Daniel Raiskin New Musical Director , Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

NEW TUNES

When music director Alexander Mickelthwate announced 2017 / 2018 would be his final season with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra , the city anxiously waited to hear who ’ d fill his spot . Enter Daniel Raiskin , a Russian-born maestro who has worked with countless orchestras in places like Spain , Germany and Poland .

“ It ’ s important to show that the WSO is an orchestra of our time ,” Raiskin says , adding that some people have misconceptions about what attending a performance is like . Some think strict theatre rules circa 200 years ago still apply —“ you can ’ t breathe , you can ’ t drink , you can ’ t dress a certain way ,” as Raiskin explains . But that ’ s no longer the theatre experience today . “ It ’ s a very cosmopolitan and open-minded way of spending time and being inspired .”

Raiskin ’ s position as music director of the WSO started August 1 , and he ’ ll open the season Sep 17 with Grammy-winning pianist Emanuel Ax . Born in Poland , Ax moved to Winnipeg with his family when he was young , later attending the prestigious Julliard School and Columbia University . Raiskin , who used to listen to recordings by Ax as a student , says it will be special for them to share the stage .

This year ’ s line up delves into popular music with entries like Classical Mystery Tour : A Tribute to The Beatles ( Sep 21-23 ) and Disney in Concert : A Silly Symphony Celebration ( from Oct 21 ). Blockbuster

classics also get the live orchestra treatment as the WSO plays along to Casablanca ( Oct 26-28 ), and later on in the season Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban .

Classical compositions still shine , though . The season opener features Beethoven ’ s Piano Concerto No . 5 , also known as the Emperor Concerto , and Tchaikovsky ’ s Symphony No . 5 in E minor . Raiskin says the audience can expect an evening of high emotions and elevated spirits .

Raiskin has conducted three WSO performances since 2015 . He says he ’ s impressed and overwhelmed with Winnipeg ’ s arts scene — the music , dance , theatre and fine arts communities all work together , making the city a special place . “ When you look at a map , you don ’ t expect all these beautiful things happening here .”

TIMELY TALES

Pop culture themes also thread through the Royal Winnipeg Ballet ’ s 2018-19 season , filled with stories of heroines and strong women . Season opener The Handmaid ’ s Tale ( Oct 10-14 ), based on Margaret Atwood ’ s 1985 novel , is set in a dystopian , not-sodistant future where women are stripped of their rights and freedom .

This is a reprise performance — The Handmaid ’ s Tale debuted in Winnipeg as a world première in

PHOTOS : COURTESY OF DARIUSZ KULESZA KOPIE ( HEADSHOT ), JJ GIL ( CONCERT ) & WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA , COURTESY OF IAN MCCAUSLAND ( HEADSHOT ), LIAM REID ( BACKSTAGE ), DAVID COOPER ( HEROINES ) & ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET , COURTESY OF ROYAL MANITOBA THEATRE CENTRE