THEATRE NEWS: Luminato set to glow in June; Brueggergosman set for Opera Atelier; Cash for Stratford Fest
18 JAN/11

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency

Judging from the 2011 program for theatre and dance announced Monday, Luminato will showcase a lot of Toronto artists when it takes over the city, June 10 through 19.

Highlights of the forthcoming fest include two commissioned works from Necessary Angel — a new translation of Racine's interpretation of Euripides' ANDROMACHE, directed by Graham McLaren, plus an English language première of TOUT COMME ELLE (Just Like Her) conceived and directed by Brigitte Haentjens that features 50 Canadian actresses the calibre of Fiona Reid, Barbara Gordon and Allegra Fulton.

Theatre Smith Gilmour is on board the Luminato express as well, serving up the fruits of a collaboration with the Shanghai Dramatic Art's Centre — the first-ever theatrical co-production between Canada and China. Titled LU XUN BLOSSOMS, it is based on five short stories by Lu Xun, who is considered by many to be the father of contemporary Chinese literature.

Soulpepper Theatre Company, meanwhile, will produce a summer repertory as part of Luminato, featuring shows from their established repertoire like OUR TOWN, THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE, BILLY BISHOP GOES TO WAR, THE ALEPH AND REBIRTH: e.e. cummings in song, in addition to a COMMUNITY CABARET hosted by artists of the Soulpepper Academy.

Also on the theatrical front, Luminato will feature the previously announced production of ONE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS, produced by Britain's Dash Arts and featuring performers drawn from across the Arabic-speaking world. Adapted and dramatized by Tim Supple from stories adapted by Hanan al-Shaykh, the work will be performed in English, Arabic and French, with Surtitles.

On the dance front, the National Ballet of Canada's previously announced North American première of British choreographer Christopher Wheeldon's ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, presented in a co-production with the Royal Ballet (UK), promises to add some excitement to the Luminato program.

But so too does Sampradaya Dance Creation's international collaboration. Titled TAJ, it uses specially commissioned music and visual design to tell the timeless love story that inspired the building of the Taj Mahal. Featuring a script by Canadian playwright John Murrell, this world première will also feature Bollywood star Kabir Bedi and Canadian actress Lisa Ray.

And finally, choreographer Abram Kahn and composer musician Nitin Sawhney will join forces for the North American première of a music and movement piece titled CONFLUENCE, produced in collaboration with Sadler's Wells.

Tickets to all Luminato events are slated to go on sale in April. For further info, visit www.luminato.com

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Acclaimed Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman joins tenor Kresimir Spicer and soprano Michael Maniaci in Opera Atelier's new production of Mozart's LA CLEMENZA DI TITO at the Elgin Theatre, April 22 through May 1.

Tickets at www.ticketmaster.ca and further info at www.operaatelier.com

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Things are heating up at the Stratford Festival — or they will be soon.

Thanks to a grant of nearly $350,000 from the federal government's Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, the Festival announced Wednesday that it is purchasing an installing a new heating system in the Festival Theatre and installing a solar energy wall at the Avon Theatre.