A musical immersion that stirs nostalgia

Saturday evening, at the Wilfrid-Pelletier theater, I watched a film that I had not seen for at least fifteen years. This time, the experience had something entirely new: the film is projected on a giant screen, accompanied live by the FILMharmonique Orchestra and Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal.I really liked The Choirs at the time and I was satisfied by this cinema-concert formula. For a first baptism of its kind, it’s challenging to imagine a better choice.

From the first notes, we felt that the evening would rest on the finesse of the interpretation and the precision of the synchronization. Under the direction of Anthony Gabriele, the FILMharmonique Orchestra imposed a solid presence, never too strong to overwhelm the image, but always rich enough to remind us that the music of Bruno Coulais was a work in itself. I found myself listening to passages that I had forgotten, as if I were watching the film for the first time.

The Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal were impeccable. At least, from what I could perceive, no false note, no hesitation, nothing to break the magic. The young chorister who took up the voice of the character Pierre Morhange achieved something delicate: offering a different interpretation,but perfectly accurate. The adaptation was well done, respectful of the tone of the film without falling into a carbon copy. It was touching to hear this voice coming from the stage rather than from the speakers, as if Pierre Morhange were coming to life in front of us.

Nostalgia did the rest.I believe that anyone in their thirties, like me, having already sung in a choir, must have gone through this repertoire in their youth. See on your way, Caress on the ocean, Kite…I saw memories pass by, some glorious, others where I sang much less in tune than I wanted to admit. the film has this rare ability to take everyone back to their own school years.

December sometimes reminds us that winter invites itself into everything. Even in a show. I heard several people coughing around me, sometimes almost rhythmically, adding an involuntary layer of sound to the concert despite themselves. It made me smile more than anything else.The room itself became a character, a little cold, but well-meaning.

It must be said that the pr