Fall Arts Guide

www.CanstarNews.com 2 FALL ARTS GUIDE | SEPTEMBER 2014 Don't ask Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra conductor Alexander Mickelthwate to pick his favourite show of the 2014-15 season. "I feel like they are all my little babies," Mickelthwate said of the array of concerts set to grace stages across Winnipeg. Indeed, the WSO, in its 67th season, will offer something for every taste. With some 39 unique concerts over 66 concert dates, fans are in for a few treats and then some. Highlights of the season include local classic rock legend Randy Bachman (pictured on the cover), who will play with the WSO to create a truly unique experience for fans of both rock and classical music. Backed by the full orchestra, Bachman will play his hits of the past 35 years from Dec. 5-7. "We finally got Randy, it took us forever, literally," Mickelthwate admits. "We tried to do something this year a little that was a more adventurous in the Pops." Continuing on that trend, A Tribute to Elvis, celebrating the king of rock 'n' roll, will run Oct. 17-19. featuring performances of his greatest hits including Heartbreak Hotel, Love Me Tender and Don't Be Cruel. The show Mickelthwate is most looking forward to, he divulges, will be Britten's War Requiem, a musical journey recreating English composer Benjamin Britten's War Requiem. The performance aims to depict Wilfred Owens, a poet who was killed in the First World War. Mickelth- wate regards War Requiem as "one of the most emotionally intense pieces ever written." "This is one of three major pieces in dedication to the Canadian Human Rights Museum," he said. "Also, being that it is the 100th anniversary of the First World War, no one really wants to talk about it, it's not the most pleasant thing. But on the other hand, it created such amazing artwork and musical compositions. "We haven't done it for a really long time and it is the right year for it." Continuing what has now become an annual tradition, the WSO will also present its Beyond the Score show, this year featuring Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. The first half of the show goes over the history of the symphony, including its composition, scandals attributed to it and much more. The second half is for the music itself, as the WSO puts theory into practice. "We dig into all the historical background of why the piece was writ- ten," Mickelthwate said. "There are all sorts of ways to get the audience into the whole feel of the music. It really brings life to such a masterful piece." Given the chance, Mickelthwate could go on and on about the upcom- ing season. "There is so much I could talk about, so many little things we are doing." For more information visit: www.wso.ca MUSIC: WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA By SCOTT BILLECK Special to Canstar Pianist Natasha Paremski will perform Dvorak's New World Symphony with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra at Centennial Concert Hall on Sept. 26 Photo courtesy WSO

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