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Archives
1991 to 1995: The birth of a tradition
The idea of an arts festival in the Laurentians was born in the summer of 1992 when Lou Gordon launched the Festival des Arts Hiawatha. The inaugural festival lasted three weeks and featured marquee performers Evelyn Hart of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Shapiro & Smith from New York, Bande à part with Anik Bissonnette and Louis Robitaille, Montanaro Dance, Fiesta Flamenco, and Margie Gillis. It was the beginning of a tradition of excellence.
1996: Year of transition
This year of transition was a pause that allowed the rapidly growing Festival Hiawatha to settle permanently in the magnificent village of Saint-Sauveur-des-Monts. In its new home, the Festival was very fortunate in finding an extraordinary team of volunteers, significant municipal support, and excellent technical expertise, all of which have taken the Festival to new heights.
1997: New name, same tradition
Festival Hiawatha was officially renamed the Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur and pursued its mission and its tradition of excellence. Celebrated in great style, the inauguration aimed high, with 10 days hosting 50 events, 175 artists, 15,000 visitors, and several sold-out performances. The Dance Series in the 450-seat Big Top presented the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Danse Théâtre de Montréal, and the Celebration of Dance show featuring soloists from major American ballet companies. The Music Series included The Canadian Brass, Montréal's Orchestre Métropolitain, Ensemble Amati, Lhasa de Sela, Quartango, Raoul klezmer ensemble, and small classical ensembles playing at different sites in the village. Another inaugural event was the launching of the International Musical Composition and Choreography Competition.
1998: FASS, a value to take notice of
Proclaimed by the press as “a value to take notice of,” FASS expanded by building the new air-conditioned 700-seat Big Top. The dance program included dancers from the renowned St. Petersburg Ballet, the Royal Swedish Ballet, and Bande à Part. We presented the works of the first (1997) winners of the International Musical Composition and Choreography Competition, who were given a standing ovation! On the music program, Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir, Romulo Larrea (Argentina); Djelem (Eastern Europe), and the much-regretted Éval Manigat (Canada/Haiti) took up FASS's invitation.
1999: Record attendance for “la Divine”
Now recognized as a major cultural event, FASS broke attendance records with rising new dance star Diana Vishneva (“la Divine”) and the Kirov Ballet, José Greco Flamenco Dance Co., soprano Wilhelmina Fernandez, the National Ballet of Moravia-Silesia (Czech Republic), Ballets Jazz of Montréal, soprano-comedian Nathalie Choquette, and Les Violons du Roi.
2000: Laurentian Cultural Event of the Year
FASS welcomed the new millennium with a celebratory program that included the National Ballet of Hungary with a full slate of soloists and principal dancers, the Ballet Jorgen, the premiere of a solo for Louis Robitaille, baritone Gino Quilico, Rencontres sur Broadway with Robert Marien, Dance Galaxy, and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. A new initiative in 2000 was the establishment of the children's programming, with Russian marionettist Vladimir Ageev as one of the highlights of this first edition. For the first time, the Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur received recognition at the Grands Prix du Tourisme des Laurentides awards, with a special mention as Cultural Event of the Year.
2001: A Canadian première, and two local favourites
FASS hosted the sensational first Canadian appearance by Complexions, a New York group of 22 modern dance stars hailing from prestigious American companies. Among the music events, the Big Top show of sisters Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Saint-Sauveur's most famous native daughters, was another great favourite of Festival audiences. The internationally acclaimed Rambert Dance Company of Britain, Andrea Boardman of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, and I Musici de Montréal also gave unforgettable performances.
2002: Eclectic and electric
The 2002 festival had Big Top audiences thrilling to the sights and sounds of the Harlem Gospel Choir, Les Sortilèges, and the Parsons Dance Company, who had provided one of the peaks of the millennium ceremony at Times Square in New York. Other high-quality moments were the performances of the soloists of the National Ballet of Canada, and the great tango ensemble of Romulo Larrea and Veronica Larc.
