We bridged 1786 and 2023
Photo / Community Building / Design / Editorial / Strategy
Opéra de Montréal
2023
Opéra de Montréal, 2023
:no_upscale():quality(70))
The Opéra de Montréal is one of Quebec’s most established cultural institutions. Despite its acclaimed legacy, the organization struggled to connect with a new audience that viewed it as too rigid or elitist.
Our mission was to create a campaign that would highlight the contemporary relevance of opera as an adaptive, global art form, and bring the institution closer to the rest of the city’s creative community.
:no_upscale():quality(70))
:no_upscale():quality(70))
:no_upscale():quality(70))
Challenge 1
We needed to prove to the public that the Opéra’s stories are still relevant today, in Montreal, even if they were written long ago, far away from Montreal.
Idea 1
We found real people who are living the modern equivalent of these stories in Montreal today. These individuals became the faces of our campaign.
For example, La Traviata tells the story of a courtesan who chooses her freedom rather than changing who she is to please others. To modernize this, our La Traviata poster features Aïcha, a sex worker from Montreal who has openly chosen to continue to living her life on this path, even if it means shocking those around her.
:no_upscale():quality(70))
:no_upscale():quality(70))
:no_upscale():quality(70))
:no_upscale():quality(70))
Challenge 2
The Opera sought to build a dialogue with the city’s emerging artistic scene, which had previously seen it as out of touch or overly grand.
Idea 2
We commissioned local talents to help us create and realize the entire physical universe behind our campaign visuals.
Each costume, every piece of jewellery, and set piece was designed by young artisans from Montreal’s underground scene.
:no_upscale():quality(70))
:no_upscale():quality(70))
:no_upscale():quality(70))
:no_upscale():quality(70))
:no_upscale():quality(70))
Credits :
Creative : GRDN, Collection
Creative Direction : Sébastien Boulanger, Joshua Lessard
Artistic Direction : Mélissa Desjardins
Graphic Design : Thierry Joannette-Langevin
Strategy : Sébastien Boulanger, Anne-Marie Mercier
Account managing : Anne-Marie Mercier
Production : Catherine Marsland pour Répertoire
Infographics : Rafik Andraos
Photography and direction : Lian Benoit
Direction of photography : Simran Dewan
On-Set Photography : Charlotte Rainville-Jailli
Set Design : Mylène Chabrol
Styling : Tinashe Musara
Hair : Steven Turpin
Makeup : Valeria Amirova
Nail art : Victoria Gabreau
Tooth gems : Jémée Siaotong-Lapointe
Jewelry : Ulysse Delezenne, Tendre Metal
Furniture : Yves de La Tour d’Auvergne via Bruises Gallery
Chandelier : Maya Inglis (Waxmaya)
Cake : Lauren McGowan (Violet Bakehouse)
Glassware : Verre D’Onge
Talent, Les noces de Figaro : Jean-Philippe Lefrançois-Doyon
Talents, La reine-garçon : Soukayna Zerouali, Charlotte Bolduc
Talents, Enigma : Marco Garneau, Samuel Largitte
Talents, La Traviata : Naïla Rabel, Arthur Bussières-Gallant
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())