Press release
For immediate distribution

Louise Bessette plays Messiaen with the NACO.

On Thursday, January 16th and Friday, January 17th, 2003, at 8 pm, pianist Louise Bessette will be the guest of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, conducted by Mr. Duain Wolfe, at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. They will be performing Trois petites liturgies de la présence divine by Olivier Messiaen. Mr. Jean Laurendeau will be playing the ondes Martenot.

In the second part of the concert, Maestro Pinchas Zukerman will conduct Mozart's Requiem K626 (National Arts Centre Orchestra, Ottawa Choral Society, Iwan Edwards, music director, Cantata Singers of Ottawa, Laurence Ewashko, music director).

Louise Bessette is a renowned specialist of Messiaen's piano music. The Conseil Québécois de la Musique awarded her the Prix Opus 1996-1997 in the category “conductor or soloist of the year” for her recital devoted to the Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus. Her repertoire includes most of Messiaen's works with orchestra: Turangalîla-Symphonie, Oiseaux exotiques, Trois petites liturgies de la présence divine; as well as his piano works: Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus, Catalogue d'oiseaux, La Fauvette des Jardins, etc. Her discography includes, in addition to the Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus (Atma Classique, 2000), the first of a series of recordings of Giacinto Scelsi's piano music (Mode Records, 1999), numerous other solo recordings (CBC Records, SNE), as well as chamber music recordings (Riche Lieu, Fonovox, Doberman-Yppan, Analekta, SNE, Disques Montaigne, Sony Music Special products, etc.).

Louise Bessette has been named Member of the Order of Canada in October 2001 for her exceptional contribution to the contemporary music world.

National Arts Centre

53, Elgin street, Ottawa (Ontario)
nac-cna.ca
(613) 947-7000

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