When Rafael Payare first picked up a French horn at age 14, inspired by Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, he could hardly have imagined the musical odyssey that lay ahead. Now, as Music Director of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM), Payare is leading one of North America’s most prestigious orchestras into its 91st season. Juliette Barber catches up with the charismatic maestro as he prepares for OSM’s European tour
As the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) celebrates its 90th anniversary and embarks on its 91st season, there’s a palpable sense of excitement in the air. At the helm of this storied institution is Rafael Payare, the charismatic Venezuelan conductor whose infectious enthusiasm and commanding presence have electrified audiences and musicians alike.
Payare’s self-confessed love affair with the OSM began in 2018 when he made his conducting debut with the orchestra. After returning the following season, he signed a five-year contract to become its Music Director from the 2022-23 season. Now in his third season as Music Director, he reflects on what he calls a “love at first sight” relationship with the orchestra. “Since the first moment, we had an amazing connection on stage,” he beams, recalling his debut concert featuring Beethoven, Schoenberg and Mozart. “It’s just chemistry. We share the same values – to achieve excellence and bring music to as many people as possible.”
By today’s standards, Payare’s musical journey began quite late. Just before turning 14, he was intrigued by the sound of the French horn in a recording of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture that his older brother was listening to. This interest led him to join El Sistema, a scheme his brother was already part of, where he rapidly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming principal horn with the acclaimed Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra.
It was during this time that Payare’s conducting skills began to develop. He would often lead sectionals and sometimes step in for Gustavo Dudamel when he was delayed by the intense traffic of Caracus. A pivotal moment came during a tour to Italy when legendary conductor Giuseppe Sinopoli, despite the language barrier, managed to completely transform the orchestra’s tone and sound colour. This experience gave Payare a new perspective on the power of conducting.
In 2004, José Antonio Abreu, the founder of El Sistema, recognised Payare’s potential and took him under his wing, providing conducting lessons and intense theory instruction. This mentorship laid the foundation for Payare’s future career as a conductor.
As the ninth Music Director in the OSM’s history, Payare follows in the footsteps of luminaries such as Zubin Mehta, who conducted the orchestra’s first European tour, Charles Dutoit, who led the OSM for almost 25 years, and Kent Nagano, who inaugurated the Maison symphonique, the orchestra’s concert hall. This legacy is not lost on Payare, who sees his role as both a continuation and an evolution of the orchestra’s strong tradition.
This chemistry is evident in the orchestra’s rich, refined sound, particularly suited to the French and Russian repertoire that Payare adores. The Maison symphonique de Montréal, with its exceptional acoustics, serves as the perfect backdrop for their musical explorations. “The hall’s acoustics strike a perfect balance between clarity and warmth,” Payare explains, “allowing the orchestra to articulate every nuance. This enables us to explore the full spectrum of tonal colours and push musical boundaries without the sound becoming overwhelming.”
The 2,100-seat auditorium houses the Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique and accommodates 120 musicians and a 200-member choir. Its “exceptional acoustics” provided the perfect backdrop for Payare and the OSM to complete their third PENTATONE recording, featuring Schoenberg’s Pelleas und Melisande and Verklärte Nacht (released on 11 October, 2024). This album represents the latest chapter in Payare’s pursuit and development “of an aural and expressive aesthetic inherent in the Germanic post-Romantic repertoire” and follows the recordings of Mahler and Richard Strauss. It also brings OSM’s album count to 137, further enriching its rich recording legacy.
This recording marks the 150th anniversary of Schoenberg’s birth, a celebration the orchestra continued during this season’s inaugural concerts when it performed Gurre-Lieder. Schoenberg’s monumental work features 155 musicians, 6 vocal soloists and 120 choristers on stage, and also coincided with the composer’s actual birthday on 13 September. The composer is clearly close to Payare’s heart as he serves on the Artistic Honorary Committee of the Arnold Schoenberg Center in Vienna.
