FR
START
Design: Marie-Claude Codsi, in collaboration with Insectarium de Montréal Illustrations: Caroline Hamel
Working on the Concert
Access Guide
Games & Activities
The Carnival of the Insects
Music at the Carnival
All about the Montreal Insectarium
Working on the concert
LOCATION:MAISON SYMPHONIQUE DE MONTRÉAL
set and costume designer
writer
ACTORS
Composer
Organist
Illustrator
Stage director
musicians
conductor
Musicat the Carnival
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Flight of the Bumblebee
Carnival of the Animals
Symphonyno. 3
Mother Goose
Carnival of the Insects
Carnivalof the animals
Finale (organ solo)
The Carnival of the Animals is a piece divided into 14 short movements. More precisely, it is a musical pastiche, in which Saint-Saëns evokes and imitates several animals in music, most of them comically.
Camille Saint-Saëns Camille Saint-Saëns is a French composer, pianist and organist born in 1835. He was born at a pivotal time. He was one of the first composers to record his music. He was also the first composer to write a soundtrack for a film, L'Assassinat du Duc de Guise in 1908.
Which animals are in the carnival?
At the concert, you will hear the final movement of the carnival (on solo organ): Finale. It is a festive movement that could be described as a potpourri, since it includes many of the musical elements used in the other movements.
Camille Saint-Saëns1835-1921
Click here to learn more about the Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique(video in French)!
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Scherzo
Félix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was a composer, conductor, pianist, and composition teacher. He was born in Germany in 1809. He began composing at a very young age. He was one of the first conductors to use a baton to lead the orchestra.
A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Mendelssohn's best-known works. It was written to accompany Shakespeare's play of the same name. In music, it is said to be incidental music when it accompanies something else, such as a play, a television program, or even a video game.
At the concert, you will hear an excerpt called Scherzo.The word scherzo is an Italian adjective that describes the piece (lively and cheerful).
You may listen to the Scherzo here.
Félix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy1809-1947
Did you know that the wedding march so often heard at the end of weddings was composed as part of A Midsummer Night's Dream?
Mother Goose
II. Spinning wheel dance and scene
Maurice Ravel Maurice Ravel was a French composer and pianist born in 1875. He studied composition at the Paris Conservatory with Gabriel Fauré, another renowned composer. His most famous piece is undoubtedly Boléro. This piece is often performed by the OSM during its summer concerts.
Ravel composed Mother Goose based on various fairy tales you may know, such as Beauty and the Beast, and Sleeping Beauty. It was originally a piece for 2 pianos. Then it became a piece for orchestra and finally a ballet.
Spinning wheel dance and scene was added to the ballet work (towards the beginning). Ravel added movements and rearranged the whole order for the ballet to improve the dramatic progression.
You may listen to Mother Goose in its entirety here.
Maurice Ravel1875-1937
Tu peux écouter la pièce ici.
Flight of theBumblebee
The Tale of Tsar Saltan, Suite, op. 57
Nicolaï Rimski-Korsakov Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer born in 1844. He taught composition and orchestration at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. He is well known for his talent as an orchestrator—adapting pieces so they can be performed by an orchestra. In fact, he orchestrated several works by other composers as well.
The Flight of the Bumblebee is an excerpt from Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan. What is an opera? It's a story told through music and singing. In The Tale of Tsar Saltan, a magical swan transforms the tsar’s son into an insect so he can go visit his father. The Flight of the Bumblebee musically describes this part of the story. As you listen to the piece, you will notice how quickly the musicians play. This is both the beauty and the difficulty of this piece. Can you sing the melody as fast as the instruments in the orchestra play it?
To learn more about the piece, you can listen to this video (in French only):
Nicolaï Rimski-Korsakov1844-1908
Symphony no. 3
Symphony no. 3 in C minor, op. 78, "Organ Symphony”, (excerpt) : Maestoso
Camille Saint-Saëns Camille Saint-Saëns is a French composer, pianist and organist born in 1835. He was born at a pivotal time. He was one of the first composers to record his music. He was also the first composer to write a soundtrack for a film, L'Assassinat du Duc de Guise in 1908.
This symphony premiered in 1886 in London, conducted by Saint-Saëns himself. Although its title indicates “with organ”, only 2 of the 4 movements include the organ. Saint-Saëns dedicated this symphony to the memory of another composer, Franz Liszt.
The excerpt you will hear at the concert, Maestoso, begins with the organ with a C major chord — it's the beginning of the final movement of the symphony, which ends in a grand and majestic way!
Camille Saint-Saëns1835-1921
You may listen to the Maestoso excerpt here.
Carnival of the insects
The Carnival of the Insects is an orchestral suite of 16 short movements, each dedicated to a different insect and featuring a specific instrument of the orchestra. In this suite, the light flutter of a butterfly, the march of an army ant, and the relentless buzz of a fly are brought to life through music, as each instrument takes its turn in the spotlight.
Maxime Goulet
let's discover the insects of this carnival
The insects
Ant
Praying Mantis
13
Silverfish
Dragonfly
Horned Hercules
14
Cicada
Mosquito
10
Water Strider
Stick insect
11
Firefly
Ladybug
15
Butterfly
Cockroaches
Bee
16
Grasshoper
12
Fly
Dragonfly
- Order: Odonates
- Number of species in Quebec: around 100
- Diet: small insects
- Ecological role: predator and prey
Description
Flute
Special features
Capable of vertical takeoff, flying backward, or hovering in place, it explores the skies with the curiosity of an adventurer, darting swiftly in every direction.
