Volume 12 - Issue 9 - June 2007

LIFT OFF! The Naughtiest Eurydice: Glimmerglass Opera's Orpheus CycleColumnist Phil Ehrensaftcircles his summer calendarGlimmerglass Opera, the crown jewel in NorthAmerica's summer opera season, celebrates the400th anniversary of Monteverdi 's seminal 1607Orfeo with four Orpheus and Eurydice productionsthat span the history of opera as a genre.Glimmerglass lies at the eastern end of thesouthern, U.S. branch of the Golden Horseshoe.The driving distance from downtown Toronto toCooperstown, NY, is actually a bit less than thedrive from TO to downtown Montreal.Operatic passion for the Orpheus and Eurydicemyth commenced with the 1607 Monteverdi.Glimmerglass then takes us to the classicalera with Gluck's iconic Orphee et Eurydice,which premiered in 1761. Gluck's elegant masterpieceis the essence of the ancien regime.Next in line, and a Can-Can line at that, isJacques Offenbach's 1858 send-up -- of Gluck,a stilted Parisian grand theatre, and all Greek mythologyto boot -- Orphee aux enfers (Orpheusin the Underworld). This will be a big momentfor the rising Canadian, Jean-Marie ZeitoWli, whoconducts.Orphee was the first full-length operetta. Tomy ears and eyes, it is still the paramount operetta,even when lined up against the musical andcomic genius of misters Gilbert and Sullivan. OnceOffenbach's tongue-in-cheek Orpheus is experienced,it is difficult to attend an achingly tragicOrpheus. In Offenbach, Eurydice is a bored wifewho can't stand her musician husband's lugubriousviolin, and has the hots for a shepherd whoturns out to be Pluto. She's happy as a lark to dieand run down to Hades with her beau. Orpheusis ecstatic to get rid of her but caves in to thepressures of Dame Public Opinion to seek Eury-dice out in Hades. Meanwhile, Eurydice finds Plutoas irritating as her husband. Jupiter, being olderand wiser, devises the Orpheus-looking-back trickto make sure that Eurydice stays underground,where she happily ends up as a good-time girl inthe service of Bacchus. All of this is served up inone smashing aria after another, plus the Galopinfernal that became the epitomal Can-can. It'sa slashing take on the loose and seedy politics ofSecond Empire France (1852-70).Capping off the series is Philip Glass' Orphee,which premiered in 1993 and was inspired by JeanCocteau's classic 1949 film of the same name. It isGlimmerglass' contribution to celebrating Glass' seventiethbirthday and composer 's contributions to contemporaryopera. As frosting on the birthday cake,Glimmerglass will also screen the Cocteau film.Glimmerglass is always a peak operatic experience,but the peak is exceptionally high this year.Art of JazzDistillery Historic District, Toronto,ONFrom May 30 - June 3, 2007, the2ndAnnualArt of Jazz Celebrationwill transform the DistilleryHistoric District in Toronto into ahotbed of rhythm, improvisation,harmony and sophistication. Art ofJazz Celebration offers 5 days ofmajor concerts, themed programs,workshops, jam sessions, photoexhibits, author readings andmore. Clinics by masters BarryHarris, Bob Brookmeyer, CarlaBley, Jimmy Slyde, John Benitez,Kevin Mahogany, Osmany62BLUEBRIDGEFESTIVAL8-10 June 20073 Days 14 EventsMusic, Poetry & SongSutton, Lake Simcoe, Ontario·~ . twww.bluebridgefestival.co;,,Presented by Ardeleona MusicBrenda Muller, Artistic DirectorTH& ONTARIO 11~ ~ LA FOND ATI Ol'llTRILLIUM "' "' TRILLIU MFOUNDATION \ D IC L •0NTAR10TOWN Of @GEORGINAParedes and others form thisyear's educational centre, whilestellar tribute evenings to legendaryCanadian composer andtrumpeter Kenny Wheeler andvocal jazz icon Jon Hendricks areat the core