“I’m in my artistic youth,” explains Alexandre Da Costa. The maestro at the helm of the Longueuil Symphony Orchestra and director of the Stradivaria Festival likes to shake up the established order and rigidity of the classical music world. Whether the purists like it or not.
• Also read: The Stradivaria classical music festival returns across Quebec
“Artistic freedom is my holy grail right now,” explains Alexandre Da Costa, who will receive the Quebec National Assembly Medal next July. As a teenager, I had arguments with my parents who played classical music…but I have principles and a vision. The music I want to share is human music composed of sincere feelings.”
For the conductor-soloist (he conducts his orchestra with his Stradivarius violin), there are no limits to the musical influences from which this music, which he wishes to democratize, can draw. The proof: the Stradivaria Festival, which he has co-directed with his wife Martine Cardinal for a decade.
25 years of music
The event, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, is unifying and inclusive, like Maestro Da Costa. It offers 17 outdoor and church concerts over ten festival days. From traditional classical music shows to classic pop and jazz nights, hosted in the Laurentians, Lanaudière and Mauricie regions.
Most shows are free: another way for the internationally renowned conductor and violinist to democratize this classical music that makes him resonate.
high level
“We want to share the creativity of these artists, with whom I have professional and personal relationships, in a setting that is not that of a traditional classical concert,” continues the 43-year-old artist, who notably gives free rein to country singer Guylaine Tanguay left at Mont-Tremblant on July 20th.
To celebrate the festival’s quarter-century, Alexandre Da Costa insisted on inviting top-class performers. Such is the case with the Orava Quartet from Australia and the American pianist Olga Kern.
There are also other artists with different musical styles, including King Melrose, the country group Mountain Daisies, Claude Gauthier, Sharon Azrieli, Vladimir Korneev, John Roney and Victor Valdez, winner of the La Voix au Venezuela television competition.
Alexandre Da Costa will also be on stage with violinist Adrian Anantawan for a few evenings, which the maestro promises will be exciting. These shows from the Inspiration series allow them to discuss the challenges of learning to play the violin; This also includes the resilience of Adrian, who plays his one-handed instrument despite a physical deformity.
“For 20 years I never had any relationship with the public,” laments Alexandre Da Costa. I was asked to go to play and leave the stage. But I’ve always had a desire to engage in dialogue with the public, and I do that with the Stradivaria Festival in particular.
5 concerts not to be missed at the Stradivaria Festival
- July 7th at Oka Church: the intergalactic classical concert. The great classical concert of the Stradivaria Festival. With Olga Kern and the Orava Quartet.
- July 11 at Le Patriote Theater in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts: The show Les 4 saisons Quebec version with the founder of the festival, Claude Gauthier and Yama Laurent, big winner of La Voix.
- July 14 at the Church of Saint-Louis-de-France in Terrebonne: The Stradivarius Supercharge show promises to get audiences swept up and dancing as Alexandre Da Costa will appropriate the great titles of Baroque and Classical music, remixing them to create a new musical genre.
- July 15: Symphonic Inspiration with Adrian Anantawan at Saint-Viateur Church in Outremont (+ 2 more dates)
- July 20th at the Saint-Jovite church in Mont-Tremblant: Carte blanche for Guylaine Tanguay. ($50)