I was one of those lucky enough to get my hands on a pair of tickets for the show celebrating the 50th birthday of the Théâtre Le Patriote. What’s more, I was sitting beside Francine Grimaldi, one of the best-known Radio-Canada personalities and a “grande dame” of Québec culture.

“A memorable, historic evening,” she murmured to me at the end of the show. “I hope they filmed it,” she added. But just in case, I took photographs. Because Mme Grimaldi was right when she said that this was a historic evening. To see, on the same stage, Gilles Vigneault singing a duet with Ariane Moffat, Claude Dubois providing a superb performance, Michel Rivard excelling as never before and Jean-Pierre Ferland thrilling the throng with his songs…well, you couldn’t help but love it. Robert Charlebois was amazing, as well, particularly singing with his former stage partner, Louise Forestier, who rivalled his passion in Lindberg. Unforgettable. The two singers revisited their classics with great style five decades after singing them for the first time at the Patriote when the theatre was located in Montreal.

Gilles Vigneault

Happily, the 50th birthday festivities will continue and Gilles Vigneault will be back onstage on Saturday, June 17, exactly 50 years from the day he inaugurated this new theatre located in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. It was June 17, 1967. Who could have believed that the Patriote would become one of the icons of the Québec cultural scene? We’re told that Mr. Vigneault will offer “a format that is as much forum as recital and as much an interview as improvisation.” In other words, he’ll provide the pleasure of a conversation, in words and music, with his beloved audience.

Diane Dufresne

And there’s more! The amazing Diane Dufresne will be here this month to underscore the 50 years of culture offered by Théâtre Le Patriote. The diva will be onstage at l’Église de Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts (church), on Friday, June 23 at 8:30 p.m., in one of her rare, precious appearances, with an exceptional show. Diane Dufresne will be accompanied by pianist Olivier God and the Orchestre symphonique de Longueil, under the direction of Jean-Michel Malouf.

And more besides…

On Thursday, June 8, at 8 p.m., Fabien Dupuis will present Camil in La boîte à chansons. The following day, the Patriote invites you to a memorable evening with Pierre Flynn. “We impatiently await this encounter with one of our greatest songwriter-composers, well known for having been a singer, keyboard player and composer for the cult group October, and he’ll be presenting in our “boîte à chansons”, says Le Patriot via its website.

On Saturday, June 10, comedian Pierre Hébert will present his new show Le goût du risque. On Sunday, June 11, at 4 p.m., Le Patriote welcomes La tournée des idoles 2. Then on Wednesday, June 14, speaker Jacques Leclerc will take us on a virtual tour of India, which holds no secrets for this globetrotter.