More than 30 years after its stage premiere, the opera Nelligan by André Gagnon and librettist Michel Tremblay returns to life in this recording of the complete version.

Featuring the cast from the 2020 revival at Montreal's Théâtre du Nouveau-Monde, the recording features 15 actor-singers including the popular tenor Marc Hervieux in the role of the adult Nelligan; the celebrated baritone Dominique Côté as young Nelligan; Kathleen Fortin reprising the role of the poet's mother; Frayne McCarthy as Nelligan's father; Linda Sorgini as Françoise; and Jean Maheux as Père Seers.

Nelligan recounts the main events in the tragic life of Émile Nelligan, Quebec's poète national, who was born in 1879 and died on 18 November 1941 after having spent more than 40 years confined to the Saint-Jean-de-Dieu psychiatric hospital in Montreal.

Québécois artist Mathieu Laca was commissioned to create a portrait of Emilie Nelligan for the album cover inspired by the famous photo of the poet. ATMA Classique and Éditions Leméac will publish the complete text of the opera by Michel Tremblay in deluxe Primabook format.

"The excellent cast renders all the eloquence and magnificence of the text, subtly accompanied by the elegant and moving music of André Gagnon" - Jeu, January 2020 on the TNM production

Cast:
- Nelligan as an old man: Marc Hervieux
- Nelligan as a young man: Dominique Côté
- Émilie Hudon: Kathleen Fortin
- David nelligan: Frayne McCarthy
- Éva Nelligan: Laetitia Isambert
- Gertrude Nelligan: Nathalie Doummar
- Françoise: Linda Sorgini
- Eugène Seers: Jean Maheux
- Charles Gill: Jean-François Poulin
- Arthur de Bussières: Isabeau Proulx Lemire
- Mother Superior: Noëlla Huet
- Nun: Cécile Muhire
- Nun: Nadine Brière
- Nun: Léa Weilbrenner Lebeau
- Visitor: Jérémie L'Espérance