Toronto, November 20, 2023 – Soundstreams’ 41st season continues this December with Electric Messiah, the company’s 8th annual dynamic and original reimagination of Handel’s timeless classic. Audiences will experience a sonic fusion that transcends the conventional, weaving together of jazz, blues, hip-hop, gospel, unforgettable choruses, and classical influences into a symphonic tapestry that ignites the senses.
The show runs for a limited five-performance engagement from December 14 to 17, 2023, at the iconic Theatre Passe Muraille (16 Ryerson Ave, Toronto). Join Soundstreams for this vibrant reinterpretation that straddles the boundaries between the ethereal and the gritty, the sacred and the avant-garde. Visit Soundstreams.ca for tickets and more information.
Reflecting on Messiah through a contemporary lens makes it uniquely here and now. In the hands of visionary music director and sound designer Adam Scime, this year’s Electric Messiah gathers a powerhouse ensemble of five gifted vocalists and a five-person instrumental group. Their collaborative alchemy and improvisations breathe new life into Handel’s classic composition, infusing the piece with the essence of contemporary musical exploration. Adding to the anticipation, this year’s rendition includes the live premiere of O Death, O Grave by acclaimed Métis-French Canadian composer Ian Cusson to elevate the performance to new heights.
“Electric Messiah represents a vibrant intersection of tradition and innovation, of raw emotion and refined artistry,” says Scime.
Soundstreams Founding Artistic Director Lawrence Cherney adds: “People who aren’t believers are drawn to Handel’s Messiah, and why is that? Yes, it is gorgeous and unforgettable music. But it also speaks to universal human values that all of us relate to, regardless of our belief system: love, betrayal, sacrifice, joy, redemption. Our version may be different from conventional productions—it’s truly cross-genre—but it too deeply probes the human emotions that Handel touched on so magically.”
With stage direction by Chelsea Dab Hilke, the production stars: Midori Marsh, soprano; Rebecca Cuddy mezzo-soprano; Elizabeth Shepherd, vocals; Daniel Cabena, counter-tenor; and Korin Thomas-Smith, baritone. The instrumental ensemble includes: Amahl Arulanandam, electric cello; Wesley Shen, harpsichord; Luan Phung, electric/acoustic guitar; and Joel Visentin, electric organ. Their collective creativity and genius ensure an immersive and electrifying experience.
Never the same, always Electric Messiah! Audiences can secure their tickets now for an unforgettable experience that melds the contemporary with the timeless.
Electric Messiah from Soundstreams:
- Thurs, Dec 14, 2023 – 7:30 pm
- Fri, Dec 15, 2023 – 7:30 pm
- Sat, Dec 16, 2023 – 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm
- Sun, Dec 17, 2023 – 2:00 pm
Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Ave., M5T 2P3
Ticket Link: https://ca.patronbase.com/_TheatrePasseMuraille/Productions/EM/Performances
Box Office Phone Number: 416-504-7529
Box Office Email: [email protected]
Ticket Prices: PWYC $25 – $75 + taxes & fees
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About Soundstreams
Under the leadership of its Founding Artistic Director Lawrence Cherney, Soundstreams began in 1982 with a tribute to Igor Stravinsky’s 100th birth year, an artist who fundamentally transformed the ways we hear our world. In the intervening years, we’ve probed compelling Canadian themes and stories through new works in music and opera that resonate with our time and place. We aim not only to reflect upon those themes and stories but to inspire new perspectives and approaches to them.
Soundstreams has created a platform for compelling new creations both at home and abroad. Our various Toronto-based concert series, educational and outreach events and professional development programs have showcased nearly 1500 global creators and performers in collaboration with their Canadian counterparts. At the same time, Soundstreams’ productions have toured North America, Latin America, Asia and Europe. In recent seasons, Soundstreams has received high praise from the international press: The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, The Financial Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
