Armed with the greatest titles in his repertoire – and his undeniable charisma – Bruno Pelletier returns to the stages of Quebec to celebrate the 25the anniversary of his album Miserere. And it is nothing less than a true singing masterclass that the singer offers, proving once again that the passage of time has no influence on his talent.
It's hard to believe that just over 25 years have passed since the release of Miserere, the legendary album that took Bruno Pelletier's career to new heights. His titles – I forget my madness, Aime, Coriace and Co. – have never really left our airwaves and certainly not suffered the slightest wrinkle.
And although the last quarter century has faded Bruno Pelletier's mane, it has in no way affected his vocal range. Quite the opposite, actually. The maturity acquired has only enriched his timbre and vocal range while refining his control and accuracy to make them impeccable but above all amazing.
Because as impressive as it is on the record, Bruno Pelletier's talent is truly appreciated on stage. The ease with which the 61-year-old singer performs dangerous vocal flights is, in a word, spectacular. We were able to clearly demonstrate this on Saturday evening during the big Montreal return to this tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the album “Miserere”.
Comprehensive overview
Obviously, the show's premise couldn't have been clearer. But the singer did not want to be satisfied with the pieces that made up this opus to complete the evening's program.
Digging elsewhere into his repertoire to draw from Elsewhere it's like here, The good guy and the bastard and other dreaming, Bruno Pelletier also uses this tour to paint a comprehensive portrait of the artist who he is, and reviews his most important musical influences once again. In various scenes, the singer switches from rock to disco and, with the same passion and intensity, appropriates the tracks popularized by Metallica, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Gino Vannelli and even Martin Stevens.
And in these moments we recognize Bruno Pelletier, the man behind the singer; his joy on stage is as obvious as it is infectious and his interventions show him as he really is; humble, funny, affable and frankly lovable.
The highlight of the evening? Certainly it is the time of cathedrals, beautifully dressed by a string quartet, but also La Manic, an immortal piece by Georges Dor that Bruno Pelletier made his own like no other.
Brilliant Kim Richardson
We couldn't ignore the presence of Kim Richardson, who supported Bruno Pelletier vocally throughout the evening. The singer was much more than just a background singer, she made her a real – and impressive – stage partner, giving her many opportunities to take her place on the stage and shine in her own right.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCE QMI
So we come away from this show with absolute certainty: Bruno Pelletier is undoubtedly one of Quebec's greatest voices. Maybe even the entire French-speaking world. And it has everything to amaze, move and surprise us for a long time to come.
- The Miserere tour runs through the province until 2025. All dates: brunopelletier.com