Water strider
- Order: Hemiptera
- Number of species in Québec: around 15
- Food: small animals (live or dead)
- Ecological role: predators, decomposers and prey
Description
Violin
Special features
Gliding and leaping with elegance under the spotlights, it never misses a chance to impress with its prowess and agility.
Butterfly
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Number of species in Quebec: around 2550
- Food: Nectar (adults)
- Ecological role: Pollinators, prey
Description
Harp
Special features
Light, colorful, and graceful, it travels the world, peacefully flying over vast distances, carried by the wind.
Fly
- Order: Diptera
- Number of species in Quebec: around 620
- Food: organic matter, sometimes decomposing
- Ecological role: decomposers, prey
Description
Clarinet
Special features
Ready to do anything to protect their anthill, warrior ants march with determination toward the enemy, prepared for battle.
Ant
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Number of species in Quebec: around 100
- Diet: honeydew, nectar, insects
- Ecological role: prey
Description
Special features
Trumpet and Snare Drum
Ready to do anything to protect their anthill, warrior ants march with determination toward the enemy, prepared for battle.
Cicada
- Order: Homoptera
- Number of species in Quebec: 3
- Diet: sap
- Ecological role: prey
Description
Cello
Special features
On a warm summer night, it sings its lyrical song of seduction, filling the air with its romantic melody.
Firefly
- Order: Coleoptera
- Number of species in Quebec: 14
- Diet: small insects and other arthropods
- Ecological role: prey predator
Description
Glockenspiel
Special features
A swarm of tiny, twinkling lights dances in the darkness of the night, illuminating the scene with a gentle, mysterious magic.
Cockroaches
- Order: Blatoptera
- Number of species in Canada and EU: 49
- Food: everything!
- Ecological role: decomposer, prey
Description
Tuba
Special features
Nothing can withstand its insatiable appetite. Rotting waste, nail clippings, hair, glue – it devours everything with its powerful stomach.
Silverfish
- Order: Zygentomes
- Number of species in Canada and EU: 18
- Diet: varied
- Ecological role: prey
Description
Bassoon
Special features
Hidden in a damp, dark corner, it fears only one thing: the sudden flash of light disturbing its peaceful solitude.
10
Mosquito
- Order: Diptera
- Number of species in Canada and EU: around 150
- Diet: nectar, blood
- Ecological role: prey
Description
Viola
Special features
Beware! The mosquito is on the attack, determined to bite with fervor and appetite, never backing down.
11
Stick Insect
- Order: Phasmatoptera
- Number of species in Quebec: 1
- Food: leaves
- Ecological role: prey
Description
Xylophone
Special features
Master of disguise, it blends seamlessly with its surroundings, resembling a branch as it moves incognito across a towering tree.
12
Grasshoper
- Order: Orthoptera
- Number of species in Quebec: 17
- Diet: leaves, stems, flowers, seeds
- Ecological role: prey
Description
Trombone
Special features
Like an Olympic athlete, it shatters records with its powerful leaps, covering impressive distances in a single bound.
13
Praying MantiD
- Order: Mantoptera
- Present in Quebec: yes
- Diet: insects and small vertebrates
- Ecological role: predator, prey
Description
Double Bass
Special features
A fearsome hunter, it spreads terror among insects, devouring them mercilessly while they’re still alive.
14
Horned Hercules
- Order: Coleoptera
- Present in Quebec: No
- Diet: Dead wood (larva), decaying fruit (adult)
- Ecological role: Decomposer, prey
Description
Timpani
Special features
With its gigantic horn, this colossal insect engages in battle with unmatched strength and energy.
15
ladybug
- Order: Coleoptera
- Number of species in Quebec: 77
- Diet: insects
- Ecological role: predator, prey
Description
Oboe
Special features
Comfortably perched on a leaf, the ladybug spends its day patiently munching on aphids, savoring them one by one.
16
Bee
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Present in Quebec: Yes
- Diet: nectar, pollen, honey
- Ecological role: pollinator, prey
Description
Horn
Special features
Like a noble empress, the majestic queen bee reigns solemnly over her sumptuous hive.
All about the Montreal
insectarium
Podcast Fan
3000
Transforming the way we look at insects
Are you a podcast fan? Check out the Insectarium podcast entitled Les insectes ont le cafard (in French only).
Beauty and splendor revealed at a glance beneath the dome housing this naturalized collection of some 3,000 specimens.
Through its education, participatory science, research and conservation programs, the Insectarium aims to help change the way we look at insects, so that we can better protect these living creatures that are essential to our lives!
No. 1
+ INFO
Entomo...?
The Insectarium is the first museum in North America where you can come face-to-face with live insects and other arthropods, as well as butterflies roaming free in the Grand Vivarium. Will you find the beetles, millipedes and ants hidden in this lush setting?
Migratory Butterfly
Have you ever heard of the term entomology? Find out what an entomology technician and assistant do at the Insectarium de Montréal in the two videos you can find here (in French only).
The monarch is a fascinating butterfly known for its spectacular migration. Find out more in this blog.
Why do monarchs migrate? | Blog | Espace pour la vie
Discover the Insectarium's programming.
All-year-round activities
+ INFO
Insectarium | Espace pour la vie
Et hop, on bouge!
Games & activities
École en réseau pre-concert workshop
Riddle
Spot the differences
Listening Game
Et hop, on bouge!
École en réseau Workshop
Come discover the connections between insects and classical music with Étienne Pharand, science educator at the Insectarium of Space for Life. (in French only). Date: 19th of March 2026, 9:30 a.m.
To sign up for the virtual workshop!
The Insectarium of Space for Life
Listening Game
Can you guess which piece was composed for these insect/animals?Drag the pictures onto the corresponding squares when you think you have found the answer.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Answers
Listening Game
Here are the answers with the titles of the pieces. Were you able to guess?
