The Royal Conservatory has released a sneak peek at the 2017-18 season spanning 28 concerts.
Readers will have to wait another few months for the entire season to be announced later this June — but judging from last year’s record of sold out events at Koerner Hall — you might want to buy tickets early to avoid any disappointment. Especially for Bill Murray fans (and who isn’t?).
Bill Murray will sing, dance (a Tango, apparently) and read excerpts from Hemingway, Capote, and Mark Twain at the RCM Season Gala on October 13, 2017. Rounding off Murray’s showmanship will be cellist Jan Vogler (a friend of Murray’s) with repertoire from Bach, Piazzola, and Bernstein.
RCM’s 17-18 season cast of pianists is strong once again next season, and includes a unique all-female piano concert series. The series will feature dynamos Angela Hewitt (Nov. 12), Khatia Buniatishvili (Dec. 10), Beatrice Rana (April 8), Katia and Marielle Labèque (May 27) and Yuja Wang (May 13). Gender aside, these artists are an excellent representation of some of the most interesting pianists working on the concert circuit today.
A special note for new music buffs: the Labèque sisters will be playing a never-before-heard arrangement of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring for two pianos, and works by indie rocker turned composer Bryce Dessner (The National) and Philip Glass.
The season’s vocal line-up includes a few surprises. Canadians Barbara Hannigan (Nov. 10), as well as Gerald Finley (April 22) will both make their Koerner Hall debuts. British tenor Ian Bostridge will take the stage on Feb. 14 for an all-Schubert all the time program, accompanied by pianist Julius Drake.
Violin fans will likely want to sit up and take note of Joshua Bell’s Koerner Hall debut with pianist Alessio Bax for a program of Schubert and Strauss happening on Nov. 4. The season also marks the 30th anniversary of Amici Chamber Ensemble, who will celebrate with a special concert on April 29, featuring special guest soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian.
Premiering on December 5 is an interesting quintet of Dutch, Swedish and French musicians assembled to perform Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time” with award-winning pianist Lucas Debargue. Not to be outdone, the Takács Quartet will also visit March 25.
RCM will continue the popular birthday series concerts with a focus on Leonard Bernstein@100. Bernstein’s daughter, Jamie Bernstein (narrator), will offer glimpses of Bernstein’s life backed by RCM’s in-house ARC Ensemble. Other performers include Sebastian Knauer and the rising young Canadian mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta.
For those who only see a few concerts a year at Koerner Hall, the choice will be tough. But that is a good problem to have in a city that brings in some of the best classical artists right to our doorstep. And next season, that doorstep leads to Koerner Hall.
Subscriptions on sale on Friday, February 3, 2017, at 10 a.m.
Single tickets go on sale on Friday, February 10, 2017, at 10 a.m.
More details, here.
For more CLASSICAL MUSIC NEWS, visit HERE.
#LUDWIGVAN
- THE SCOOP | Royal Conservatory’s Dr. Peter Simon Awarded The Order Of Ontario - January 2, 2024
- THE SCOOP | Order of Canada Appointees Announced, Including Big Names From The Arts - December 29, 2023
- Ludwig Van Is Being Acquired By ZoomerMedia - June 12, 2023