2003: Two North-American premieres
The 2003 edition stood out for two major North-American premiere appearances: the National Ballet Theatre of Prague under the artistic direction of Petr Zuska, and the Companía Nacional de Danza 2, directed by Nacho Duato. A show entitled Les Grands Solistes et Chorégraphes du Québec brought together our dance stars and top choreographers for an evening of artistic wonders. FASS's musical component was equally stellar, with performances by Robert Marien, Cantabile from Great Britain, and Pierrot Fournier singing the best of Jacques Brel.
2004: Anik Bissonnette contributes her talent to FASS
In 2004, we celebrated the arrival of Anik Bissonnette, O.C., as C.M. in the artistic committee, initiating her leadership role at the Festival. This year, the current best of American dance companies were at FASS: the International Ballet with five gold-medal-winning dancers and the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, whose memorable presentation blended contemporary dance with choreographical works by Moses Pendleton. Among the acclaimed Québec artists performing were Margie Gillis and Gioconda Barbuto, and the Jeune Ballet du Québec was part of the Festival's program for children. Music-lovers were treated to Gino Quilico in recital, and a special evening with the Chicago Children’s Choir. At the close of the 2004 Season, Anik Bissonnette was officially named artistic director of FASS.
2005: the China year
The festivities started off with the landmark North-American premieres of two works by the Guangzhou Ballet Troupe, a leader among Chinese dance companies. Both performances were attended by the Chinese ambassador to Canada, and the presence of representatives of several international agencies led to the company signing a number of international touring agreements. Also on the international scene, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago performed in the Big Top, while Québec and Canadian talents Louise Lecavalier, Sylvain Lafortune – in a work by choreographer Estelle Clareton – and the avant-garde Rubberbandance Group all shone in their very diverse ways. In the musical component of the festival, we saw the welcome return of Ensemble Amati and I Musici de Montréal.
2006: World premiere of Kylian le grand
For the first time in its history, FASS co-produced and presented an original dance creation, Kylian le grand, a tribute work conceived by Anik Bissonnette and directed by Mario Radacovsky. For its world premiere, Kylian opened the Festival; the show was a revelation, described as exceptional by highly-regarded dance critic Linda Howe-Beck. During its subsequent tour of Québec and other parts of Canada, Kylian le grand met with resounding success. There was also the Kudelka-Taylor Project by Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie with Daniel Taylor as feature performer and the National Ballet of Canada with talented Québec dancer Guillaume Côté. Musically, we welcomed back Robert Marien and the extraordinarily energetic voices of the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir. FASS closed its 2006 edition by winning a Grand Prix du Tourisme des Laurentides award in the festivals and events category.
2007: New summits are reached
FASS 2007 could be summarized by the two words “Sold out!”, breaking all previous attendance and ticket sales records. The program, bringing together the best of Québec, Canadian, and international artists, included Momix, Ballets Jazz de Montréal, Rubberbandance Group, Montréal Danse, and the spectacular Carmen! by the Alberta Ballet. In music, excellence was again the mot d'ordre, with Alain Lefèvre in recital at Église de Saint-Sauveur, Oliver Jones and Nikki Yanofsky, and Daniel Taylor and Karina Gauvin in the Big Top. The Festival also rolled out its program of free performances on the Outdoor Stage, and inaugurated its unifying “Musical Terraces” concept. Finally, FASS won a Grand Prix du Tourisme des Laurentides for the second year in a row.
2008 : A prolific year for FASS!
FASS inaugurated its Youth Section by the presentation of the first Tohu Bohu Festival. On the program were free performances for young people, dance workshops, and the stand-out performance of young singer Sara Diamond, accompanied by more than 40 young performers from the École Supérieure de Ballet Contemporain and the Jeune Ballet du Québec. The Dance Series continued to impress with the North-American premiere appearances of Israel's Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company with Ekodoom, and the presentation of Six Pack by Gauthier Dance, a Germany-based company directed by Quebecker Éric Gauthier. Also present were Cas public with Suites Cruelles, Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie with In Paradisum, and Mimulus from Brazil with the very colourful Dolorès. Musical performances were decidedly eclectic and appealing, with Oliver Jones, Les voix du Paradis directed by Daniel Taylor, and the Festival's first musical, Le Petit Roi, in recital form. Yet another productive and prolific year for the Festival, full of innovations and surprises!
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