“Soundstreams is presenting the first-ever staged performance of Musik für das Ende by Claude Vivier (1948-83). Written in 1971 as a ceremony to be staged, the work did not have its first concert performance until 2012. After seeing director Chris Abraham’s beautiful, extraordinarily moving production of the the piece for Soundstreams, it is impossible to… Read More
“TORONTO — Death-haunted, drawn to danger and desperate for connection, with his ceremonies in sound charting transitions from life to something beyond it, the Canadian composer Claude Vivier should be the great downer of modern music. But so shimmering are Vivier’s drones, so sweetly childlike his invented languages and mystical geographies, so energetic his need… Read More
“La première mondiale de Musik für das Ende de la compagnie de théâtre Crow’s Nest a eu lieu à Toronto le 26 octobre. La musique de Claude Vivier, un compositeur québécois tué à Paris en 1983, est au coeur du spectacle. C’est la première fois que l’oeuvre Musik für das Ende est jouée et chantée… Read More
L’univers du compositeur québécois Claude Vivier au @crowstheatre de TTO. On en parle avec Alex Ivanovici. #icito #rc_arts pic.twitter.com/Agkk8IcvVG — Kevin Sweet (@sweetonarts) November 1, 2017
“The Canadian contemporary music company Soundstreams, known for difficult and cerebral works, has mounted a music and theatre production about the life and ideas of admired Quebecois composer Claude Vivier (1948-1983), whose life was rough and tumultuous and whose music was cold, luminous and haunting. The production, titled Musik Für das Ende (which is the… Read More
“Claude Vivier’s Musik für das Ende had to wait until 35 years after the composer’s death for its first fully staged performance. That happened last night at Crow’s Theatre under the auspices of Soundstreams. It forms the main and concluding part of a really interesting show directed by Chris Abraham. The first part of the… Read More
In 1983, at the age of 34, French–Canadian composer Claude Vivier was stabbed to death in his Paris apartment by a man he had picked up. When Vivier’s body was discovered a few days later, another discovery was made: the manuscript on his desk was an unfinished work called Do You Believe in the Immortality… Read More
10 singers are currently deep into rehearsals with stage director Chris Abraham and music director John Hess for what will be the premiere staged performance of Claude Vivier’s 1971 work, Musik für das Ende (Music of the End). Presented by Soundstreams, October 27 to November 4, Musik für das Ende is programmed along with the… Read More
In the forward to his score Claude Vivier describes Musik für das Ende as “a Ceremony – of the End”, an exploration of the relationships established between individuals at this “final stage of life”. The score for the piece uses unconventional notation to explore this interaction musically. Let’s take a look at this unusual score… Read More
Glaubst du an die Unsterblichkeit der Seele (“Do you believe in the immortality of the soul?” was Vivier’s final composition before his untimely death – an eerily titled, premonitive work considering the circumstance of his tragic murder. Interestingly, in addition to voices, narration, and percussionists, Vivier also calls for synthesisers and electronics. Composer and sound… Read More
From the Article “On the next day, Soundstreams’ Northern Encounter will draw our ears to a different segment of spirituality: a collaboration of identities. Soundstreams’ long history of cultural exchange, especially with the Nordic nations, led to several large-scale circumpolar festivals in the past. And this time, as a composite of four distinctive parties: National Arts… Read More
One of the most notable influences in Claude Vivier’s music was his lifelong spiritual journey. He was fascinated with life, death, existence, and the afterlife. These ideas permeated his compositions as he struggled to answer his own spiritual concerns through music. At the time he was composing Musik für das Ende (Music for the End)… Read More
From the Article: “The other major work of music theatre this month in no way fits the traditional operatic mould. It is Musik für das Ende written in 1971 by Claude Vivier (1948-83), now regarded as one of Canada’s greatest composers. The work Vivier described as a “grande cérémonie funèbre” was originally written for 20… Read More
From the Article: “Lawrence Cherney, artistic director of Soundstreams, never knew Vivier personally – but from the moment he first saw his music years ago, he knew that it was something special. “Somehow, I had been given a copy of the manuscript of [Music für das Ende],” he says. “It was literally written in his… Read More
Stumped by Somers? Stuck on Sibelius? Our season opener Northern Encounters features works by some of history’s greatest composers, but that doesn’t mean it’s stuffy. Get to know a little about these icons and the music they’ve created! Stravinsky- Fanfare for a New Theatre One of Stravinsky’s most famous miniatures, Fanfare for a New Theatre… Read More
Celebrating Soundstreams 35th season, “35 Ways” is an ongoing series that celebrates how Soundstreams has influenced, shaped or contributed to Canadian Music. In February 2009 Soundstreams broke new ground with the production of Pimooteewin: The Journey. The first opera written and sung in Cree, it featured Japanese kuroko movement and puppetry choreographed by Michael Greyeyes, libretto by… Read More
Written by: Katerina Gimon Montreal-born composer, Claude Vivier was not your typical Western classical composer. He lived a short, intense, and passionate life driven by his yearning for new experience and his search for his own identity. Vivier’s music was unique and unapologetic – and he had a personality to match. Below are four things… Read More
Margaret Bárdos, mezzo-soprano Hungarian-born mezzo Bó (Margaret) Bárdos is based in Southern Ontario and loves touring. At home with classical as well as new, experimental music, she seeks out creative challenges and cherishes working with good hearted people. With a voice described by Opera Canada as “mellow, fruity, that caresses the ears”, Canadian and European appearances include… Read More
Soundstreams is delighted to announce the cast for the world premiere of the first fully staged production of Musik für das Ende written by legendary Québécois composer Claude Vivier. Ten of Canada’s most talented singers and one actor are improvising, exchanging and collaborating under the guidance of director Chris Abraham and music director John Hess… Read More
Keith Lam, baritone Hong Kong-born, Toronto-based baritone Keith Lam recently finished a tour across Ontario with Bicycle Opera Project performing the role of the Boss in the new a capella opera SWEAT written by Juliet Palmer and Anna Chatterton. He also participated in Summerworks’ Open Studio performing an excerpt from Njo Kong Kie’s new opera The… Read More