By Uwe Scholz
With Les Grands Ballets Orchestra, choir and soloists
In The Creation, Uwe Scholz Uwe Scholz transforms Joseph Haydn’s monumental oratorio into a powerful ballet inspired by the Book of Genesis and devoted to the birth of the world.
From chaos to light, from the rise of nature to the appearance of humanity, the work unfolds as a vast foundational tale, carried by music of remarkable power and clarity that fills the theatre and draws the audience in. Deeply guided by faith, Haydn offers a luminous score, driven by a profound sense of grandeur and hope.
JEAN PAUL RIOPELLE, Sans titre, 1965, oil on canvas, 63.5 cm, round © Succession Jean-Paul Riopelle / CARCC Ottawa 2026
On stage, Scholz’s choreography, both rigorous and richly textured, embraces Haydn’s vision through a series of meticulously crafted scenes. Blending classical ballet with contemporary movement, the work is further enriched by projections of paintings by the great Québécois artist Jean Paul Riopelle.
Carried by Les Grands Ballets Orchestra, the choir, and three soloists, Andréanne Brisson-Paquin (soprano), Philippe Gagné (tenor), and Clayton Kennedy (bass), the dancers embody elemental forces, symbolic figures, and the first humans. By turns powerful and restrained, The Creation emerges as a work of striking scale, where music, dance, and visual art come together to move and inspire.
This ensemble comprises 55 highly skilled musicians and soloists. Our orchestra has been playing a major role in the success of Les Grands Ballets for over 30 years.
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Latest update made on February 23, 2026. The cast is subject to change until the start of the performance. (M = matinee, S = soiree)
1 - Introduction
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth
Ensemble
2 - Aria with Chorus (Uriel)
Now vanished before the holy radiance
André Santos (26, 28M, 01M), Daniel Leger (27, 28S) ; Ensemble
3 - Recitative (Raphael)
And God made the firmament
André Santos (all performances), Daniel Leger (all performances), Benjamin Poirier (26, 28S), Antoine Bertran (26, 28S), Arran Sullivan (27, 28M, 01M), François Gagné (27, 28M, 01M)
4 - Chorus with Soprano Solo (Gabriel)
In wonder he beholds the work
Alexandra Eccles (28M), Sarah Branch (26, 28S), Sofia González (27, 01M) ; Ensemble
5 - Recitative (Raphael)
And God said: Let the waters be gathered together
Célestin Boutin (26, 28M, 01M), Benjamin Poirier (27, 28S)
6 - Aria (Raphael)
Rolling in foaming waves
7 - Recitative (Gabriel)
And God said: Let the earth bring forth
8 - Aria (Gabriel)
Now the fields appear in fresh green splendor
9 - Recitative (Uriel)
And the heavenly host
Ensemble
10 - Chorus
Awake the harp
Ensemble
11 - Recitative (Uriel)
And God said: Let there be lights in the firmament
Roddy Doble (26), Marcel Gutiérrez Morales (27, 28S), Esnel Ramos (28M, 01M)
12 - Aria (Uriel)
Clothed in splendour and majesty
Roddy Doble (26), Marcel Gutiérrez Morales (27, 28S), Esnel Ramos (28M, 01M)
13 - Chorus with Soloists (Gabriel / Raphael)
The heavens are telling the glory of God
Ensemble
14 - Recitative (Gabriel)
And God said: Let the waters bring forth abundantly
Rachele Buriassi & Esnel Ramos (26, 28M, 01M), Anna Ishii & Graeme Fuhrman (27), Anna Ishii & Esnel Ramos (28S)
15 - Aria (Gabriel)
On mighty wings he rises
Rachele Buriassi & Esnel Ramos (26, 28M, 01M), Anna Ishii & Graeme Fuhrman (27), Anna Ishii & Esnel Ramos (28S)
16 - Recitative (Raphael)
And God created great whales
Roddy Doble (26, 28M), Graeme Fuhrman (27, 28S), Étienne Delorme (01M)
17 - Recitative (Raphael)
And the angels touched their harps
Roddy Doble (26, 28M), Graeme Fuhrman (27, 28S), Étienne Delorme (01M)
18 - Trio (Gabriel / Uriel / Raphael)
