Lebanese-Canadian soprano and AtG Founding Member, Miriam Khalil takes the stage at the 21C Festival performing her Juno nominated signature piece, Ayre by Osvaldo Golijov.

A lush fusion of Arabic, Hebrew, Sardinian, and Sephardic folk melodies and texts, Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov’s Ayre is a thrill to experience and a brilliant example of 21st-century cultural counterpoint. We first presented the celebrated song cycle at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and then took it on the road to the Ottawa International Chamber Festival and a sold out run at the breathtaking Ismaili Centre. Now, we’re bringing it home to Toronto for one night only at Koerner Hall to open the 21C Music Festival.

Lebanese-Canadian soprano and AtG Founding Member Miriam Khalil sings this technically challenging and deeply moving song cycle with accompaniment by 11 world-class instrumentalists. The performance is staged by Joel Ivany, and an evocative setting praised by audiences and critics alike is lit by AtG Resident Lighting Designer Jason Hand.

Pre-show talk begins at 6pm.

Performance begins at 8pm. 

The first half of the program will feature works by Golijov including Mariel, K’vakarat, and Tenebrae. There will be an intermission, and then Part II of our evening: the presentation of Ayre.

January 11, 2019

at Koerner Hall

273 Bloor St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1V6

For tickets, visit atgtheatre.com

Ayre is presented in partnership with the 21C Festival, and the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Sung in Arabic, Hebrew, Sardinian, and Sephardic, with translations. The performance is 2.5 hours including an intermission.

Photo: Miriam Khalil in Ayre. © 2017 Darryl Block.