Danielle de Niese The Mozart Album

Danielle de Niese
The Mozart Album

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Sir Charles

In Stores: September 8th, 2009
Album Released to Digital Retailers: August 18th, 2009
Duet with Bryn Terfel Available Exclusively at
iTunes Music Store July 28th, 2009

“Her singing is utterly delectable and completely assured…Sheer ‘joie de vivre’ and mastery come spilling across, to the eyes as well as the ears.” -The New York Times

New York, NY – On September 8th, 2009, Decca will release The Mozart Album, the hotly anticipated second solo recording from 30-year-old soprano Danielle de Niese. The full album will be available at digital music retailers including the iTunes Music store on August 18th. On July 28th, iTunes will exclusively offer the single “La ci darem la mano” performed by Danielle de Niese together with baritone Bryn Terfel.

An Australian–born American soprano of Dutch and Sri Lankan heritage, the exotically beautiful de Niese has been captivating audiences since childhood, when she was a fixture of Los Angeles local television hosting a weekly arts showcase for teenagers, for which she won an Emmy Award. De Niese was just 18 when she was accepted as the youngest artist ever into the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program of the Metropolitan Opera. She made her Met debut as Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro, alongside Renée Fleming, Bryn Terfel, and Cecilia Bartoli and led by James Levine. On September 22nd of this year, de Niese returns to the Met to perform the leading role of Susanna in the same Jonathan Miller production of Le Nozze di Figaro in which she made her debut over a decade ago.

From the age of 19, when Danielle de Niese made that auspicious Metropolitan Opera debut it was clear that she was destined to be a major Mozart singer, given her extraordinary ability to communicate emotion through her one-of-a-kind voice, personal charisma, star quality and the irresistible force of her personality. So Mozart is a natural next step for de Niese in her recording career following up on her debut album of Handel arias released in 2007. The selections on The Mozart Album reflect her career on stage, as well as her own favorite Mozart arias. Sir Charles Mackerras, a world authority on Mozart, leads the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

In addition to her engagement with the Metropolitan Opera, the 2009-10 season sees Danielle de Niese performing as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Lyric Opera of Chicago under the direction of Edward Gardner. She also appears in L’incoronazione di Poppea with the Teatro Real and Semele with Théâtre des Champs Elysées. Additionally, Ms. de Niese will tour Europe with the period instrument group Il giardino armonico with an all Handel program with performances in Amsterdam, Vienna, Berlin and Madrid.

Visit Danielle de Niese on her website at www.danielledeniese.com and join her more than 1000 friends at www.myspace.com/danielledeniese.

Danielle de Niese in Performance USA 2009-2010

Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro
September 22, 29,
October 1, 5, 9,
December 4, 8, 12
Conductor: Edward Gardner
Metropolitan Opera

Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro
February 28,
March 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 20, 22, 24, 27
Conductor: Edward Gardner
Lyric Opera of Chicago



Danielle de Niese: The Mozart Album Tracklisting
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756–1791)

Exsultate, jubilate (K.165)
Bella mia fiamma (Concert aria K.528)
Giunse al fin il momento ... Al desio di chi t'adora (Alternative Aria in Act 4 of "The Marriage of Figaro" K.577)
Una donna a quindici anni (from "Così fan tutte" K.588)
Quando avran fine o mai ... Padre, germani, addio! (from "Idomeneo" K.366)
Ah Fuggi il Traditor (from "Don Giovanni" K.527)
Oh, temerario Arbace! ... Per quel paterno amplesso (Concert aria K.79)
L'amerò (from "Il re pastore" K.208)
La ci darem la mano (Duet with Bryn Terfel) (from "Don Giovanni" K.527)
Laudate Dominum (from "Vesperae solennes de Confessore" K.339)

Mozart's Così fan tutte Showcase the COC's Ensemble Studio

The Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio culminates a year of training with a production of Mozart’s masterpiece, Così fan tutte. This new production showcases the talented artists of the COC’s Ensemble Studio, the company’s training program for young opera professionals. Così fan tutte is sung in Italian, and is presented at the Imperial Oil Opera Theatre in the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre, 227 Front St. E., for four performances only on June 15, 17, 19, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. and June 21, 2009 at 2 p.m.

Set in 19th-century Naples, Così fan tutte, Mozart’s classic tale of the battle between the sexes, follows two soldiers, Ferrando and Guglielmo who believe that their fiancées, sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella, will remain eternally faithful. Don Alfonso, an elderly cynic, plants the seed of doubt regarding the ladies’ faithfulness and wagers with them that if given the chance, the women will stray. Through the use of disguises, the men deceive their fiancées and all four learn important lessons about the uncertainty of love.

