Montreal Is Hosting A "Pink Floyd Opera" At Place Des Arts

You may not think of yourself as an "opera goer," but come 2017, you may be changing your tune (pun!), as Place des Art is hosting an operatic reenvisioning of Pink Floyd's iconic album "The Wall," as part of Montreal's 375th anniversary celebrations.

Composed by Julien Bilodeau, the "The Wall" opera is going to be held inside of Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts beginning March 2017.

Pink Floyd bassist and primary songwriter for the original album, the renowned Roger Waters, was in Montreal yesterday for the unveiling of the opera. Rogers is said to have given his blessing to the production, after being quite reluctant to even bit the least bit involved.

But apparently, after hearing some of the newly made score, Rogers "was moved. Very moved," as CBC recounts.

Fangirls and boys of Pink Floyd may also remember a rather unpleasant moment shared between Waters and the people of Montreal, specifically a July 1977 Pink Floyd show held at the Olympic Stadium when the band was on their In the Flesh Tour.

At the show, some Montrealers tried to get on stage with the band, which threw Waters into a fit. He even went as far as spitting at one attendee.

Interestingly, this moment is what inspired Waters to create "The Wall." Already miffed at the many stadium shows the band had already played, and feeling somewhat isolated as an artist, Waters wanted to create some sort of giant wall between the performers and the audience.

Of course, the huge wall would never come to fruition, but the idea did prompt Waters to explore themes of self-imposed isolation following traumatic experiences, the thematic foundation of Pink Floyd's next album, "The Wall."

So the city that (unintentionally) birthed "The Wall" is going to get a brand new opera-style version of the album, complete with a stage performance, in March 2017. Some things just come fill circle like that.