Editorial

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With the arrival of fall, we mark the third anniversary of our interdisciplinary arts magazine, La SCENA. Envisioning a forum for every artistic discipline, we created La SCENA in order to inform, provoke and spark dialogue among artists, students and art-lovers. We also celebrate our fourteenth year of publishing of La Scena Musicale. You, our readers, have helped shape this magazine into what it is today – a vibrant, colourful celebration of classical music, world music and jazz.

Last week we proudly introduced our first-ever annual La SCENA Arts and Music Directory, offering comprehensive listings of schools, 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. We at La SCENA believe that such a directory is a crucial part of keeping the arts alive, linking and strengthening the various components of the artistic world. We hope that you find this guide enriching and informative, and that you will come to view it as an essential resource in the years to come. We welcome your feedback, including additions, corrections or suggestions.

In this issue of La SCENA, we are thrilled to feature Canadian auteur Robert Lepage, the internationally acclaimed playwright, filmmaker and multimedia artist. As well, I had the opportunity to meet with tenor Marc Hervieux, who graces the cover of this month’s La Scena Musicale. It was inspiring to speak to both men – Lepage, who hails from Québec City, and Hervieux, who grew up in Montreal’s Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. Each came from humble beginnings and used every ounce of creativity, passion, and perseverance to pursue his artistic vision. They are an inspiration to any aspiring artist, living proof that talent and dedication are the most powerful tools.    

This September, subscribers and purchasers of the magazine will enjoy our monthly Discovery CD, featuring Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin performed by Jean-Paul Jeannotte, the first general director of the Opéra de Montréal. One more reason to subscribe to La Scena Musicale!

As we feel the crisp beginnings of fall, we begin a new publishing year full of hope and fresh ideas. Over the past year, the changing seasons have brought financial hardships such as decreased funding opportunities and drops in advertising, but your readership has been a constant beacon throughout all this change. The passionate support from our growing body of readers inspires us to continue in our mission to promote arts and culture.

We hope that you will take advantage of some of our exciting fall initiatives, such as our beautiful new La SCENA t-shirts, on sale for only $19.95. Or come join us at the Opéra de Montréal on October 3 for a double-bill of Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci and Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. If your interest has been piqued after reading our article on Robert Lepage, you won’t want to miss our Opera Weekend in Toronto, where you can witness Lepage’s highly innovative production of Stravinsky’s The Nightingale, along with a production of Puccini’s unforgettable Madame Butterfly on October 17 and 18. As well, we always welcome donations, and hope to have many new subscribers in the upcoming year. Call 514-948-2520 or email operaweekend@lascena.org. Don’t forget to sign our petition to bring back funding to controlled-circulation print magazines by visiting our website: www.scena.org.

I wish you happy reading, and an autumn full of music.