Rumours of Peace, Festival Vancouver

Reflections on the cost of human conflict, and the hope for lasting peace.

Friday, August 8, 2008 at 8PM
Christ Church Cathedral, 690 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Talisker Players Chamber Music appears for the first time at Festival Vancouver, August 8 at 8 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral, with Rumours of Peace, a powerful programme that captivates the ear and touches the heart. The musicians of the ensemble are joined by two of Canada's finest young singers, soprano Teri Dunn and baritone Alexander Dobson, in a diverse range of music reflecting on the cost of human conflict – and the hope for lasting peace.

Talisker Players is widely admired for its original projects that unite instrumental music, song and the spoken word. Joining them for this performance is the Very Reverend Peter Elliott, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, who will read from Vermeer in Bosnia, a collection of essays by Lawrence Weschler which compassionately consider our responses to some of the great human crises of the late 20th century.

A highlight of the evening will be Cantata da Requiem a dramatic work for voice with viola, cello, piano and percussion by Gloria Coates, an expatriate American who has lived for many years in Germany. It uses a variety of texts from women on both sides of the combat in World War II – including poetry, a telegram, a note from a school teacher and a BBC weather report.

Rumours of Peace also features music by one of the most acclaimed composers on the contemporary international scene, the Argentinian-American Osvaldo Golijov. Tenebrae is based on a setting of letters of the Hebrew alphabet, for voice, clarinet and string quartet. It juxtaposes two very different realities experienced by the composer within a short period of time in September 2000: a visit to Israel at the start of another wave of violence in the region; and a visit to the new planetarium in New York City a week later with his young son, where they saw "the Earth as a beautiful blue dot in space."

There is also a world premiere on the programme, Red Moon and Other Songs of War by the award-winning young Canadian composer Robert Rival. Written for voice with clarinet, piano and percussion, this piece was commissioned by Talisker Players for their 2008 Festival Vancouver performance. The title poem, Red Moon, is by the famed Canadian physician Norman Bethune. Five other poets are represented, reflecting on many different wars from many different perspectives.

Two short works round out the programme: Dover Beach, a beautiful setting of Matthew Arnold's famous poem, for voice and string quartet by the great American composer Samuel Barber; and a setting of Canada's most famous war poem, In Flanders Fields, for two voices, violin, viola, cello, English horn and piano, by the young Toronto composer Stephanie Moore.

Ottawa-born soprano Teri Dunn has been described as "outstanding" by BBC Music Magazine. She is equally admired for her natural feel for early music, and for her daring approach to avant-garde works of today's leading composers. Her recent performance of George Crumb's Ancient Voices of Children and Federico's Songs for Little Children, was recorded live with New Music Concerts for the Naxos label. Her credits include oratorio, opera and chamber music performances with some of Canada's finest ensembles. Dunn has performed in the U.S. and England and is heard frequently on CBC Radio. Her discography includes recordings for Centrediscs and Naxos.

The British-Canadian baritone Alexander Dobson has been praised for his musicality and dramatic awareness on both the opera and recital stage. Recent career highlights include his riveting portrayal of Wozzeck conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin in Montreal and his Royal Opera debut when The Midnight Court by Ana Sokolovic was presented at Covent Garden's Linbury Theatre. He is the recipient of numerous awards and prizes, including the award for outstanding baritone at the International Voice Competition of Paris

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Media Contact: Elizabeth Shannon
416-927-7291
e.shannon@taliskerplayers.ca

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