.@TeddyOutReady: Notre-Dame Basilica and Montreal Jazz Festival 2013 Opening Night

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Notre-Dame Basilica and Montreal Jazz Festival 2013 Opening Night

Notre-Dame Basilica

Morning of the Montreal Jazz Festival opening day was rainy and we took a subway to get to Notre-Dame Basilica where we booked The Grand Tour and organ concert. During our 60 minutes guided tour we explored very private areas of the Basilica - the sacristy, the galleries and the baptistery.

Teddy Notre-Dame Basilica Notre-DameBasilica inside

The church's Gothic Revival architecture is among the most dramatic in the world. It is smaller then Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris and doesn’t have any relation to its famous counterpart, except architectural style. Unusual for a church, the stained glass windows along the walls of the sanctuary do not depict biblical scenes, but rather scenes from the religious history of Montreal.

Notre-Dame Basilica tour Notre-Dame Basilica organ

Teddy liked Basilica’s grand and colorful interior and its ceiling colored deep blue and decorated with golden stars. Everything changed when organ start playing. The sound was so load and unusual that Teddy experienced of frightening feelings and we rushed to the opposite site of church where level of sound was acceptable. We didn’t go to the top to join Pierre Grandmaison who has worked as an organist at Notre-Dame Basilica since 1973. After half an hour of organ music Teddy got used to it and even liked when organist played "Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star". When we got out Teddy said that it wasn’t a real music and songs from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Dora Explorer are much better. It appears that children of his age are too young for Bach’s “The Toccata and Fugue in D minor”.

Montreal Jazz Stage Montreal Jazz festival

Then we headed to 2013 Montreal Jazz Festival site where at 9:30PM was scheduled grand opening and concert of FEIST. Meantime we checked several performers on few different stages. It was a relaxing evening on the site despite rain and cool wind. After long and exciting day in unknown city Teddy fell asleep in his stroller and we found a nice place close to the TD SCÈNE on the PLACE DES FESTIVALS and started waiting for Feist concert. By 10PM when concert started after official opening from festival organizers Festival square was packed with 40-50 thousands people.

FEIST Montreal FEIST

We were afraid that if Teddy wakes up and doesn’t like so many people around we would have a big challenge to get out of that live ocean with him and our stroller. Fortunately for us, people bodies were perfect sound isolation barrier for waves of loud music and Teddy slept all the concert in his stroller like a little baby. We enjoyed every song and it was a really nice family summer night out: out of home, town, province and every day problems.

Montreal Jazz 2013 Stage Monreal Jazz 2013

This post is a part of the series of our trip to Montreal during summer 2013. Other posts about this trip can be found here:

22 comments :

  1. wow - the inside of the basilica looks amazing

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know it has always been so amazing right there but seeing it closer on the photo still made me super - wow-ed!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love the photos. I have family in Montreal but have never actually visited. The Jazz festival seems like something I would enjoy going to as well. I'm so happy that you had a great time on your trip. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. WOW how beautiful is the Basilica it looks like a building that will take your breath away when you walk in x

    ReplyDelete
  5. What an awesome looking place indeed.
    I love jazz sine I was very young.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a cool event at an absolutely gorgeous venue. I've driven by the outside of the basilica, but I never had a chance to go inside.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've visited the original Notre-Dame in Paris. I now would love to visit your Notre-Dame basilica! Wow that place looks amazing! It would be fantastic to sit and have an organ concert too!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ive been to the original Notre-Dame as well. This would be neat to s ee as well. Looks like a neat event.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have never been to the original Notre-Dame, but this one is beautiful! I would enjoy a visit here.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What an incredible beautiful place. Notre-Dame is amazing. My husband would have loved the jazz fest happening. he is a big jazz fan.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a beautiful place to go and visit. I am always amazed that children can sleep through anything.

    ReplyDelete
  12. That is a beautiful church! Amazing pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a beautiful cathedral. I love visiting religious places of interest and have actually visited quite a few throughout the world.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Beautiful cathedral! Your pictures are wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  15. How I wish I can visit that beautiful and well structured basilica!

    ReplyDelete
  16. The basilica is beautiful. I would love to check that out. And it looks like you had a great time at the concert. I would be nervous there with my child as well but looks like all went well!

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a beautiful basilica! I wish to see it for real!

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a beautiful place, wow great pictures

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wow! The Basilica is absolutely stunning! I've always wanted to go to a Jazz festival!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Wow beautiful! I scanned past the stained glass man and was like OOOH DEATH!! (thought i saw a skelly) then when I went back it was all *disappointment* But it's all cool nonetheless. Woulda loved to check it out myself.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Breathtaking pictures! It's so beautiful! I wish I could go there someday!

    ReplyDelete