1. Duetto buffo di due gatti by Rossini (funny duet for two cats)
2. The Swan by Saint-Saëns
3. The Wasps byVaughan Williams
4. Walking the Dog by Gershwin
Spot the differences
Spot the 8 differences between these 2 drawings.
Click on the + to see the answers!
Original drawing
Modified drawing (8 differences)
The tree has an additional branch.
Answers
Click on the numbers to see the answers. Click again to go back to the original drawing.
There is one less light.
The “de” in the title is missing.
The bee has one less antenna.
The oboe is longer.
The beetle has an extra mallet.
The dragonfly is sad.
There is an extra fly.
Riddle
Guess which insect it is with as few clues as possible. a new clue will appear every 10 seconds.
Click on the picture of the insect mentioned in the clues.
01:00
You have
seconds left!
00:00
This insect is a predator.
CLUE 1
The female is bigger than the male.
CLUE 2
This insect has 3D vision.
CLUE 3
Occasionally, the female will eat the male.
CLUE 4
It is a green insect in the picture.
LAST CLUE
CONGRATULATIONS
The Praying Mantid!
Description
Cicadas are generally black, green or brown in color. Their lifespan varies from species to species... Did you know that the larval stage (before reaching adulthood) can last from 1 to 17 years! In Quebec, cicadas live an average of 2-3 years.
Special features
- The horn is used with great skill by males in battle to attract the attention of a female.
- Despite their large size, adults are able to fly! They are very active at dusk and during the night, especially just before sunrise.
Timpani
Originally, timpani were military drums. Since the 17th century, timpani have been the most often-used percussion instruments in symphonic music! Timpani are pitched percussions. They produce real notes that could be played on a piano.
Which animals are in the carnival??
1. Introduction and Royal March of the Lion2. Hens and Roosters3. Wild Donkeys (Swift Animals)4. Tortoises5. The Elephant6. Kangaroos7. Aquarium --> fish8. Characters with Long Ears--> donkeys9. The Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods10. Aviary--> birds11. Pianists --> beginners12. Fossils --> bones of old animals13. The Swan14. Finale --> potpourri of the animals from the carnival
You can listen to the full orchestral version of The Carnival of the Animals here
Bassoon
The bassoon is a long, folded tube (2.5 m) made of maple or rosewood. The bassoonist holds the instrument slightly tilted on the right hip. The person who plays the bassoon is called a bassoonist.
Special features
- They like dark, damp, dusty places like bathroom cabinets, kitchens or basements.
- Although they can feed on book bindings, paper glue, wallpaper, pasta or even dust, silverfish are capable of surviving up to 300 days without eating!
The job of an entomology technician
The job of an entomological assistant
VS
Description
Ladybugs are easily recognized by their black dots, contrasting with the bright colors specific to each species. Contrary to popular belief, you cannot tell a ladybug's age by counting its dots. These distinguish the different types of ladybugs.
Organist
The Maison symphonique de Montréal is a concert hall with an organ, the Grand orgue Pierre-Béique. This organ has 6489 pipes. To play the organ, the organist can be seated just below the pipes, or control the pipes from a large console placed on stage. Jean-Willy Kunz is the concert's organist. He will play from the console on stage. To find out more about the secrets of the organ, click here (video in French only):
Oboe
The oboe is a member of the woodwind family. Its sound (timbre) is often described as nasal (coming from the nose)! The person who plays the oboe is called an oboist.
Special features
- Certain species of flies are commonly found associated with human dwellings.
- The larvae of some flies feed on decomposing animals or even excrement!
biography
Maxime Goulet
Deeply fascinated and inspired by the connections between different forms of artistic expression, the Montreal based composer Maxime Goulet (born in 1980) works within various realms of musical creation ranging from opera to video games… and all the way to setting chocolate flavours to music!
https://maximegoulet.com/
Tuba
The tuba is the lowest instrument in the brass family. It also requires the most air to play. To shorten or lengthen the distance traveled by the air between the mouthpiece and the bell (which creates the pitches), the tuba player can operate up to 6 valves.
Special features
- They feed on the plants around them.
- There are many different species of stick insects, some reaching over 15 cm in length.
Description
Silverfish are very small insects with silvery bodies, covered with tiny metallic gray scales. They are wingless, but have long antennae on their heads and three long filaments at the end of their bodies.
Le temps est écoulé!
Tu n'as pas trouvé l'insecte à temps.
Recommencer
Clarinet
The clarinet is made from ebony: a rare wood that grows naturally in southern Africa, giving it a warm, round tone. There are different sizes of clarinet, from the smallest with a high-pitched sound to the biggest with a lower tone.
Glockenspiel
The glockenspiel is a pitched percussion instrument, meaning that the instrument produces real sounds that could be played on a piano. The glockenspiel can therefore be used to produce beautiful melodies.
Harp
The harp is a plucked string instrument. It has 47 strings and 7 pedals (operated with the feet). In the orchestra, the harp often plays solo parts (main melody).
Set and Costume Designer
When you are a set designer, you are in charge of designing the physical space on stage, such as deciding what furniture you will need and where to place it to make things easier for the actors and create an interesting show. The costume designer is in charge of creating the costumes for a show. Erika Lefebvre is the set and costume designer for this concert.
Flute
The flute is a member of the woodwind family (because it used to be made of wood). The flute is played holding the instrument horizontally, on your right. A flute player is called a flutist.
