Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Toronto Masque Theatre is proud to announce our ninth season of interdisciplinary performance featuring music, theatre, poetry, and dance. Once again, we will present accessible, stimulating work designed to engage audiences. Our productions range from an operatic double-bill on the theme of young love and revenge, a cabaret journey to the creative heart of ageless Paris, and a celebration of the rich legacy of a musical genius and his work for the stage.
In keeping with our commitment to public engagement and deepening the appreciation of masque and Toronto Masque Theatre’s unique interpretation, Artistic Director Larry Beckwith, joined by special guests, will host a pre-show chat 45 minutes before each performance.
FAIREST ISLE: A PURCELL CELEBRATION
November 16 and 17, 2012
Fairest Isle will celebrate the genius of Henry Purcell, one of the most prolific and innovative composers of the Baroque period. Fairest Isle will showcase the best of Purcell’s works for the stage; pieces that combine dance, theatre, music, and song. Highlights from his work composed for the Church along with his commissions for spectacular royal occasions will provide audiences with a tour of the landscape of the composer known as the “English Orpheus”.
The program will feature tenor Lawrence Wiliford, dancer Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière, actor Derek Boyes and an ensemble of singers and players directed from the violin by Larry Beckwith.
LES ROSES DE LA VIE: A PARISIAN SOIRẾE
February 7, 8, and 9, 2013
Join us for a multi-media Parisian cabaret, Les Roses de la Vie, and enjoy the magical allure of Paris and the beauty of its art, featuring works that range from the Medieval period to the present day, including music from Aznavour, Couperin, Chopin, Debussy, Marais, and Poulenc, and poetry by Appolinaire, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, and Verlaine.
The evening will also feature the acclaimed corporeal mime artist Giuseppe Condello, who will perform with both music and text. There will also be film projections from classic films showcasing the culture of Paris.
Appropriate for a celebration of a city so devoted to the gourmand, the evening will include delicious food and drink.
Featuring Colin Ainsworth, Christopher Bagan, Justin Haynes, Kathleen Kajioka, and special appearances by mime artist Giuseppe Condello.
THE LESSONS OF LOVE: AN OPERATIC DOUBLE-BILL
May 10, 11 and May 12
Our season grand finale is a powerful operatic double-bill. The Lessons of Love will fuse old and new, East and West by presenting John Blow’s 1684 “dramatick masque,” Venus and Adonis, alongside the world premiere of composer Alice Ping Yee Ho and librettist Marjorie Chan’s The Lesson of Da Ji, an opera of revenge and intrigue written especially for Toronto Masque Theatre. One fascinating element of this new opera is the character of “the Moon”, will be portrayed by Peking Opera specialist William Lau.
With some of the most sublime music ever written, The Lessons of Love will be an evening of wide-ranging performance that will leave audiences mesmerized by the beauty and complexity of our human experience.
Directed by Derek Boyes and Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière.
Conducted by Larry Beckwith.
Featuring Derek Chan, Charlotte Corwin, Benjamin Covey, Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière, William Lau, Marion Newman and an orchestra of baroque and Chinese instruments.
What Toronto Masque Theatre announces its 2012/13 Season featuring three productions: Fairest Isle, Les Roses de la Vie and Lessons of Love.
When Productions take place November 16, 17 (Fairest Isle); February 7, 8, 9 (Les Roses de la Vie) and May 10, 11, 12 (Lessons of Love). All performances start at 8pm, except for May 12th, which starts at 3pm. A pre-show chat with Artistic Director Larry Beckwith and guests will be held 45 minutes before every performance.
Where Productions will take place at the Al Green Theatre (Fairest Isle and Lessons of Love) and the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse (Les Roses de la Vie).
How Season ticket prices for all three productions are: $105; $90 (for seniors) and $60 (for under 30). Tickets for individual performances are: $40; $35(for seniors) and $20 (for under 30). Information on season and individual tickets available from the Toronto Masque Theatre website or by phoning 416 410 4561
Who Toronto Masque Theatre. For more information on the company and our upcoming season please go to our website.
About Toronto Masque Theatre:
Toronto Masque Theatre was founded by Artistic Director Larry Beckwith in 2003 and immediately became a significant player in the City of Toronto’s arts scene. In its eight seasons, Toronto Masque Theatre has produced close to 25 critically-acclaimed multi-media productions, ranging in repertoire from the late Renaissance to the modern day. They have commissioned six new works, two from James Rolfe and one each from Omar Daniel, Abigail Richardson, Dean Burry and Alice Ping Yee Ho, as well as presenting music theatre works by Monteverdi, Purcell, Handel, Stravinsky and John Beckwith, plays by Edna St. Vincent Millay, James Reaney, Patrick Garland, and Moliere and "variety" evenings including Commedia, Tears of a Clown, and Masque of the Muses.
Toronto Masque Theatre takes as its inspiration the rich courtly masque tradition of the late Renaissance and offers clever, intimate, and highly entertaining productions which fuse different aspects of the performing arts. Both historically informed and daringly modern, with each program Toronto Masque Theatre manages to surprise, move, and delight in new and brilliant ways.
Toronto Masque Theatre has appeared at the Guelph Spring Festival, Festival of the Sound, Music at Sharon and the Elora Festival, and has been heard on CBC Radio.
Toronto Masque Theatre is supported by Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Photo: Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière. ©2012 Toronto Masque Theatre.
2012-09-12
Toronto: Toronto Masque Theatre announces its 2012/13 season