Forimmediaterelease:February19,2016
LuminatoFestivalpartnerswithAnalektatoreleasefirsteverfullrecordingof
R.MurraySchafer’sepicoratorioApocalypsis
RecordedbyCBCMusic.caatLuminatoFestival2015;AvailableonlineandinstoresFebruary26
Toronto,ON–ThisFebruary,LuminatoFestivalinpartnershipwithAnalektaandCBCMusic.ca,willmaketheirmonumental2015productionofR.MurraySchafer’srarelyperformedoratorioApocalypsisavailabletohomelistenersonCDanddigitalplatforms.ThisisthefirstfullrecordingofApocalypsisevermadeandLuminato’sfirstventureintobringingtheiradventurousprogrammingintohomesinCanadaandaroundtheworld–fittingforthe10thanniversaryyearoftheglobalmulti-artsfestival.FromJune26to28,2015attheSonyCentreforthePerformingArts,Luminatopresentedamusic-theatricalmasterworkofunprecedentedscale-Apocalypsis-theepicmusicalvoyagewrittenbyacclaimedCanadiancomposerR.MurraySchafer,inoneofthelargestperformanceeventsCanadahaseverseen.1,000performersfromacrossOntario,includinganeclecticcastofsoloists,createdanempireofsoundandmovementunderthedirectionofSamoanchoreographer,designeranddirectorLemiPonifasioofMAU,withmusicaldirectionbyTorontoconductorDavidFallis(TheTorontoConsort,OperaAtelier)andlightbyHelenTodd(MAU).ThefinalperformanceofApocalypsiswaslivebroadcastbyCBCRadio2,andrecordedandmasteredbyDougDoctor,CBCMusic.ca.Theliveprogramreachedcloseto300,000Canadiansoverthecourseofthethree-hourbroadcast,engagingadditionalaudiencesonlineviaCBCMusic.ca.Analekta,Canada’slargestandbest-regardedclassicalmusiclabel,producedandrenderedthealbumandwillmanagemarketing,salesandworldwidedistribution.OnFebruary19,fanswillbeabletolistentothealbumatCBCMusic.caaspartoftheplatform’sFirstPlayseries."R.MurraySchaferisoneofthegreatestcomposersofcontemporarymusic,notonlyinCanadabutintheworldandheisaniconinmodernart,”saidAnalekta'spresident,FrançoisMarioLabbé.“WhenJornWeisbrodtofLuminatoapproachedmetocollaborateonthisproject,Iwasnotonlyexcitedbutalsohonored.ApocalypsisisprobablytheEverestofSchafer’screativecareer."Astaggeringorganizationalandartisticaccomplishment,theLuminatoproductionwasthefirsttimeApocalypsis(a1976CBCcommission)hadbeenperformedsinceits1980premiere.OneofthehighestgrossingshowsintheFestival’s10yearhistory,theproductiongarneredcriticalacclaimwithsoldoutperformances.Mediaheraldedtheproductionasoneofthemajorhighlightsof2015,theGlobeandMailstating“itwasahigh-profile,big-timegamble.Thegamblepaidoff.”TheNationalPostcalledtheproduction,“aworkofculturalheroism”andWholeNotecommented,followingadressrehearsal,“Themusiccametoitsclose.ThebrilliantconductorDavidFallisloweredhishands.Asilenthushfellovereveryone.Justforamoment.Itwasasifweallhadtotakeacollectivein-and-outbreathtohonourwhathadjusttranspired.”EasilySchafer’smostambitiouswork,ApocalypsisranksinsizeandscaletoGustavMahler’sSymphonyofaThousand,ArnoldSchoenberg’sGurreliederorMessiaen’sSaintFrançoisd’Assise.Initiallyimaginedasawayto
createagrassrootscommunityofperformersandofferanalternativetoclassicalmusic’sdogmaofhighlytrainedmusicians,Apocalypsisblendsprofessionalandamateurtalentsinitscastof1,000choirsingers,musicians,conductors,actors,anddancers.LuminatoFestival’sproductionfeaturedsoloperformancesfrominternationallyrenownedartistsincludingmulti-disciplinaryartistNinaArsenault,TonyAward-winnerBrentCarver,dancerDeniseFujiwara,PolarisPrize-winnerTanyaTagaq,risingNewZealandoperastarKawitiWaetford,andthevoiceofperformanceartistLaurieAnderson.DavidFallisconductedancompanyof1,000musiciansandchoirsfromacrosstheprovince.“ForLuminato,thethreeyearsspentworkingonthispiecewasanincrediblejourney,onethatledfromchaostoorder,justasthepiecedoes.Threeyearsagotherewasnothing:nocast,noset,nomoney;therewasjustanideaandthescore;therewasonlyadesertwherenowthereisanempireofsound,arichandsparklingoasis,builtby1,000mostlynonprofessionalmusiciansandperformersandanother100peoplebehindthestage,”saidJornWeisbrodt,Luminato’sArtisticDirector.