Arion Baroque Orchestra brings Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Antonia Bembo to Bourgie Hall
November 9, 2026 • WestmountMag.ca
From November 13 to 15, Arion Baroque Orchestra presents The Four Seasons, the second concert of its 2026-2027 season. Under the bow of Swiss violinist Leila Schayegh, who returns to lead the ensemble, Mathieu Lussier‘s orchestra pairs Vivaldi’s celebrated concertos with a rediscovery: Antonia Bembo‘s Cantata Per il natale, the work of a Venetian composer long consigned to oblivion.
Forgotten for more than two centuries before their 20th-century revival, The Four Seasons today rank among the most beloved pages of the Baroque repertoire. Depicting in music the bite of the cold, the oppressive heat of the summer sun or the chirping of birds in spring, these works have been the soundtracks of our lives for more than 300 years. Yet, as Arion reminds us, they are far more than violin concertos: they are animated tableaux in which every season becomes theatre.
Leila Schayegh, a conductor at the violin
For this production, Arion renews its collaboration with Leila Schayegh, an internationally renowned Baroque violinist whose turn at the head of the orchestra two years ago left a lasting mark on the musicians. Mathieu Lussier sees the return of guest conductors and soloists of this calibre as a true master class for the ensemble’s strings — a rare form of continuing professional development in their discipline.
On the programme, the Swiss musician will lead not only The Four Seasons (RV 269, 315, 293, 297), but also the Concerto for strings in B-flat major, RV 163 Conca, a brilliant and rhythmically vital page by the Red Priest.
Sophie Naubert, soprano: Vivaldi’s theatre
The remarkable Quebec soprano Sophie Naubert will join the orchestra for a vocal segment that displays the full theatrical range of Vivaldi: the motet In Furore iustissimae irae, RV 626, a veritable dramatic storm, along with two of the composer’s most striking opera arias, Vedrò con mio diletto (Il Giustino) and Agitata da due venti (Griselda).
This whirlwind of emotions and contrasts promises to bring together, in a single programme, Vivaldi the concerto writer and Vivaldi the man of the theatre.
Antonia Bembo, the other voice of Venice
The most signature gesture of the evening arguably belongs to Antonia Bembo (1640-1720). A contemporary of Vivaldi, born in Venice, and a singer and composer who died in Paris, she is one of the figures Mathieu Lussier is determined to bring out of the shadows. Her cantata Per il natale, rarely heard in concert, will dialogue with the Venetian master’s pages — a female echo of an era that has remembered far too few of them.
The approach sums up Arion’s artistic line: pairing familiar works that reassure audiences with pieces that might never be played were it not for the orchestra.
The next generation in a pre-concert
True to its commitment to young musicians, Arion Academy presents a pre-concert on Sunday, November 15 at 1:30 pm, given by the Orchestre de chambre du CÉGEP de Saint-Laurent under the direction of Anik Hébert, joined by Arion musicians, with works by Corelli, Sammartini and Vivaldi. Admission is free for ticket holders of Arion’s concert.
Programme
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
The Four Seasons, RV 269, RV 315, RV 293, RV 297
Concerto for strings in B-flat major, RV 163 Conca
In Furore iustissimae irae, RV 626
Vedrò con mio diletto (Il Giustino, RV 717)
Agitata da due venti (Griselda, RV 718)
Antonia Bembo (1640-1720)
Cantata Per il natale
Arion, a pioneer of early music in Quebec
Founded more than forty years ago, Arion Baroque Orchestra occupies a central place in Montreal’s musical life and stands as a pioneer of early music on period instruments in Quebec and Canada. Since 2019, the ensemble has been under the artistic direction of conductor and bassoonist Mathieu Lussier, who is also artistic director of Domaine Forget de Charlevoix and a professor at the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Music.
Associate conductor of Les Violons du Roy from 2012 to 2018 and a chamber musician with the Pentaèdre ensemble, Lussier has established himself as one of the most active figures on the Canadian Baroque scene, with a marked interest in French repertoire and in the rediscovery of forgotten works. The 2026-2027 season bears this out: after Nicolò Isouard’s Cendrillon, which opened the season, it continues in March with Beethoven and pianist Élisabeth Pion, in April with Actéon and Dido and Aeneas alongside the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal.
The Four Seasons
Friday, November 13, 2026 at 7:30 pm
Église Saint-Viateur d’Outremont
Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Bourgie Hall, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
1339, rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Tickets (from $10 to $69) are available on the ensemble’s website, or by phone at 514 355-1825.
Find the full programme and season details at arionbaroque.com.
Images: courtesy of Arion Baroque Orchestra
Arion Orchestre Baroque is a leading ensemble in early music on period instruments in Canada. A constant attention to detail has placed the orchestra among the finest early music groups recognized in North America and around the world. arionbaroque.com
