The conceptual gambit of KONPA EN SYMPHONY is this: place Haitian Konpa — one of the Caribbean’s most emotionally direct popular music traditions — alongside a live symphony orchestra, and let the two determine their own relationship. Arly Larivière and Nu-Look have been building toward this kind of stage for more than two decades, and on Sunday, September 20, they bring the production to Place Bell in Laval.
About the Show
KONPA EN SYMPHONY is produced by Modernique & Co Project Management and described by its organizers as “a first-of-its-kind musical fusion where Haitian Konpa meets the grandeur of a live symphony orchestra.” The tour has already stopped in New York and Orlando this year; an earlier version of the show played Boston Symphony Hall, which the band characterizes as “breathtaking and history-making.”
The production’s own framing is worth taking seriously: “This is not a 100% classical concert, it is a Konpa concert first with a Symphony twist. This is more than a concert… It’s a cultural elevation.” For anyone accustomed to seeing orchestras used as prestige dressing for other genres, the distinction matters. Nu-Look’s sound is built around Larivière’s piano work and the lyrical conventions of romantic Konpa, the subgenre that emphasizes introspection, heartbreak, and poetic storytelling over straight dance energy. Larivière grew up close to that tradition: his father, Daniel Larivière, was a recognized composer in Haiti’s music scene.
Nu-Look’s founding, in 2000, came out of a very public professional rupture. Larivière was dismissed on stage during a live performance with his former group, D-Zine. He and co-founder Gazzman Pierre formed the new ensemble in response. Their debut album, Big Mistake, was direct about where things stood: tracks including “Ave’w Map Mache,” “Loving You,” and “Asse” read as a narrative document of that rupture. By their fifth anniversary, Nu-Look had become one of the top Konpa ensembles in the Haitian music scene. Eight studio albums followed, with the most recent, Just for You, arriving in 2023, alongside a touring footprint that spans Paris, Montreal, the Barclays Center in New York, and the Olympia Paris.
Venue & Logistics
Place Bell is a major arena in Laval, Quebec, suited to a touring production of this scale. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.; the show begins at 8:00 p.m. The event is all ages.
Tickets
Tickets are available via Ticketmaster and Evenko. Buy tickets