“Herelifeimitatesart:theprocessofproducingApocalypsiswastheessenceofthepieceitself.ItcreatedacommunityofperformersfromalloverOntarioandtherestoftheworld,engagedinaritual.Inthisrecording,theperformersinvitethelistenertoshareinthisprocess.Iameternallygratefultothembecausetheyallowmeonceagaintoexperiencewhattheywentthrough.”ApocalypsiswillbeavailableonFebruary26,atAnalekta.com,AtelierGrigorian,Archambault,Amazon.ca,iTunes,SpotifyandselectHMVlocationsacrossCanada.Toreadthefullcastlisting,programnotesandCDbooklet,clickhere.Formoreinformation,visitwww.analekta.comorwww.luminato.com/apocalypsis.TherecordingofApocalypsiswasmadepossiblethroughthegeneroussupportofHelenBurstyn,WendyM.Cecil,TheMichael&SonjaKoernerCharitableFoundation,NancyLockhart&TheMurrayFrumFoundation,Joan&JerryLozinski,EleanorMcCain,MargaretMcCain,JoeMimran&KimberleyNewport-Mimran,JuliaOuellette,Jim&SandraPitblado,BethRobinson,Gretchen&DonaldRoss,ColleenSexsmith.LuminatoFestival'sProductionofApocalypsiswaspresentedbyBMOandsupportedbytheHalJackmanFoundation,Gretchen&DonaldRoss,SonyCentreforthePerformingArts,inpartnershipwithNationalArtsCentreandtheRoyalConservatoryofMusic.WithspecialthankstoCanadianActors’EquityAssociation,ACTRA,CanadianFederationofMusicians,IATSE.PerformanceRightscourtesyofArcanaEditions.MediaRelations:Forhi-resimages,interviewrequests,ormoreinformationaboutthe2016LuminatoFestival,pleasecontact:
• AshleyBallantyne,LuminatoFestival:[email protected].• SuzanneCheriton,RedEyeMedia,[email protected].• GregPrzygocki,Analekta,[email protected],(416)554-5481.
SocialMedia:Twitter:@Luminato;@Analekta#Apocalypsis#Luminato10Facebook:www.facebook.com/LuminatoFestivalorwww.facebook.com/analektamusiqueInstagram:@LuminatoFestivalAboutLuminatoFestival:LuminatoFestivalisToronto’sglobalmulti-artsfestivaldedicatedtoperformance,visualart,music,theatre,dance,magicandmore.In2016,theFestivalmarksits10thanniversaryfromJune10to26withafreeandticketedprogramoflocalandinternationalartistsdeliveringadventurousartinadventurousplaces.
Initsfirstdecade,LuminatohasbecomeoneofthepreeminentartsfestivalsinNorthAmerica,havingcommissionedcloseto100newworksofart,withmorethan3,000performancesfeaturing11,000artistsfromover40countries.ThisJune,aspartofitsfirst-everresidency,LuminatowilltemporarilytransformtheHearnGeneratingStation,anepicdecommissionedpowerplantandoneofToronto’suniqueindustriallandmarks,intotheworld’slargestmulti-artscentreunderoneroofwithatheatre,amusicstage,asite-specificperformance
space,restaurants,barsandmore.#TurnOnTheHearnCuratedbyArtisticDirectorJornWeisbrodtandledbyCEOAnthonySargent,LuminatoFestivalisacharitable,not-for-profit,culturalorganization.
LuminatoFestivalgratefullyacknowledgesthegeneroussupportandvisionofitsFoundingLuminaries,SuperNovadonorsandPatronCircleMembers.LuminatoFestivalproudlyacknowledgesthesupportofFoundingGovernmentPartnertheProvinceofOntario,theGovernmentofCanada,CityofToronto,OntarioArtsCouncil,CIBCandL’OréalCanada.www.luminatofestival.comAboutAnalekta:Analektawasfoundedin1987byFrançoisMarioLabbéwiththegoalofbecomingoneofCanada'sleadingrecordlabels.500albumsandover5000workslater,thecompanyhasbecomethebiggestindependentclassicallabelinCanada.Thedrivingforcebehindthelabelhasalwaysbeenitsmusicians;exceptionalartistswhobecameAnalekta’sguaranteeofexcellence.ItsimpressivecatalogueincludesrecordingsfromCanadianartistssuchasAngèleDubeau,AlainLefèvre,KentNagano&theOrchestresymphoniquedeMontréal,TafelmusikBaroqueOrchestra,Marie-NicoleLemieux,AntonKuerti,GryphonTrio,EnsembleCapriceandmanymore.AnalektaalsorecognizestheimportanceofdevelopingnewtalentsandgetsinvolvedeachyearwithyoungmusicianssuchasCharlesRichard-Hamelin,StéphaneTétreault,PhilippeSly,ValérieMilotandtheCeciliaStringQuartet.www.analekta.com
AboutCBCMusic.ca:CBCMusic.caisCanada'sfreedigitalmusicserviceconnectingCanadianswiththeverybestinCanadianandinternationalmusic,concertsandfeatures.Simpleandeasytonavigate,CBCMusic.cagivesmusicfansaccessto50Webradiostations,12distinctgenre-basedmusiccommunities,CBCRadio2andCBCRadio3,pluscontentfromthemostknowledgeablemusicpersonalitiesandprogrammersfromacrossthecountry,hundredsofconcerts,playlistsandmore.
ApocalypsisCDcoverart.PhotobyBruceZinger;designbyAnalekta.
