CANTUS to Perform at the Guthrie 50th Anniversary Gala

The Guthrie today announced that the award-winning male vocal ensemble Cantus will perform an original arrangement of a classic from the American musical canon at BEHOLD: A Gala Performance, celebrating the theater's 50th anniversary, on June 22, 2013. Called the "premier men's vocal ensemble in the United States" by the classical music publication Fanfare, the nine-member Cantus lends its mix of stunning vocals and engaging performance to musical works that span from the Renaissance to the 21st century.

The performance at BEHOLD punctuates an active year of performance for the Twin Cities-based Cantus, including a trip to the Middle East with performances in Dubai and a vocal concert series in Oman in which they will be billed with other globally renowned groups including Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Sweet Honey in the Rock and Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares. Other upcoming venues include a return to the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival this summer and Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center in December. At the end of May, Cantus wraps up its Twin Cities season with their popular Covers concerts on consecutive weekends at the Cowles Center in downtown Minneapolis.

"Cantus' interpretation of a beloved song from the musical canon will re-imagine a classic in a rich, unexpected way-which is the essence of the spirit of the anniversary gala," says Guthrie Director of External Relations and BEHOLD producer Trish Santini. "And this is the perfect opportunity to host Cantus on our stage for the first time, an ensemble that is such a shining example of the excellence of the Minnesota arts community and its impact throughout the world."

Performing more than 60 concerts per year nationally and internationally, Cantus is noted for working as a chamber ensemble without a conductor, and has released 15 albums on its self-titled record label. In 2010, the New York Times wrote of the Cantus album That Eternal Day that it "offers many satisfactions, none greater than a touching, ineffably simple performance of 'The 23rd Psalm (dedicated to my mother)' by Bobby McFerrin."

Cantus has previously performed at the Kennedy Center, UCLA, San Francisco Performances, Atlanta's Spivey Hall, Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival and New York's Merkin Concert Hall, and has collaborated with organizations including the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Boston Pops, James Sewell Ballet and the Minnesota Orchestra. The ensemble has received a number of awards including Chorus America's highest honor, the Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence (2009). Cantus was the 2010-2011 Artist in Residence on Minnesota Public Radio and America Public Media's Performance Today.

As previously announced, BEHOLD: A Gala Performance will he co-hosted by Guthrie favorites Greta Oglesby and Sally Wingert. Peter Flynn-whose extensive credits include directorial work on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in regional theaters and other gala events-will direct. Further information about artists and guests appearing in BEHOLD will be announced in the weeks and months to come.

A star-studded performance featuring actors, composers and writers with ties to the Guthrie's past and future, BEHOLD: A Gala Performance will be held on June 22, 2013, on the Wurtele Thrust Stage and is a part of the Guthrie's 50th season weekend celebration (June 22-23, 2013). BEHOLD will be presented in conjunction with Anniversary Weekend celebration dinners the Golden Soirée and Fête 50, which will include tickets to the performance and are on sale now.

The GUTHRIE THEATER (Joe Dowling, Director) was founded by Sir Tyrone Guthrie in 1963 and is an American center for theater performance, production, education and professional training. The Tony Award-winning Guthrie Theater is dedicated to producing the great works of dramatic literature, developing the work of contemporary playwrights and cultivating the next generation of theater artists. With annual attendance of nearly 500,000 people, the Guthrie Theater presents a mix of classic plays and contemporary work on its three stages. Under the artistic leadership of Joe Dowling since 1995, the Guthrie continues to set a national standard for excellence in theatrical production and performance. In 2006, the Guthrie opened its new home on the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the Guthrie Theater houses three state-of-the-art stages, production facilities, classrooms and dramatic public lobbies. www.guthrietheater.org

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