Constantinople

July 29 at 7:30 p.m. and July 31 at 2:00 p.m.

ERIC HARVIE THEATRE

$20 Adult | $15 Student/Senior | $10 Child

Arts Lover Passholders Free

Ancient and modern cultures are stunningly, surprisingly woven together in this multimedia extravaganza of “music as theatre” with a mind- and ear-expanding score by celebrated composer Christos Hatzis. Constantinople features this year’s Juno-winning Gryphon Trio, with distinguished vocalists Patricia O’Callaghan and Maryem Tollar, in a ground-breaking musical, theatrical, and visual exploration of the mythical and the human, the temporal and the timeless. Constantinople performers and creation team Constantinople website of composer Christos Hatzis

This new work of music theatre will have its world premiere at the Banff Summer Arts Festival. Commissioned by the Gryphon Trio and conceived and composed by renowned Canadian composer Christos Hatzis, Constantinople mixes sound, movement, and visuals to tell a dazzling original story. One of North America’s premier chamber ensembles, The Gryphon Trio has been touring and performing for a decade.

The trio has also commissioned a series of new works that break chamber music out of its traditional mould, channelling it into multimedia performance and educational programs. Constantinople is their biggest commission so far, and has been developed in a modular style since Hatzis first conceived of it in 1998. The trio first performed music from Constantinople at a highly-acclaimed concert in 2000 as part of the Music Toronto chamber music series, and has since performed the solo trio movements at concerts throughout Europe and North America.

The work first came to The Banff Centre in 2002 for an intensive development workshop. When it returns for its premiere at the Banff Summer Arts Festival, the full multi-media staging will be in place, and the trio will be joined by the popular Canadian cabaret singer Patricia O’Callaghan, and Arabic vocalist Maryem Tollar. After its debut in Banff, Constantinople will be staged with Tapestry New Opera in Toronto in November.