Journey through the Mediterranean – Olympic Park’s Esplanade
Set off from the Olympic Park’s Esplanade and journey to the Eternal City to hear the festive music of Berlioz’s Roman Carnival before heading on to Egypt, serenaded by Tawadros’s works for oud, before returning to the shade of Respighi’s Pines of Rome. Your tour guide for this unforgettable musical voyage in the company of the OSM and its conductor Rafael Payare will be André Robitaille.
Admission for the public on Boulevard Pie-IX
Itinerary
Set off from the Olympic Park’s Esplanade and journey to the Eternal City to hear the festive music of Berlioz’s Roman Carnival before heading on to Egypt, serenaded by Tawadros’s works for oud, before returning to the shade of Respighi’s Pines of Rome. Your tour guide for this unforgettable musical voyage in the company of the OSM and its conductor Rafael Payare will be André Robitaille.
Artists
Rafael Payare, conductor
Joseph Tawadros, oud
André Robitaille, host
Programme
Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski, Francesca da Rimini (22 min)
Joseph Tawadros, Permission to Evaporate, for oud and orchestra (6 min)
Hector Berlioz, Le carnaval romain [Roman Carnival], Overture, H 95 (8 min)
Joseph Tawadros, Constantinople, for oud and orchestra (6 min)
Ottorino Respighi, Pini di Roma [Pines of Rome] (23 min)
Rafael Payare
Music DirectorRafael Payare’s prodigious musicianship, technical brilliance and charismatic presence on the podium have made him one of the world’s most sought-after conductors. A graduate of the celebrated El Sistema music education program in Venezuela, Mr. Payare began his formal conducting studies in 2004 with José Antonio Abreu. Since winning the prestigious Malko International Competition for Young Conductors in Denmark in 2012, Maestro Payare’s career has advanced rapidly. Since 2015, he has served as Principal Conductor of the Castleton Festival, founded by his mentor the late Lorin Maazel. He was Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Ulster Orchestra from 2014 to 2019 and in 2019, took up the position of Music Director of the San Diego Symphony. In recent years, Rafael Payare has conducted many of the world’s most prestigious orchestras, including those of New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Zurich, Berlin, Vienna, London, Munich, Chicago and Paris. He has also made important opera debuts at the Glyndebourne Festival, Stockholm’s Royal Swedish Opera, the Royal Danish Opera, and most recently at London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. In the 2022-2023 season, Payare became the ninth Music Director in the history of the OSM.
To consult:
rafaelpayare.com
Long biography
Joseph Tawadros
OudJoseph Tawadros is one of the world’s leading oud performers and composers, his style of playing fuses the Arabic Maqam system with western jazz and improvisation. His drive to push musical boundaries has led to collaborations with renowned performers including Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan, Zakir Hussain, Sultan Khan, John Patitucci, Jack DeJohnette and Richard Bona. He has recorded 14 albums and is known for his brilliant technique, deep musicianship and joyous style of performance as well as his solid repertoire of innovative, original music. Joseph tours extensively regularly headlining across Europe, America, Asia and the Middle East.
Joseph Tawadros is acknowledged for expanding the oud’s notoriety in mainstream western culture and he’s also received recognition in the Arab world, appearing on the judging panel of the Damascus International Oud competition in 2009, and taking part in Istanbul’s first Oud festival in 2010.
In June 2023, Joseph released his 20th studio recording, ä solo album “To Those Who Came Before Us”. Drawing upon the ancient music tradition of taqasim, Joseph attempts a soulful meditative hour long improvisation in this tradition. After 20 albums, this will be the greatest feat of solo creativity, a long extended solo work using the Arabic madam system and the other influences picked up in his 20 year recording career.
The show will go on, come rain or shine! The OSM will not cancel the concert due to rain unless in exceptional circumstances such as a thunderstorm occur. We invite you to check our Facebook page or our website for updates if this is the case.
Our outdoor concerts are bring-your-own-chair events! As such, we do not provide seating , but whether it is a camping chair, a stool or even just a blanket, we invite you to bring along whatever you need to rest your legs.
Concerts last typically between 75 to 90 minutes, and there is no intermission during concerts.
Food and alcohol are not permitted on site. However, food concession stands offering Boréale beer will be available in the immediate vicinity, and will open starting at 4:30 pm.
Yes, there will be restrooms on site.
Changing tables are available in the indoor bathrooms, located at 4545 Pierre-De Coubertin Avenue, level 100.
One bathroom for reduced mobility clients is available inside the building. It is accessible through the entrance at 4545 Pierre-De Coubertin Avenue, near booths 117 and 118.
No pets will be allowed, except for service dogs.
Public admission will be at 2727 Pie-IX Boulevard.
You may arrive by bike, metro, bus, car or on foot. For all details, we invite you to visit the Olympic Park website.
Construction sites are causing street closures in the area. Consult the interactive map set up by the Olympic Park to obtain information on the barriers.
For any questions regarding venue accessibility or specialised services, please contact us by email at accessiblite@osm.ca or by phone at 514.840.7914.