To showcase all Ensemble Studio members, each role will be shared over the course of four performances. The role of Ferrando is sung by tenors Michael Barrett and Adam Luther, while baritones Alexander Hajek and Ensemble Studio graduate Justin Welsh share the role of Guglielmo. Fiordiligi, Guglielmo’s fiancée, is sung by sopranos Betty Allison, Ileana Montalbetti and

Laura Albino. Dorabella, Ferrando’s fiancée, is sung by mezzo-sopranos Erin Fisher and former Ensemble Studio member Lauren Segal. Ensemble Studio graduate bass-baritone Jon-Paul Décosse and bass Michael Uloth sing the role of the scheming Don Alfonso, and sopranos Lisa DiMaria and Teiya Kasahara alternate in the role of Despina, the sisters’ maid who encourages the women to pursue other men. Award-winning conductor and Mozart specialist Martin Isepp shares the podium with former Ensemble Studio member Steven Philcox, and Michael Albano, director of last season’s mainstage production of The Barber of Seville, directs. Sets and costumes for Così fan tutte are designed by Lorenzo Savoini while Renée Brode lights this comedic favourite.

Tickets for Così fan tutte are $75 and are available online at www.coc.ca, by calling COC Ticket Services at 416-363-8231, or in person at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

Box Office, 145 Queen St. W., Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. All performances are general admission. For more information on Così fan tutte and the COC Ensemble Studio, visit www.coc.ca .

Production Co-sponsor of Così fan tutte: Canadian Opera Volunteer Committee (COVC)

The COC Ensemble Studio is widely recognized as the country’s foremost performance and training program for young opera professionals. The members of the Ensemble Studio are the COC’s resident artists and are important ambassadors for the company. Since its inception in 1980, over 150 young professional Canadian singers, opera coaches, stage directors, and conductors have acquired their first major professional operatic experience through the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio. Chosen through a national audition process, members of the Ensemble Studio receive a blend of advanced study and practical experience over a period of one to three years. Former members include Ben Heppner, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Gidon Saks, John Fanning and Wendy Nielsen.

The Ensemble Studio is generously supported by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage, The Canadian Opera Volunteer Committee, The John A. Cook Young Artist Development Fund, Harris Steel Group, The Audrey S. Hellyer Charitable Foundation, The Hal Jackman Fund at the Ontario Arts Foundation, Jo Lander, Ruby Mercer Fund, George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation, Roger D. Moore Ensemble Studio Endowment Fund, RBC Financial Group, The Slaight Family, The Stratton Trust, William and Phyllis Waters, and an anonymous donor.

About the Canadian Opera Company

Based in Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the largest in North America, and has an international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation. The COC currently enjoys a remarkable 99% attendance rate for its mainstage season. The company’s new home, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, was designed by Diamond and Schmitt Architects Inc. and is Canada’s first purpose-built opera house. Acclaimed as one of the best opera houses in the world, the Four Seasons Centre is also the performance venue for The National Ballet of Canada.

Canadian Opera Company Website

The Canadian Opera Company’s new website, at www.coc.ca , contains information on all productions including synopses, historical background, and production photographs.

Symphony Nova Scotia presents the 2009 Library Series

Symphony Nova Scotia presents the 2009 Library Series

Halifax, NS – Symphony Nova Scotia is once again back at the Halifax Public Library for a series of fun and informative chamber music performances. Please bring your lunch and join us for wonderful music and entertaining stories about the composers from host Max Kasper. All concerts are free of charge, and begin at 12:00 noon.

Still Movements

Wednesday, April 29 – Spring Garden Memorial Branch, Halifax

Friday, May 1 – Alderney Gate Branch, Dartmouth

In this concert, the Library Players explore the evolution of the "movements" of a piece of music. Most symphonies and quartets that we know all follow a familiar four-movement pattern. Using the music of Haydn, Mozart, Bach and Purcell, we will illustrate the differences and evolution of the string quartet movements.

The Library Players are:

Yi Lee – violin

Anita Gao-Lee – violin

Jane Levitt – viola

Max Kasper – bass

Christmas in May

Thursday, May 14 – Spring Garden Memorial Branch, Halifax

We're pleased to welcome back Halifax's own Réjouissance as they once again play at the Library. Join us for some festive Baroque music on period instruments. Though most of the music was written for the Christmas holidays, it's wonderful to hear anytime of the year (...and it's never too early to start preparing for Christmas!).

Réjouissance is:

Karen Langille – baroque violin
Ivor Rothwell – baroque bassoon, recorder
Shawn Whynot – harpsichord
Hilary Brown – baroque cello

The Best Music You've Never Heard of...

Thursday, May 28 – Spring Garden Memorial Branch, Halifax

Friday, May 29 – Alderney Gate Branch, Dartmouth

Most of us have only heard about 5% of the composers out there. Even the ones that were very famous in their time and wrote wonderful music have somehow become overshadowed by the "Greats." It's time to hear some of these composers again. The music is well worth it! Join the Gatto Dolce Duo as they perform music by Pleyel, Matthews, Aslan, Neher, Boismortier, Corrette and Romberg, to name a few!

