FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Award-winning author Norman Lebrecht takes stage at The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s Mahlerfest Norman Lebrecht to host the Manitoba premiere of Mahler’s 10th: The Last Word Winnipeg, MB – October 21, 2015 - Award-winning author and music commentator, Norman Lebrecht is joining the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra to host the Manitoba-premiere of Mahler’s 10th: The Last Word. The event will culminate the Symphony’s week-long Mahlerfest which runs from October 23-31 and celebrates the life, music and even death of the great composer Gustav Mahler. “Mahlerfest covers the full ambit of Mahler’s creative path and highlights his inner struggles, passions, and his ongoing sense of being an outsider,” said Lebrecht, who studied Mahler’s every footstep from birthplace to grave. “Mahler’s music can change lives and I’m pleased to be a part of this festival dedicated to the man and his music. Along with Picasso, Einstein and Freud, he was a maker of our modern world.” Lebrecht is a Mahler expert and has declared Mahler “the most influential symphonist of the twentieth century.” Many of Lebrecht’s works have been dedicated to the life of Gustav Mahler, including, Mahler Remembered. His most recent work, Why Mahler? is one of the best-selling composer biographies of the 21st century. “The 10th exists as Mahler’s last word,” said Lebrecht. “It reveals Mahler, in his favoured metaphor, wrestling with his angel and refusing to let go without a blessing. He surmounted the fickleness of love and life in a way that only Mahler could, with a never-say-die symphony that offers on its last unfinished page a glimmer of hope.”

Mahlerfest opens on October 23 with his 2nd Symphony: Resurrection, where Mahler tackles the big questions: What is life? Why are we living? What comes next? It closes on October 31 with his 10th: an unforgettable piece he was unable to complete before he died. “Mahler’s symphonies are a testament to the triumph of the human soul,” said Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s music director, Alexander Mickelthwate, who was instrumental in bringing the festival to Winnipeg. “It’s music’s equivalent to the Eiffel Tower, to the Statue of Liberty. His work represents our time and is a masterpiece that needs to be heard in person.” Tickets to Mahlerfest and tickets to each individual event can be purchased by visiting https://wso.ca/mahlerfest/ or at Ticketmaster. Tickets can also be purchased by calling the WSO box office at (204) 949-3999. Student tickets are also available.

About Norman Lebrecht Norman Lebrecht is one of the most widely-read commentators on music, culture and cultural politics. He has written 12 books about music, which have been translated into 17 languages. He is a regular presenter on BBC Radio 3 and a contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Standpoint and other publications. His blog, Slipped Disc, has become one of the world’s most-read cultural news in English, drawing well over one million readers every month.

More About Mahlerfest events: Mahlerfest includes a week-long host of events, including the Winnipeg Philharmonic presents the Lieder of Mahler, his contemporaries and influences (Oct 25), the U of M Symphony Orchestra performs Mahler (Oct 26), Cinematheque screens Visconti’s 1971 film Death in Venice loosely based on the life of Mahler (Oct 27), the Winnipeg Chamber Music Society interprets Mahler’s Piano Quartet (Oct 28), and the renowned writer and Mahler scholar, Norman Lebrecht, hosts an evening of ideas (Oct 29). Classics A Series Sponsor:

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About The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra The WSO is integral to Winnipeg's rich cultural life, delighting more than 100,000 audience members each year with innovative programming and musical excellence. The WSO presents educational programs for more than 40,000 students annually and tours to communities across Manitoba.

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For more information please contact: Lisa Bernstein (204) 292-8615 lisabernstein83@gmail