Shakespeare: If Music be…

march 28-29, 2008

harbourfront centre theatre, toronto

An evening of readings, music and dance inspired by the works of William Shakespeare. The highlights included music by Erich Korngold, Richard Strauss, John Cage & Sergei Prokofiev; choreography by Peggy Baker and James Kudelka; and staged scenes from Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing and Romeo & Juliet.

Repertoire/Credits

Words about Shakespeare, Jorge Luis Borges, Herman Melville, Virginia Woolf, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Flaubert, Iris Murdoch, Cioran and Mel Gibson
Tom McCamus, Chick Reid, Marc Bendavid, Cara Ricketts, readers

Songs From Shakespeare, Erich Korngold
Desdemona's Song
Hey Robin
Come Away, Death
For the Rain, it Raineth Every Day
O Mistress Mine
Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind
Under the Greenwood Tree
Monica Whicher soprano, Andrew Burashko piano

More Words About Shakespeare, Vladimir Nabokov, Harold Pinter and Boris Pasternak
Tom McCamus actor, Chick Reid actor

Romeo and Juliet, Prologue, William Shakespeare
Tom McCamus actor
March of the Montagues and Capulets, Sergei Prokofiev
Andrew Burashko piano
Romeo and Juliet, Act III, Scene V, William Shakespeare
Marc Bendavid actor, Cara Ricketts actor
Romeo and Juliet before parting, Sergei Prokofiev, Choreography by James Kudelka
Rebekah Rimsay dancer, Piotr Stanczyk dancer, Andrew Burashko piano

INTERMISSION

And more words about Shakespeare, Voltaire, Henry Miller, Charles Darwin and Lord Byron
Cara Ricketts actor, Marc Bendavid actor

Four Scenes from “Much Ado About Nothing”, William Shakespeare & Four Pieces from Much Ado About Nothing, Erich Korngold
i. Act I, Scene I
ii. The Maiden in the Bridal Chamber
iii. Act IV, Scene I
iv. Dogberry and Verges March
v. Act V, Scene II
vi. Garden Scene
vii. Act V, Scene, IV
iix. Masquerade
Tom McCamus actor, Chick Reid actor
Andrew Burashko piano, Marie Berard violin

Ophelia’s Mad Scene, Hamlet, Act IV, Scene V, William Shakespeare
Cara Ricketts actor
Ophelia Lieder, Richard Strauss
i. Wie erkenn ich mein Treulieb
ii. Guten Morgen, ‘s ist Sankt Valentinstag
iii. Sie trugen ihn auf der Bahre bloss
Monica Whicher soprano, Andrew Burashko piano
Ophelia/Why the Brook Wept, John Cage/Peggy Baker
Peggy Baker dancer/choreography , Andrew Burashko piano

David Ferry, director
Andrew duToit, lighting designer

Artists

Photos

Photos by John Lauener

Press

Related Performances

Shakespeare: If Music Be… (2005) - Toronto, ON

Shakespeare: If Music be… (2010) - Toronto, ON

Shakespeare: If Music Be… (2024) - Stratford, ON

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