Amazing Grace Marie-Josée Lord soprano Orchestre symphonique de Laval Alain Trudel | conductor ACD2 2758 On her new album Femmes, Marie-Josée Lord passionately embodies heroines of operas by Puccini, Verdi, and Massenet.   The sparkling Canadian soprano brings to life such wonderful operatic characters as Violetta (La Traviata), Aïda (Aïda), Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly), Thaïs (Thaïs), and Salomé (Hérodiade).   Marie-Josée Lord is accompanied by the Orchestre symphonique de Laval under the direction of Alain Trudel. The Femmes team reunited on February 27, 2018 for a CD launch concert at Théâtre Maisonneuve.   This performance is part of the Montréal en Lumière festival. Marie-Josée Lord's eponymously titled first album (which was awarded a Félix prize by ADISQ as the best classical vocal album of the year 2011), as well as her last two CDs on the ATMA Classique label, Amazing Grace (2014) and Yo soy Maria (2012), have won the hearts of the public. Founded in 1984, the Orchestre symphonique de Laval is composed of professional musicians all of whom are graduates of conservatories or universities in Quebec.   The audience is at the heart of all the orchestra's activities; its chief mandate is to offer audiences grand symphonic music and provide a pleasurable listening experience.       Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)   1. Ritorna Vincitor (Aïda)     6:32   2. Qui Radames verrà!… O patria mia (Aïda)     6:49   3. Prélude à l'acte I (La Traviata)     6:50   4. Sempre libera (La Traviata)     9:02       Giacomo Puccini 1858-1924)   5. Quando m'en vo (La Bohème)     2:39   6. Piangi? Perche?… Un bel di Vedremo (Madama Butterfly)    5:08   7. Senza mamma (Suor Angelica)     5:00       Jules Massenet (1842-1912)   8. De cet affreux combat… Pleurez mes yeux (Le Cid)     5:56   9. Introduction (Hérodiade)     4:41 10. Il est doux, il est bon (Hérodiade)     6:31 11. Dis-moi que je suis belle (Thaïs)     7:18 12. Encore: Somewhere (Westside Story)     3:33 ATMA Classique is distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading PO Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone +61 (0)3 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile +61 (0)3 9444 6879