Le Domaine Forget de Charlevoix is an international music festival and a music and dance academy in Saint-Irénée, Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada. The domain is a operated by a non-profit organization occupying a large set of land and buildings located in Saint-Irénée, near La Malbaie. Concerts take place in the Concert Hall. Since the concert hall opened in 1996, it has also hosted a variety program.
History
At the turn of the 20th century, Domaine Forget was three separate estates owned by three eminent Canadians. Les Sablons was owned by
Joseph Lavergne, a judge and colleague of Sir Wilfrid Laurier; Hauterive was the property of Adolphe-Basile Routhier, a judge and the lyricist of the
French-language version of
O Canada. Gil'Mont, which forms the major part of the property, was the estate of
Rodolphe Forget, a Member of Parliament and investor and entrepreneur in the
Charlevoix region.
In 1945, Les Petites Franciscaines de Marie, a religious order, first purchased Gil'Mont as the school "Institut Familial" (Family Institute), and a year later bought the properties belonging to Judges Laverge and Routhier in order to protect the privacy of the educational institution. In 1977, the school was converted into what is now known as Le Domaine Forget, a non-profit corporation with a mission of promoting music and dance.
International Festival
The festival features
dance,
jazz, and most prominently classical music. Concerts run from June to September and feature well-known artists from all over the world.
The festival concerts take place almost exclusively in the 600-seat Concert Hall, which was built in 1996 by Le Domaine Forget and is known for its remarkable acoustics.
International Music and Dance Academy
The academy plays host to a number of different masterclass sessions: Brass. Composition, Piano, Chamber Music, Voice & Vocal Accompaniment, Guitar, Dance, Strings, Conducting, String Ensemble and Choir. All occur at different times of the summer and fall and feature faculty from around Quebec, Canada, and the world. Domaine features the Paul-Lafleur Pavilion, a complex of double-occupancy rooms with 1 shared bathroom per 4 people and a recently renovated dormitory. At the end of each session, a public concert is offered featuring student performances.
Notable International Festival performers
Notable International Music and Dance Academy teachers
External links
See also
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Saint-Irénée, a municipality
