08|09 Virtuoso Performances - Single Ticket Onsale

Tickets on sale to FriendsFirst members Thursday, June 19 at 10 AM

to the Public on Monday, June 23 at 10 AM

For tickets call 416-872-4255 or online at www.roythomson.com

or visit the Roy Thomson Hall Box Office

LANG LANG, PIANO

Friday, September 26, 2008, 8:00 pm - Roy Thomson Hall

Tickets: $99.50 - $39.50

Wunderkind virtuoso Lang Lang returns to Roy Thomson Hall for his much anticipated 2^nd solo recital during a week long ’ÄúPortrait’Äù residency in collaboration with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra that also includes educational and outreach activities. Described as ’Äúthe closest thing classical music has to a rock star,’Äù the 25-year-old megastar continues to astound audiences worldwide with his prodigious talent and extraordinary charisma. Since his dramatic substitution as soloist with the Chicago Symphony at age 17 for an indisposed Andrˆ© Watts, he has emerged as one of the truly amazing classical artists of our age. His phenomenal breadth of talent was recently showcased at the 10^th Anniversary Beijing International Festival where he performed 10 different piano concertos with five international orchestras under six conductors. His recital programme features Schubert’Äôs Piano Sonata No. 20 in A Major, D. 959; Bartˆ„k’Äôs Piano Sonata BB 88 Sz. 80; a selection of Debussy’Äôs Preludes; and Chopin’Äôs Polonaise in A Flat Major, Op. 53, ’ÄúHeroic’Äù.

’ÄúHis playing was so raptly beautiful that one was afraid to breathe for fear of missing anything.’Äù -Chicago Tribune

Sponsored by TD Canada Trust.

Lang Lang also appears with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra on September 24 & 27 at 8:00 pm as part of a residency week of performances and educational concerts.

ISABEL BAYRAKDARIAN, SOPRANO

SEROUJ KRADJIAN, PIANO

With the Chamber Orchestra of the Armenian Philharmonic

Friday, October 17, 2008, 8:00 pm - Roy Thomson Hall

Tickets: $89.50 - $39.50

No stranger to Roy Thomson Hall, Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian returns to delight her many hometown fans with a program celebrating the music of composer Gomidas Vartabed (1869-1935), the revered saviour of Armenian folk music; plus works by Grieg and Bartˆ„k, who were also inspired by the rich musical traditions of their homelands. Since winning the 2000 Placido Domingo Operalia Competition, the young Armenian-Canadian has become a star at the Metropolitan Opera and in the opera houses of London, Milan, Paris and Salzburg. She has won three Juno Awards, is the voice on the Grammy-winning soundtrack of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and is the subject of the 2006 Gemini-nominated film A Long Journey Home which follows her performances during her first trip to her ancestral home of Armenia.

’ÄúA soprano voice that combines lyricism with remarkable dramatic instincts.’Äù - Time Magazine

More’Ķ

THE SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE WITH YO-YO MA

Thursday, March 19, 2009, 8:00 pm

Friday, March 20, 2009, 8:00 pm

Both at Roy Thomson Hall

Tickets: $149.50 - $49.50

World-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma is joined by The Silk Road Ensemble, a multicultural collective of virtuoso musicians, for a presentation of traditional and newly commissioned compositions by composers from the Silk Road lands. The Silk Road Project (the brainchild of Mr. Ma) is perhaps the most fascinating phenomenon of today’Äôs world music scene. Now in its 10^th year, the visionary venture continues to explore, absorb and illuminate the many cross-cultural influences that flourished along the ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean Sea for over 2,000 years. ’ÄúThe Silk Road Project hopes to plant seeds of new cultural growth and to celebrate traditions and musical voices everywhere.’Äù - Yo-Yo Ma.

’ÄúThe music leapt across national boundaries in a strange and wonderful way.’Äù- Chicago Tribune

This is a co-presentation with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

The March 20^th concert is sponsored by Lexus.

08|09 Virtuoso Performances subscriptions still available: $295 - $99 (3 concerts).

08|09 International Vocal Recital concerts (Kathleen Battle, Cecilia Bartoli, Nicole Cabell, & Renˆ©e Fleming) will go on sale Monday August 18 at 10:00 am.

08|09 VIRTUOSO PERFORMANCES Single Ticket Onsale Tickets on sale to FriendsFirst MEMBERS Thursday, June 19, 10AM to the Public on Monday June 23, 10 AM 416-872-4255 or online at www.roythomson.com Or visit the Roy Thomson Hall Box Office