Special radio broadcast hosted by Tom Allen will feature a cast of 1000 musicians, singers, and conductors performing R. Murray Schafer’s epic oratorio
On Sunday, June 28th at 2 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. AT/ 3:30 NT) CBC Radio 2 will broadcast an iconic live performance of Luminato Festival’s Apocalypsis. CBC Radio 2’s Tom Allen will host the broadcast of the event, which will take place at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto and feature a cast of 1000 local singers, musicians, conductors, actors and dancers. Allen will guide listeners through the two-part masterpiece: John’s Vision, a meditation on the world ending in chaos; and Credo, a revolutionary ascension to order.
Apocalypsis will be performed in full for the first time in over 30 years. Instrumental in the original commissioning of the work, CBC broadcast the premiere on CBC Radio in 1980, and is proud to once again broadcast this ground breaking event to Canadian music lovers, from coast to coast on Sunday, June 28th, live from the Sony Centre.
Written by acclaimed Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer, with direction and design by Lemi Ponifasio of MAU, and musical direction by Toronto conductor David Fallis (The Toronto Consort, Opera Atelier) and light by Helen Todd (MAU); this epic musical voyage blends professional and amateur talents in acast of 1000. Highlights include performances from multi-disciplinary artistNina Arsenault, Tony Award- winner Brent Carver, dancer Denise Fujiwara, Polaris Prize-winnerTanya Tagaq, rising New Zealand opera star Kawiti Waetford and the voice of the renowned performance artist Laurie Anderson.
“We are thrilled to be working with Luminato Festival to broadcast this stunning piece to the country,” said Mark Steinmetz, senior director of music, radio and audio English services, CBC. “CBC was instrumental in the original commissioning of the work and its broadcast premiere on CBC Radio in 1980. Apocalypsis will now be presented in full for the first time since that performance. ”
“Apocalypsis is the apotheosis of this year’s Luminato Festival. It asks the two most important questions: How do we end? How can we begin? At Luminato we strive to do what no one else is doing; to give the greatest artists of our time the time and space to create, and to involve the community to make them part of a transformative experience—that is what this show is all about,” said Jorn Weisbrodt, artistic director, Luminato Festival. “To record this masterpiece by Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer was a dream I had from the very beginning and I could not be prouder that it has become reality. It would not be possible without the goodwill and support of over 1000 people: each and every performer, the team at the CBC, our union partners, a group of visionary donors, and the Luminato team.”
Apocalypsis at Luminato Festival is presented by BMO with support from Hal Jackman Foundation, Gretchen and Donald Ross, the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, and in partnership with the National Arts Centre and the Royal Conservatory of Music.
This recording was made possible through the generous support of Helen Burstyn and Family, Wendy M. Cecil, The Michael and Sonja Koerner Charitable Foundation, Nancy Lockhart and The Murray Frum Foundation, Joan and Jerry Lozinski, Eleanor McCain, Margaret McCain, Joe Mimran and Kimberley Newport-Mimran, Julia Ouellette , Jim and Sandra Pitblado, Beth Robinson, Gretchen and Donald Ross, Colleen Sexsmith. With special thanks to Canadian Actors Equity Association, ACTRA, Canadian Federation of Musicians and IATSE.
Apocalypsis runs June 26 to 28 at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available at www.luminatofestival.com, ticketmaster.ca or the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts box office (1 Front St. East, 1.855.872.7669).
-30-
About CBC Music.ca
CBCMusic.ca is Canada’s free digital music service connecting Canadians with the very best in Canadian and international music, concerts and features. Simple and easy to navigate, CBCMusic.ca gives music fans access to 50 Web radio stations, 12 distinct genre-based music communities, CBC Radio 2 and CBC Radio 3, plus content from the most knowledgeable music personalities and programmers from across the country, hundreds of concerts, playlists and more.
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages.
A space for us all is CBC/Radio-Canada’s strategy to transform the public broadcaster, and ensure that it continues to fulfill its mandate for Canadians, now and for future generations. Through to 2020, it will increase its investment in prime-time television programming and continue to create radio programs of the highest quality, while promoting the development of digital and mobile platforms and content.
About Luminato Festival:
Luminato Festival is Toronto’s international multi-arts festival for people open to having art change their outlook on the world. For 10 days each June, Luminato Festival transforms Toronto’s theatres, parks and public spaces with hundreds of events celebrating theatre, dance, music, literature, food, visual arts, magic, film, and more.
Luminato Festival is a charitable, not-for-profit, cultural organization whose vision is to commission and present significant local, national, and international programming that reflects Toronto as a crossroads of ideas, cultures and traditions. Now in its 9thyear, Luminato Festival has become one of North America’s leading arts festivals. The Luminato Festival runs June 19 to 28, 2015. luminatofestival.com
For more information, interviews, artist bios & photos please contact:
Dayna Shiskos
Publicist, CBC
Dayna.Shiskos@cbc.ca
O: (416) 205-7973
C: (416) 420-5241
