Sankofa:
The Soldier's Tale Retold
October 24-27, 2024
harbourfront centre theatre, Toronto
Sankofa: The Soldier’s Tale Retold reimagines Igor Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat in a new libretto by poet Titilope Sonuga. Through the journey of a fictional soldier attempting to enlist in WWI, this Soldier's Tale is set against the historical context of the No. 2 Construction Battalion — the only Canadian battalion composed of Black soldiers to serve in the First World War. In a psychological battle with the devil on the road to enlisting, the soldier embodies the battalion’s resilience and enduring struggle against racism, discrimination and historical erasure. Like the symbol of the Sankofa bird from which this story draws its name (a word in the Twi language of Ghana which means to go back and retrieve what was forgotten), this work blends past and future as the rhythm of Sonuga's poetry weaves through Stravinsky's original music. Sankofa is an invitation to honour a difficult history while moving toward a more promising future.
Repertoire/Credits/Media
🎥 Sankofa: The Soldier’s Tale Retold
Music by Igor Stravinsky
Libretto by Titilope Sonuga
Directed by Tawiah M’Carthy
Conducted by Andrew Burashko
Olaoluwa Fayokun, Soldier
Diego Matamoros, Devil
Ordena Stephens-Thompson, Narrator
Graham Lumsden, Trumpet
Ken Kagawa, Trombone
Ann Murdocca, Clarinet
Wolfgang Scheitinger, Bassoon
Julia Mirzoev, Violin
Cameron Breiter, Double Bass
Andrew Busch, Percussion
Kevin Lamotte, Lighting Designer
Des’ree Gray, Costume Designer
John Gzowski, Sound Designer
Pulga Muchochoma, Choreographer
Naomi Onah, Assistant Costume Designer
Arwen MacDonell, Stage Manager
Emily Cornelius, Apprentice Stage Manager
Aden C. Altamirano, Production Manager
A.J. Morra, Production Manager
Bryn Kennedy, Marketing and Outreach
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Related Performances/Recordings
Sankofa: The Soldier’s Tale…..(2026) - Recording