Saint-Georges’ Sword & Bow will make its Canadian premiere in a performance by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The imaginative programme for children takes listeners on a musical trip through history.
Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser conducts the orchestra, with a performance by actors from Classical Kids LIVE!
Classical Kids LIVE! is a US-based series that partners with orchestras to present shows that typically range about 50 minutes in length, and revolve around music. Other productions include Beethoven Lives Upstairs, and Vivaldi’s Ring of Mystery. The goal is musical education with a spirit of fun and a theatrical flair.
The Story
The story blends the real historical figure of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, with a fantasy set in the present day.
Giselle is a 13-year-old who is determined to become a famous pop star. Her father, on the other hand, wants her to study music theory. It’s the age old rivalry of classical vs contemporary music, but this time with a time-bending twist: the supernatural arrival of the Chevalier de Saint-Georges.
Our young heroine goes back in time to become Saint-Georges’ student, and from him, she learns lessons not only about music, but about life and its ups and downs. Joseph’s life was full of the pressures you’d expect for a Black bi-racial man in 18th century France.
His solution was excellence; he simply excelled at everything he touched, from musical composition to swordsmanship to violin virtuosity. It’s a story about dreams, leaving a legacy, and above all, hope.
The Music
Naturally, there is a great deal of music to go along with the story. The performance includes 15 of Saint-Georges’ own compositions, along with a few by his contemporaries.
- Overture — L’ament anonyme, Overture
- Concerto in A Major, Op. 5, No. 2:1. Allegro moderato
- Concerto pour violin no 9 en sol (in G) majeur op 8: Rondeau
- Symphony No 1 en sol majeur, Op 11 Allegro assai
- Symphony No 1 en sol majeur, Op 11 Allegro assai (Continued)
- Symphonie No. 2 en ré majeur, Op. 11: Presto
- Reprise of Cue 5 — Symphonie No. 2
- 2 Violin Concertos Op 2, No 2 in D Major
- Orefeo ed Euridice — Dance of the Blessed Spirits by Gluck
- Scale by Concertmaster
- Gossec Trio in F Major Op 9, No 3:1. Allegretto
- Gossec Sinfonia In G Major: 1. Allegro Molto
- Violin Concerto in C Major, Op. 5, No. 1: II. Andante moderato
- Concerto pour violon No. 9 en sol majeur, Op. 8: Largo
- Scena from “Ernestine”
- Symphonie No. 2 Remix (Hip-Hop Dance)
- Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in A. Op. 7 No. 1 — Allegro moderato
- Haydn Symphony No. 85 in B-Flat Major, Hob. I:85 “La reine”: IV. Finale. Presto
- Haydn Paris Symphony No. 82 in C Major, Hob. I:82 “L’ours”: I. Vivace assai
- Giselle’s Rap (Boots n Cats)
- Reprise of Cue 18 — Haydn “L’ours”
- Mozart — Flute Quartet No. 1 in D, K. 285
- Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. posth., No. 2: Adagio
- Feeling Good — Nina Simone
- Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 3 No. 1: II. Adagio
- Concerto pour violon No. 9 en sol majeur, Op. 8: Allegro
- Reprise: Symphonie No. 2 en ré majeur, Op. 11: Presto
Concert Details
The fun starts before you get to your seat.
Pre-Concert Lobby Activities
Before the concert, the lobby will be the scene of a performance involving swords and bows in improvised duels with music, featuring the young athletes of the Toronto Fencing Club and the fiddlers Emilyn Stam & Elise Boeur.
There will be two afternoon performances of Saint-Georges’ Sword & Bow on November 19, with tickets and more information available [HERE].
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