Alexandre Da Costa unveiled his twenty-fifth career album, Stradiavarius at the Opera, in November 2016; an assortment of vivid operatic themes rearranged for string orchestra and solo violin. With these romantic songs recorded alongside the string section of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Da Costa aimed to win audiences over to classical music.

Renowned for his technical prowess and his musicianship, Da Costa has been performing worldwide since his youth. Winner of many national and international first prizes, he has given concerts with some of the world's most illustrious orchestras.

Da Costa teamed up with record label Spectra Musique for the release of Stradivarius at the Opera, trusting in the company's long and successful history in pop and folk music. An innovative marketing strategy that included a music video and multichannel advertising was devised for the album, drawing from best practices in popular music. This strategy strengthened album sales and helped expand the artist's fanbase. The Radio Starmaker Fund's support was instrumental in reaching these goals. Print and radio advertising in major Quebec media outlets were made possible through Starmaker's contribution.

An ambitious touring production was also crafted around the album that placed Da Costa centerstage with his Stradivarius violin. A unique scalable experience that fully embraced the digital arts, this show featured elements rarely seen in classical music such as a custom lighting plan, set design, a tailor-made artist costume, and a video backdrop with high definition animations. The tour was awarded two domestic touring grants by Radio Starmaker, which propelled the show and helped circulate the artist's music. In the context of high production costs, the fund's support reduced the promoter's financial risk, enabled social media advertising and allowed the concert to introduce numerous audiences to classical music. Twenty-four performances of the show were presented around Quebec to widespread acclaim, reaching over six thousand spectators.

Olivier Simard-Hanley
Project Manager
Spectra Musique