An unmissable event of the summer, the major free concert of the Orchester Métropolitain at the foot of Mount Royal will take place on Wednesday August 5, 2026. From 5 p.m. music lovers will be able to enter the musical and friendly universe of OM thanks to the Symphonic Picnic, hosted by Fabiola Nyrva Aladin, and it is at 7:30 p.m. that the concert directed by Yannick Nézet-Séguin will begin. This annual meeting of thousands of Montrealers is part of the festivities this year for the 150th anniversary of Mount Royal Park.
First edition of the Symphonic Picnic – 5:00 p.m.
On August 5, the public will be expected from 5 p.m. in the shadow of the emblematic mountain for the first edition of the Symphonic Picnic, which will be held on the Le Groupe Maurice stage. Hosted by event ambassador Fabiola Nyrva Aladin, it will precede the big concert, with a festive program that will come to life on a second stage located on the north side of the Monument to Sir George-Étienne Cartier.
On the program from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Heritage Montreal Conference on the 150th anniversary of Mont Royal ParkPrelude with the Little Singers of Mont-RoyalChamber music ensemble of musicians from the OMPerformance and choral singing activity with the Metropolitan Choir and the Little Singers of Mont-Royal
Food trucks will also be installed on the site, for an on-site food offering. This second stage will subsequently be transformed into a giant screen, allowing those who prefer to experience the concert in a more relaxed atmosphere, away from the crowd, while enjoying the musical experience.
Grand concert by the Orchester Métropolitain – 7:30 p.m.
At 7:30 p.m., the audience will turn to the main stage! Presented by CN, in collaboration with Le Groupe Maurice and as part of CAM on tour, this concert will also be hosted by Fabiola Nyrva Aladin, a great music lover and ambassador of the event, and directed by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
For the occasion, the Orchestra will offer a program where the music is luminous, colorful and full of emotion. The masterful Suite No. 1 of Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg, a famous work with atmospheres of great evocative force, will resonate, as well as Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”, by Antonín Dvořák, a vast musical mosaic paying homage to the richness of American influences and cultures. Finally, we will appreciate the creation Ouverture du Mont-Royal, a commission entrusted to Ana Sokolović, which anchors this concert in the present and the territory, and all the romantic verve of Quebecer Guillaume Couture with Rêverie.
The concert will culminate with a special performance by Elisapie and the Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal.
Free broadcast of the big concert live across Quebec – 7:30 p.m.
In partnership with RIDEAU (Professional Association of Show Presenters), the Orchester Métropolitain offers, for the first time this year, the free live presentation of the concert to presenters across Quebec, in order to share classical music with their communities.
Thus, the OM event at the foot of Mount Royal crosses the borders of Montreal for the first time to reach the four corners of the province. As part of its partnership with OM, Le Groupe Maurice (LGM) will broadcast the concert live in its 37 residences throughout Quebec. OM would like to thank its valuable collaborators who contribute to bringing its mission to life well beyond the metropolis:
At La Maison du Cinéma, SherbrookeDiffusion Mordicus, AmquiPlateau Michel-Brault, BeloeilCentre des arts Juliette-Lassonde, Saint-HyacintheDomaine Forget, CharlevoixEspace Théâtre, Mont-LaurierThéâtre de la Vieille Forge, Petite-ValléeSalle Pauline-Julien, Sainte-GenevièveSPEC du Haut-RichelieuVieux Couvent, Saint-PrimeProgram
ANA SOKOLOVIĆMontreal Circus
EDVARD GRIEGPeer Gynt, suite no. 1
GUILLAUME COUTUREDaydream
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁKSymphony No. 9 “From the New World”