|
| Welcome | Venue & map | Important Dates & Notices | Organization | Contact Us | Site Map | Français |
|
UpdateJuly 18, 2007--> |
About Quebec CitySpectacular Québec City | Natural Québec City | Gourmet Québec City | Cultural Québec City | Meet in Québec City | Québec City | Québec City 1608-2008 Cultural Québec CityA stimulating urban delightPeople visit Québec City for its history and beauty, only to discover a thriving cultural center at the forefront of artistic endeavor. As a French-speaking metropolitan area in an English-speaking world, the city is a magnet for artists, performers, singers, and artisans. A musical tour de forceYou don't have to speak a word of French to appreciate Québec City's vibrant musical scene. Star billing no doubt goes to the Québec City Symphony Orchestra (OSQ) directed by July 13, 2007stra. The OSQ, which employs 63 full time musicians, puts on some forty subscription series concerts a year, often before sellout crowds. Québec City is the birthplace of Les Violons du Roy, a string orchestra launched in 1985 by graduating music students and young professional musicians in the early stages of their careers. Brilliantly directed by Bernard Labadie, they have since recorded eight releases under U.S. label Dorian, toured all over Canada, the U.S., and Europe, and walked off with numerous awards and distinctions. A further crowd pleaser is the Québec City Opera, which puts on several different productions a year. A city of surprisesThis musical effervescence spills over into other areas of city life. In fact it's not unusual to spy a violinist, a harp player, or even a musical ensemble out practicing in Old Québec, much to the surprise and delight of passers-by.
A full-flavored local sceneA great part of Québec City's musical attraction is owed its piano bars, boîtes à chansons, and nightclubs. Whether visitors prefer a touch of jazz as they sip on wine, a repertoire of Québec folk as they enjoy a local-brewed beer, or the next wave of streetsmart cool as they check out the local bar scene, they're only steps away from a night of discovery and escape in walkable Old Québec. Festivals and special events also contribute to Québec City's musical renown. The granddaddy of them all is the Québec City Summer Festival, an eclectic summertime happening that takes to the streets, squares, and parks of Old Québec. In the past 12 years, attendance at the event has doubled to 750,000, and in 1999-2000 it won "Cultural Event of the Year" at the Attractions Canada Awards in Vancouver. Car & Travel magazine has called it "among the best-kept travel secrets in North America…(and) one of the best entertainment bargains in the world." Other musical events and attractions include chamber music at Sainte-Pétronille, the Sillery Early Music Festival, the Saint-Roch Sacred Music Festival, and the International Festival of Military Bands. Québec City also features regular recitals, organ concerts, and special performances in its many churches, chapels, and convent halls. Some great names in music from the Québec City area include Luc Plamondon, the author of over 400 songs and the immensely popular musicals Starmania and Notre Dame de Paris, and Félix Leclerc, a Québec storyteller, poet, playwright and songster who spent the last 25 years of his life on Île d'Orléans, just outside the city's limits. A visual enchantmentQuébec City's vibrant cultural life extends to the visual arts. Artists cluster in the city's trendy Saint-Roch neighborhood, close to Laval University's School of Visual Arts. Galleries abound, many featuring works of local inspiration, others blazing trails in contemporary art and photography. The Musée du Québec on the Plains of Abraham offers permanent exhibits of Québec art and regularly stages blockbuster shows, such as its Rodin exhibition in 1998 that drew over 500,000 visitors. Many local artists are avidly collected, including Luc Archambault, Claude Pelletier, Élène Gamache, and Danielle April. Another internationally acclaimed artist was Jean-Paul Riopelle, deceased in March 2002, who lived on Île-aux-Grues. A permanent exhibition is devoted to his works at the Musée du Québec. And indelibly linked to Québec City is Francesco Iacurto, a Montréal-born artist who fell in love with the area in 1938 and made it his permanent home. Iacurto is noted as the only Canadian artist to have painted in the gardens of the Vatican. A word to the wiseQuébec City stands out in literature. For visitors with even a passing knowledge of French, the rewards of exploration can be immense. A perfect booklover's walk could start on rue Saint-Jean in Faubourg Saint-Jean-Baptiste, outside the city's walls, and continue into the old town, with stops every block or so at the numerous bookstores. Once in the old city on Côte de la Fabrique, visitors could head down to the Old Port to unearth yet more treasures in the antique shops. The annual Book Show, called the Salon international du livre, draws francophone writers and editors. One illustrious writer who adopted Québec City as home was Gabrielle Roy, whose name now adorns the main civic library. Her first novel Bonheur d'Occasion (The Tin Flute in English) received a Governor General's Award and France's Prix Femina. All of Gabrielle Roy's later works were also translated into English. Another writer with Québec City ties was novelist and poet Anne Hébert. Her 1970 novel Kamouraska based on a 19th century murder is a classic of Québec and Canadian literature and was made into a hit movie. A dramatic presenceThe performing arts in Québec City are personified by internationally famous writer, actor, and director Robert Lepage. His Ex Machina workshop in the Old Port has mounted some dozen world-touring productions in its first years. Lepage himself has notably staged works in Tokyo, Stockholm, and London, and was the mastermind behind Peter Gabriel's Secret World Tour. Québec City is noted for the variety and quality of its theater productions. In addition, the city plays host to an international drama festival, Le Carrefour international de théâtre, and a pan-American film festival, Images du Nouveau Monde.
Québec City's cultural appeal contributes directly to quality of life for local residents. In 2001, Today's Child magazine named Québec City "Canada's best city for raising a family," citing the metropolitan area's "cultural vibrancy." You, too, are invited to share in this vibrancy! Find more information on the Québec City Area at:
|
Québec City is a real draw for touring performers with its many concert halls and its avid ticket-buying public. Le Capitole de Québec, which once welcomed the legendary Edith Piaf, features a dinner & variety show formula. Les Folie's de Paris is a popular musical venue with its shows reminiscent of Paris's Folies Bergères. Marquee performers like Celine Dion make Québec City a regular stop on their tours. Rock groups like Bon Jovi, Metallica, and Rush are also frequent visitors to Le Colisée Pepsi, the city's main arena. 
Adding to the cultural diversity and interest of Québec City are its many artisans from every walk of artistic life. Glassblower Jean Vallières, whose creations are made right before visitors' eyes in his Petit Champlain craftshop, typifies the city's appeal in this regard. Many of his shopkeeper neighbors specialize in other areas, such as jewelry, fashion, leatherworks, pottery, and pewter.