Stand in gentle grace
Graeme Fuhrman (26, 28M, 01M), Roddy Doble (27, 28S)
Anya Nesvitaylo (26, 28M, 01M), Aurora De Mori (27, 28S)
Marcel Gutiérrez Morales (26, 28M, 01M), Esnel Ramos (27, 28S)
19 - Chorus with Soloists (Gabriel / Uriel / Raphael)
The Lord is great in His power
Ensemble
20 - Recitative (Raphael)
And God said: Let the earth bring forth
Marcel Gutiérrez Morales (26, 28S), Antoine Bertran (27, 01M), Simon Adamson-De Luca (28M)
21 - Recitative (Raphael)
Straightway the womb of the earth opened
Ensemble
22 - Recitative (Uriel)
Now heaven in fullest glory shines
Ensemble
23 - Recitative (Uriel)
And God created man in His own image
Célestin Boutin (26, 28M, 01M), André Santos (27, 28S)
24 - Aria (Uriel)
With glory and honor crowned
Célestin Boutin (26, 28M, 01M), André Santos (27, 28S)
25 - Recitative (Raphael)
And God saw everything that He had made
Célestin Boutin (26, 28M, 01M), André Santos (27, 28S)
26 - Chorus
Completed is the great work
Ensemble
27 - Trio (Gabriel / Uriel / Raphael)
To Thee, O Lord, all look up
Pas de deux: Vanesa G.R. Montoya & Felixovich Morante (26, 28M, 01M), Tetyana Martyanova & Thomas Leprohon (27, 28S)
Solo: Thomas Leprohon (26, 28M, 01M), Felixovich Morante (27, 28S)
28 - Chorus
Completed is the great work
Ensemble
29 - Recitative (Uriel)
Out of rosy clouds it bursts forth
Maude Sabourin & Thomas Leprohon (26, 28M, 01M), Anya Nesvitaylo & Roddy Doble (27, 28S)
30 - Duet and Chorus (Eve / Adam)
By Thee with bliss, O bounteous Lord
Ensemble
31 - Recitative (Adam)
Now is the first duty fulfilled
Rachele Buriassi & Esnel Ramos (26, 28M, 01M), Anna Ishii & Marcel Gutiérrez Morales (27, 28S)
32 - Duet (Eve / Adam)
Graceful consort, at thy side
Rachele Buriassi & Esnel Ramos (26, 28M, 01M), Anna Ishii & Marcel Gutiérrez Morales (27, 28S)
33 - Recitative (Uriel)
O happy pair, and happy ever after
Ensemble
34 - Final Chorus with Soloists
Sing the Lord, all voices
Ensemble
Sopranos
Élodie Bouchard
Rebecca Dowd Lekx
Kimberley Lynch
Marie Magistry
Stephanie Manias
Denise Torre Ormeno
Dorothéa Ventura
Altos
Alexandra Asher
William Duffy
Marie-Josée Goyette
Josée Lalonde (soloist)
Marie-Andrée Mathieu
Isabelle Ricard
Maddie Studt
Tenors
Mathieu Abel
Richardson Dwain
Julien Girard
Aldéo Jean
Thomas Macleay
Arthur Tanguay-Labrosse
Patricia Yates
Basses
Pierre-Etienne Bergeron
Alain Duguay
Alexandre Duguay
John Giffen
François-Nicolas Guertin
Emanuel Lebel
Noah Wright
Piano rehearsal
Rosalie Asselin
Soloists
Andréanne Brisson-Paquin (soprano)
Philippe Gagné (tenor)
Kennedy Clayton (bass)
First Violins
Veronica Thomas, solo
Céline Arcand, associate
Pascale Frenette
Daniel Godin
Élise Lortie
Frédéric Lefebvre
Valérie Belzile
Émilie Rabaraona
Line Deneault
Josiane Breaulte
Second Violins
Marie-Josée Arpin, solo
Solange Bouchard, assistant
Jean Ai Seow
Natalia Kononova
Anne Saint-Cyr
Daphnée Sincennes Richard
Mana Shiraishi
Édith Pedneault
Violas
Véronique Potvin, solo
Catherine Arsenault, assistant
Élisa Boudreau
Bojana Milinov
Mihaela Tistu
Martine Gagné
Cellos
Jeanne de Chantal Marcil, solo
Carla Antoun, assistant
Annie Gadbois
Monika Risi
Double Basses
Denis Chabot, solo
Richard Capolla, assistant
Flutes
Jean-Philippe Tanguay, solo
Josée Poirier
Oboes
Kirsten Zander, solo
Clarinets
Jean-François Normand, solo
Bassoons
Lise Millet, solo
Horns
Jocelyn Veilleux, solo
Maude Lussier
Trumpets
Benjamin Raymond, solo
Timpani
François St-Jean, solo
Continuo
Rosalie Asselin, solo
Personnel Manager
Richard Capolla
ABOUT THE SHOW
Total duration: 1h48
Part I: 46 minutes
Intermission: 20 minutes
Part II: 42 minutes
LES GRANDS BALLETS
(in order of appearance)
ACT I
Sans titre, 1965, Oil on canvas, 63.5 cm, round
Cercle, 1965, Oil on canvas, 150 cm in diameter. Provenance: Galerie Maeght, Paris.
