The conductor Rafael Payare, like Gustavo Dudamel, comes from the Venezuelan school El Sistema. Unlike Dudamel, Payare will not allow himself to be transformed into a henchman of the Maduro regime. He is currently on tour with his Orchester Symphonique de Montréal. Meeting a new kind of desk star.
Nagano’s successor has been working with the best Canadian orchestra since 2022. His name is Rafael Payare. And Nagano’s anachronism doesn’t matter. Payare laughs out loud at something like that. At least in the foyers of concert halls there are the right displays: “OSM. Your classic.” And in purple light they show, slightly blurred, the silhouette of the new leader, also characterized by his characteristic hairstyle and also by his glasses. Here someone becomes a trademark, perhaps even for a new generation of conductors.
Venezuelan Rafael Payare is 44 years old, dark-skinned, with curly curly hair, lanky and approachable. He could still pass for a nerdy student. He speaks English with an interesting Spanish accent, but has also quickly adapted the guttural pronunciation of Montreal French Canadians.
It can only be like this, because Quebec attaches great value to its past, especially that of its language. And it wasn’t that long ago, it was the golden 80s and 90s of the CD industry, when OSM, which dutifully recorded Debussy, Ravel, Franck, Saint-Saëns, Berlioz and Honegger for Decca, it was even considered the best French sound body ever. With American enamel.
Wilfrid Pelletier, heroically revered in Canadian classical music, laid the foundations for it in 1934. The Swiss Charles Dutoit made it blossom. He stayed too long, from 1977 to 2002, and is still persona non grata in Montreal today due to his MeToo transgressions – unlike some parts of Europe - Canadians are close to the puritanical legacy of the United States.
But with Kent Nagano, an American of Japanese descent, a turning point was not heralded only because people turned away from the culture of old white men. Nagano played classical music at the ice hockey rink, sacred to the population of this city. He toured across the vastness of Canada and among the Inuit, seeking to include composers from the indigenous populations of this vast country in his repertoire.
And in 2011, after a long period of financing, Nagano was able to inaugurate the Maison Symphonique, located somewhat hidden in the last free corner of the city’s central Place des Artes. Montreal, with its 1.8 million inhabitants, brings together the contemporary art museum, the opera and ballet theatre, several other theatre stages and the concert hall. In summer there is enough space around for popular outdoor activities; in the harsh winter, the art complex with its lively life of shop and restaurant cellars is connected to the underground shopping areas, which connect the entire snow-free center.
ovid tour
With Rafael Payare, OSM is currently on a European tour which includes many prestigious concert halls in London, Luxembourg, Paris, Hamburg, Berlin, Amsterdam, Munich and Vienna. Because after the pandemic they want to revive foreign travel (there is even a separate foundation for this) and also registration activities – even if it is no longer possible to make money from it, the business card effect is still significant.
This is why they collaborated with Pentatone, Payare’s third album has just been released: after a tight Fifth Symphony by Gustav Mahler and a clever pairing of “Heldenleben” by Strauss and “Rueckert-Liedern” by Mahler, a double by Schönberg followed the centenary of his death – the sumptuous orchestral poem “Pelléas et Méliande” and the large version of the original string sextet “Transfigured Night”.
For Payare, who recently performed Schönberg’s monumental Gurre Lieder for the first time with this orchestra at the opening of the season, a special work not only on the threshold of modernity. It was after the performance of this intense intertwining of strings that the Montreal audience stood up applauding enthusiastically and those responsible for the management understood: this is exactly the conductor who should be the new head of the OSM.
Overall he fits well into the Montreal mix: right age, knowledgeable, multicultural, open to everything. A thinker, but also an instinctive musician, Payare quickly established himself thanks to his still special background: as a former solo horn player, he is part of the worldwide admired El Sistema movement of José Antonio Abreu, who died in 2018, just like Gustavo Dudamel .
Of course, guest of the most important orchestras, Spanish citizen, charismatic leader of the LA Phil, designated leader of the New York Philharmonic, he is stagnating artistically and has to endure insults because he continues to work with the Simón Bolívar Youth The Orchestra, the leading figure of El Sistema, goes on tour and thus indirectly supports the increasingly dictatorial government of Venezuela.
Christian Vásquez and Diego Matheuz, two other El Sistema protégés initially touted to lead, remain mediocre. Domingo Hindoyan, head of the Royal Liverpool Orchestra, is doing better. But Rafael Payare has turned out to be the most intellectually exciting and long-independent leader of this movement, which sometimes has cult characteristics: “I cut myself off early and noticed that El Sistema can also be very sticky,” he says today. “I went to Europe, lived in Berlin for a long time and was able to learn a lot from Daniel Barenboim and Lorin Maazel.”
This summer he gave up his apartment in Gesundbrunnen because since he became conductor of the San Diego Symphony, North America has become the center of life for him and his wife, cellist Alisa Weilerstein, and their two daughters. “We live in Montreal, I really want to be part of the community,” Payare says. ”I love the internationality of the city, as well as the European charm. My eldest daughter also goes to a French school here.” However, he maintains his connections abroad, for example he appears regularly with the Berlin Staatskapelle at operas and concerts.