The Gatto Dolce Duo is:

Colin Matthews – cello

Max Kasper – Bass

About Symphony Nova Scotia
Expect the Unexpected with Symphony Nova Scotia – from Baroque to Berlioz to bluegrass! Each year the 37-member ensemble performs for more than 40,000 audience members (including 14,000 young music lovers) in communities across Nova Scotia. Under the inspirational leadership of Bernhard Gueller, Symphony Nova Scotia is recognized as one of the finest orchestras in the country. Join the orchestra in celebrating its 25th anniversary this season!

Concert Orchestre Symphonique de Laval mercredi 25 mars

Mozart à tout vent

13 musiciens de l'OSL au service de Mozart et de Strauss

Le mercredi 25 mars à 20 h à l'église Sainte-Rose-de-Lima

Laval, le 17 mars 2009 – L'Orchestre symphonique de Laval offre à son public un concert exceptionnel en présentant une œuvre maîtresse de Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. La Sérénade en si bémol majeur, K. 361, aussi appelée « Gran Partita », est considérée comme le plus grand chef-d'œuvre que Mozart ait écrit pour des instruments à vent. Le talent des treize musiciens de la section des vents, qui forme pour l'occasion l'orchestre de chambre de l'OSL, mis en valeur par l'acoustique extraordinaire de l'église Sainte-Rose-de-Lima, permettra au public de mesurer l'ampleur du génie de Mozart et de savourer toute la beauté de cette œuvre immense. Également au programme de ce concert commenté par Alain Trudel, directeur artistique et chef de l'OSL, la Sérénade en mi bémol majeur, op. 7, et la Suite en si bémol majeur, op. 4, de Richard Strauss.

Le concert Mozart à tout vent sera présenté le mercredi 25 mars à 20 h, à l'église Sainte-Rose-de-Lima, en plein cœur du Vieux-Saint-Rose.

AU PROGRAMME

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

Sérénade en mi bémol majeur, op. 7 (1881) pour 13 instruments à vent

Suite en si bémol majeur, op. 4 (1884) pour 13 instruments à vent

I Prélude – Allegretto

II Romance – Andante

III Gavotte – Allegro

IV Introduction et Fugue- Andante cantabile- Allegro con brio

Formé dans la plus pure tradition pédagogique du XIX^e siècle, soit l'enseignement particulier de maître à élève, Strauss, grâce à son père musicien, assiste dès sa tendre enfance aux répétitions de l'orchestre du théâtre de la cour à Munich. À dix-sept ans, il entend Tristan à Bayreuth : il en est si gravement intoxiqué qu'il ambitionne désormais d'écrire des opéras. Dès 1889, son poème symphonique Don Juan lui vaut l'estime de toute l'Allemagne qui voit en lui le plus prometteur de ses jeunes compositeurs et le successeur naturel de Wagner. Richard Strauss a abordé tous les genres musicaux. Tout au long de ses sept décennies de création, Strauss, l'un des derniers musiciens romantiques égarés au XX^e siècle, n'innove certes pas à la manière d'un Schönberg, d'un Bartok ou d'un Stravinski, mais il n'en demeure pas moins un compositeur à la personnalité originale et au métier éblouissant et ce, jusqu'à la toute fin de sa vie.

Composées pour treize instruments à vent et manifestement inspirées de Mozart, Beethoven et Schumann, la Sérénade en mi bémol majeur, op. 7, et la Suite en si bémol majeur, op. 4, appartiennent à la toute première jeunesse du compositeur, moment où il hésite encore à s'éloigner du giron classique. Strauss avait d'ailleurs inauguré sa carrière de chef d'orchestre avec cet opus 4.

ENTRACTE

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Sérénade en si bémol majeur, K. 361, « Gran Partita », pour 13 instruments

Largo – Allegro molto

Menuet

Adagio

Menuet- Allegretto

Romance-Adagio Allegretto

Thèmes et variations

Rondo- Molto allegro

Mozart qui avait approfondi l'étude des instruments à vent au contact de l'orchestre de Mannheim, explore ici de nouvelles combinatoires audacieuses et cette « Gran Partita » démontre à quel point le génie mozartien peut métamorphoser tout matériel musical en œuvre d'art de haut niveau. La première exécution publique qui nous soit connue de cette œuvre a eu lieu au Burgtheater de Vienne, le 23 mars 1784.

En résumé

Concert : le mercredi 25 mars à 20 h, à l'église Sainte-Rose-de-Lima de Laval (219, boulevard Sainte-Rose).

Le concert est une présentation de Protectron

Les billets pour ce concert sont disponibles

En ligne : www.salleandremathieu.com.

