In ballet, having a live orchestra in the pit, rather than using a simple audio recording, is invaluable, which is why Les Grands Ballets Canadiens has been proud to have its own orchestra for 30 years.
Did you know that Les Grands Ballets Canadiens is the third largest employer of musicians in Montreal, after the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and the Orchestre Métropolitain? In addition to rehearsing for over 60 hours per season, the musicians are in the pit for approximately 40 performances (5 productions per year), which represents approximately 90 additional hours. The number of musicians varies for each ballet, depending on the musical score.
Present during rehearsals, they follow and carry the dancers through every variation of the choreography to ensure perfect cohesion. Les Grands Ballets is dedicated to providing the spectator with a unique, complete and immersive experience, an unmatched fusion between the stage and the audience.
This artistic vision requires an annual investment of nearly $1 million in musical expenses.
“Creating ballets keeps the artist in us very much alive, and it’s that process that allows us to really connect with audiences. The ballet starts being internalized through working on technique, learning the roles, the theatrics. But it’s when the orchestra starts to play that we can really see the dancers metamorphose.”
Ivan Cavallari, Les Grands Ballets' Artistic Director
Dina Gilbert, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens' Principal Conductor, plays a vital role in the preparation of the ballets. She is the only one who can follow the dancers on stage as well as the musicians in the pit, and is therefore responsible for ensuring the perfect symbiosis between all the artists, offering the audience a breathtaking experience.
Les Grands Ballets Orchestra is composed of over 60 independent professional instrumentalists, who also work for other renowned musical ensembles. Of variable formation, the Orchestra can also invite numerous choir singers and soloists to join them in the pit to adapt to the needs of each particular score.
