MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, March 2, 2016 Winnipeg, MB

ANNOUNCING

THE WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

2016-2017 SEASON “This is a season of discovery, collaboration, adventure, emotion and thrilling musical experiences. Joshua Bell, Wagner, Jann Arden, the Impressionists, Angela Hewitt – many great works and many great artists. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into this new season and perform this music for Winnipeg audiences. This season is about more than just entertainment, it is about creating musical experiences that will touch your soul.” – Alexander Mickelthwate, Music Director

“As I look at the programs and the guest artists we have assembled for the WSO 2016-17 season, I am amazed at the range and the variety of musical experiences the WSO offers our community each year. It is our job is to provide so many fascinating concert choices that music lovers struggle to select their favourites. I think we have succeeded. The only real option is to attend them all.” – Trudy Schroeder, Executive Director

WORLD CLASS ARTISTS CANADIAN & INTERNATIONAL

Joshua Bell, Angela Hewitt, Jann Arden, Sheena Easton,

Sarah Svendsen, Pascal Rogé, Second City, Tianwa Yang, Peter Wedd,

Sara Davis Buechner, Eleanor McCain, Lara Rae, Denzal Sinclaire

NEW COLLABORATIONS: NEW DISCOVERIES

Opening Night Gala: Joshua Bell “Mr. Bell doesn’t stand in anyone’s shadow.” – The New York Times

“Joshua Bell is the greatest American violinist active today” – The Boston Herald

The 2016-2017 Season opens September 20th with one of the top violinists in the world, Joshua Bell, performing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto on his famed

Huberman Stradivarius. Mr. Bell will thrill Winnipeg Audiences with his beautiful sound, unsurpassed technique, and enthralling stage presence. Tickets to Joshua Bell are currently on sale to subscribers and will be available to the general public starting

June 1st.

Music of the Impressionists Festival The sound, the images and the tastes of France.

Music from Debussy, Fauré, Berlioz, and Ravel’s favourite of his own works, Daphnis et Chloé, complete with choir.

Partners: Winnipeg Art Gallery, Alliance Francaise Cinematheque, University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra, Winnipeg Chamber Music

Society, Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir

Music of the Impressionists, the WSO’s 2016-2017 flagship festival celebrates the music of Debussy, Ravel and their compatriots over 10 nights from October 14th to 23rd. The festival opens with Impressions of Paradise, featuring Debussy’s La Mer and Winnipeg classical saxophone master Allen Harrington in Ibert’s Concertino da camera for alto saxophone. The WSO will perform Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique October 18th and

present French pianist Pascal Rogé in a concert of all French repertoire October 20th. The WSO’s final performance will be Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé including full choir,

October 21st and 22nd.

South Pacific in partnership with Rainbow Stage From the Golden Age of Broadway – the WSO partners with Rainbow Stage to

present the full musical with dance, song and dialogue accompanied by the complete Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Travel back in time and hear South

Pacific the way Rodgers and Hammerstein created it – with full symphony orchestra.

Once Upon A Dance! Manitoba’s leading dance companies come together for a twirl through some of

the cultures woven together on this land. Dazzling steps from the McConnell Irish dancers, eye-popping “hora” and “hopak” from Sarah Sommer Chai Folk Ensemble and Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, exquisite new stories-in-movement from Odette Heyn-Projects plus vocalist W. Darling, Ça Claque’s uniquely modern twist

on French-Canadian dance, and the full WSO behind and in front of every step!

Royal Canoe The WSO first collaborated with Royal Canoe in 2013 for Manitoba Rocks to much acclaim. The JUNO-nominated Winnipeg indie sextet return to Centennial Concert

Hall with the WSO in a world-premiere symphonic show. Adventurous, creative, boundary-pushing, and deeply musical, this will be a stand-out collaboration.

Wagner Unmasked Richard Wagner: A mythic composer rarely tackled beyond the world’s major

opera houses. The WSO performs the most beautiful act of all his works, Act ii of Tristan und Isolde and will put it on stage with an outstanding cast of six

Wagnerian singers including Peter Wedd and Karen Foster. The music is epic, a stunningly beautiful tale two forlorn lovers. Includes English translation in surtitles

and introduction from stage.