Au guichet de la salle André-Mathieu : 475, boul. de l'Avenir, Laval

Par téléphone, billetterie de la salle André-Mathieu : (450) 667-2040

Via le Réseau admission : (514) 790-1245

Pacific Opera Presents The Magic Flute

THE MAGIC FLUTE
THE GREATEST ADVENTURE EVER SUNG
APRIL 16, 18, 21, 23, 25 AND 27, 2009

Pacific Opera Victoria is proud to present its first "Magic Flute", in over twenty years. Mozart's enchanting adventure for all ages, THE MAGIC FLUTE is presented at The Royal Theatre in Victoria, April 16, 18, 21, 23, 25 and 27, 2009.

Mozart's final opera, THE MAGIC FLUTE (Die Zauberflöte) was written in 1791 to a libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder, and it has become one of the most beloved masterpieces in the repertoire. The young lovers, Prince Tamino and Princess Pamina, the imposing Sarastro, the tempestuous Queen of the Night, and the whimsical bird-catcher Papageno have been entertaining audiences for over 200 years in a work that is both playful and profound.

What transforms this sophisticated, joyous adventure into one of the most prodigious masterworks in the repertoire is, of course, Mozart's music. Encompassing infectious folk airs, sonorous majesty, and coloratura pyrotechnics, it is stunning in its variety and beauty. And with a story and characters that inspire and amuse, THE MAGIC FLUTE has something for everyone. Sublime and bewitching, it is an opera to grow up with and to grow old with.

Award-winning Maestro Timothy Vernon and Director Glynis Leyshon team up with designer John Ferguson and local artists Miles Lowry and David Ferguson to present a Magic Flute infused with the graceful spirit and elegance of turn-of-the-century Vienna.

An exceptional ensemble cast includes Shannon Mercer, a Juno-award nominee who makes her company debut as Pamina, Colin Ainsworth as Tamino, and Canadian coloratura Aline Kutan in her signature role of The Queen of the Night. Uwe Dumbrach as Sarastro and Hugh Russell as
Papageno are joined by Marilyn Arsenault (Papagena), Michel Corbeil (Monostatos) and Bruce Kelly (High Priest).

Also featured in this production are members of Pacific Opera Victoria's Resident Artist Program, which offers advanced operatic training to outstanding young professional singers. Making their POV debuts are Resident Artists Lucia Cesaroni, Leticia Brewer, and Erin Lawson as the three ladies, with Joseph Schnurr and Alexandre Sylvestre as the two priests.

Kids love opera and a special 6th performance of THE MAGIC FLUTE is presented with children and their favourite grown-ups in mind. The April 27th performance of THE MAGIC FLUTE begins at 7pm (an hour earlier than other performances), and tickets are offered to children and youth aged 17 and under for half price.

Sung in German with English dialogue and surtitles, Pacific Opera Victoria's production of THE MAGIC FLUTE runs April 16, 18, 21, 23, 25 and 27, 2009 at the Royal Theatre in Victoria. All performances begin at 8pm, except for the April 27 performance which begins at 7pm. Priced between $25 and $110, tickets are available from the Royal and McPherson Box Office at 250-386-6121 or www.rmts.bc.ca.

Student RUSH tickets for those presenting valid student identification are available at the door of the theatre, 45 minutes prior to each performance, subject to availability. RUSH tickets are $15, inclusive of all box office charges.

For more information, please contact Pacific Opera Victoria at (250) 385-0222 or visit www.pov.bc.ca.

Concert 5 avril 2009 - Messe du Couronnement de Mozart k.317 - Paroisse de la Purification - Repentigny

Dans le cadre du 325^e anniversaire de la Paroisse de la Purification de la Bienheureuse-Vierge-Marie (BVM), la Série Arts et Spiritualité présente un Concert Gala Bénéfice, le dimanche 5 avril 2009, en l'église de la Purification, située au 445 rue Notre-Dame, à Repentigny.

Au programme : les chefs d'œuvres de la musique sacrée de W.A. Mozart, dont la Messe du Couronnement K. 317, les célèbres motets Ave Verum K.618, Laudate Dominum K.339, Exultate Jubilate K. 165, Sancta Maria K. 273, Regina Coeli K.276 et le Lacrymosa du Requiem K. 626. Ces œuvres seront interprétées par l'Ensemble vocal Vox Luminosa, les solistes Raphaëlle Paquette (Starmania-opéra), Chantal Denis, Luc Arseneault, Philippe Martel et l'Orchestre des Jeunes de Joliette, le tout sous la direction de Monsieur Claudel Callender, organiste titulaire à la paroisse et directeur musical de l'Ensemble vocal Vox Luminosa.

Cet événement se veut le point culminant des festivités du 325^e anniversaire de la Paroisse. Pour l'occasion, des prix de présence seront offerts au public sous forme de tirage pendant la pause. L'art et la spiritualité se donnent à nouveau rendez-vous pour offrir à la communauté lanaudoise un moment unique et privilégié de beauté, de recueillement et de ressourcement. C'est donc une invitation à toutes et à tous.

