Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin is as well-loved by the public as he is appreciated by his peers, who awarded him the Canada Council for the Arts Virginia Parker Prize in September 2000. At the helm of the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal since March 2000, Yannick Nézet-Séguin has worked tirelessly to broaden the scope of the orchestra’s involvement in a variety of venues, while always maintaining his own rigorous standards and keeping in close touch with the music-loving public.

Renowned as a prolific composer of film soundtracks, Nino Rota is chiefly associated with directors such as Zeffirelli, Coppola, and above all, Fellini, for whom he became the regular composer. Composed in 1966, the ballet La Strada is the result of a commission by La Scala of Milan. Rota grouped the highlights in a symphonic suite, which aptly summarizes the plot.

Kurt Weill’s universal appeal rests foremost upon his unforgettable output of ballads and songs with their characteristic blend of satire and nostalgia. Some of them have become Jazz standards, such as the famous Ballad of Mack the Knife. Composed in 1933, the Symphony No. 2 was premiered in Amsterdam the following year, and constitutes the only symphonic work of Weill’s mature years.