Description

Félici is a drama born from an inner duality: the longing for joy without ever fully managing to feel it. The work explores human vulnerability as well as the process of inner transformation. Most of the music was created before the words. The terms “laisser aller” and “Félici” come from deep emotional impressions, while the text draws inspiration from dreams and their symbolic meaning.

The first part is highly dramatic and gradually increases in intensity. The choir then declares “laisser aller” with force, supported by a striking and aggressive piano part. It is a gesture of affirmation.

A trio of piano, cello, and English horn follows. This section, highly poetic in character, requires both freedom and intuition. In this context, the English horn represents the bird and serves as a symbol of delicacy. The instruments must sing and express themselves with great freedom, almost as if improvising.

An a cappella section for the choir then brings a brighter colour. It introduces a theme accompanied by demanding but highly expressive vocalises. At the end of this section, “laisser aller” reappears, this time suggesting surrender to the lived experience. It is a moment of openness, integration, and sensory stimulation.

When the English horn responds, its timbre feels almost tangible, like a vibration on the skin. The duet between the English horn and the cello, though seemingly simple, requires great subtlety of phrasing and a warm, enveloping sound. It concludes with a cello solo that becomes increasingly intense and insistent.

The Andante section in triplets represents moments of solitude in which one welcomes what one is experiencing without a mask. It is an inner confrontation, uncomfortable yet transformative — an encounter with one’s shadow side.

Between the 6/8 section and the return of the opening theme, a bridge unfolds. Onomatopoeic sounds are used to create a sonic effect that heightens the tension before the theme is restated.

In the conclusion, the theme returns at a slower tempo. The choir takes on a different role, accompanying the melody carried by the soloist, leading toward a final resolution that brings all the instruments together.

I thank my friend Catherine Migneault for finding the right words to express my feelings. I dedicate this work to my dear friend, Guy Robitaille.