Baden-Baden: a dazzling first impression

June 30, 2025 |

Yannick Nézet-Séguin has long dreamed of introducing his Montreal family to audiences in Baden-Baden. Artistic director of the La Capitale d’été festival for several years, he has conducted all the orchestras he leads around the world.

All that was missing were the presentations with the Orchestre Métropolitain, and they didn’t disappoint: the concerts on June 28 and 29 were crowned by standing ovations.

From the very first bars of the Saturday concert, the impact was striking. In Ravel’s La Valse, the orchestra gave full rein to its expressive power, the percussion reaching heights of tension in the most tumultuous passages. The forte nuances seemed to want to make the whole hall tremble. In contrast, Barbara Assiginaak’s meditative Eko-Bmijwang brought a welcome calm, like a healthy breath after the storm.

Pianist Alexandre Kantorow, true to the reputation he has built up throughout the tour, once again captivated the audience with his flamboyant yet masterful playing. And, as at each of his previous concerts, he offered an encore… but this time with a major surprise: Yannick Nézet-Séguin joined him at the piano for a delicate Berceuse, taken from Fauré’s Suite Dolly. A moment of rare tenderness, greeted by palpable emotion in the hall.

In the second half, Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2 – chosen here in place of Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” – resonated with particular intensity in this town nestled in the Black Forest. Its lyrical outbursts and soundscapes seemed to echo those of the surrounding countryside, concluding the symphony tour on a note that was both powerful and poetic.

A versatile opera gala

The following day, l’OM was transformed for an altogether different adventure: an opera gala with American soprano Lisette Oropesa. A true vocal chameleon, the singer brilliantly interpreted a program of impressive diversity. From lyrical arias such as “Dove sono” (The Marriage of Figaro), “Adieu, notre petite table” (Manon) and “Sempre libera” (La Traviata), she moved on to lighter pieces such as “Je veux vivre” (Romeo and Juliet) and “Chi il bel sogno di Doretta” (La Rondine), demonstrating dazzling ease in every register.

The orchestra, too, revealed the full range of its expressive palette, moving from Mozart to Gounod, Puccini to Massenet with remarkable elegance and flexibility. Yannick Nézet-Séguin took the floor to underline to the audience the difficulty of playing so many styles in a single program – and the exceptional skill with which his musicians handled it.

He also revealed a touching detail: during the Méditation de Thaïs, the OM musicians sang with their mouths closed, replacing the choir normally required, adding a gesture of great sensitivity to an already poignant work.

These two evenings brilliantly sealed OM’s first visit to Baden-Baden. Two concerts, two faces of the orchestra: that of a fiery symphonic ensemble, and that of a nuanced, supple opera accompanist. A fitting conclusion to an unforgettable European tour.