RIOPELLE Grandeur Nature - Show

The immersive show RIOPELLE Grandeur Nature will crown the festivities of Jean Paul Riopelle's centenary celebrations. This exceptional production will offer a journey into the heart of Riopelle's work and the nature that has always inspired him.

Using 360° video projection technologies, infrared motion capture, and a spatialized sound system, the studio of Les 7 Doigts will be transformed into a truly immersive venue, evoking Riopelle's vast studios, the magnificent landscapes he frequented, and presenting monumental artworks. The audience will also have the chance to admire original artworks by the artist in the lobby.

The show is built around iconic artworks from different artistic periods of Riopelle's life, allowing the discovery of lesser-known pieces as well. Starting from the artists’s introspective point of view on the eve of the creation of his monumental “Hommage à Rosa Luxemburg”, the flights of the owl and the wild goose lead us on a truly remarkable odyssey through Riopelle's rich creative universe.

Press Release

Montreal, October 5, 2023 – The immersive show RIOPELLE Grandeur Nature will be presented from February 13 to March 10, 2024, in the studios des 7 doigts de la main, a welcoming and intimate venue where spectators will get to see the acrobats and the master’s work from up close.

Production: Les 7 doigts de la main
Coproduction: Fondation Jean Paul Riopelle
With the support of Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and Tourisme Montréal
Presented in collaboration with LA TOHU
Presented as part of Montréal en Lumière
With the support of Solotech

Conception
Ideation, artistic direction, and creative direction: Samuel Tétreault
Staging: Samuel Tétreault assisted by Isabelle Chassé
In Collaboration With The Artists On Stage: Claire HopsonSaali Kuata,​​Arthur Morel Van HyfteGuillaume Paquin​, ​Camille Tremblay
Author and dramaturgy advisor: Marie-Christine Lê-Huu
Consultant for the work of Jean Paul Riopelle: Yseult Riopelle
Aerial choreography consultants: Guillaume Paquin et Arthur Morel Van Hyfte
Video Design and Artistic Director - Mirari : Thomas Payette 
Co-design - Mirari : Mathieu Doyon
​Set Design : Olivier Landreville
Assistant in scenography and props: Charlotte Castel
Costumes Deisgn: Camille Thibault-Bédard
Musical and sound design: Colin Gagné
Sound Sngineering: Jérôme Guilleaume
Ligh Design: Étienne Boucher
Assistant in lighting design and programming: Bruno Moranville
Voice narrations: Annick Bergeron
Acrobatic Coach: Francisco Cruz

Operations
Artistic Coordination and General Management : France Godin
Stage Management, Props, and Costume Management : Michelle Winter
Rigging Chief: : Max Jouanneau
Studios Rigging Chief : Mathieu Banville
Sound Engineer : Jérôme Guilleaume
Video Operator : Vincent Ladouceur
Lighting Operator : Mathis Lebel

Production
Production Direction: Emanuelle Kirouac
Production Assistance: Zoé Kolic
Technical Direction: Victor Lamontagne
Technical Direction Assistance: Elianne Désilets-Dubé
Project Manager for Works and Archives: Isabelle Domens
Consultant and Project Manager for Rigging, Acrobatic Equipment: Denis Horth
Technical Coordinator of Studios: Mathis Lebel
Rigger Studios : Matthieu Banville
Set construction: Yoann RoyerJoel Saint Clair and Opus Design
Props and aging assistance: Erika Lefebvre

Video and Multimedia
Video Design and Artistic Director - Mirari : Thomas Payette 
Co-design - Mirari : Mathieu Doyon
Video project Manager - Mirari : Caroline Turcot
Animation Design - Mirari : Louis Roy
360-Degree Photography and Images Department: Dominic St-Amant
Video Project Manager - Mirari : Béatrice Germain
3D animation director for the work 'Pangnirtung': Vincent Ladouceur
Integration of the multimedia system: Supply and Demand
Project Manager - Supply and Demand : Émile Grégoire
Video Integrator - Supply and Demand : Louis-Pierre Morin
Interactive Content Designer- Supply and Demand : Raphaël Dupont
Video Integrator : Francis Corbeil and Mélisandre Bouchard-Berger

Musicians
Music and sound effects composed and produced in collaboration with Charlotte Qamaniq (Co-composition String Games), Raphaël Cruz (Composition Owl's Testament) and Jérôme Guilleaume (Co-design of sound effects Icebergs)
Drums: Jonathan Gagné
Vocals (String Games): Charlotte Qamaniq
Vocals (Iceberg, Serica): Mykalle Bielinski
Clarinet: Jean-Sébastien Leblanc
Double Bass: Mathieu Roberge
Piano (Owl's Testament): Spike Wilner
Trumpet: Lex French
Violin and Viola: Guido del Fabbro
Cello: Sheila Hannigan

Understudies: Simon Lemire and Valérie Doucet.
 

Special Thanks
Thank you to Yseult Riopelle for her valuable and extraordinary collaboration over the three years of the project's realization, as well as to Huguette VachonManon GauthierMichel Tétreault, Galerie Simon Blais, Guillaume Saladin, Betsy Etidloie, Olivier Laprise, Jean-Pierre GuitéAnnie-Kim Dery, l'École nationale de cirque, Fred Gérard, Irena Purschkeand to Dr. John Langton Tyman for his permission to use the audio recordings from Cultures in Context (Transition String Games).