Having become, over the years, an unmissable event in the Québec City region, the 2026 Souper Opéra lived up to the expectations of its audience on Thursday 28 May, against the splendid backdrop of the Chapelle du Séminaire in Québec City. For its 11th edition, the annual charity event organised by the Little Brothers Foundation once again surpassed itself with a well-balanced programme of fine dining and opera.
Guests first gathered in the Salle du Lien for a convivial welcome cocktail reception, perfect for socialising in an atmosphere that was both chic and relaxed. The crowd then moved to the main hall where the first course of the menu, created by the excellent team at Montego, was served. The Foundation’s Chair of the Board of Directors, Ann McDonald, and the Chief Executive Officer of Little Brothers, Catherine Harel Bourdon, then delivered their respective speeches, as a prelude to the musical part of the event.
The organiser and master of ceremonies, Little Brothers’ Director of Philanthropic Development, Pascal Fournier, was keen to highlight the generosity of the honorary president, Alain Marcoux (Coopérative funéraire des Deux Rives), as well as the invaluable commitmentfrom the partners of the event, before handing over the spotlight to the soprano Émilie Baillargeon, accompanied by a tenor and a pianist.
The vocal performances, enhanced by creative and theatrical presentations, captivated the audience, who were visibly impressed by the quality of the renditions. A selection of more classical pieces and songs from a more eclectic repertoire took centre stage for the occasion. The level of enthusiasm rose a notch with the arrival of a much-loved figure, Marc Hervieux, whose formidable tenor voice and infectious energy are quite simply irresistible. After a memorable duet with Émilie Baillargeon on Jean-Pierre Ferland’s hit ‘Une chance qu’on s’a’, Hervieux captivated the crowd with several solo numbers, delivered with his usual mastery. Carried along by this succession of performances, the guests lost track of time, and the evening went on well beyond the scheduled finish time — an undeniable sign of a successful event./
Little Brothers’ mission was, of course, at the heart of the event, and a surprise donation of $10,000 from the RBC Dominion table served to underline the quality of the support received. In total, $115,800 were raised through ticket sales and contributions from other partners, including Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, Desgagnés, National Bank of Canada, not forgetting, of course, Loto-Québec, the presenter of the evening’s entertainment programme. The organisers also made a point of thanking photographer Ariane Touzin, who kindly took the magnificent photos accompanying this article.
This great success sets the stage for the 2027 edition, which will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Les Petits Frères’ establishment in Québec City.