MOVIE NIGHT WITH THE WSO Film with Orchestra Concerts

Back to the Future The original 1985 film presented in partnership with Attila Glatz Concert

Production Inc.

E.T. – the Extra-Terrestrial, Film with Orchestra Steven Spielberg’s classic tale of unexpected friendship and adventure features a

beautiful film score by John Williams. The WSO performs two back-to-back performances Sunday, December 11th, just in time for the Holidays.

Soundtracks Live conducted by Ryan Shore Ryan Shore, Assistant Music Director to the Academy Awards, leads the WSO in a performance of movie soundtracks straight from the recording studio. Including

excerpts from the most recent Hollywood blockbusters, this will be a treat for any true film junkie.

Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf The WSO performs Prokofiev’s beautiful tale in music underneath the delightful

stop-frame animation film that won the OSCAR® in 2008 for Best Animated Short Film.

CHORAL WORKS

Daphnis et Chloé Colour comes to the fore in the closing concert of the Music of the Impressionists with Ravel’s transfixing ballet score, sung by the full Canadian Mennonite Chorus.

Elijah The greatest oratorio since Handel’s Messiah, Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah is an early

Romantic masterpiece, with an all-star cast of soloists. Sponsored by Schriemer Farms.

Messiah The title says it all: beautiful arias, matchless drama, the Hallelujah chorus, intense

meaning in every word and phrase plus a fresh young cast of soloists and our brilliant choir to send you out singing!

JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT!

Fred Penner Fred Penner’s greatest hits entertain children of all ages – and children at heart -

with the WSO in the Great-West Life Kids Concert Series.

Finjan Returns! Few knew about klezmer music when Finjan came on the Winnipeg scene 30 years ago. As Canada's first roots band of its type, Finjan paved the way for a klezmer and Yiddish music revival. Finjan returns to Winnipeg for one evening

only to perform with the full Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

A Prairie Christmas – The Tradition Continues Join the WSO and a host of wonderful Manitoba talent for a Christmas celebration!

There’s almost no end to the fun you’ll find on our annual holiday classic show where favourite seasonal music goes hand-in-hand with comedy, storytelling,

sing-alongs, plenty of good cheer and of course, a visit from Santa.

Valentine’s Day A beautiful evening in support of Sistema Winnipeg, featuring music by Ravel.

Puccini, Bizet, Saint-Saëns, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Leonard Bernstein and more.

True North: The Canadian Songbook Eleanor McCain’s new album, recorded with orchestras

across the country, celebrates Canada 150.

SUMMER SEASON

The WSO kicks of the 2016-2017 season this summer with community concerts at the Lyric Theatre, Kenora Harbourfront, Centennial Concert Hall and Canada Day

at the Forks. The WSO Summer Season is sponsored by Manitoba Liqour and Lotteries, WSO Community Engagement Sponsor.

IMPORTANT DATES

April 16th – Draw for 2 Air Canada Tickets Anywhere in North America

May 21th – Deadline for Early-Bird Renewal Discounts

June 18 – Renewal Deadline to Save Subscriber Seats

WSO 2016-2017 SEASON

View the full line up at wso.ca/1617season

Bravo to our Sponsors

MAJOR SPONSORS

SERIES AND SPECIAL PROJECTS SPONSORS

PERFORMANCE SPONSORS

Alpha Masonry Cardinal Capital Management Inc. Daniel Friedman & Rob Dalgliesh

Dr. Alex Grunfeld & Silvester Komlodi Michael Nesbitt

Sandi & Ron Mielitz SOCAN Stantec

Women’s Committee of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

MEDIA AND CORPORATE SUPPORTERS

Assiniboine Credit Union Border Crossings

Brandon Area Community Foundation

Canon Carlyle Printers, Service

and Supplies Ltd. CBC Manitoba

Classic 107 The Drive 94.3 Francofonds Greystone

Inn at the Forks Johnston Group

Mercedes-Benz Winnipeg

Qualico Quantum Graphics &

Consulting Tetrem Capital Management Wawanesa

Weston Seeding Winnipeg Free Press

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

About WSO: The WSO is integral to Winnipeg's rich cultural life, delighting more than 225,000 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.

-30- MEDIA: For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact: Sarah Panas, Marketing & Communications Coordinator p. (204) 949-3970 e: spanas@wso.mb.ca