MONTREAL — Montreal rings in the new year with song, dance, theater and winter festivals for all, plenty of ways to start 2009 on a good note.

The Centaur Theatre presents the 12th edition of the Wildside Festival, its immensely popular midwinter bash of repertory independent theater Jan. 13 through 25. This year, the festival offers a total of seven productions (up from five last year). The eclectic lineup includes "Die Roten Punkte — Super Musikant" ("Super Musician"), a German-inspired rock 'n' roll odyssey. Next, "The Invisible Life of Joseph Finch" offers "a bittersweet and poetic remembrance from a holocaust survivor," says the press release.

"The Sputniks" follows a family with Soviet ties in search of a new home. "The Shape of a Girl" looks at the tragic death of Victoria teenager Reena Virk in 1997. "Zeppelin Was A Cover Band" examines "the history of blues and folk music via the work of legendary rock band Led Zeppelin." "Sahara Crossing" finds globetrotter Paul Van Dyck zigzagging his way across northern Africa. And "The Ballad of the Young Offender" returns the fest to its loosely-themed rock roots.

Tickets for the Wildside Festival cost $12.50 for regular admission; $10 for students, seniors and those under 30. A five-show regular pass costs $50; $40 for the student and senior discount.

PREMIER PLAYS
The Centaur Theatre continues its regular season with the Off-Broadway hit "Piaf: Love Conquers All" for a limited run Jan. 28 through Feb. 8. The Montreal premiere of "Shirley Valentine" is next, Jan. 27 through Feb. 22. Then "Doubt," the Tony Award-winning Best Play by John Patrick Shanley, comes to town Feb. 24 through March 29.

Tickets range from $38.50 to $42.50. Matinee, weekday, senior and student discounts available. The Centaur Theatre is at 453 St. Francois Xavier St. in Old Montreal. Call (514) 288-3161 or visit www.centaurtheatre.com.

Rock band Theory of a Deadman plays Le National Jan. 15. Tickets cost $20.

Montreal's outdoor winter bash La Fete des Neiges returns this year for three consecutive weekends starting Jan. 24. Jean Drapeau Park site offers dog sledding, ice sculptures and inner-tubing fun for the whole family. Visit www.fetedesneiges.com.

MainLine Theatre presents its winter/spring FourPlay series opening with "The Real Inspector Hound" by Tom Stoppard Jan. 27 through Feb. 14. Next is "Shavirez, le tsigane des mers, de Belzebrute" Feb. 17 through 21; "Tempest in a Teapot" by A Company of Fools Feb. 24 through 28; and "The Cody Rivers Show" April 22 through 25. Tickets cost $20 or four tickets for $48 with the FourPlay card. Call (514) 849-3378 or visit www.mainlinetheatre.ca.

PLANET SMASHERS
Opera de Montreal and Opera Australia present a co-production of "Macbeth," based on the Shakespeare play, Jan. 31, Feb. 4, 7, 9 and 12. It is presented in Italian with English surtitles. Tickets range from $43 to $120. Call (514) 842-2112 or visit www.operademontreal.com.

The Segal Centre for Performing Arts at the Saidye presents "Buried Child" by Sam Shepard from Feb. 1 through 22. Adult tickets range from $31 to $44 depending on day and time of performance. Student and senior discounts available. Call (514) 739-2301 or visit www.segalcentre.org.

The Planet Smashers perform at Club Soda Feb. 13. Tickets cost $17.50.

There are a few seats left for Celine Dion at the Bell Centre Feb. 14 and 15. Tickets cost $95 to $195.

On Feb. 16, Flogging Molly plays Metropolis. Tickets cost $26.50.

The Montreal High Lights Festival celebrates its 10th edition with song, dance and lots of good things to eat. There are some 300 culinary events in all, Feb. 17 through March 1. This year's culinary guest city is Paris. Visit www.montrealenlumiere.com.

In conjunction with the Montreal High Lights Festival, Tohu, Circus Arts City presents a special 30th-anniversary edition of the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain (Worldwide Festival of the Circus of Tomorrow) Feb. 17 through 28. Here, the emphasis is on Parisian circus performance featuring acrobats, tightrope walkers, clowns, jugglers and trapeze artists. Tickets cost $29.75 to $39 for adults; $20.80 to $31.20 for children up to 12. Call (514) 376-8648 or visit www.tohu.ca.

Bloc Party performs at Metropolis March 18. Tickets cost $33.50.

GREAT BIG SEA
Les Grands Ballets Canadiens presents the Canadian premiere of the Eifman Ballet Theater of St. Petersburg production of "Tchaikovsky's Mystery" at Place des Arts Feb. 19 through 21. Tickets range from $18 to $99.

Great Big Sea plays Metropolis March 20. Tickets cost $49.50.

The Weakerthans play Le National March 26. Tickets cost $25.

Katy Perry's March 31 concert at Metropolis is already sold out.

Genesis tribute band the Musical Box plays the Bell Centre April 3. Tickets range from $44.50 to $54.50.

All prices are in Canadian dollars (some prices rounded to nearest dollar; add service charges to each ticket ordered). Bell Centre, Place des Arts, Uniprix Stadium and most other tickets are available through Admission Ticket Network at (800) 678-5440 or at www.admission.com. For Club Soda, Metropolis, L'Olympia Theatre and Theatre St. Denis concerts, call Ticket Pro Canada at (514) 908-9090 or visit www.ticketpro.ca.

E-mail Steven Howell at: writeonbetty@sympatico.ca