists of all time, the famous yellow label is a beacon to which music lovers all over the world look for outstanding musical interpretations, audio recordings and visual productions. Highly dedicated to the development of new repertoire in arts music, Deutsche Grammophon fosters and promotes a whole range of popular contemporary artists and eminent composers. The label also prides itself on its innovative use of the latest technology to provide music digitally to audiences worldwide.
Deutsche Grammophon's current artist roster boasts some of the most distinguished figures in classical and contemporary music today, including Martha Argerich,
Daniel Barenboim, Gustavo Dudamel, Elīna Garanča, Hélène Grimaud, Evgeny Kissin, Lang Lang, Anne-Sophie Mutter,
Andris Nelsons, Anna Netrebko, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Murray Perahia, Maurizio Pollini, Grigory Sokolov, Bryn Terfel, Daniil Trifonov, Rolando Villazón, Krystian Zimerman as well as Joep Beving, Hildur Guðnadóttir,
Dustin O'Halloran,
Agnes Obel, Víkingur Ólafsson and Max Richter. In addition, the label's catalogue represents the cultural legacy of whole generations of maestri and features recordings from many of the finest artists in music history, including Claudio Abbado, Leonard Bernstein,
Pierre Boulez, Vladimir Horowitz, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Herbert von Karajan,
Carlos Kleiber, Mstislav Rostropovich as well as Andrés Segovia.
Acknowledgements
The Orchestre Métropolitain would like to give special thanks to its official partner, Hydro-Québec.
This online concert series is presented by TD Bank Group.
We also want to thank our public partners: the Government of Quebec, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts de Montréal and the Ville de Montréal.
