Sept 27, 28, & 29, 2024 at Koerner Hall
“There is probably no more inspirational musician working today.”
—Gramophone
Tafelmusik kicks off its 2024/25 season with Mozart Jupiter on Sept 27 and 28 at 8 PM, and Sept 29 at 3 PM at Koerner Hall. This all-Mozart extravaganza features the renowned “British goddess of the gut-stringed violin” (The Times) Rachel Podger in her inaugural concerts as Principal Guest Director. Tickets are available at the Koerner Hall box office, rcmusic.com/tickets.
Known for her “vibrant and beguiling [Mozart] performances” (BBC Music Magazine) and her critically acclaimed recordings of the composer’s complete violin sonatas with fortepianist Gary Cooper, Mozart and Podger are a match made in heaven.
“For some years I have admired the wonderful players in Tafelmusik and feel extremely honoured to hold this new role with the ensemble,” says Podger. “What better way to start this journey than with a program of scintillating Mozart! The stories he weaves through his inventive orchestrations are astounding, the drama at times dark, but his overall sense of joie de vivre is so very life enhancing.”
Excited to begin her two-year tenure as Principal Guest Director, Podger shared her enthusiasm for music-making with Tafelmusik in an interview with The Strad. “The start of every performance was like holding a match to something that was about to ignite. It wasn’t just fizz, though; the playing felt so centred and responsive … it makes for a freer, and if I may say, deeper sense of the music. It’s a living, breathing thing.”
Mozart Jupiter opens with a piece of buried treasure that is new for both Podger and Tafelmusik—the incidental music for Thamos, King of Egypt. Mozart’s love for the theatre shines throughout the work, mirroring the play’s dramatic arc while foreshadowing the brilliant lyricism of his final opera, The Magic Flute. Podger then follows her striking 2023 performance of Mozart’s Violin Concerto no.1 with the charming Concerto no.2 in D Major.
At the heart of this program is Mozart’s Symphony no.41 in C Major, “Jupiter.” A revolutionary, forward-looking masterpiece brimming with vigour and optimism, it ultimately proved to be Mozart’s final symphony before his untimely death at age 35.
“As we look ahead to September, we can’t help but feel excited about all that the 2024/25 season will bring,” says Cristina Zacharias on behalf of Tafelmusik’s Artistic Co-Directors. “This feast of incredible performances starts with the passion and vitality of our new Principal Guest Director, Rachel Podger, and we can’t wait to share the collaborative energy she brings to the orchestra.”
These opening concerts pave the way for the release of Haydn Symphonies 43 & 49: Mercury & La Passione, Tafelmusik’s inaugural recording with Rachel Podger slated for release on October 11, 2024. The album was recorded at Jeanne Lamon Hall and features two dynamic and contrasting Haydn symphonies: “Mercury” and “La Passione.”
Before returning to Toronto in 2025 to direct two programs of baroque music, Podger will lead Tafelmusik’s Bach and Baroque Brilliance South Korea Tour from Oct 22 to Nov 3, 2024. Generously supported by Brookfield, the tour includes seven concerts in five cities.
LISTING INFORMATION:
Tafelmusik presents Mozart Jupiter
Directed by Rachel Podger, Principal Guest Director and violin soloist
Sept 27 and 28 at 8 PM, and Sept 29 at 3 PM Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor Street West
Tickets start at $47.00 and are available at the Koerner Hall box office, rcmusic.com/tickets
Tafelmusik gratefully acknowledges the support of BMO, Presenting Sponsor of the 2024/25 concert season, as well as support from Brookfield and Power Corporation of Canada. We are also grateful to our government partners Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
ABOUT TAFELMUSIK
Every now and then a group of musicians comes along and changes the way we think about music. For over four decades, Tafelmusik has been synonymous worldwide with dynamic, engaging, and soulful performances informed by scholarship, passion, and artistic excellence. Performed on instruments and in styles appropriate to the era, 17th- to 19th-century instrumental and choral music share the stage with exciting multimedia programs, bold new commissions, and intriguing cross-cultural collaborations. From a vibrant home season in Toronto, to international tours, award-winning recordings, and inspiring education programs, Tafelmusik is a musical powerhouse with a reputation for thrilling and delighting audiences.
Website: tafelmusik.org
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Media contact:
Luisa Trisi, Big Picture Communications
luisa@luisatrisi.com | 427 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1X7