Impressionists make lasting impression in Montréal

Richard Burnett

Richard “Bugs” Burnett is a Canadian freelance writer, editor, journalist, blogger and columnist for alt-weeklies, mainstream and LGBTQ+ publications. Bugs also knows Montréal like a drag queen knows a cosmetics counter.

This article was published on April 25, 2023.

Classic paintings by Impressionist masters come to life in the immersive experience Lasting Impressions, thanks to cutting-edge 3D Motion Sculpting technology, at Le Studio-Cabaret in Espace St-Denis.

The Impressionist masters

The word Impressionism was first used when such artists as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted “en plein air”, placing their easels along the banks of the Seine and on the streets of Paris. These artists became known as The Impressionists because their work – with swipes of colour and swirls of light – created something beyond reality.

Using 3D Motion Sculpting technology, brushstrokes by Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh and other Impressionist artists now digitally spring to life. The effect is breathtaking, as more than 100 classic paintings come alive in stunning stereoscopy, inviting audiences to move into and through the canvas, presented in 3D on a giant ultra-high-definition screen with a specially-curated soundtrack.

Spectators can sit with Renoir’s luncheon guests, dance with Degas’ ballerinas and soar into Van Gogh’s Starry Night.

La magie des impressionnistes

The Lasting Impressions experience – also known as La Magie des impressionnistes by Montrealers – is split into two parts.

The first part presents 30 minutes of projections of Impressionist works with specially-curated music. Le Studio-Cabaret will place the audience in a Paris bistro from the Impressionist era. Comfortably seated, spectators can also enjoy a light, French-style snack available for purchase on-site.

The second part lasts about 60 minutes, and transports spectators inside the works of art thanks to state-of-the-art technology and lightweight 3D glasses which feel like sunglasses and can, if necessary, fit over current eyewear.

The audience is also surrounded by LED screens which complement the principal feature with footage created exclusively for the Montréal production, and there is a special introduction by Sophie Renoir, great-granddaughter of Auguste Renoir.

 

By the numbers

Spectators will experience:

  • More than 100 classic Impressionist masterworks from artists including Monet, Van Gogh, Seurat and Degas. Set to musical masterpieces by Debussy, Ravel and other composers, as well as French standards by Piaf, Aznavour and Mouskouri.
  • 10 million pixels on 125 feet of screens
  • 1 billion colour combinations

From Paris to Montréal

After wowing spectators in Paris, Cannes, Miami and Seoul, the critically-acclaimed Lasting Impressions runs at Le Studio-Cabaret in Espace St-Denis from June 1 to 18.

For tickets and information, visit their website.

Richard Burnett

Richard “Bugs” Burnett is a Canadian freelance writer, editor, journalist, blogger and columnist for alt-weeklies, mainstream and LGBTQ+ publications. Bugs also knows Montréal like a drag queen knows a cosmetics counter.

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