A Eventful New Season : 12 Ideas for Outings

The cultural heart of Montreal has prepared an exciting program for you this fall, featuring great classics and other delights. Follow along as we take a peek!

Immense

In a masterful opening, maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes to the podium on September 20 to lead the audience—for the first time in his illustrious career—on a journey among The Planets, the celestial odyssey by English composer Gustav Holst. Opening the concert, Anishinaabekwe composer Barbara Assiginaak presents a new work inspired by the starry sky, inviting the audience to listen to the murmurs of the heavens…

The OSM kicks off the season on a grand scale with Magnificent Mahler: An Epic Season Opener. Conducted by Rafael Payare, this concert contrasts the dramatic sweep of Das klagende Lied with the poetic finesse of Des Knaben Wunderhorn. A musical evening both grand and intimate, featuring baritone Matthias Goerne and the OSM Chorus. September 16 and 17 at the Maison symphonique.

Unexpected

On September 11 and November 6 at the Maison symphonique, the FILMharmonique Orchestra, conducted by Francis Choinière, presents The Four Seasons: From Vivaldi to Dompierre. This innovative concert brings together Vivaldi’s baroque fresco, the passionate accents of Astor Piazzolla, and the world premiere of François Dompierre's Four Seasons of Quebec.

Another proposition to take listeners off the beaten track: Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi will take to the stage, alone, allowing the audience to rediscover the absolute purity of his compositions. A major figure on the international neoclassical scene, Einaudi is known for his poignant and minimalist melodies that sit at the confluence of classical, pop, and film music (he is notably known for the score to the film Nomadland).

Spectacular

The Opéra de Montréal is opening its 2026-2027 season with Puccini’s masterpiece, Turandot, in a bold, retro-futuristic production. Inspired by an industrial Orient of the 1950s, this large-scale co-production, bringing together more than 150 artists on stage and in the orchestra pit, unleashes the full power of grand opera, introducing a poignant new ending by Christopher Tin. Of course, it will feature the iconic Nessun dorma, one of the most recognizable arias in all of opera. A powerful visual and emotional experience, from September 26 to October 4, 2026, at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier.

In a completely different vein, the stage adaptation of Disney’s The Lion King returns to Place des Arts from August 19 to September 6. The third most performed show in Broadway history, this spectacular production features over 232 puppets and masks—and of course, the iconic music of Elton John and Tim Rice.

And finally, for the younger crowd, Opéra-Bonbon: l’aventure gourmande d’Hansel et Gretel offers a playful introduction to opera, revisiting the famous Brothers Grimm fairy tale in a most humorous and fanciful way. Designed for children of ages 6 to 12, this show in the Sons et brioches series will be presented twice on September 27 at the Piano Nobile in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier.

Movement

On the dance scene, the Festival Quartiers Danses’ Mutations and Incarnations evening brings together three pieces by Margie Gillis, Nicholas Bellefleur, and Liam Francis on September 11 at the Cinquième Salle. From September 23 to 27 at Théâtre Maisonneuve, Les Grands Ballets presents La Dame aux camélias, based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas fils, choreographed by Canadian Peter Quanz. Then, from September 30 to October 4, Danse Danse hosts the Teaċ Daṁsa company with MÁM, a festive celebration blending Irish rituals and contemporary dance.

Laughs and Tears

At Duceppe, Serge Boucher’s tragicomedy 24 poses (portraits), running from September 2 to October 3, paints a touching, hyper-realistic portrait of the dynamics of an ordinary Quebec family. Starring Guylaine Tremblay and Martin Drainville.

Also, among this rich array of classics, comedian Adib Alkhalidey presents Comme les Mongols à Baghdad, a new, subtle, introspective show on the theme of transmission.

With all these suggestions, you have to admit, there’s absolutely no excuse for missing out on celebrating the richness of live performance!