Illustrator
When you're an illustrator, your job is to use your imagination to create new drawings and designs every day! You can create illustrations for a variety of occasions, such as books, films, greeting cards and wall posters. Caroline Hamel did the illustrations for this insect-themed concert.
https://www.carolinehamel.com/
Description
Grasshoppers have long hind legs adapted for jumping. Some species are the same color as leaves, enabling them to camouflage well in nature and escape predators such as birds.
Trumpet and Snare Drum
The snare drum is an unpitched percussion instrument (producing rhythms and sound effects). The trumpet has the highest-pitched sound in the brass family. Interesting fact about the trumpet: you can produce different notes while keeping the same fingering, by simply changing the speed of the air and how your lips vibrate!
Description
Flies, like all diptera, have only one pair of wings! Their second pair of wings is very tiny and transformed into small structures called dumbbells.
Trombone
The trombone is a member of the brass family. The trombonist uses the slide to alter the pitch of the notes. Did you know that the longer the pipe is, the lower the sound is going to be?
Stage Director
The stage director is the visionary of a show. This person starts with the text (the script) and builds the show, by first choosing the actors. He or she then supervises the various elements of the show, such as the acting, lighting, sets, costumes and so on. Martin Gougeon is the stage director of this concert.
Conductor
The conductor is the person who stands in front of the musicians with their back to the audience! One of her/his tasks is to indicate to the musicians when to start playing and when to stop. She/he also shows the musicians when they should play louder or softer (dynamics), faster or slower (tempo). Julien Proulx is the conductor of this concert.
Musicians
The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal is an ensemble of approximately 90 musicians whose goal is to perform and promote orchestral music. The symphony's repertoire includes works that are over 300 years old, new music that is being performed for the first time in a concert, and everything in between!
Description
Stick insects have slender bodies that can camouflage exceptionally well in nature. In fact, the French name for them "phasme bâton" comes from the Greek “phasma” meaning “ghost”.
Xylophone
The xylophone is a pitched percussion instrument, which means it produces real sounds that could be played on a piano. The percussionist uses mallets to produce the sounds.
Cello
The cello is a member of the string family. How do you play it? Sitting on a chair. The instrument is placed between the legs and against the chest. The height of the cello is adjusted with a metal rod (endpin) built into the instrument. This endpin is inserted into the floor to support the instrument.
Description
Butterflies have a unique characteristic: their wings are covered with scales! Sometimes colorful, sometimes dull, these scales are responsible for the hues and patterns that adorn their wings. To feed, they use a long proboscis to drink nectar from flowers.
Viola
The viola is a member of the string family. It is slightly larger than the violin. In the orchestra, violas often play a musical part that enhances the melody played by the violins. The person who plays the viola is called a violist.
Special features
- Only kings and queens have wings!
- When the queen finds the site of her new nest, she clips her wings.
- Ants live in nests made of galleries.
Description
Cockroaches are brown insects with flattened bodies. They are adept at finding their way into the smallest cracks in the walls. Active at night, they come out to search for food. They are omnivores, which means they will eat almost anything!
Special features
- Water Striders eat mainly insects.
- They are found in freshwater surfaces (such as lakes).
- Four of their six legs are very long, keeping their bodies above the surface of the water.
Special features
- Grasshoppers have antennae that are longer than their bodies.
- They are usually green, but can also be brown, yellow or even pink!
- Grasshoppers can jump up to 25 cm high, and up to a metre away.
Composer
The composer is the person who writes the music. This person may compose music for a solo instrument, a small ensemble of instruments, or an orchestra. The orchestra plays music by living composers and music composed hundreds of years ago (by Mozart and Beethoven, for example). In this concert, you will hear music from 5 different composers, including Montreal-based composer Maxime Goulet.
Description
Mosquitoes are two-winged insects, about 10 mm long. Before becoming adults and able to fly, their larvae live underwater.
Description
Ants are small, social insects, meaning they live in large, organized groups where each individual has an essential role to play. In these societies, there are hundreds of soldiers and workers, but only one queen!
Special features
- Most cockroaches live in the wild, especially in wooded areas.
- Despite their bad reputation, cockroaches play an essential ecological role in nature.
Horn
The horn has several meters of metal tubing coiled and folded around itself. The horn player has to push his or her right hand into the bell to hold it, but also to adjust the sound. This instrument is often associated with hunting.
Special features
Why does the male sing? To invite a female to mate. In general, when a cicada sings, it also stimulates other nearby males to sing. If several of them sing, they can attract females who are at a greater distance from them.
Description
Dragonflies have long, slender bodies and four large wings. Their huge eyes are made up of thousands of receptors called ommatidia. Among insects, they hold the record for the most ommatidia, with over 28,000!
Special features
- A ladybug can eat up to 60 aphids a day!
- Ladybugs have four wings, one pair of colored wings that you can see on the top of the insect, and another pair hidden underneath.
Description
With their lynx-like vision and ravenous legs, mantids are formidable predators! They devour insects and other arthropods, and occasionally even small vertebrates. But fear not, mantids are harmless to humans.
Special features
Fireflies produce light thanks to a biochemical reaction that takes place at the tip of their abdomen (in the photophore, one of their organs). The light signals produced by fireflies enable males and females of the same species to find each other in the dark.
Special features
- Thanks to their excellent eyesight, dragonflies spot their prey in flight, mainly flies and mosquitoes. They skilfully capture them with their legs, which they arrange in the shape of a basket.
- Dragonflies are mainly found near bodies of water, where their larvae develop.
Special features
- The female is equipped with mouthparts adapted to sting vertebrates and feed on their blood, which provides her with the proteins she needs to develop her eggs.
- In Quebec, mosquito eggs are laid in late summer and remain under the snow for the winter (hatching in early spring).
