Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier

Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier boasts the most advanced technical equipment available. Built in 1963, the hall was first called the Grande Salle before being renamed in honour of renowned conductor Wilfrid Pelletier, who conducted the first gala concert in the hall. It was designed by Montreal architects Affleck, Desbarats, Dimakopoulos, Lebensold, Michaud and Sise.

Some of the greatest artists on the international scene have appeared in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. Notable among these are Maria Callas, Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Charles Aznavour, Luciano Pavarotti, Miles Davis, The Red Army Choir, and Ella Fitzgerald…

The ceramic high reliefs by Jordi Bonet that sit above the eight doors leading into Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier have been integrated into the venue’s architecture in a most remarkable manner. These compositions, called Amor, were inspired by two themes dear to the artist: love and fertility.
 

ADJACENT SPACES

Foyers on the even- and odd-numbered parterre level

Before the show and at intermission, these foyers are the place to go to relax and have a drink. The foyers are located on the parterre level and are connected to one another by the Piano nobile.

Piano nobile

This large central foyer opens onto two grand staircases overlooking Les Anges radieux, a wall-mounted installation made from a copper-zinc alloy by Quebec artist Louis Archambault. Illuminated by the high bay windows of the façade, the Piano nobile offers a spectacular view of the Esplanade and the work by Claude Bettinger, L'Artiste est celui qui fait voir l’autre côté des choses (An artist is one who shows the other side of things). The space is also used for the presentation of several cultural events, such as concerts in the Mélodînes series, or children’s shows in the Sons et Brioches series.

Pellan Bar

Located behind the Piano nobile, the space was named in honour of artist Alfred Pellan whose glass wall, Cosmos musical, takes up the entire back wall of the bar. The artist made use of a montage of layered glass, resembling stained glass, in an assembly of nine panels.

Beauchemin Foyer

Located on the odd-numbered side of the corbeille level, this foyer was named after artist Micheline Beauchemin who bequeathed to Place des Arts her tapestry on canvas entitled La chute d’Icare (The Fall of Icarus).

Lapalme Foyer

Located on the even-numbered side of the corbeille level, this foyer was named in honour of artist Robert Lapalme who bequeathed to Place des Arts a tapestry filled with light and shadow effects, Orphée et Dionysos sur les bords du Styx (Orpheus and Dionysus on the shores of the Styx).

Galerie Bar

Located on the 7^th floor, the Galerie Bar serves the mezzanine and balcony levels. There is another space to relax on the upper floors, at the balcony level.

Salon vert*

Located in a rotunda backstage in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, the Salon vert (Green Room) is used for meetings with artists and for various special events.

*The expression “Green Room” has its origins in British theatre and refers to the room in which the actors waited before going on stage. Artists, who, it has been said, can be superstitious, considered green to bring bad luck on stage. To ward off the threat, a green-carpeted room off-stage was set aside for them. Most of the world’s large performance halls still have a green room today.

Cloakroom: $3
 

Assistance for persons with reduced mobility

During performances, a member of the ushering staff is specifically designated to assist persons with reduced mobility. Customers who require assistance must report to the main security desk.

Aids for the hearing-impaired
An audio system enables hearing-impaired spectators to tune into the audio signal of the show by setting their FM receivers to 90.9.