O Dulcis Virgo
Wednesday, Jan22, 2001 at 8PM
Trinity St. Paul's Centre, Toronto
For Immediate Release - Toronto, January 3, 2001: Toronto's newest chamber music ensemble, Talisker Players, present the second concert of their inaugural series on Monday, January 22 at 8PM. The evening, titled O Dulcis Virgo, stars sopranos Barbara Hannigan and Heidi Klann and tenor Colin Ainsworth performing works by Boccherini, Schubert and Virgil Thomson. The programme also features the world premiere of Canadian composer Andrew Ager's The Winter Stairs.
With rarely-performed works from the 18th century (Boccherini's Stabat Mater), 19th century (Schubert's Salve Regina), 20th century (Thomson's Stabat Mater) and 21th century (Ager's The Winter Stairs), the programme explores the relationship between Mary and Jesus from a humanistic as well as a religious point of view. The two settings of Stabat Mater are about Mary at the foot of the cross. The Salve Regina is a hymn of praise to Mary. The Winter Stairs - especially written for Barbara Hannigan and commissioned by Talisker Players - is a setting of the Magnificat (the text about the annunciation by the angel) interspersed with settings of poetry by the Canadian prairie mystic, John V. Hicks.
Talisker Players is an expandable string quartet with the unique mandate of presenting vocal chamber music. Members of Talisker Players share a passion for music and literature, hence this venture into the eclectic repertoire for solo voice and chamber ensemble. The ensemble is committed to expanding the vocal chamber music repertoire, by commissioning Canadian composers to write for the genre.
Barbara Hannigan, soprano; Heidi Klann, soprano; and Colin Ainsworth, tenor; and the
Talisker Players.
Franz Schubert Salve Regina for soprano and string quartet
Virgil Thomson Stabat Mater for soprano and string quartet (text: Max Jacob)
Andrew Ager The Winter Stairs for soprano, string quartet and English horn
Luigi Boccherini Stabat Mater for soprano, two violins, viola and two cellos
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| Barbara Hannigan | Heidi Klann | Colin Ainsworth |
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Media Contact: Francine Labelle/flINK
416-654-4406
labellefrancine@rogers.com
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