TORONTO SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES A MONTH-LONG INTERRELATED SERIES OF CONCERTS THEMED "IN THE FIRE OF CONFLICT", WITH SUPPORTING EVENTS
Elite Musicians join forces for an International Festival
of Chamber Music and Opera
TORONTO (April 3, 2008) – Toronto Summer Music (TSM) presents its 3rd annual Festival of chamber music and opera from July 22 – August 17. Some of the world’s finest interpretive artists are featured in an interrelated series of concerts programmed around the unifying theme, IN THE FIRE OF CONFLICT, an exploration of the powerful outpourings of artistic expression inspired by social, political and religious conflicts worldwide.
The Festival's muse and Artistic Director, the celebrated conductor Agnes Grossmann says of the Festival theme IN THE FIRE OF CONFLICT, “I have once again chosen to program concerts around a central theme. I have found this approach to be rewarding for performers and audiences alike. Like Ariadne’s thread through the labyrinth, this artistic strand leads us from one work to another, from one concert to another, providing a common entry point, a shared path by which we access the music.”
Grossmann says, “Artists shed light on all aspects of society in myriad ways, not simply reflecting events worldwide through passive mirroring, but refracting them through the prism of conscience. The diversity of these responses reveals the multi-faceted human spirit in the crucible of human experience.”
TSM Festival programming this year includes concerts, master classes, lectures, workshops, and a fully staged opera. The TSM Academy for highly talented emerging artists is intertwined with the Festival. While the Festival is the public showcase of world class performance and interpretation of the classics, the Academy is the preparation ground for achieving these standards. The goal of the TSM educational program is to help young musicians who are preparing for international competitions – 200 of whom have been chosen through a rigorous selection process – achieve the highest quality of performance. The Academy creates the space for seasoned professional artists to transmit their secrets of interpretation and to offer the technical help each artist needs to apply these secrets to their work.
Agnes Grossmann says, “Performances by extraordinary artists are the jewels of this festival, set in a context which will inform – and perhaps even transform – the way you hear the music. Whether you are a seasoned music lover or someone in the initial stages of exploring the classical art form, the innovative programming and exciting combinations of international performing artists promise peak experiences which will engage you in deeply meaningful ways. In addition to the rare opportunity of hearing these artists perform in intimate settings, our audiences gain insights into how artists work and think by observing them give master classes to the next generation of emerging stars.”
This year, the festival features three new concert series highlighting chamber music, international artists, and a series presenting music together with dance and visual art. Distinguished performers include pianist Anton Kuerti, the Leipzig String Quartet, pianist Menahem Pressler with Alexander Kerr, Roberto Diaz and Paul Watkins, the remarkable young cellist Denise Djokic with one of Canada’s most prominent and innovative dancers Peggy Baker, the Gryphon Trio, Molinari Quartet and a duo recital with Mayumi Seiler and Tünde Kurucz. The Festival opens with a performance of pianistic virtuosity by André Laplante at the historic Carlu.
The four-week festival culminates with four fully-staged performances of Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, conducted by Maestra Grossmann with stage direction by Titus Hollweg of Vienna and pre-concert talks with operatic expert Iain Scott. New this year is a three part pre-opera lecture series providing context to the story of Ariadne auf Naxos with Corey Keeble, Domenico Pietropaolo and Bryan Gilliam. A Day at the Opera introduces opera lovers to Ariadne with a performance by master storytellerClayton Scott, followed by a workshop at the Gardiner Museum and concluding with the final opera performance of the season.
Tickets for all events are available by calling 416-597-7840. More information about the Toronto Summer Music Festival and the Toronto Summer Music Academy can be accessed at http://www.torontosummermusic.com.
For more information please contact:
Cecelia Paolucci
416-585-4464
cpaolucci@torontosummermusic.com