Philip Glass Premieres New Work in Toronto
Composer Philip Glass will unveil a new work,
Book of Longing, at Luminato, Toronto's inaugural festival of arts and creativity. The work is based on poet/singer Leonard Cohen’s recent book of poetry of the same name—his first published book of poems in over 20 years.
The live performance of
Book of Longing will feature a seven-member ensemble (keyboard, flute/bass clarinet, percussion, violin, cello, upright bass, and oboe/English horn), four singers (soprano, mezzo, tenor and baritone), as well as spoken word and imagery based on Cohen’s own artwork.
Book of Longing will have its world premiere on June 1 at 8 PM with additional performances on June 2-3. The work’s U.S. premiere is scheduled for June 6-8, 2007 at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, South Carolina. The U.K. premiere will take place in London, October 19-21, 2007. Additional performances in the U.S. and across Europe are also planned.
The Luminato festival runs June 1-10. Other highlights from the festival include The Art of Jazz Celebration, featuring performances by a number of jazz greats and newcomers;
Constantinople, a multimedia event by Canadian composer Christos Hatzis; and
Not the Messiah, a comic oratorio inspired by
Monty Python's Life of Brian. More details can be found at the festival’s
website.