On peut se procurer dès maintenant des billets au coût unitaire de 25 $, au presbytère de la Paroisse (infos : 450 581-2484) ainsi qu'à la Librairie Raffin, située aux Galeries Rive Nord à Repentigny et à l 'École de musique de Joliette.

April at The Royal Conservatory

Mozart's Masterpiece Così fan tutte

an April Highlight

at The Royal Conservatory

Leading Mozart specialist Mario Bernardi returns to The Royal Conservatory, after successfully launching the 2008/2009 season with a sold out concert in September, to conduct Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's darkly comic opera masterpiece Così fan tutte. The performances run from April 2-7, and admission is free.

Mario Bernardi's career as a conductor began in 1953 with the Royal Conservatory Opera School and went on become one of the most outstanding Canadian conductors of his generation. He was the first conductor of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, took over the CBC Vancouver Orchestra from John Eliot Gardiner, and became the first music director of the Calgary Philharmonic. Despite his busy schedule he continued to appear as guest conductor, particularly of operas, with such companies as the Canadian Opera Company, Chicago Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Metropolitan Opera, and the English National Opera. Bernardi was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1972, received the Canadian Music Council medal in 1981, and has won two Juno awards.

In sharp contrast to the world premiere of the modern score of Pandora's Locker in December, Così fan tutte will be an offering in lush classical music. The cast will be in elaborate costumes, generously on loan from Opera Atelier. Stage director Jennifer Parr, who also directed Pandora's Locker, will once again be in charge of this hybrid concert version with some staging around the orchestra, which will be onstage.

The double cast will be made up of The Glenn Gould School Opera Division students and will feature Wallis Giunta (who impressed as Pandora in December) as Dorabella. Other cast members who also appeared in Pandora's Locker include Sean Catheroy as Guglielmo, and Adam Bishop as Ferrando. Taylor Strande and Michelle Danese will be alternating in the role of Despina. The GGS Opera is a distinguished diploma programme that offers superb training in performance to gifted singers from across Canada and from all over the world.

Free events at The RCM continue with Canadian master pianist Anton Kuerti, who will give the last lecture in his 5-part lecture series on Beethoven's Piano Concertos on Friday, April 2, at 2pm, and award-winning composer Brian Current (who conducted Pandora's Locker) will lead The GGS New Music Ensemble in contemporary classical music repertoire on Friday, April 17, at 12pm.

Violinist Atis Bankas and pianist Dianne Werner will together give the last concert of the Great Artists Series on Friday, April 17, at 8pm. This concert will feature Karol Shimanovsky's Nocturne and Tarantella, Op. 28, Leos Janacek's Ballade, and two of the greatest works written for these instruments: Franck's Sonata for Violin & Piano and Debussy's Sonata for Violin and Piano. Dianne Werner is an exceptional soloist and chamber musician. A member of Grammy-nominated ensemble

ARC (Artists of The Royal Conservatory), she is recognized for her lyrical and poetic style, and also
frequently performs as a duo partner with cellist Bryan Epperson. Atis Bankas has appeared as soloist in the former Soviet Union, Europe, U.S., and Canada, as well as with many distinguished orchestras under Paavo Järvi, Iona Brown, and Sir Andrew Davis. Both Atis and Dianne are long-standing faculty members of the RCM.

The newly formed Luis Mario Ochoa Quintet will present one of its first concerts as part of the World Music Concerts series on Thursday, April 23, at 7:30pm. Havana-born, Toronto-based, Luis Mario Ochoa is a guitarist, vocalist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and music producer. In 2007 he was nominated for the Canadian Latin Jazz Artist of the Year. His quintet is comprised of the acclaimed Cuban pianist Hilario Duran, Jorge Torres on congas, and a dynamic rhythm section of bass and two percussionists. This special concert will showcase songs from their latest CD, Momentos Cubanos: classic Latin American songs ranging from rumba to samba, bolero to waltz, son to cha-cha, and a very impassioned vocal interpretation of Ernesto Lecuona's timeless ballad Siboney.

THE ROYAL CONCERT SEASON - April 2009

Così fan tutte (GGS Ope

MMarioMMarMare

Marehursday, April 2 at 8pm*

Anton Kuerti, piano (GGS Lecture Series): Friday, April 3 at 2pm*

Così fan tutte (GGS Opera): Friday, April 3 at 8pm*

Così fan tutte (GGS Opera): Sunday, April 5 at 2pm*

Così fan tutte (GGS Opera): Tuesday, April 7 at 1pm*

New Music Ensemble (Rising Stars Series): Friday, April 17 at 12pm*

Atis Bankas, violin & Dianne Werner, piano (Great Artists Series): Friday, April 17 at 8pm

Luis Mario Ochoa Quintet (World Music Concerts): Thursday, April 23 at 7:30pm

* FREE EVENT

Tickets $20.00 - $30.00, students $10

Tickets available online at www.rcmusic.ca, by calling 416-408-2824 X321,

or at the door at the RCM, 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto

All events take place at the Conservatory's new home, the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, 273 Bloor Street West.

