Best bets run from prehistoric monsters to a Baroque master
MONDAY, NOV. 23
The Dinosaurs Unearthed 2 exhibition at the Montreal Science Centre at the King Edward Pier, 2 de la Commune St. W. in the Old Port, features 14 full-sized animatronic dinosaurs. Each dinosaur, including a pretty darn cool adult T. Rex, has up to eight separate movements and designers hand-carved and sewed their skin-like covering, even installed their feathers one by one. Kids will love this exhibition which is open Mondays to Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until March 20. Admission: $8.50 to $15. To buy tickets, call 514-496-4724 or visit montrealsciencecentre.com.
TUESDAY, NOV. 24
The new aurōrae multimedia show in the spectacular Milky Way Theatre at the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, 4801 Pierrede Coubertin Ave., explores the aurora borealis. With narration by the planetarium’s science interpreters, the 360-degree immersive show features some 179,000 images of the aurora borealis set to the atmospheric music of DJ Champion. The planetarium is a superb destination for kids, but it’s also a great place to bring a date. “Lots of couples come here to see a show,” says Champion. Admission: $7.75 to $19.75. Your ticket includes entrance to a double feature, either Vertiges /Tempo or Dark Universe / aurōrae. Each double feature runs around two hours. The planetarium also offers $8 Thursdays for either double feature, starting at 5:30 p.m. To buy tickets, call 514-868-3000 or visit espacepourlavie.ca.
Canadian hip-hop star The Weeknd topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart twice in 2015, with the singles Can’t Feel My Face and The Hills from his album Beauty Behind the Madness. The New York Times asked, “Can the Weeknd Turn Himself Into the Biggest Pop Star in the World?” See for yourself when The Weeknd (a.k.a. Abel Tesfaye) headlines the Bell Centre with opening act Travis Scott at 7:30 p.m. Admission: $52 to $221.50. To buy tickets, call 514-790-2525 or visit evenko.ca.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 25
The McCord Museum’s After Facebook: In Loving Memory exhibition is about the Facebook pages of our deceased loved ones. Facebook does not allow us to delete them, so they live on forever in cyberspace. In this installation, projectors are set up as tombstones in a cemetery, and the ceiling computer screens with their Facebook pages are the cyber-sky. Absolutely haunting. A must-see, in tandem with the terrific Montreal Through the Eyes of Vittorio: 50 Years of City Life and Graphic Design exhibition celebrating artist Vittorio Fiorucci, best-known for creating Victor, the green mascot of the Just for Laughs Festival. The McCord is closed on Mondays. Admission: $8 to $20. For information, visit mccord-museum. qc.ca.
THURSDAY, NOV. 26
Canada’s oldest LGBT film festival, Image+Nation, will screen the best of queer cinema from around the world at its 28th edition, at various venues from Nov. 26 to Dec. 6. Highlights include The Girl King, an international co-production about Sweden’s lesbian Queen Kristina (Nov. 28); plus the feature-length documentaries A Sinner in Mecca, about filmmaker Parvez Sharma’s Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca (Dec. 5), and Out to Win, chronicling the history of queer athletes (Nov. 30). The closing film (Dec. 6) is the West Hollywood murder mystery Kiss Me Kill Me co-starring Gale Harold of Queer as Folk fame. “This year’s films reflect our diversity, shared loves and shared humanity,” says festival director Charlie Boudreau. Admission per film: $9.50 to $13.50. To buy tickets, visit image-nation.org.
FRIDAY, NOV. 27
The Plaza St-Hubert Christmas Parade is called Défilé des rêves (“Parade of Dreams”) and features plenty of floats, circus artists, plus Santa and his elves. This year’s theme is “Singing Christmas.” The parade kicks off at 7 p.m. at the corner of Bellechasse St. and runs north on St-Hubert St. to Jean-Talon Blvd. where the party winds down at 9 p.m. For information, visit maplaza.ca.
SATURDAY, NOV. 28
The ninth edition of The Montreal Bach Festival celebrates the music of composer Johann Sebastian Bach with some of the most acclaimed ensembles and soloists from around the world. Shows are being presented in 12 venues, including the popular Night of the Choirs concert showcasing 12 Montreal Choirs accompanied by organist Jonathan Oldengarm, from 4 to 10:30 p.m. at the Church of St-Andrew and St-Paul, 3415 Redpath St. (entrance on Sherbrooke St.). Free admission. The festival continues to Dec. 5. For more information, visit festivalbachmontreal.com.
The multi-disciplinary solo performance and interactive installation Trace explores the female-to-male gender and vocal transition of trans artist and singer Tristan R. Whiston, at Studio 303, 372 Ste-Catherine St. W., at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. Admission: $10 to $20. For information, visit studio303.ca.
SUNDAY, NOV. 29
Montreal chamber choir VivaVoce kicks off its 17th season with Two Bach Cantatas at Salle Bourgie, 1339 Sherbrooke St. W., at 2 p.m. The audience can also participate in Cantata 36’s advent hymn chorale, as the congregation might have in Bach’s time. Audience members interested in participating should arrive at 1:15 p.m. for a brief rehearsal with music director Peter Schubert. Admission: $20 to $40. To buy tickets, call 514-285-2000, #4 or visit mbam.qc.ca.