In classical antiquity, a rhapsode was a professional reciter of poetry, especially the epics of Homer, but also the wisdom-verse of Hesiod and the satires of Archilochus, among others. Plato's dialogue Ion, wherein Socrates confronts a star rhapsode, remains our richest source of information on these artists.
Etymologically, the term means either "stitch-singer" (because the rhapsode stitched together elements of traditional poetry in his performances) or "staff-singer" (because he held a staff as the emblem of his trade).
The name Les Rhapsodes was adopted in 1964, and the group received its provincial charter in 1970.
In 1988-9, Les Rhapsodes began to offer a regular season comprising three programs, presented at the Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur, the Théâtre Périscope and the Institut Canadien.
Among the choir's notable recent performances were Concert de Noël with pop singer Roch Voisine in December 2000; and the premieres of two works by Marc Gagné (his Christmas fable Le Père Noël, la Sorcière et l'Enfant in 2002, which was later broadcast on Radio-Canada, and his opera Héloïse et Abélard in 2006).
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