Special features
- The praying mantid is one of the few insects with 3D vision.
- The female, larger than the male, is known to eat him after mating, but this behavior only occurs occasionally.
Description
Water striders are tiny insects that glide over water. Their special legs, covered with water-repellent hairs, bring them to the surface. They use their front legs to catch prey.
Description
The Horned Hercules is one of the world's largest beetles! The male has impressive horns, up to the length of his body. The female, on the other hand, has no horns and is about half the size of the male.
Writer
The person who writes the script (the text spoken by the actors) is called the author or writer. Sometimes authors write scripts on subjects of their own choosing, sometimes they are commissioned to write a script on a very specific subject, as in the case of this concert where Martin Gougeon was commissioned to write a script for young people featuring music and insects.
Special features
- 90% of butterflies are moths!
- The life cycle of all butterflies consists of four stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and adult (butterfly).
Violin
The violin is the smallest instrument in the string family. There are two violin sections in the orchestra: first violins and second violins. Why? So that each section can play a different musical part.
Special features
- The honey bee is known for producing honey.
- As an introduced species, they live in man-made hives, where they spend the winter.
Description
This species of social insect is organized into a colony of three castes: the queen, workers and drones. The queen is the largest member of the colony and spends her life laying eggs. The workers have different tasks depending on their age: housekeeping, larval care, assistance to the queen, construction, ventilation, defense and foraging. Drones have a single role: to mate with a future queen.
Double Bass
The double bass is one of the largest instruments in the string family. A double bass measures almost 2 meters. In the orchestra, the double bass plays the accompaniment. How do you play it? Standing or sitting on a high stool. The double bass also has a spike.
Actors
The concert you are about to see is a theatrical one. There will be music, played by the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, but there will also be actors on stage telling a story. You will be able to see the following actors at the concert: Anaïs Cadorette-Bonin, Christian Baril, Laurie Gagné, Louis-Olivier Mauffette, and Victor Choinière Champigny.
Description
Fireflies are one of the few insects capable of producing light. Although the flashing of adults is better known, the light of fireflies is present from the larval stage onwards.
The Carnival of the OSM
Orchestre Montréal
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Transcript
FR
START
Design: Marie-Claude Codsi, in collaboration with Insectarium de Montréal Illustrations: Caroline Hamel
Working on the Concert
Access Guide
Games & Activities
The Carnival of the Insects
Music at the Carnival
All about the Montreal Insectarium
Working on the concert
LOCATION:MAISON SYMPHONIQUE DE MONTRÉAL
set and costume designer
writer
ACTORS
Composer
Organist
Illustrator
Stage director
musicians
conductor
Musicat the Carnival
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Flight of the Bumblebee
Carnival of the Animals
Symphonyno. 3
Mother Goose
Carnival of the Insects
Carnivalof the animals
Finale (organ solo)
The Carnival of the Animals is a piece divided into 14 short movements. More precisely, it is a musical pastiche, in which Saint-Saëns evokes and imitates several animals in music, most of them comically.
Camille Saint-Saëns Camille Saint-Saëns is a French composer, pianist and organist born in 1835. He was born at a pivotal time. He was one of the first composers to record his music. He was also the first composer to write a soundtrack for a film, L'Assassinat du Duc de Guise in 1908.
Which animals are in the carnival?
At the concert, you will hear the final movement of the carnival (on solo organ): Finale. It is a festive movement that could be described as a potpourri, since it includes many of the musical elements used in the other movements.
Camille Saint-Saëns1835-1921
Click here to learn more about the Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique(video in French)!
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Scherzo
Félix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was a composer, conductor, pianist, and composition teacher. He was born in Germany in 1809. He began composing at a very young age. He was one of the first conductors to use a baton to lead the orchestra.
A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Mendelssohn's best-known works. It was written to accompany Shakespeare's play of the same name. In music, it is said to be incidental music when it accompanies something else, such as a play, a television program, or even a video game.
At the concert, you will hear an excerpt called Scherzo.The word scherzo is an Italian adjective that describes the piece (lively and cheerful).
You may listen to the Scherzo here.
Félix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy1809-1947
Did you know that the wedding march so often heard at the end of weddings was composed as part of A Midsummer Night's Dream?
Mother Goose
II. Spinning wheel dance and scene
Maurice Ravel Maurice Ravel was a French composer and pianist born in 1875. He studied composition at the Paris Conservatory with Gabriel Fauré, another renowned composer. His most famous piece is undoubtedly Boléro. This piece is often performed by the OSM during its summer concerts.
Ravel composed Mother Goose based on various fairy tales you may know, such as Beauty and the Beast, and Sleeping Beauty. It was originally a piece for 2 pianos. Then it became a piece for orchestra and finally a ballet.
Spinning wheel dance and scene was added to the ballet work (towards the beginning). Ravel added movements and rearranged the whole order for the ballet to improve the dramatic progression.
You may listen to Mother Goose in its entirety here.
Maurice Ravel1875-1937
Tu peux écouter la pièce ici.
Flight of theBumblebee
The Tale of Tsar Saltan, Suite, op. 57
Nicolaï Rimski-Korsakov Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer born in 1844. He taught composition and orchestration at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. He is well known for his talent as an orchestrator—adapting pieces so they can be performed by an orchestra. In fact, he orchestrated several works by other composers as well.
The Flight of the Bumblebee is an excerpt from Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan. What is an opera? It's a story told through music and singing. In The Tale of Tsar Saltan, a magical swan transforms the tsar’s son into an insect so he can go visit his father. The Flight of the Bumblebee musically describes this part of the story. As you listen to the piece, you will notice how quickly the musicians play. This is both the beauty and the difficulty of this piece. Can you sing the melody as fast as the instruments in the orchestra play it?
