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Classical Music Consort in Session

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Ashiq Aziz rehearsing the Classical Music Consort


Once again, I had the privilege of working with Ashiq Aziz and the Classical Music Consort, a period instrument orchestra dedicated to presenting historical works in innovative settings. In conjunction with Volcano Theatre, they are mounting a performance of G.F. Handel’s early opera
Clori, Tirsi e Fileno (or Cor Fedele) with a modern libretto written by Deborah Pearson, re-titled A Synonym For Love (subtitled “An Opera that Moves”). The production will be presented at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto and will make use of its architecture, in that the drama (and the audience) will move throughout the building, in three separate yet intersecting streams, following the three main characters, played by Emily Atkinson, Scott Belluz, and Tracy Smith Bessette.

Certain scenes take place in and around the stairwell, which cannot comfortably house both the orchestra and audience members, so it was decided to pre-record the orchestral performances which will be played back through discretely located loudspeakers to accompany the live singers. Ashiq, members of the orchestra, director Ross Manson, sound designer Mike Laird and myself assembled at Heliconian Hall in downtown Toronto, to record the the music for these scenes.

The performances will be held on August 20 - 24 and 26 - 31 with a Preview August 19 - all at 7:00 pm. For more information, go to the
Volcano Theatre website.