Paradisier, 1967, Litho collage mounted on canvas, 100 x 81 cm, SDB Riopelle. Provenance: Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York.
Sans titre, 1967, Litho collage mounted on canvas, 491 x 263 cm in three panels. Public collection: Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.
Sans titre, 1967, Litho collage mounted on canvas, 491 x 263 cm.
Sans titre, 1967, Litho collage mounted on canvas, 491 x 263 cm.
Sans titre, 1967, Litho collage mounted on canvas, 491 x 263 cm.
Sans titre, 1968, Pastel on paper, 38.5 x 84 cm, SBD Riopelle. Provenance: Galerie Maeght, Paris.
Les oiseaux s'envolent Monsieur Marquet, 1972, Acrylic on paper mounted on canvas, 306 x 670 cm, triptych. Provenance: Galerie Maeght, Paris.
Sans titre, c. 1974, View from the window of the Saint-Cyr-en-Arthies studio, sanguine and charcoal on paper, 50 x 65 cm.
Les 4 chaises, 1975–1976, Mixed media on paper mounted on canvas, 152 x 507.5 cm, triptych.
Sans titre, 1955, Watercolour and ink on paper, 26 x 75 cm, SBD Riopelle 55.
ACT II
Sans titre, 1966, Gouache on hammered wood (Mexican paper), 39 x 27.5 cm, SDB R 66.
Sans titre, 1966, Oil on canvas, 50 x 50 cm, SDB Riopelle. Provenance: Galerie Maeght, Paris.
En parade, 1966–1967, Oil on canvas, 162 x 129.5 cm, SDB Riopelle 67. Provenance: Galerie Maeght, Paris.
Sans titre, c. 1967, Oil pastel and ink on paper, 23.8 x 15 cm, SBD R.
Sans titre, c. 1968, Oil on canvas, 200 x 300 cm.
Sans titre (PM 6), 1968, Oil on wood, 34 x 16.5 cm, SBD R. Provenance: Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York.
Hibou-Snow Flake, 1970, Oil on canvas, 100.3 x 72.5 cm. Provenance: Galerie Maeght, Paris.
Les rois de Thulé, 1973, Mixed media on paper, 59 x 49 cm, SBD Riopelle 73.
A Field, 1974, Oil on canvas, 162 x 130 cm, SBD Riopelle.
Sans titre n 12, 1975, Pastel on paper, 67 x 44.5 cm, SBD Riopelle 75.
Inuit, 1977, Oil on canvas, 82 x 101 cm, SBD Riopelle.
L'Hommage à Rosa Luxemburg, 1992, Mixed media on canvas, 1.52 x 40 m, triptych. Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.
Abrité, 1973, Oil on canvas, 130.8 x 195.6 cm, SBD Riopelle.
Sans titre, 1971, Pastel on paper, 66 x 50 cm, SBD Riopelle.
Sans titre, c. 1967, India ink on paper, 51 x 66 cm. Each element composing the drawing is signed with an “R”.
Renard qui mange, 1971, Acrylic on lithograph mounted on canvas, 160 x 120 cm.
Départ pour, 1967, Litho collage mounted on canvas, 98 x 130 cm, SBD Riopelle 67. Provenance: Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York.
Bleu, 1966, Oil on canvas, 81 x 100 cm, SDB Riopelle 66. Provenance: Galerie Maeght, Paris.
Versombreuse, 1946, Decalcomania, oil on paper, 28 x 22 cm.
Sans titre, 1949–1950, Oil on canvas, 35 x 27 cm, SBD R 49, work signed and dated in 1988.
Bijoux Broyés, 1955, Oil on canvas, 41.1 x 33.2 cm, SBD Riopelle.