To learn more about the piece, you can listen to this video (in French only):
Nicolaï Rimski-Korsakov1844-1908
Symphony no. 3
Symphony no. 3 in C minor, op. 78, "Organ Symphony”, (excerpt) : Maestoso
Camille Saint-Saëns Camille Saint-Saëns is a French composer, pianist and organist born in 1835. He was born at a pivotal time. He was one of the first composers to record his music. He was also the first composer to write a soundtrack for a film, L'Assassinat du Duc de Guise in 1908.
This symphony premiered in 1886 in London, conducted by Saint-Saëns himself. Although its title indicates “with organ”, only 2 of the 4 movements include the organ. Saint-Saëns dedicated this symphony to the memory of another composer, Franz Liszt.
The excerpt you will hear at the concert, Maestoso, begins with the organ with a C major chord — it's the beginning of the final movement of the symphony, which ends in a grand and majestic way!
Camille Saint-Saëns1835-1921
You may listen to the Maestoso excerpt here.
Carnival of the insects
The Carnival of the Insects is an orchestral suite of 16 short movements, each dedicated to a different insect and featuring a specific instrument of the orchestra. In this suite, the light flutter of a butterfly, the march of an army ant, and the relentless buzz of a fly are brought to life through music, as each instrument takes its turn in the spotlight.
Maxime Goulet
let's discover the insects of this carnival
The insects
Ant
Praying Mantis
13
Silverfish
Dragonfly
Horned Hercules
14
Cicada
Mosquito
10
Water Strider
Stick insect
11
Firefly
Ladybug
15
Butterfly
Cockroaches
Bee
16
Grasshoper
12
Fly
Dragonfly
Description
Flute
Special features
Capable of vertical takeoff, flying backward, or hovering in place, it explores the skies with the curiosity of an adventurer, darting swiftly in every direction.
Water strider
Description
Violin
Special features
Gliding and leaping with elegance under the spotlights, it never misses a chance to impress with its prowess and agility.
Butterfly
Description
Harp
Special features
Light, colorful, and graceful, it travels the world, peacefully flying over vast distances, carried by the wind.
Fly
Description
Clarinet
Special features
Ready to do anything to protect their anthill, warrior ants march with determination toward the enemy, prepared for battle.
Ant
Description
Special features
Trumpet and Snare Drum
Ready to do anything to protect their anthill, warrior ants march with determination toward the enemy, prepared for battle.
Cicada
Description
Cello
Special features
On a warm summer night, it sings its lyrical song of seduction, filling the air with its romantic melody.
Firefly
Description
Glockenspiel
Special features
A swarm of tiny, twinkling lights dances in the darkness of the night, illuminating the scene with a gentle, mysterious magic.
Cockroaches
Description
Tuba
Special features
Nothing can withstand its insatiable appetite. Rotting waste, nail clippings, hair, glue – it devours everything with its powerful stomach.
Silverfish
Description
Bassoon
Special features
Hidden in a damp, dark corner, it fears only one thing: the sudden flash of light disturbing its peaceful solitude.
10
Mosquito
Description
Viola
Special features
Beware! The mosquito is on the attack, determined to bite with fervor and appetite, never backing down.
11
Stick Insect
Description
Xylophone
Special features
Master of disguise, it blends seamlessly with its surroundings, resembling a branch as it moves incognito across a towering tree.
12
Grasshoper
Description
Trombone
Special features
Like an Olympic athlete, it shatters records with its powerful leaps, covering impressive distances in a single bound.
13
Praying MantiD
Description
Double Bass
Special features
A fearsome hunter, it spreads terror among insects, devouring them mercilessly while they’re still alive.
14
Horned Hercules
Description
Timpani
Special features
With its gigantic horn, this colossal insect engages in battle with unmatched strength and energy.
15
ladybug
Description
Oboe
Special features
Comfortably perched on a leaf, the ladybug spends its day patiently munching on aphids, savoring them one by one.
16
Bee
Description
Horn
Special features
Like a noble empress, the majestic queen bee reigns solemnly over her sumptuous hive.
All about the Montreal
insectarium
Podcast Fan
3000
Transforming the way we look at insects
Are you a podcast fan? Check out the Insectarium podcast entitled Les insectes ont le cafard (in French only).
Beauty and splendor revealed at a glance beneath the dome housing this naturalized collection of some 3,000 specimens.
Through its education, participatory science, research and conservation programs, the Insectarium aims to help change the way we look at insects, so that we can better protect these living creatures that are essential to our lives!
No. 1
+ INFO
Entomo...?
The Insectarium is the first museum in North America where you can come face-to-face with live insects and other arthropods, as well as butterflies roaming free in the Grand Vivarium. Will you find the beetles, millipedes and ants hidden in this lush setting?
Migratory Butterfly
Have you ever heard of the term entomology? Find out what an entomology technician and assistant do at the Insectarium de Montréal in the two videos you can find here (in French only).
The monarch is a fascinating butterfly known for its spectacular migration. Find out more in this blog.
Why do monarchs migrate? | Blog | Espace pour la vie
Discover the Insectarium's programming.
All-year-round activities
+ INFO
Insectarium | Espace pour la vie
Et hop, on bouge!
Games & activities
École en réseau pre-concert workshop
Riddle
Spot the differences
Listening Game
Et hop, on bouge!
École en réseau Workshop
Come discover the connections between insects and classical music with Étienne Pharand, science educator at the Insectarium of Space for Life. (in French only). Date: 19th of March 2026, 9:30 a.m.
To sign up for the virtual workshop!
