Classical Legends Evgeny Kissin & Itzhak Perlman To Return To The Roy Thomson Hall Stage In 2024

Roy Thomson Hall proudly announces two new incredible shows for 2024 featuring two of the world's most esteemed classical performers.

Coming to Toronto on Sunday, April 21, 2024, one of the most gifted pianists of his generation, Evgeny Kissin returns to Roy Thomson Hall exactly a year after he dazzled audiences on the very same stage. For a one-time collaboration,  Evgeny Kissin eagerly looks forward to accompanying Matthias Goerne in a program of German arts songs by Schumann and Brahms.

And, on Thursday, May 16, 2024 the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman returns to the Roy Thomson Hall stage this time, with internationally renowned pianist and long-time collaborator, Rohan De Silva. The pair have performed recitals together on the world's leading stages and for the 2023/24 season, they are performing across North America including Los Angeles, Portland, Toronto and the New York Tri-State area.

EVGENY KISSIN - BIO

Evgeny Kissin's musicality, the depth and poetic quality of his interpretations, and his extraordinary virtuosity have earned him the veneration and admiration deserved only by one of the most gifted classical pianists of his generation and, arguably, generations past. He is in demand the world over and has appeared with many of the world's great conductors, including Abbado, Ashkenazy, Barenboim, Dohnányi, Giulini, Levine, Maazel, Muti, and Ozawa, as well as all the great orchestras of the world.

 

Mr. Kissin was born in Moscow in October 1971 and began to play by ear and improvise on the piano at the age of two. At six years old, he entered a special school for gifted children, the Moscow Gnessin School of Music, where he was a student of Anna Pavlovna Kantor, his only teacher. At the age of ten, he made his concerto debut playing Mozart's Piano Concerto K. 466 and gave his first solo recital in Moscow one year later. He came to international attention in March 1984 when, at the age of twelve, he performed Chopin's Piano Concertos 1 and 2 in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory with the Moscow State Philharmonic under Dmitri Kitayenko. This concert was recorded live by Melodia, and a two-LP album was released the following year. Given the astounding success of this recording, Melodia proceeded to release five more LPs of live performances in Moscow over the following two years.

MATTHIAS GOERNE – BIO

 

Celebrated around the globe for his opera and concert performances, German baritone Matthias Goerne is a frequent guest with leading orchestras and renowned festivals and concert halls. Among his musical partners are conductors of the first rank such as Claudio Abbado, Herbert Blomstedt, Riccardo Chailly, Christoph von Dohnányi, Gustavo Dudamel, Christoph Eschenbach, Daniele Gatti, Valery Gergiev, Bernard Haitink, Manfred Honeck, Mariss Jansons, Neeme Järvi, Paavo Järvi, Vladimir Jurowski, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Seiji Ozawa, Antonio Pappano, Kirill Petrenko, Simon Rattle, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Franz Welser-Möst. Matthias Goerne has appeared on the world's principal opera stages, including the the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Teatro Real in Madrid; Paris National Opera; Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, and the Vienna State Opera. His carefully chosen roles range from Amfortas, Marke, Wolfram, Wotan, Orest, and Jochanaan to the title roles in Béla Bartók's Duke Bluebeard's Castle and Alban Berg's Wozzeck.

Itzhak Perlman - BIO

Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also to his irrepressible joy for making music.

Having performed with every major orchestra and at concert halls around the globe, Mr. Perlman was granted a Presidential Medal of Freedom – the Nation's highest civilian honor – by President Obama in 2015, a Kennedy Center Honor in 2003, a National Medal of Arts by President Clinton in 2000, and a Medal of Liberty by President Reagan in 1986. Mr. Perlman has been honored with 16 GRAMMY Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Kennedy Center Honor, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Genesis Prize.

 

He currently serves as Artistic Partner of the Houston Symphony in a partnership that commenced in the 2020/21 season and culminates at the end of 2023/24. He performs 9 programs across three seasons that feature him in versatile appearances as conductor, soloist, recitalist and presenter.

ROHAN DE SILVA – BIO

Rohan De Silva has partnered with violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman in worldwide recitals, and every notable violinist on the concert stage today. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Barbican and Wigmore Hall in London, Bronfman Auditorium in Tel Aviv, Suntory Hall in Tokyo and at the White House at the invitation of President Barack Obama in 2012 for Shimon Peres; at the Millennium Grammy Awards ceremony in 2000; and at a State Dinner in 2007 hosted by President George W. Bush for Queen Elizabeth. A native of Sri Lanka, Mr. De Silva was invited in 2015 by the Prime Minister of his country to perform for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on his historic visit to Sri Lanka.

 

In the 2023/24 season, Mr. De Silva plays recitals with Itzhak Perlman across North America including Portland, Los Angeles, Toronto and the New York Tri-State area. He also performs with Mr. Perlman on the program An Evening with Itzhak Perlman which captures highlights of Mr. Perlman's career through narrative and multi-media elements, intertwined with performance. Mr. De Silva served on faculty at the Perlman Music Program from 2000 to 2007 and currently teaches at the Juilliard School where he has served on faculty since 1991 and at Heifetz International Music Institute. He has led masterclasses in Collaborative Piano at University of Texas at Austin, Indiana University in Bloomington and the University of Gainesville in Florida.

For priority ticket access and exclusive perks, music fans can become a member.

Becoming a member means supporting the Hall's charitable work - that funds educational programming and artist development initiatives - while enjoying exclusive member perks. Members enjoy benefits that include personalized ticketing service through a dedicated box office representative, advance notice for upcoming shows, exclusive member contests, event invitations and much more. Fans can pick between four levels: Friend, Platinum, Royal, and Marquee.

Learn more about membership options at mhrth.com/about/membership.

 

ABOUT ROY THOMSON HALL:

Roy Thomson Hall is a registered not-for-profit organization and, along with its sister-venue Massey Hall, devotes much of its focus to artist development, community outreach, and educational programming. Opened in Fall 1984, Roy Thomson Hall is renowned for being home to The Toronto Symphony Orchestra and to many of The Toronto International Film Festival gala events. The hall's inspiring architectural vision, designed by Arthur Erickson, is located right in the heart of Toronto Entertainment District. Roy Thomson Hall seats 2,630 guests and features the renowned Gabriel Kney Pipe Organ built by Canadian organ builder Gabriel Kney from London Ontario.

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