Looking ahead to this season, Payare is particularly excited about continuing the Mahler cycle, following on from last season’s performances of his First and Seventh Symphonies. This season, the orchestra performs his Symphony No. 6 in January and May, also featuring the Five Lieder by Alma Mahler. The season finale celebrates nature’s perpetual renewal with Mahler’s Song of the Earth and the world premiere of a work by Andrew Balfour, Ian Cusson and Ana Sokolovic, commissioned by the OSM to bring together indigenous and non-indigenous composers, authors and performers. Other highlights include Ravel’s ballet Daphnis et Chloé and Prokofiev’s Sinfonia concertante (featuring cellist and wife of Payare, Alisa Weilerstein), and a festival devoted to Mozart, including a concert version of his opera Così fan tutte.
But perhaps the most anticipated event is the OSM’s upcoming European tour, its 59th international tour and Payare’s fourth with the orchestra. Visiting eight cities including London, Luxembourg, Paris, Hamburg, Berlin, Amsterdam, Munich and Vienna, the tour will showcase the OSM’s versatility with a programme including Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with soloist Daniil Trifonov*, Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, and a contemporary work by Iranian Canadian composer Iman Habibi.
Payare’s approach to Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique exemplifies his broader artistic philosophy. “We’re not simply replicating the written dynamics for 1830s instruments,” he explains, noting the significant differences in sound production between period and contemporary instruments. Instead, he and the orchestra meticulously adjust dynamics to create what he describes as “an updated version of the sound that Berlioz intended.”
Habibi’s piece, Jeder Baum spricht (Every tree speaks), was composed to commemorate Beethoven’s 250th birthday in 2020. Described as an “unsettling rhapsodic reflection on the climate catastrophe,” it serves as a contemporary companion to Beethoven’s iconic Fifth and Sixth Symphonies. For the tour, Payare has thoughtfully positioned it as a prelude to Trifonov’s rendition of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
While there’s a touch of irony in programming a piece about climate change for a European tour, Payare assured me that the orchestra is very conscious of its carbon footprint, recognising that “we all share this planet.” The orchestra actively works to minimise environmental impact by reducing air travel where possible, extending stays in cities to avoid unnecessary trips, and opting for train travel over short flights. Payare was keen to emphasise that this is an ongoing area of concern and consideration for the orchestra.
The OSM has a rich tradition of social involvement and community outreach, something Payare is keen to develop, using El Sistema’s philosophy of trying “to bring music to everybody”. To encourage younger engagement, the OSM has two Children’s Corner afternoon concerts and Bal des enfants, which Payare conducts, featuring a carnival celebration and a world premiere of Carnaval des insectes (Carnival of the insects) by Montréal composer Maxime Goulet. Abreu believed that “music needs to be a right, not a privilege,” a belief which resonates with Payare who feels its important to expose the young to music and “then it’s up to them what they choose to do with it”.
The OSM has recently appointed Mélanie La Couture as its new Chief Executive Officer to replace Madeleine Carreau who left in June this year after a tenure of nearly 25 years. La Couture is no stranger to the OSM, having spent 11 years with the orchestra, her most recent role as Chief Operating Officer, before she joined the Montréal Heart Institute. Payare, who enjoyed a great working relationship with Carreua, is looking forward to his new partnership with La Couture, who has praised Payare’s “creativity and dynamism”.
Lucien Bouchard, the OSM’s Chair of the Board of Directors, is equally enthusiastic about the partnership: “Rafael Payare, our inspiring Music Director, together with Mélanie La Couture, an accomplished leader, will form a solid tandem in the years ahead, one that I have no doubt will guide the OSM superbly… by helping it shine even more brightly in the world of classical music.”
As the OSM enters its tenth decade, the partnership between Payare and the orchestra promises to be an exciting journey of musical discovery and innovation. With his boundless energy and the OSM’s rich tradition, they’re poised to write a thrilling new chapter in the orchestra’s illustrious history. As Payare puts it, “It’s like having a great dance partner. Together, we can achieve anything.”
The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Rafael Payare will be on tour in Europe during November 2024 in the following cities:
- London (19 November)
- Luxembourg (20 November)
- Paris (22 November)
- Hamburg (24 November)
- Berlin (25 November)
- Amsterdam (27 November)
- Munich (28 November)
- Vienna (30 November)
* Please note that Javier Perianes will be replacing Daniil Trifonov for the London concert on 19 November 2024.