More information about the 2008-2009 Concert Season is available on The Royal Conservatory website at www.rcmusic.ca.

The RCM 2008-2009 Concert Season is made possible through the generous support of:
Presentation Sponsors: BMO Financial Group and MasterCard®
Performance Supporters: Acuity Funds Ltd.; Mona and Robert Bandeen; D. & T. Davis Charitable Foundation; Margaret and Jim Fleck; Invesco Trimark; Mr. Thomas Logan; Mary Jean and Frank Potter; Meredith and William Saunderson; Janet and Michael Scott; Shiu Pong
The Department of Canadian Heritage, the Ontario Arts Council and RBC Financial Group

PSO Welcomes Acclaimed Guest Artists for All-Mozart Concert, Jan. 25th

PSO WELCOMES TWO ACCLAIMED GUEST ARTISTS FOR AN ALL-MOZART MATINEE CONCERT, JANUARY 25 PORTLAND, Maine – Critically acclaimed guest conductor Christian Knapp will lead the Portland Symphony Orchestra in the first Sunday Classical concert of the new year on January 25 at 2:30 PM in Merrill Auditorium. The "All-Mozart Matinee" celebrates the most popular classical composer of all time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, two days before his 253rd birthday. The program opens with the Overture to Don Giovanni, considered among Mozart's greatest works. The concert also includes the Clarinet Concerto in A Major (noted for its delicate interplay between soloist and orchestra); the Bach-inspired Adagio & Fugue, K. 546; the dark and serious Masonic Funeral Music (written in 1785 on the deaths of two of Mozart's Masonic lodge brothers); and Symphony No. 35 in D Major, "Haffner" (commissioned in 1782 by the Haffner family of Salzburg). Guest conductor Christian Knapp is equally at home whether he is conducting an all-Mozart concert or an internationally recognized touring opera company. Accomplished in multiple genres, he is also a committed proponent of new music. Maestro Knapp's talents keep him in high demand and he regularly performs in festivals and concerts throughout the world. The All-Mozart Matinee also features William Hudgins, principal clarinet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1994. Also a member of the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, Hudgins can be heard on the Grammy-nominated CD of Hindemith's Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano. He performed for seven seasons with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra (Charleston, SC) and the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy. The concert begins at 2:30 PM with a Concert Conversation at 1:15 PM in the Rehearsal Hall. A radio broadcast of the performance can be heard on Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) on February 11 at 8:00 p.m. Ticket prices for the January 25 concert range from $17 to $54, with special pricing available for students, seniors and groups. All Portland Symphony Orchestra tickets are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com, and new this year, the website offers real-time online seat selection. (Phone and internet orders subject to $5 per ticket handling fee.) Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

The Music of Mozart is Celebrated with MOZART DECODED and THE MAGIC FLUTE DIARIES, Dec. 20

The Music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is Celebrated this Holiday Season in MOZART DECODED and
THE MAGIC FLUTE DIARIES, December 20 on 'A'

– Holiday specials spotlighting the legendary composer produced by

Emmy and Gemini Award-winning Kevin Sullivan –

- Toronto's internationally-renowned Opera Atelier Baroque Opera Company featured in THE MAGIC FLUTE DIARIES –

– Award-winning THE MAGIC FLUTE DIARIES shot in Toronto and key locations
around the world –

Toronto, ON (November 25, 2008) – He's known for composing some of the most beautiful music ever. This holiday season, 'A' celebrates the enduring magic of musical genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with two Canadian-produced specials from the Sullivan Entertainment library – MOZART DECODED and THE MAGIC FLUTE DIARIES. Premiering Saturday, December 20 at 7 p.m. ET on 'A' (check Atv.ca to confirm local broadcast times), MOZART DECODED is a one-hour documentary revealing the little-known details about the legendary composer and the inspiration behind his most famous masterpieces. THE MAGIC FLUTE DIARIES follows at 8 p.m. ET on 'A', a two-hour original Canadian film that gives a contemporary makeover to Mozart's final composition – and one of his most beloved – "The Magic Flute," and features performances by Toronto's renowned Opera Atelier Baroque Opera Company.

"MOZART DECODED and THE MAGIC FLUTE DIARIES offer viewers a comprehensive look at the music of one of the world's most legendary composers," said Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc. "This holiday season, viewers can relive some of his most famous pieces of music and be entertained as they discover the inspiration behind them."

"My goal in creating THE MAGIC FLUTE DIARIES was to take that antiquated, reserved world that people think of as high art and to remove it from the opera stage into a contemporary film," said Kevin Sullivan, President, Sullivan Entertainment. "The final production is not really an opera, it's more like a musical... with all of the most memorable songs and dance sequences set against the background of a contemporary love story done with style and panache."