of the Celebration.Three free outdoor stages featurelocal, national and internationalmusicians throughout the weekend.From morning Wltil the wee hours,the Art of Jazz Celebration willbecome a meeting point for internationaljazz greats and music loversalike. Visit website for a completeschedule and ticket information.May 30-June 3, 2007www.artofjazz.org416 720-2825Bayfield Festival ofSongTown Hall, Bayfield, ONUnder the artistic direction of TheAldeburgh Connection's StephenRalls and Bruce Ubukata, theBayfield Festival of Song celebratesboth 125th anniversary ofBayfield's historic Town Hall andthe Aldebwgh Connection's SilverJubilee.Three concerts are planned forthis inaugural season. On Saturday,June 9 there is a morning coffeeconcert of piano duets, and a recitalin the evening with baritoneJames Westman, who grew up inthe area, with Stephen Ralls, piano.Our Sunday, June 10th concert isentitled The Village Sings - a lookat music which the town mighthave been hearing in 1882 whenthe hall was built, and featuringLaura Albino, soprano, MeganLatham, mezzo, Adam Luther,WWW.THEWHOLENOTE.COMtenor and Jason Nedecky, baritone,with Stephen Ralls and BruceUbukata, piano.June 9 & 10www.aldeburghconnection.org416-531-3330Blue Bridge FestivalVillages of Sutton and Jackson'sPoint, ONOn June 8-10 the villages ofSutton and Jackson's Point atLake Simcoe will be home to thefirst annual Blue Bridge Festivalpresented by York Region'sArdeleana Chamber Music Societyto mark its 20th anniversary.The three-day festival of outstandingchamber music, poetryand song is directed by BrendaMuller, the experimental cellist/songwriter and artistic director ofArdeleana Music.Drawing on landmark venuesthroughout the Town of Georgina,this multi-disciplinary 14-eventfestival builds onArdeleana'slongstanding traditions ofinterweavingmusic and poetry by includingworkshops and readings byleading Canadian poets M. TravisLane, Barry Dempster and PatriciaKeeney and singer/songwritersMarie-Lynn Hammond and entertainer/songwriter,Magoo. Specialfeatures include premiers of concertmusic by Canadian womencomposers, opera singers on abarge drifting down the BlackRiver, and 3 full-length inter-artsconcerts. The Gala Concert featuresYork Region choirs performingVivaldi 's Gloria en masse withan orchestra, operatic favouritesand chamber music with theArdeleana Trio (flute, cello, piano)- performed with poems read byfestival poets.June8&10www. bl uebridgefestival .com905-722-9587 (GeorginaArtsCentre)Brott Music FestivalHamilton, Burlington, Toronto,Muskoka, ONCanada's largest orchestral musicfestival, celebrates its 20th anniversary.Founded by Boris Brott as anI I-day festival in 1988, it hasgrown into 16 weeks featuringclassical, jazz, recital, pops, andeducational concerts. Lauded forits innovative approach to musicmaking,Brott features Canada'sfinest soloists and the NationalAcademy Orchestra, Canada'sonly professional training orchestra.Luminaries of the Canadianscene have appeared - KarenKain, Pinchas Zukerman, MordecaiRichler, William Hutt, Anton Kuerti,astronaut Marc Garneau, formerPrime Minister Kim Campbell.2007 highlights include debuts byThe Gryphon Trio, violinist SuzanneHou and conductor Alain Trudel,annual High Tea series at theArtGallery ofHamilton, SummerProms with guest conductor BrianJackson, and a screening of the1925 Phantom of the Opera.There's a Beethoven Blitz series,an all-Tchaikovsky program, andSymphony Unplugged- a tribute towhat's new in Canadian music.The season finale is Mahler's epic8th Symphony, Symphony Of AThousand, never performed inHamilton and rarely performed in)UNE 1 - ) ULY 7 2007