On the Wing

The mystery and the magic of birds.

Tuesday, & Wednesday May 7 and 8, 2013, at 8PM
Pre-concert talks at 7:15 pm
Trinity St. Paul's Centre
427 Bloor Street West, Toronto

For Immediate Release - Toronto, April 4, 2013: Toronto's Talisker Players welcome the spring and conclude their season with On the Wing, an exploration of the mystery and the magic of birds. This imaginative production stars soprano Erin Bardua and mezzo soprano Vicki St. Pierre, two young singers who have won acclaim for their splendid voices and vivid stage personalities. They share the stage with the acclaimed actor and reader Graham Abbey, and the eclectic members of the Talisker Players ensemble on strings, winds, piano and percussion.

From earliest human history, birds have stirred our imagination. They view our world from above; they surf the wind, and touch the clouds. On the Wing samples some of the many musical evocations of birds - and a few about their insect companions, the butterflies and the bees.

The evening features Telemann's well-known Canary Cantata, for soprano, oboe and strings, a serio-comic story about the loss of a beloved and much-admired pet to a marauding cat. It makes an interesting complement to Lukas Foss's Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird, for soprano, flute, piano and percussion, a setting of Wallace Stevens' famous poem, and one of the really great vocal works of the 20th century.

Other pieces contemplate creatures in more natural settings. Sandpiper, by Nova Scotia composer John Plant, for soprano, clarinet, string quartet and piano, is a setting of an evocative poem by Elizabeth Bishop, who was an American but spent most summers in Nova Scotia, and was much influenced by its ocean landscape and habitats. The Life of the Bee, by the American Lee Hoiby, for mezzo soprano, cello and piano, is a series of linked poems by Jeffrey Beam, which adopt the voice of a bee.

Creature to Creature, by another American, Miriam Gideon, steps back again with a more self-conscious point of view. This charming piece, for mezzo soprano, flute and harp, is a setting of Nancy Cardozo's clever and amusing verses collected under the title 'An Animalculary.' This production selects three of the seven settings, about a housefly, a firefly and a cricket.

Finally, the programme is rounded out with two beautiful short pieces: Aaron Copland's As it Fell Upon a Day, for soprano, flute and clarinet, on a gallant text by Richard Barnefield called 'Address to a Nightingale'; and Arvo Pärt's The Nightingale, for mezzo soprano, violin & viola, on another romantic text, in this case by Clemens von Brentano.Each performance of On the Wing will be preceded by an informal talk by the Talisker Players Composer in Residence, Alexander Rapoport. Free with a ticket to the concert, these entertaining and informative chats became an instant hit when they were instituted two seasons ago.

As always, this Talisker Players production blends instrumental music, song and the spoken word. On the Wing features the acclaimed actor and director Graham Abbey, to perform passages by three of the great writers on natural history - Diane Ackerman and David Quammen and the Canadian William Canning - who explore the world and our place in it with humour and insight.

Vicki St. Pierre's lush voice is both dark and brilliant, an unusual combination. Her beauty of tone, intelligent musicianship and compelling stage presence have won praise on stages across the country. She is an acclaimed interpreter of early music, at ease on the opera and on the concert stage. Also celebrated as an interpreter of contemporary music, Vicki has given Canadian premiere performances of several works.

Soprano Erin Bardua has been praised for her "brilliant-toned voice, agile and strong, yet warm and relaxed." Still at the beginning of her career, she has already distinguished herself in a wide variety of styles and genres. Recognized for her vivid and intelligent performances in contemporary opera, she also appears in recital and in concerts. Further broadening her horizons, she joined a group of adventurous opera singers undertaking clown training, and participated in the creation of a clown opera, The Figaro Project, which premiered in 2007 at Zero Gravity Circus Theatre.

Each performance of On the Wing will be preceded by an informal talk by the Talisker Players Composer in Residence, Alexander Rapoport. Free with a ticket to the concert, these entertaining and informative chats became an instant hit when they were instituted two seasons ago.

Talisker Players Chamber Music offers one of the most imaginative and exciting concert series in Toronto. In collaboration with some of Canada's finest young singers, Talisker Players present the rarely-heard repertoire for voice and chamber ensemble. Their unique programming includes readings that illuminate the music and delight audiences with a stimulating, theatrical concert experience. The music, engaging and varied, includes both celebrated works and unknown gems from all styles and periods, with a strong presence of Canadian compositions.

Media Contact: Francine Labelle/flINK
416-654-4406

labellefrancine@rogers.com

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