Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Unsound first came to Toronto as part of the Luminato festival in 2015 and created a sensation. The internationally-renowned Polish-born festival introduced its boundary-pushing program focused on electronic music, and with a series of unforgettable immersive events incorporating video art, lights and more.
This month, Unsound bookends Halloween in Toronto with two nights of Canadian exclusives for 2017 in a pair of seated events at The Sony Centre. The landmark theatre will play host to a radical mix of ambient soundscapes, innovative film and TV scores, dance, and even ancient Slavic sounds.
In 2017, Unsound hosts a tri-continental series of special autumn events in Krakow, Adelaide, London and Toronto. The Toronto presentation is a collaborative project between Unsound, Civic Theatres Toronto and Luminato.
Halloween High: October 27 - 8pm
On October 27, Unsound presents Halloween High bringing euphoria and darkness to the stage in an unexpected combination of shows involving music, dance and film.
Jlin has followed up her hit sophomore album by creating music for Autobiography, the new work by UK choreographer Wayne McGregor, inspired by the sequencing of McGregor's entire genome. Autobiography Edits has been custom-made to fit to a music lineup rather than a conventional stand-alone theatre setting. This compact performance brings dancers from Company Wayne McGregor to the Unsound stage, underlining the role Unsound played in bringing Jlin and Wayne McGregor together as collaborators. Read a review of Autobiography at Sadler's Wells in London, England on The Guardian here and watch an except of a performance.
Billed alongside is a screening of the cult film Under the Skin with a live performance of the acclaimed score by Academy Award-nominated Mica Levi. Performing Levi's score is the Unsound Toronto Ensemble, a specially created group of some of Toronto's best string and percussion players conducted by Evan Mitchell.
Halloween Hangover: November 3 - 8pm
On November 3, Unsound presents Halloween Hangover.
Halloween Hangover sees Emmy-winning composers of the score for the hit Netflix TV show, Stranger Things present sections of their evocative synthscore live - hot on the heels of the release of the second season. Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein (from the band S U R V I V E) - first presented the music live at Unsound Krakow in 2016, with a specially commissioned lighting installation/stage design concept by German visual artist MFO, also to be part of this show, with a performance by Theresa Baumgartner.
The evening also features the Toronto debut of GAS, the legendary project from Kompakt Records head Wolfgang Voigt. Inspired by dark forests of Germany, the unsettling and symphonic music of GAS is an ambient touchstone. This audio visual show follows the acclaimed release of Narkopop, the first record by GAS in 17 years.
Cult Polish band Księzyc will open the evening. With five members playing an array of instruments, Księzyc draws on ancient Slavic music, minimalism and experimentation to create mysterious, haunting soundscapes.
Quotes
"Unsound is all about bringing surprising combinations of music and art forms into unexpected venues. That was our aim at The Hearn as part of Luminato, and to have the opportunity to present a radical program in a landmark venue like the Sony Centre is just as exciting. We're also very happy to engage with local audiences once again, since the previous Unsound Toronto events were two of our all-time favourites."
- Mat Schulz, Artistic Director, Unsound.
"While Sony Centre has always been one of Toronto's top traditional venues, we're really excited to expand into something more adventurous. With Unsound, audiences will experience some of the most innovative arts programming in the world - combining music, film, TV and dance in ways that break down expectations."
- Madeleine Skoggard, Director of Programming, Civic Theatres Toronto
"The inclusion of Wayne McGregor's work in Unsound is a wonderful addition to our contemporary dance presentations and a special gift to dance audiences. In many ways, an ideal placement for his reintroduction to Toronto audiences given his close affinity to the Unsound ethos."
- Mark Hammond, Vice President of Programming, Civic Theatres Toronto
"I have long admired the vision of Unsound's Mat Schulz and Małgorzata Płysa whose inspiration has driven the incomparable Unsound over the past decade. As Toronto audiences are about to experience Unsound doesn't exist as a single concept, rather it is a creative force that takes many forms as the two events that Luminato has the pleasure of presenting with Civic Theatres Toronto next month will demonstrate."
- Josephine Ridge, Artistic Director, Luminato
LISTING INFO
October 27 - 8pm at the Sony Centre
Unsound: Halloween High
Autobiography Edits - choreographed by Wayne McGregor with original score by Jlin, performed by dancers from Company Wayne McGregor
Under the Skin - Film screening with score by Mica Levi performed by the Unsound Toronto Ensemble
November 3 - 8pm at the Sony Centre
Unsound: Halloween Hangover
Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein perform The Music of Stranger Things (US)
Wolfgang Voigt presents GAS live (DE)
Księzyc (PL)
Buy tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.ca/venueartist/131106/2160855?brand=sony
ABOUT UNSOUND
Unsound is one of the world's most acclaimed platforms for electronic and experimental music, known for discovering new artists and initiating new projects in the fields of music, visual arts, dance and theatre. Although the flagship festival has taken place in Krakow, Poland since 2003, Unsound's mobility is part of its DNA, crossing geographical as well as musical borders. This has resulted in many co-presented events around the world, from New York to Vladivostok, Adelaide to London.
Unsound: Halloween High and Halloween Hangover are presented in partnership with The Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Toronto and the Polish Cultural Institute New York.
TICKETING INFO
Tickets for both Unsound events go on sale Friday, September 15 at 10am. Ticket prices range from $35-$85. Ticket passes for the two dates can also be purchased with a 20% discount on all ticket price levels. Ticket prices do not include service or delivery fees. Tickets can be purchased at www.sonycentre.ca, over the phone at 1-855-872-SONY (7669) or in person at the Sony Centre Box Office, open Monday - Friday from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
2017-10-10
Toronto: Unsound does Halloween