NEWS | Éric Champagne, first winner of the Lori Davies Excellence Award

The Fondation SOCAN recently announced the presentation of the first-ever Lori Davies Award of Excellence. The Quebec composer Eric Champagne is the recipient for his opera Yourcenar: An island of passions.

A unanimous choice

The chairman of the committee, Victor Daviesexpressed unanimity in the choice of the winner, highlighting the particularities of the work of Champagne :
“Among the many opera, dance and musical theater submissions, Yourcenar stands out for its orchestral richness, its refined instrumentation, and the emotional depth of the libretto. The score of Champagnewhich brings together a chamber orchestra, six soloists and a twelve-voice Greek choir, highlights musical motifs that unify the entire work, for an intense and coherent sound experience. »

A tribute to Lorie Davies

This prize was created in memory of Lorie Davies (1939-2021), a great enthusiast of the arts and patron, to annually reward a mid-career composer in the field of dance, opera or theater musical. The winner receives a $5,000 grant to support their future projects. The evaluation of applications is based on strict criteria, including training, experience and the submission of a score accompanied by a recording of a stage work. The text accompanying the application must also detail the intended use of the scholarship.

A few words about the work Yourcenar: an island of passions

The opera Yourcenar: an island of passionspresented in August 2022, illustrates the significant moments in the life of Marguerite Yourcenar, a great French writer. The librettist Helene Dorionthe late novelist Marie-Claire Blaisand the composer Eric Champagne came together to create this ambitious work. Directed by Angela Konradthis co-production of the Opéra de Montréal, the Opéra de Québec and the Violons du Roy was presented at the Salle Pierre-Mercure and the Palais Montcalm. The opera explores the writer’s conflicting relationships and personal dilemmas, subtly highlighting her psychology.

Composer’s reaction

On social networks, Eric Champagne expressed his gratitude, saying he was “honored and humbled” to be the first recipient of the award. This distinction underlines the importance of supporting creation in fields such as opera and musical theater, particularly in a context where culture is put to the test.

L’Metropolitan Orchestra will present another work by the composer this week. From November 17 to 19, The Little Princecreated and captured in 2020, will take the stage in a family concert where “we can only see clearly with the heart”. The show adapted from the famous fantasy story by Saint-Exupéry was designed by theZefirino set.

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