EMAN’S LAST LAUGH
Comic heading to New York
The 16th edition of the Festival du Monde Arabe de Montréal continues this week. Highlights include Monday's free-admission tribute to Sufism, Chants Mystiques de l'Islam, at Salle Claude-Léveillée of Place des Arts at 8 p.m.; hip-hop performer Narcy at Place des Arts' Cinquième Salle (Friday, Nov. 6 at 8 p.m.; $20); and Henry Abittan and his orchestra paying tribute to the late Salim Halali, a legendary star of Arab-Andalusian music, also at Cinquième Salle (Sunday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m.; $28), 40 years after Halali performed at Place des Arts. The festival runs to Nov. 15. For more information and for tickets, visit festivalarabe.com.
The McGill Chamber Orchestra launches its 76th season with Kaleidoscope, featuring works by Ravel, Holst and Vaughan Williams, among others, at Bourgie Hall, 1339 Sherbrooke St. W. The guest violinist is Jonathan Crow, concertmaster for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Showtime: 7:30 p.m. Admission: $19.57 to $36.97. For tickets, call 514-2852000 or visit ocm-mco.org.
After concerts featuring British pop star Mika, Quebec singersongwriter Kevin Parent and Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy, the OSM POP series returns with OSM Soul, at the Maison symphonique at 8 p.m. Associate conductor Simon Leclerc adapts gospel, R&B and soul classics, with performers including Quebec vocalists Elizabeth Blouin-Brathwaite, Gardy Fury, Kim Richardson, Dorian Sherwood and Normand Brathwaite. There's another performance at the same time on Wednesday, Nov. 4. Admission: $42 to $110. For tickets, call 514-842-2112 or visit osm.ca.
Indie pop star Marina and the Diamonds' latest album, Froot, cracked the Top 10 in the U.K. and the U.S. She headlines Metropolis, 59 Ste-Catherine St. E., with opening act Christine and the Queens at 8 p.m. Admission: $37, $39 on the day of the show. For tickets, visit evenko.ca.
Here's the must-see show of the week: Eman El-Husseini, Montreal's queen of comedy, is moving to New York, and her farewell concert with host Mike Ward and opening act Jess Salomon (Eman's wife) is being taped live at Club Soda, 1225 St-Laurent Blvd. “Jess and I are both leaving for the same reasons,” Eman recently told the Montreal Gazette. “New York is the mecca of standup. Nothing awaits us there, but the opportunities will be better, even if there is a lot of competition.” Showtime: 8 p.m. Admission: $35.75 to $37.75. For tickets, call 514-286-1010 or visit clubsoda.ca.
The 21st edition of the Cinemania festival — featuring French films subtitled in English — kicks off with Dheepan, by director Jacques Audiard. The movie, about a Tamil freedom fighter who flees Sri Lanka and heads to France, won the 2015 Palme d'or at Cannes. It screens at the Imperial Cinema, 1430 Bleury St., at 7:45 p.m. (There will be another screening Nov. 15 at 12:30 p.m.) Another film of note is Valley of Love, starring Gérard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert (Saturday, Nov. 7 at 6:45 p.m. and Nov. 14 at 2 p.m.). Cinemania runs to Nov. 15. For tickets, visit festivalcinemania.com.
Superstar choreographer Hofesh Shechter brings his critically hailed 2013 piece Sun (featuring 14 dancers) to Théâtre Maisonneuve of Place des Arts. It runs from Thursday, Nov. 5 to Saturday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m., as part of the terrific Danse Danse series. Admission: $36.75 to $64.25. For tickets, call 514-8422112 or visit placedesarts.com.
The Orchestre Métropolitain presents In Remembrance: 70 Years Later at the Maison symphonique, featuring Quebec soprano Marianne Fiset and Romanian conductor Cristian Măcelaru, to commemorate the end of the Second World War. The program features three works, including Górecki's famed Symphony No. 3, known as the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs. Showtime: 7:30 p.m. Admission: $23 to $129. For tickets, call 514-842-2112 or visit orchestremetropolitain.com.
The Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada explores the life of Édith Piaf in Piaf, with eight dancers and a musical score featuring such classics as La vie en rose and Non, je ne regrette rien, at Théâtre Outremont, 1248 Bernard Ave. W. Showtime: 8 p.m. Admission: $28 to $43. For tickets, call 514-495-9944 or visit theatreoutremont.ca.
Hot Montreal indie rockers Elephant Stone play at Turbo Haüs, 5011 Notre-Dame St. W., with opener Wizaard at 9 p.m. Tickets cost $12 via blueskiesturnblack.com, $15 at the door.
Winnipeg master illusionist Darcy Oake catapulted to international fame on Britain's Got Talent, and now dazzles full houses worldwide. His Edge of Reality tour stops at the Virgin Mobile Corona Theatre, 2490 Notre-Dame St. W., at 8 p.m. Admission: $47 to $52. For tickets, call 514-931-2088 or visit evenko.ca.
Geordie Productions presents the Young People's Theatre production of Hana's Suitcase, a true story about a suitcase belonging to a “Hana Brady” that arrives from Auschwitz to the Tokyo Holocaust Educational Resource Centre. The centre's curator embarks on a global journey to uncover Hana's fate. The drama unfolds at the superb D.B. Clarke Theatre, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W., at 1 and 4 p.m. It repeats Nov. 15 at the same times, plus Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. Admission: $14.50 to $18.50. For tickets, call 514-845-9810 or visit geordie.ca.