French Song

Every Franco musician who treads the boards at Place des Arts does so in the footsteps of Claude Léveillée, a titan of Chanson Québecoise. The first Québec singer to perform solo in the Grande Salle (now Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier), he played Place des Arts a total of 14 times between 1964 and 2004. One of our halls now bears his name, in recognition of his huge role in spreading the fame of French-language songwriting far and wide.

Over the years, the crème de la crème of Franco artists across the full range of styles have conquered a growing and varied fan base. In the early ’70s, Jean-Pierre Ferland’s performances in support of his emblematic album Jaune deeply affected Québec audiences. In the ensuing years, big names from Diane Dufresne to Charles Aznavour, Daniel Bélanger and hundreds of others have also topped the Place des Arts marquée. 

The list of Franco performers who have showcased their talents on the stages of Place des Arts is long indeed. And we always give the emerging generation pride of place on our marquées. The Ma Première Place des Arts competition, produced by the arts organization SACEF, has for the past 25 years supported up-and-coming talents in the Franco music industry, giving them a career-boosting opportunity to perform at PdA for the first time.

Our arts complex’s many concert halls welcome Francophone performers from all over the world. Over the years, Place des Arts has expanded to include new venues with more intimate atmospheres. Cinquième Salle, inaugurated in 1992, is one of these artists’ favourite places to play, allowing them to create memorable moments and up-close-and-personal connections with their fans.