Le Rossignol Sauvage – Cree, Métis & French Songs
Ting Lookout at UBC Botanical Garden
The nightingale, at liberty to sing of love and longing, is the star of this program devoted to songs of nature and nurture. These multicultural songs and gigues encompass many aspects of Canadian history with French, Scottish, Irish, and English colours woven into a complex and beautiful tapestry. The Métis songs, which survived in the memories of travelers from Quebec to the Prairies, are in Michif, French, and English. The earliest songs can be traced back to their European origins, with melodies that are remarkably similar to airs de cour, a form popular in 17th century France, that were often accompanied by viols. We hope you’ll enjoy hearing these beautiful songs, often plaintive, of the Rossignol Sauvage, a voice of the Métis people.