For folks north of the border who only know Tony Bennett as a top-tier singer of popular songs, the Canadian premiere of Tony Bennett: The Art of Anthony Benedetto will come as a delightful, eye-opening surprise. Presented by Montréal en Lumière and the Galerie of the Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan, the free exhibit includes 41 water colors and two sketches created between 1986 and 2012, all of them signed by one Anthony Benedetto.

A singer long adored by his Montreal fans, Bennett quickly found a place in the heart of the permanent Festival collection with his piece Louis Armstrong, created as a guest artist in 2000. For this 14th edition of Montréal en Lumière, the singer presents some of his finest pieces, including three original paintings which are part of the Smithsonian Institution’s permanent collection.

A self-described museum fanatic, Bennett makes time on his many world tours to visit and pore over the masterpieces of art history exhibited all over the planet, taking endless inspiration from the works of the masters in creating his own pieces.

Permanently installed on the second floor of the Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan, the Galerie, a non-profit organization, showcases the original works of the Montreal International Jazz Festival collection, many of which the general public rarely has a chance to see. They include creations by Jean-Paul Riopelle, Marcel Barbeau, Armand Vaillancourt, Miles Davis, Richard Séguin, Marcel Barbeau and Yves Archambault, the Festival’s poster designer for nearly 25 years. Limited-edition signed and numbered silkscreens are also on display, including works by Robert Lapalme and Alfred Pellan, which can be bought exclusively at the Galerie.

Tony Bennett: The Art of Anthony Benedetto will be on display from February 14 to April 14, 2013. For more information, go to www.galerieloungetd.montrealjazzfest.com.