And then I distrust this trend of “immersive experiences” that are served to us in all sauces.

I had so little desire to see The Magic of the Impressionists – The unique immersive 3D experience for canceling my attendance at the opening party on Wednesday night. But on Thursday, when downtown was gray, I showed up at the studio cabaret.

First a word about this place, inaugurated last autumn, which is part of the new Espace St-Denis. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful halls in the city. This cabaret formula, installed in an environment that has the most modern technologies, offers the artists and the public very pleasant evenings.

When I entered this theater around 4pm I had quite a surprise: the place was full. I met mostly young retirees there, who repeatedly savored their new freedom with a glass of wine and a cheese platter with friends.

In a minute and a half I went from the harsh winter reality to the dolce vita!

In the first part we are presented with a montage (not in 3D) that teaches us more about the Impressionists. We’ve been careful not to forget the women of this select group: Berthe Morisot, Eva Gonzalès and Marie Bracquemond.

Then, after a brief pause (allowing for more wine to be ordered and ignoring Health Canada’s recommendations), everyone dons their mustard-yellow 3D glasses and the presentation begins.

The magic works very quickly. Watching these “deconstructed” paintings run in front of our eyes to the (impeccable) sound of music by Debussy, Ravel or Fauré has a literal medicinal effect.

At some point I watched people looking at these frescoes and understood what they get from the experience: beauty. We’ve been shoved in our faces for over an hour, beauty.

And God knows if we need beauty after the years of the pandemic, the horrifying images of conflict we face daily, the loss of faith in humanity caused by power-hungry leaders and businessmen.

How good it feels to know that no matter what we go through in our lives, Renoir and Satie will always be there.

Next to me, a woman repeated every 30 seconds: “No, but are you pretty enough! » After 10 minutes, I was hesitating between two approaches: tell him to shut up, or break his 3D glasses in half! Instead, I let her express the beauty overdose she was getting.

Some purists would say it is sacrilege to deconstruct masterpieces and give them a semblance of life through rippling seawater or women’s clothing.

To which I reply that this is a wrong debate. First of all, it’s an incredible opportunity to see these giant paintings. Of course, this is an unreal representation of the works. But after repeatedly seeing Impressionist paintings in crowded rooms, I have to admit that my delight was different, but just as great.

And then if it can give a certain audience a taste to see the real paintings…

As for the translation of these works into a technological framework, it should be remembered that art history is also made of it. What do you do when you insert a snippet of a well-known tune into a hip-hop song?

Art lives on art, that is well known.

There is the beauty, but also the nostalgia whose strings are plucked during the performance. And for that we need to hear Charles Aznavour, Édith Piaf, Cole Porter and Nana Mouskouri (a great song I didn’t know: I will be).

This nostalgia is not of an era we lived, but of a world we know will never exist again.

Here’s another good reason to devour beauty!

Gas bar blues

Something important is happening at Duceppe’s. The cinema adaptation of the film Gas bar blues gloriously celebrates the return to winter. Two hours of pure happiness, laughter, blues and foggy eyes!

I won’t repeat what my colleague Luc Boulanger said in his review, but the writing is admirable, the actors are stunning and the staging by Edith Patenaude is the one that should do this work justice.

This production establishes the theater founded in 1973 by Jean Duceppe where it should be in 2024. This is a great way to mark your 50th birthday^e Birthday.

Secure tickets quickly!