The Insectarium of Space for Life
Listening Game
Can you guess which piece was composed for these insect/animals?Drag the pictures onto the corresponding squares when you think you have found the answer.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Answers
Listening Game
Here are the answers with the titles of the pieces. Were you able to guess?
1. Duetto buffo di due gatti by Rossini (funny duet for two cats)
2. The Swan by Saint-Saëns
3. The Wasps byVaughan Williams
4. Walking the Dog by Gershwin
Spot the differences
Spot the 8 differences between these 2 drawings.
Click on the + to see the answers!
Original drawing
Modified drawing (8 differences)
The tree has an additional branch.
Answers
Click on the numbers to see the answers. Click again to go back to the original drawing.
There is one less light.
The “de” in the title is missing.
The bee has one less antenna.
The oboe is longer.
The beetle has an extra mallet.
The dragonfly is sad.
There is an extra fly.
Riddle
Guess which insect it is with as few clues as possible. a new clue will appear every 10 seconds.
Click on the picture of the insect mentioned in the clues.
01:00
You have
seconds left!
00:00
This insect is a predator.
CLUE 1
The female is bigger than the male.
CLUE 2
This insect has 3D vision.
CLUE 3
Occasionally, the female will eat the male.
CLUE 4
It is a green insect in the picture.
LAST CLUE
CONGRATULATIONS
The Praying Mantid!
Description
Cicadas are generally black, green or brown in color. Their lifespan varies from species to species... Did you know that the larval stage (before reaching adulthood) can last from 1 to 17 years! In Quebec, cicadas live an average of 2-3 years.
Special features
Timpani
Originally, timpani were military drums. Since the 17th century, timpani have been the most often-used percussion instruments in symphonic music! Timpani are pitched percussions. They produce real notes that could be played on a piano.
Which animals are in the carnival??
1. Introduction and Royal March of the Lion2. Hens and Roosters3. Wild Donkeys (Swift Animals)4. Tortoises5. The Elephant6. Kangaroos7. Aquarium --> fish8. Characters with Long Ears--> donkeys9. The Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods10. Aviary--> birds11. Pianists --> beginners12. Fossils --> bones of old animals13. The Swan14. Finale --> potpourri of the animals from the carnival
You can listen to the full orchestral version of The Carnival of the Animals here
Bassoon
The bassoon is a long, folded tube (2.5 m) made of maple or rosewood. The bassoonist holds the instrument slightly tilted on the right hip. The person who plays the bassoon is called a bassoonist.
Special features
The job of an entomology technician
The job of an entomological assistant
VS
Description
Ladybugs are easily recognized by their black dots, contrasting with the bright colors specific to each species. Contrary to popular belief, you cannot tell a ladybug's age by counting its dots. These distinguish the different types of ladybugs.
Organist
The Maison symphonique de Montréal is a concert hall with an organ, the Grand orgue Pierre-Béique. This organ has 6489 pipes. To play the organ, the organist can be seated just below the pipes, or control the pipes from a large console placed on stage. Jean-Willy Kunz is the concert's organist. He will play from the console on stage. To find out more about the secrets of the organ, click here (video in French only):
Oboe
The oboe is a member of the woodwind family. Its sound (timbre) is often described as nasal (coming from the nose)! The person who plays the oboe is called an oboist.
Special features
biography
Maxime Goulet
Deeply fascinated and inspired by the connections between different forms of artistic expression, the Montreal based composer Maxime Goulet (born in 1980) works within various realms of musical creation ranging from opera to video games… and all the way to setting chocolate flavours to music!
https://maximegoulet.com/
Tuba
The tuba is the lowest instrument in the brass family. It also requires the most air to play. To shorten or lengthen the distance traveled by the air between the mouthpiece and the bell (which creates the pitches), the tuba player can operate up to 6 valves.
Special features
Description
Silverfish are very small insects with silvery bodies, covered with tiny metallic gray scales. They are wingless, but have long antennae on their heads and three long filaments at the end of their bodies.
Le temps est écoulé!
Tu n'as pas trouvé l'insecte à temps.
Recommencer
Clarinet
The clarinet is made from ebony: a rare wood that grows naturally in southern Africa, giving it a warm, round tone. There are different sizes of clarinet, from the smallest with a high-pitched sound to the biggest with a lower tone.
Glockenspiel
The glockenspiel is a pitched percussion instrument, meaning that the instrument produces real sounds that could be played on a piano. The glockenspiel can therefore be used to produce beautiful melodies.
Harp
The harp is a plucked string instrument. It has 47 strings and 7 pedals (operated with the feet). In the orchestra, the harp often plays solo parts (main melody).
Set and Costume Designer
When you are a set designer, you are in charge of designing the physical space on stage, such as deciding what furniture you will need and where to place it to make things easier for the actors and create an interesting show. The costume designer is in charge of creating the costumes for a show. Erika Lefebvre is the set and costume designer for this concert.
Flute
The flute is a member of the woodwind family (because it used to be made of wood). The flute is played holding the instrument horizontally, on your right. A flute player is called a flutist.
Illustrator
When you're an illustrator, your job is to use your imagination to create new drawings and designs every day! You can create illustrations for a variety of occasions, such as books, films, greeting cards and wall posters. Caroline Hamel did the illustrations for this insect-themed concert.
https://www.carolinehamel.com/
Description
Grasshoppers have long hind legs adapted for jumping. Some species are the same color as leaves, enabling them to camouflage well in nature and escape predators such as birds.
Trumpet and Snare Drum
The snare drum is an unpitched percussion instrument (producing rhythms and sound effects). The trumpet has the highest-pitched sound in the brass family. Interesting fact about the trumpet: you can produce different notes while keeping the same fingering, by simply changing the speed of the air and how your lips vibrate!