The music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has inspired and entertained people for over 250 years, but who was the man behind the music?

MOZART DECODED (Saturday, December 20 at 7 p.m. ET) takes an in-depth look at Mozart's tumultuous and often difficult life, from his beginnings as a musical prodigy through his rise to stardom and membership with the secretive Freemasons, to his mysterious and untimely death at the age of 35. What inspired him to compose the musical masterpieces that immortalized him as one of the greatest composers the world has ever known?

Following the one-hour documentary, the two-hour original Canadian film THE MAGIC FLUTE DIARIES (Saturday, December 20 at 8 p.m. ET) explores love, betrayal, reward and retribution against the backdrop of one of Mozart's most famous musical scores. Set in modern-day Saltzburg, Austria, young virtuoso singer Tom (Warren Christie, OCTOBER ROAD) is cast as the lead in a staging of the "The Magic Flute" opera for Mozart's 250th birthday. Overwhelmed by the genius of the score, Tom fantasizes the opera in his mind, and quickly becomes obsessed with his mysterious co-star, Masha, (opera singer Mireille Asselin) an unknown Russian soprano of extraordinary talent who is constantly isolated from the rest of the company by her manager, Dr. Nagel (Rutger Hauer, Blade Runner). Tom's interest in Masha becomes backstage intrigue as fantasy crosses into reality.

Winner of Best Family Film at the 2008 New York, Staten Island Film Festival, THE MAGIC FLUTE DIARIES was shot on location in Salzburg, Vienna, Munich and Toronto, and showcases Toronto's internationally-renowned Opera Atelier Baroque Opera Company.

MOZART DECODED and THE MAGIC FLUTE DIARIES were written, directed and produced by multiple Emmy and Gemini Award-winning filmmaker Kevin Sullivan (ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: A NEW BEGINNING, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, ROAD TO AVONLEA).

About Sullivan Entertainment:

Now in its 29th year, Sullivan Entertainment continues to be an internationally-recognized and award-winning producer of television series, feature films and mini-series. Established in 1979 by Kevin Sullivan and Trudy Grant, Sullivan Entertainment quickly became the producer of Canada's most watched television, with the GREEN GABLES-AVONLEA franchise. Great successes for Sullivan Entertainment have included the critically-acclaimed television series WIND AT MY BACK, BUTTERBOX BABIES – the highest-rated Canadian television movie of all time – and THE PIANO MAN'S DAUGHTER, starring Stockard Channing and Christian Campbell based on the novel by Timothy Findley. Sullivan Entertainment productions have been praised for their visual beauty, their strong storytelling and the fine acting through which they weave their unique spell. Sullivan Entertainment has expanded into several additional successful business ventures, including the Sullivan Boutique, Sullivan Entertainment International, Sullivan Home Entertainment and Sullivan Animation.

About 'A'

Fresh and dynamic, 'A' is the new home of established primetime hits, critical favourites and big-buzz new series. 'A' delivers Canadian television's most exciting new schedule in Atlantic Canada, Ontario and British Columbia as well as in Alberta on ACCESS in certain primetime hours. 'A' spotlights day-to-day life in local communities in Victoria/Vancouver, Barrie/Toronto, Ottawa, London, Windsor and Wingham through its award-winning 'A' News programming. 'A' is owned by CTV Limited, a division of CTVglobemedia, Canada's premier multi-media company. More information about 'A' may be found at www.atv.ca.

Richard Egarr joins Handel and Haydn Society for "Mozart and Beethoven"

Music Director of the Academy of Ancient Music Joins Society for a Program of Beethoven and Mozart

Richard Egarr conducts symphonies and leads a Mozart piano concerto from the fortepiano

WHEN: Friday, November 7, 2008, at 8pm

Sunday, November 9, 2008, at 3pm

WHERE: Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston

WHAT: Richard Egarr, Music Director of the UK’s Academy of Ancient Music, joins the Handel and Haydn Society in the second program of its “Celebration 2009” Season, which commemorates the legacies of its two namesake composers. Hailed as “The Bernstein of Early Music” by National Public Radio, Egarr will lead Mozart’s virtuosic Piano Concert No. 23 from the fortepiano. Egarr will also conduct the Handel and Haydn Period-Instrument Orchestra in symphonies by Mozart and Beethoven, as well as the dramatic overture to Beethoven’s only full ballet score, Creatures of Prometheus.

This repertoire highlights the historical relationship of Mozart and Beethoven to the earlier works of Handel and to their Classical contemporary Haydn: Haydn and Mozart had a close personal relationship, Beethoven studied with Haydn for a brief time, and Handel’s works were quite popular in Vienna. Beethoven and Mozart built upon the musical ideas of the Society’s namesake composers to further develop the sound of the Classical orchestra.

