Soundstreams Canada Presents Orphei Drangar
Posted: September 17, 2008
Renowned for their extraordinary intonation, phrasing, and muscular sound, this illustrious eighty-voice choir will dazzle in a programme that includes R. Murray Schafer's choreographed Magic Songs, Benjamin Britten's fiery Ballad of Little Musgrave and Schubert's famed Der 23, Psalm. Schafer's Magic Songs was originally commissioned by Orphei Drängar in 1988, and eighty-eight handsome Swedish men will howl like wolves and dance like bears in this extraordinarily realized version. Based in the Swedish University City of Uppsala, OD is an iconic example of the great Swedish choral tradition and a central player in the development of new music for male-voice choir.
"Robert Sund is a valued and much loved Soundstreams collaborator." says Soundstreams Artistic Director Lawrence Cherney "He was the founding conductor of our University Voices projects in 2000, 2002 and 2004. Robert brings an unbridled enthusiasm and flair to a broad spectrum of period and style, and a gift for creating an extraordinary palette of vocal colours. I can't tell you how much I look forward to this concert featuring Orphei Drangar, to whom he has devoted so much of his creative life."
Appearing with OD is celebrated opera soprano Maria Fontosh. A Ukranian-born Russian citizen, Fontosh resides in Sweden. She is a member of the Royal Swedish Opera's ensemble, for which she made her debut in The Barber of Seville in 2001. In 2007 Fontosh sang at the Värmland Classic Festival together with José Carreras. Maria studied at the Music Conservatory in Falun in Sweden and at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, and in December 2001 she graduated from the University College of Opera in Stockholm.
Orphei Drängar will also invite two of Toronto's all male choirs onstage to perform a piece from their repertoire with them. The award-winning Victoria Scholars and Forte, the Toronto Men's Chorus will join the Swedes for a rare opportunity, and will be treated to an exclusive workshop post-concert with conductor Robert Sund. The Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir [TWMVC] will also attend this workshop event.
DATES: Sunday Oct 19, 2008
TIMES: 3:00 pm, pre-concert chat with Robert Cooper at 2:15
TICKET PRICES: $15 to $37
VENUE: Metropolitan United Church (56 Queen Street East)
BOX OFFICE: The St. Lawrence Centre Box Office at 416-366-7723 www.stlc.com
WEB PAGE www.soundstreams.ca
About Soundstreams
Soundstreams is a hub for new directions in music, programming culturally provocative concerts and festivals by weaving together music and ideas from globally diverse genres, artists and eras. Founded by renowned oboist Lawrence Cherney in 1982, Soundstreams has presented hundreds of unique and compelling concerts, from intimate chamber music events to multi-choral spectaculars, operas, and six highly successful international festivals. A recognized national leader, Soundstreams Canada is one of the largest and most dynamic organizations of its kind anywhere in the world.
Soundstreams Canada gratefully acknowledges the support of TD Canada Trust Music, Classical 96.3 FM, NOW Magazine, the Laidlaw Foundation, the Metcalf Foundation, the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, SOCAN Foundation, the Creative Trust, the Julie-Jiggs Foundation, the Lloyd Carr-Harris Foundation, the Koerner Foundation, the John D. McKellar Foundation, Roger D. Moore, the Charles H. Ivey Foundation, the Hal Jackman Foundation, the EJLB Foundation, Opera.ca, The Ontario Trillium Foundation and the McLean Foundation for their generous support.
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For more information please contact:
Catherine Boudreau
Soundstreams Canada
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
416-504-1282
catherineb@soundstreams.ca