7 PERFECT WAYS TO ENJOY SPRING

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Spring has finally sprung! That means it’s time to get out of the house and enjoy the season’s wealth of culture. It’s a great time to discover something new, from sketch comedy to timeless opera and urban dance – a smorgasbord of original activities awaits in the Quartier des Spectacles!

HILARIOUS PERFORMANCES

MONTRÉAL SKETCHFEST

May 2 to 11
Théâtre Sainte-Catherine

Opening Night

Montreal’s bilingual sketch festival kicks off 10 days of comedy and laughter with a jam-packed opening night on May 2 at fest headquarters Théâtre Ste-Catherine. Acts include Come Thru Kweens of Ajax, Ontario, and two local troupes, speedboiz™ (Paul Naiman and Jacob Greco) and Bring Your Own Juice, a sketch troupe based out of McGill. Hosted by the very funny Sandi Armstrong and Heidi Lynne Weeks, two-thirds of the comedy troupe Solid Bronze.

Sunday Night Improv

One of Montreal’s longest-running improv series welcomes everyone from comedy beginners to seasoned pros on May 5. This Sunday evening tradition provides a space for performers learn from each other. But the focus is on providing a quality experience for the audience, who have a say in the direction of the show through suggestions and voting.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

CARMEN

May 4 to 13
Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier
Place des Arts

“L’amour est un oiseau rebelle...” Every opera fan knows that incredibly catchy motif, and they’ll get to hear it again with the Opéra de Montréal’s French-language production of the most popular opera of them all, revisited in a most novel form. Director Charles Binamé, known for films like Eldorado, Le piège américain and La chanson de l'éléphant, has embraced opera wholeheartedly. A great introduction to a classic performing art!

BOOKS AND IDEAS

BLUE METROPOLIS

May 2 to 5
Hôtel 10 and Goethe-Institut

This literary festival is all about the city of the imagination – a good place to live, a city open to everyone and to all possibilities. The eclectic program features writers from more than 20 countries, all connected by their insatiable passion for words.

Breakfast with Emily Dickinson

On May 4, enjoy breakfast while two fans of Emily Dickinson discuss her body of work, her curious life and impressive legacy. Though she was a prolific writer, less than a dozen of Dickinson’s poems were published during her lifetime. Perhaps fittingly for someone who often dwelled on death and immortality, Dickinson became a literary icon when the rest of her 1,800 poems were published posthumously.

Pierre Jarawan’s The Storyteller: From the Safety of Berlin to Volatile Beirut

Slam poet and novelist Pierre Jarawan started writing at just 13, inspired by the stories his father would share at bedtime. His debut novel, The Storyteller, is about a family living through civil war strife in Lebanon. Join Jarawan on May 3, as he discusses his bestselling work, its intricacies and his time spent growing up in Lebanon and Germany. In conversation with Elisabeth Tutschek.

CREATIVITY X INNOVATION

DIGITAL SPRING

Until June 21

Montreal is a global leader in the digital arts. The sixth annual Digital Spring is happening now in the Quartier des Spectacles and throughout the city.

21 Balançoires/21 Swings

The iconic Quartier des Spectacles installation is back on the Promenade des Artistes until May 28! Enjoy the childlike pleasure of swings while making a unique melody with your neighbours. The work, by Daily tous les jours, is a ton of fun whether you’re alone or with the whole gang. Day or night, it’s always a treat.

Synergie

Until June 2, the wall outside the Saint-Laurent metro station becomes the canvas for an architectural projection by Patrick Dionne and Miki Gingras. The animated photographic work celebrates the Plateau and its residents’ boundless energy.