Description
Flies, like all diptera, have only one pair of wings! Their second pair of wings is very tiny and transformed into small structures called dumbbells.
Trombone
The trombone is a member of the brass family. The trombonist uses the slide to alter the pitch of the notes. Did you know that the longer the pipe is, the lower the sound is going to be?
Stage Director
The stage director is the visionary of a show. This person starts with the text (the script) and builds the show, by first choosing the actors. He or she then supervises the various elements of the show, such as the acting, lighting, sets, costumes and so on. Martin Gougeon is the stage director of this concert.
Conductor
The conductor is the person who stands in front of the musicians with their back to the audience! One of her/his tasks is to indicate to the musicians when to start playing and when to stop. She/he also shows the musicians when they should play louder or softer (dynamics), faster or slower (tempo). Julien Proulx is the conductor of this concert.
Musicians
The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal is an ensemble of approximately 90 musicians whose goal is to perform and promote orchestral music. The symphony's repertoire includes works that are over 300 years old, new music that is being performed for the first time in a concert, and everything in between!
Description
Stick insects have slender bodies that can camouflage exceptionally well in nature. In fact, the French name for them "phasme bâton" comes from the Greek “phasma” meaning “ghost”.
Xylophone
The xylophone is a pitched percussion instrument, which means it produces real sounds that could be played on a piano. The percussionist uses mallets to produce the sounds.
Cello
The cello is a member of the string family. How do you play it? Sitting on a chair. The instrument is placed between the legs and against the chest. The height of the cello is adjusted with a metal rod (endpin) built into the instrument. This endpin is inserted into the floor to support the instrument.
Description
Butterflies have a unique characteristic: their wings are covered with scales! Sometimes colorful, sometimes dull, these scales are responsible for the hues and patterns that adorn their wings. To feed, they use a long proboscis to drink nectar from flowers.
Viola
The viola is a member of the string family. It is slightly larger than the violin. In the orchestra, violas often play a musical part that enhances the melody played by the violins. The person who plays the viola is called a violist.
Special features
Description
Cockroaches are brown insects with flattened bodies. They are adept at finding their way into the smallest cracks in the walls. Active at night, they come out to search for food. They are omnivores, which means they will eat almost anything!
Special features
Special features
Composer
The composer is the person who writes the music. This person may compose music for a solo instrument, a small ensemble of instruments, or an orchestra. The orchestra plays music by living composers and music composed hundreds of years ago (by Mozart and Beethoven, for example). In this concert, you will hear music from 5 different composers, including Montreal-based composer Maxime Goulet.
Description
Mosquitoes are two-winged insects, about 10 mm long. Before becoming adults and able to fly, their larvae live underwater.
Description
Ants are small, social insects, meaning they live in large, organized groups where each individual has an essential role to play. In these societies, there are hundreds of soldiers and workers, but only one queen!
Special features
Horn
The horn has several meters of metal tubing coiled and folded around itself. The horn player has to push his or her right hand into the bell to hold it, but also to adjust the sound. This instrument is often associated with hunting.
Special features
Why does the male sing? To invite a female to mate. In general, when a cicada sings, it also stimulates other nearby males to sing. If several of them sing, they can attract females who are at a greater distance from them.
Description
Dragonflies have long, slender bodies and four large wings. Their huge eyes are made up of thousands of receptors called ommatidia. Among insects, they hold the record for the most ommatidia, with over 28,000!
Special features
Description
With their lynx-like vision and ravenous legs, mantids are formidable predators! They devour insects and other arthropods, and occasionally even small vertebrates. But fear not, mantids are harmless to humans.
Special features
Fireflies produce light thanks to a biochemical reaction that takes place at the tip of their abdomen (in the photophore, one of their organs). The light signals produced by fireflies enable males and females of the same species to find each other in the dark.
Special features
Special features
Special features
Description
Water striders are tiny insects that glide over water. Their special legs, covered with water-repellent hairs, bring them to the surface. They use their front legs to catch prey.
Description
The Horned Hercules is one of the world's largest beetles! The male has impressive horns, up to the length of his body. The female, on the other hand, has no horns and is about half the size of the male.
Writer
The person who writes the script (the text spoken by the actors) is called the author or writer. Sometimes authors write scripts on subjects of their own choosing, sometimes they are commissioned to write a script on a very specific subject, as in the case of this concert where Martin Gougeon was commissioned to write a script for young people featuring music and insects.
Special features
Violin
The violin is the smallest instrument in the string family. There are two violin sections in the orchestra: first violins and second violins. Why? So that each section can play a different musical part.
Special features
Description
This species of social insect is organized into a colony of three castes: the queen, workers and drones. The queen is the largest member of the colony and spends her life laying eggs. The workers have different tasks depending on their age: housekeeping, larval care, assistance to the queen, construction, ventilation, defense and foraging. Drones have a single role: to mate with a future queen.
Double Bass
The double bass is one of the largest instruments in the string family. A double bass measures almost 2 meters. In the orchestra, the double bass plays the accompaniment. How do you play it? Standing or sitting on a high stool. The double bass also has a spike.
Actors
The concert you are about to see is a theatrical one. There will be music, played by the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, but there will also be actors on stage telling a story. You will be able to see the following actors at the concert: Anaïs Cadorette-Bonin, Christian Baril, Laurie Gagné, Louis-Olivier Mauffette, and Victor Choinière Champigny.
Description
Fireflies are one of the few insects capable of producing light. Although the flashing of adults is better known, the light of fireflies is present from the larval stage onwards.