Editorial

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As we conclude our publishing year, we reflect with pride on a fruitful season full of memorable moments. We had the opportunity to profile passionate, talented artists such as Marc-André Hamelin, Marc Boucher, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Maria Schneider, and this month, Jonathan Crow. We delved into the wealth of jazz, world and classical festivals to create comprehensive festival guides. We were thrilled to meet many of you at our Choral Extravanganza, a beautiful and inspiring gala celebration. Subscribers have benefited from our recent addition of a free Discovery CD with each issue, as well as access to the extensive and invaluable online NAXOS music library.

Looking towards the fall, we are pleased to announce the first-ever annual La SCENA Arts and Music Directory, which will hit stands August 12, 2009. The directory will be the first of its kind in Quebec and promises to be a premier source for artists, students, and arts-lovers. Readers will have access to comprehensive listings of schools, teachers, competitions, websites, performance spaces, amateur and professional choirs and ensembles, supply stores, high-end audio, agents and more in the fields of music, dance, theatre, film, and visual arts. This bilingual directory is timed for back-to-school publication, and will be the essential guide for arts and music learning and participation.

The Fall Edition of La SCENA (special Fall Arts Preview) will appear on September 3, 2009, featuring Canadian auteur Robert Lepage, the internationally-acclaimed playwright, filmmaker, and multimedia artist. Included in the Fall issue will be the September edition of La Scena Musicale, featuring tenor Marc Hervieux. This issue is shaping up to be a special issue on Opera.

With the current state of arts funding and the recent downturn of the economy, it is not always easy to find the funds necessary to maintain the quality of publication that our readers have come to expect. A recent drop in advertising revenues has been particularly difficult as we depend on advertising for 80% of our budget. As well, LSM received a blow with the recent amendment of the Canada Council for the Arts abolishing the possibility of funding support for controlled-circulation print magazines. The fact that we have flourished for 13 years without any government support is a testament to the power of La Scena Musicale, and the subsequent financial support of readers, philanthropists, and advertisers. In light of these recent financial concerns, we need your help more than ever. Only through your involvement and generosity can we continue to promote and defend arts and culture with passion and dedication. Here are two key ways that you can help LSM to stay afloat:

Subscriptions: For only $40/yr, receive our magazine at your doorstep. You will receive exclusive offers only available to subscribers, such as the free monthly Discovery CD and access to the NAXOS music library. All subscribers will be eligible for the Subscription Drive Contest, which offers $20,000 in prizes. If you already have a subscription, consider giving a friend or family member the gift of LSM.

Donations: Your contribution will help sustain and improve LSM’s work, allowing us to attain a higher quality of writing, editing and translation. For example, $300 can sponsor the text of a feature article while $175 contributes to its effective translation.

For the past thirteen years, it has been our greatest pleasure to inform and entertain you and we hope to continue providing you with editorial excellence and innovation for many years to come. Thank you for all of your support!