In Montreal you will experience a happy and balanced orchestra that joyfully celebrates new beginnings. Everyone appreciates the current, often powerful and fast vibrations that elevate the orchestra elegantly, whether you are talking to the management, the librarian who also sings in the choir, the musicians or the elderly person sitting next to you at the concert who she doesn’t just find her crush Rafael “extremely beautiful.”
Schumann’s Piano Concerto, which Daniil Trifonov also performs on tour in a tightly woven orchestral charm, sounds fresh and colorful. Berlioz’s “Symphonique Fantastique,” a sort of signature piece for the orchestra, moves from fun dancing to bucolic country jaunt to sudden fever dream and shrill doom like a tour de force that is never overstated.
This time, even the two real, enormous bronze bells took part in the magic of Berlioz’s orchestration, which was presented in
Making music for everyone
Payare is infiltrating the repertoire with Latin pieces, planning a cyclical Mahler plus a new “Canadian Land Song” with Inuit poetry and a semi-staged Mozart/da Ponte opera trilogy. A youth orchestra, El-Sistema-Montréal, will also soon become a reality.
And while it will still take some time before all of Payare’s well-founded ideas of a classical symphony orchestra that reaches all segments of the population, especially young people, and proudly aligns itself with the 21st century can be realized – the bells of the church weigh a total of 451 kilos Of course we travel to Europe to enrich the precious OSM sound. So that here too the audience gets up from their seats.
The Orchester Symphonique de Montréal will perform on November 19th in London, 20th in Luxembourg, 22nd in Paris, 24th in Hamburg, 25th in Berlin, 27th in Amsterdam, 28th in Munich and 30th in Vienna.
What are Rafael Payare’s views on the role of classical music in bridging cultural divides?
Interview Between Time.news Editor and Conductor Rafael Payare
Time.news Editor: Rafael, thank you for joining us today. You’re currently on tour with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. How has this experience been for you in terms of reconnecting with audiences after the pandemic?
Rafael Payare: Thank you for having me! It’s been exhilarating. Performing live again, especially with such a talented orchestra, is a deeply fulfilling experience. There’s a particular energy in the concert halls that feels renewed post-pandemic, a sort of eagerness from the audiences that amplifies our performances.
Editor: You’ve been compared to Gustavo Dudamel, another prominent conductor from Venezuela’s El Sistema. While Dudamel has faced scrutiny for his affiliations with the Venezuelan regime, you’ve taken a different path. How do you reflect on that comparison?
Payare: It’s interesting. While we share a similar background and training in El Sistema, our journeys are quite different. I made a conscious decision to step away from any political entanglements that could compromise my art. Music transcends politics for me, and I aim to use it as a universal language to connect with people, not as a tool for regime support.
Editor: Speaking of connection, you were appointed as the head of the OSM after Kent Nagano, who did groundbreaking work here. How do you envision shaping the orchestra’s future?
Payare: Kent Nagano laid such a strong foundation by embracing multiculturalism and inclusivity within music. I aim to build on that by introducing diverse composers and works while maintaining the integrity of the traditional repertoire. This orchestra has a remarkable potential to reflect the vibrant tapestry of Montreal’s community.
Editor: Your latest album features a variety of works, including Mahler and Schönberg. How do you select pieces for the orchestra to perform?
Payare: I try to blend the traditional with the modern to create a balance in our programs. Each performance is an opportunity to engage the audience’s emotions and challenge their perceptions. For example, pairing Mahler’s intense Fifth Symphony with Schönberg highlights the evolution of musical language. It’s about creating an emotional journey for the listeners.
Editor: In your time at OSM, you’ve made a mark by celebrating new beginnings. What does this ‘new beginning’ mean for you and the orchestra?
Payare: For me, it symbolizes a fresh start filled with possibilities. It’s an invitation to explore new repertoire and connect deeply with our community. The vibrancy of Montreal is reflected in the orchestra, and together we can create an inclusive platform for voices that have historically been overlooked.
Editor: You’ve talked about your love for Montreal’s internationality and charm. How does this city influence your music-making process?
Payare: Montreal is a melting pot of cultures, which deeply enriches my artistic expression. The city’s European influences combined with its North American flair allow for a unique aesthetic that is palpable in our performances. It inspires creativity and urges us to think outside the conventional parameters of classical music.
Editor: what message do you want to impart to the audiences who attend your concerts?
Payare: I want them to know that every note, every silence, every crescendo is a shared experience between the musicians and the audience. Music has the power to transport us, to heal us, and to build bridges among diverse cultures. Join us in this journey; let’s celebrate the magic of live performance together!
Editor: Thank you, Rafael. Your vision is inspiring, and I’m sure the Montreal audiences will appreciate your passion and dedication. Good luck on your tour!
Payare: Thank you! It’s a pleasure to share this journey with you and our audience.