The Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec gave a concert at the Maison symphonique on Saturday that was finally filled to capacity, which should help them regain their audience in the future. It was a dense, short, but intense concert. Bernard Labadie, under whose direction the musicians played, added a small touch of originality at the end of the program. Despite convention prohibiting encores after Mozart’s Requiem, Labadie announced there would be one, featuring Mozart’s Ave Verum. This was a moving tribute to Laurent Patenaude, who spent 28 years with the Violons du Roy, including as artistic director. Patenaude will take over as director of the Opéra de Québec starting Monday.
In regard to the concert’s main piece, Mozart’s Requiem, the first question that arises is what to play beforehand. Options include Mozart’s 27th Piano Concerto followed by an intermission, or a Bach piece like the Cantata for soprano “Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut” about redemption. Another popular option is to seamlessly transition between two foreign works, such as Joseph Martin Kraus’s Symphony funèbre. For this series of concerts, Bernard Labadie chose a more concise approach, featuring Bach’s Motet “O Jesu Christ, Mein’s Lebens Licht” with string accompaniment.
Over the years, under Bernard Labadie’s leadership, Quebec seems to be at the forefront of advocating for Robert D. Levin’s revision as the reference edition of Mozart’s Requiem. The concert highlighted the intelligence of Levin’s work on the orchestration, particularly emphasizing the woodwinds and the clarinet.
The concert was praised for its choral balance, orchestral finesse, and the angelic color of the soprano section. Expressively, the attention to detail was sublime, showcasing innovative interpretations of the music. The performance featured flawless soloists of high quality, all stylistically accurate and balanced.
This memorable concert kicked off the Violons du Roy’s campaign for their 2026-2027 season, led by Bernard Labadie. The upcoming season will include guest conductors Maurice Steger, Avi Avital, Paul Agnew, Thomas Le Duc-Moreau, and Johann Stuckenbruck, and will commence with countertenor Iestyn Davies.
