New Russian Opera Presents Russian Motifs

New Russian Opera Presents Russian Motifs in Toronto


NOW OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 2, 2005
259, VOL. 25 NO. 9
LISTINGS THIS WEEK:
Just Announced Concerts

Cathy Robinson and Celine Papizewska, sopranos, perform works by Mussorgsky and Prokofiev

When: Saturday, November, 19th 2005
Time: 7:30 pm
Where: The Church of St. Martin in the Field
Address: 151 Glenlake Ave. (Keele & Bloor, Subway Keele Street)
Google Map: 151 Glenlake Ave., Toronto

Tickets: $20-$25
For information, contact director Mila Filatova
e-mail: the_nocc@hotmail.com
phone: (416) 604-1557

Новая Русская Опера представляет Русские Мотивы

Когда: Суббота, 19 ноября 2005
Время: 7:30 вечера

Где: The Church of St. Martin in the Field
Адрес: 151 Glenlake Ave. (Keele & Bloor, Subway Keele Street)

Билеты: $20-$25
Информация: Мила Филатова
e-почта: the_nocc@hotmail.com
тел: (416) 604-1557

Church of St. Martin-in-the-Field (151 Glenlake Ave., Toronto)

Russian Motifs in Toronto

Press-release

Mila Filatova’s name is very well known within the Toronto musical community, especially among the vocal music fans. She is a diverse musician who serves as an accompanist, chorus master, coach, and conductor. She received a Master Degree in Music from the State University of Riga in the former USSR. Since then she has been a guest artist with the Latvian Symphony Orchestra as well as a performer at numerous festivals, many of which have been broadcast at national radio. Upon arrival in Canada she has established a vocal coaching studio wherein she has worked with such artists as the 2003 Grammy Nominee Gidon Saks, the Metropolitan Opera baritone John Relyea and the internationally renowned soprano Ghena Dimitrova.
A great Russian accompanist Evgeny Shenderovich once said: “A soloist is a sail, while an accompanist is a helm. If a boat does not have either of these components, it will be disoriented and unable to reach the desired shore.” Singers who are taught by M.Filatova, have the unique opportunity to absorb and understand the Russian vocal repertoire and its specific style.
Mila continues to explore new ways of delivering this repertoire to audiences. Five years ago she established in Toronto The New Opera & Concerts Centre. The main aims of the new establishment are: to present and popularize opera and vocal music, especially that not very familiar to Canadian audiences, and to develop young Canadian singers for the opera stage. To fulfill these ambitious goals, Mila has produced workshop performances of Bach’s Coffee Cantata, Rossini’s Barber of Seville, Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro and The Impresario, Haydn’s Der Apotheker , and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Iolanta and Queen of Spades. While some of these works are well known to the Toronto audience, Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta and Queen of Spades are rarely seen on the Toronto operatic stage. Many young and promising Canadian singers participated in NOCC’s productions; for some of them it was the first step towards a professional operatic career.

The Centre is active not only in opera productions-in the three last years NOCC has presented a series of recitals entitled “Russian Motifs”, “Musical Encounters” and “Dedication to Verdi”. The next concert of the “Russian Motifs” series will feature the vocal music of Modest Mussorgsky and Sergei Prokofiev.

Mussorgsky’s The Songs and Dances of Death cycle (1875-1877) consists of four songs, where Death appears as an active character. In The Lullaby it is the death of a child, in The Serenade - the death of a maid, in Trepak - the death of a poor peasant, and in The Commander - the loss of soldiers in the battle field. The entire cycle is one of the most tragic in vocal repertoire; it requires from a performer not only advanced vocal skill, but also an extensive dramatic sense.
In contrast to this sordid work, The Nursery (1872) is full of serene emotions associated with the childhood.

These cycles are rarely rendered in North America, and their upcoming performance will fill this gap. Interesting to note that they will be complemented by pantomime and dramatic movement (Kiera Allison) illustrating their stories and moods. This unusual and exciting blend of singing and movement, Mussorgsky’s cycles will be presented to the Toronto audience for the first time.

The vocal works of Prokofiev to be presented include The Ugly Duckling’s suite (1914) after the Hans Andersen fairy tale. The renowned music critic of the time V.Karatygin wrote of the premiere: “The Ugly Duckling by Prokofiev is a sort of tone poem for voice and piano. It is composed with great temperament and is full of unusual harmonic details. In using humorous musical and illustrative means Prokofiev demonstrates some similarity with Mussorgsky”. Needless to say, The Ugly Duckling has never been performed in Toronto before.

The New Opera and Concerts Centre presents “Russian Motifs” upcoming concert with Canadian sopranos Cathy Robinson and Celine Papizewska and movement artist Kiera Allison. They will be accompanied by Artistic Director Mila Filatova. The concert will be held on Saturday, November 19, 7:30 p.m., at the Church of St. Martin in the Field (151 Glenlake Ave., North-East corner of Bloor and Keele, Keele subway station ). Tickets $25 and $20.

Info at 416-604-1557 or e-mail the_nocc@hotmail.com
A.N.


TAGS:

New Russian Opera
Russian Opera
Russian Motifs