Calgary Phil’s City Spaces series returns with new performances at local landmarks
The Calgary Philharmonic’s popular City Spaces series is back with three new virtual concerts recorded at three different local landmarks. Following the success of the first three concerts at The BOW, Contemporary Calgary, and the Fairmont Palliser, the next two concerts travel beyond the downtown to two of the city’s favourite destinations — one that celebrates advancements in science and technology, and one that explores the history of the Canadian West — before wrapping up the 2020-21 Season at home.
“For us the past year has been all about music and community and finding ways to boost people’s spirits,” says Music Director Rune Bergmann. “These City Spaces concerts give us a chance to work with other local organizations affected by the pandemic and showcase this amazing city and our talented musicians at the same time.”
The next event in the online series is City Spaces: Spark Science Centre, premiering on Saturday, May 15, where five Calgary Phil musicians perform solo and duets in different areas of the bright, modern, high-tech science centre. The second half of the event includes a brief interview with one of the musicians by Associate Conductor Karl Hirzer, followed by an encore live-stream presentation of the first movement from Verdi’s Requiem.
The second event is City Spaces: Heritage Park, premiering on Saturday, May 29, where five different musicians perform in buildings at the historical village, followed by an interview and an encore live-stream presentation of Richard Wagner’s Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde.
The third concert in the series — and the final concert of the Season — takes place at Calgary Phil’s home in Arts Commons. City Spaces: Jack Singer Concert Hall premieres online on Saturday, June 12 and features Concertmaster Diana Cohen and her husband, concert pianist Roman Rabinovich. The duo will perform Richard Strauss’s Violin Sonata in E-flat Major, which is followed by an encore live-stream presentation of the composer’s Der Rosenkavalier Suite.
“The concert hall is where we’re wrapping up this Season and, with any luck, it’s where the next Season will begin this fall,” says Paul Dornian, President and CEO of the Calgary Philharmonic. “We managed to record this performance in the concert hall at Arts Commons this spring during a brief window when provincial health restrictions allowed artists back in the building, and we wanted to save this special homecoming for our Season grand finale.”
The experience is especially meaningful to Dornian as it is also his last as the organization’s leader before he steps down in August. “I’m so incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished during this pandemic,” he says. “We have provided free and accessible online music experiences to thousands of people in Calgary and around the world with 15 virtual concerts, a four-part web series for kids, and numerous other digital projects and performances. Our musicians, staff and supporters really stepped up, and the overwhelming response from the community encouraged us to keep going.”
The concerts begin at 7:30PM and remain available for viewing for 30 days following the premiere — access is free with registration at calgaryphil.com. To receive updates about Calgary Phil digital projects and the upcoming 2021-22 Season, subscribe to the weekly newsletter at calgaryphil.com/about/newsletter and follow @CalgaryPhil on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