PROGRAM:

Mozart: Symphony No. 1

Piano Concerto No. 23

Beethoven: Overture to Creatures of Prometheus

Symphony No. 8

WHO: Richard Egarr, conductor/fortepiano

Handel and Haydn Society Period-Instrument Orchestra

HOW: Tickets range from $20-$75, and may be purchased online at www.handelandhaydn.org, by phone at 617 266 3605, or in person at the Handel and Haydn office, Horticultural Hall, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston (M-F 10am-6pm).

BIOGRAPHIES:

Richard Egarr

Richard Egarr has performed keyboard music from fifteenth-century organ intabulations to Dussek and Chopin on early pianos, to Berg and Maxwell Davies on modern piano. He is in great demand as a soloist; as orchestral soloist he has worked with the Academy of Ancient Music, English Concert, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Orchestra of the 18^th Century and the Dutch Radio Chamber Orchestra. With violinist Andrew Manze he has toured extensively throughout Europe, North-America, Korea and Japan.

As a conductor Richard has worked with specialised ensembles and modern orchestras alike, in repertoire from Bach’s St. Matthew Passion to Taverner’s Ikon of Light. In 2006, he was appointed Music Director of the Academy of Ancient Music. Richard has directed many oratorios and operas, notably from Handel. He has conducted the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Flemish Radio Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Portland Baroque and Tafelmusik. Next year Richard will conduct the Residentie Orchestra, the Brabant Orchestra, the Flemish Radio Orchestra and Choir and Collegium Vocale Ghent.

Richard Egarr records exclusively for Harmonia Mundi USA. Recent additions to his vast discography are Bach’s Goldberg Variations, his Well-Tempered Clavier and Sonatas by Mozart and Schubert with Andrew Manze. With the AAM he has recorded the Bach harpsichord concertos and an entire set of Handel discs including the Concerti grossi Op. 3, the Organ Concertos Op. 4 and 7 and his Sonatas Op. 1 and 5.

The Handel and Haydn Society is a professional chorus and period-instrument orchestra and an internationally recognize­d leader in the field of historically-informed performance. Founded in Boston in 1815, the Society is the oldest continuously performing arts organization in the United States, with a long history of innovation: it gave the American premieres of Handel’s Messiah (1818), Haydn’s The Creation (1819), Verdi’s Requiem (1878), Bach’s Mass in B Minor (1887), and Bach’s St. Matthew Passion (1889). The Society today, under the leadership of Artistic Director Designate Harry Christophers, Artistic Advisor Sir Roger Norrington, Principal Conductor Grant Llewellyn, and Conductor Laureate Christopher Hogwood, is committed to its mission “to perform Baroque and Classical music at the highest levels of artistic excellence and to share that music with as large and diverse an audience as possible.” The Massachusetts Cultural Council has lauded the organization for its “willingness to take risks and explore new musical horizons.”

Opera Atelier presents The Abduction from the Seraglio

Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio fuses comedy and exoticism to brilliant effect

Toronto, ON (October 2, 2008) …Opera Atelier’s 2008/09 season begins with a new production of Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio which runs at the Elgin Theatre November 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, and 15, 2008. Originally commissioned by Austrian Emperor Joseph II, the opera was an instant success upon its 1782 premiere in Vienna. Opera Atelier’s resident designer Gerard Gauci has created a spectacular new production that evokes the exoticism that enthralled 18^th-century Europe at the time of the opera’s premiere.

The Abduction from the Seraglio presents a classic commedia dell’ arte scenario in which a beautiful young person (male or female) is sequestered away from the world by a controlling guardian or spouse. In the opera, the Spanish nobleman Belmonte and his servant Pedrillo plot to rescue their girlfriends Konstanze and Blondie from the harem of Pasha Selim. Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio allows this classic commedia dell’ arte plot line to be played out to brilliant effect as the Turkish and European worlds collide in hilarious contrast.

The Abduction from the Seraglio marks the company debut of Canadian tenor Frédéric Antoun as Belmonte, American coloratura soprano Amanda Pabyan as his fiancée Konstanze, and Norwegian-American bass Gustav Andreassen as Osmin, overseer for the Pasha. The production also features soprano Carla Huhtanen in the role of Blondie, Konstanze’s British maid, tenor Lawrence Wiliford as Pedrillo, bass-baritone Curtis Sullivan as Pasha Selim, and Artists of Atelier Ballet. David Fallis conducts the Tafelmusik Orchestra.

This new production is directed by Marshall Pynkoski and choreographed by Jeannette Lajeunesse-Zingg, Opera Atelier's co-artistic directors, with set designs by Gerard Gauci, costumes by Margaret Lamb, and lighting by Kevin Fraser.

Performances are at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre (189 Yonge Street) and begin at 7:30 p.m. with the exception of the November 9^th matinee at 3 p.m., and will be sung in German with English SURTITLES^TM with the spoken text delivered in English.