| Gary Thor Wedow |
Introduction “The opera was delightfully played by a first-rate chamber orchestra under the direction of Gary Thor Wedow. Years in opera houses have taught him how to make this music theatrical – and how to accommodate singers while challenging them. His work was knowledgeable, vital and full of the smell of candlelight and greasepaint.” Boston Globe – Richard Dyer Biography
Conductor Gary Thor Wedow has established an enviable reputation for dramatically exciting and historically informed performances with opera companies, festivals and choral organizations throughout North America. This past season he led the Seattle Symphony in a Baroque program of Rameau, Handel and Marcello to rave reviews and enthusiastic audience response. Following his recent Rinaldo for the Berkshire Opera, the Boston Globe’s Richard Dyer wrote: “The opera was delightfully played by a first-rate chamber orchestra under the direction Gary Thor Wedow. Years in opera houses have taught him how to make this music theatrical – and how to accommodate singers while challenging them. His work was knowledgeable, vital and full of the smell of candlelight and greasepaint.” Included among his engagements in the 2009-10 season were two New York City productions: A return to New York City Opera for the company’s first new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni since 2002, and the Juilliard Opera’s season opening production of Handel’s Ariodante. Additional engagements included Messiah with the Seattle Symphony, and coming up this spring he will conduct Barbiere di Siviglia for Florida Grand Opera, Le nozze di Figaro for Pittsburgh Opera and Zaide at Wolf Trap this summer. Next year will include a run of Die Zauberflöte for Seattle Opera in the spring. Appearances of the 2008-2009 season included conducting the premier of Paul Richards and Wendy Steiner’s The Loathly Lady in Philadelphia, leading the Berkshire Choral Society for Bach’s Matthäus Passion, guesting with the Orchestra London Ontario and serving as a visiting faculty member at Indiana University, where he led performances of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solonnelle and Handel’s Giulio Cesare. The 2006-2007 season was highlighted by Giulio Cesare for Seattle Opera and La finta giardiniera for the Juilliard School. He returned to Chautauqua for a production of L’elisir d’amore in July 2007, and at New York City Opera he conducted Carmen. Maestro Wedow’s long association with the NYCO has also included Le nozze di Figaro, Handel’s Xerxes and Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience. His 2005-2006 season called for Pirates of Penzance at Glimmerglass Opera, Messiah with the Edmonton Symphony and Xerxes for the Pittsburgh Opera. Other recent Handel performances include Xerxes for Wolf Trap Opera, Alcina and Ariodante for Toronto’s Opera in Concert and the Coronation Anthems for the Berkshire Choral Festival where he also has conducted Bach’s Mass in B Minor and an opera concert featuring selections from Aida, Iris and William Tell. Further recent assignments have included La Bohème at Chautauqua Opera, La Calisto at the San Francisco Opera Center, concerts at the New National Theater in Tokyo, the North American premiere of Sartorio’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto with the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto and L’incoronazione di Poppea for the Pittsburgh Opera Center. As head of the Canadian Opera Company’s prestigious Ensemble Studio he conducted Cavalli’s La Calisto and Giasone and the world premiere of Gary Kulesha’s Red Emma. He is a frequent collaborator of countertenor Lawrence Lipnik with whom he has prepared several performing editions of Baroque operas and was for many years Associate Conductor of Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society. As a pianist, Wedow studied with Jorge Bolet. He is currently a faculty member of The Juilliard School. February 2010
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Engaged ByBerkshire Choral Festival Reviews"Conductor Gary Thor Wedow led a vibrant performance, skillfully balancing the voices and the orchestra." "The conductor Gary Thor Wedow meets the challenge of Mozart's jocular drama with orchestral colors that are sometimes dark, sometimes laughing and ultimately transcendent." “This was hot music-making, aided every step of the way by conductor Gary Thor Wedow, who maintained a telling pulse even as he allowed for exquisite, unhurried molding of the most lyrical passages.” “The opera was delightfully played by a first-rate chamber orchestra under the direction of Gary Thor Wedow. Years in opera houses have taught him how to make this music theatrical – and how to accommodate singers while challenging them. His work was knowledgeable, vital and full of the smell of candlelight and greasepaint.” “Wedow maintained a spirited pace and a unity of purpose among these divergent elements.” Berkshire Eagle – John Felton “Gary Thor Wedow, led this section sensitively, as he did the rest of the score and the City Opera Orchestra brought the music across with practical ease.” “Gary Thor Wedow led Sullivan’s score superbly.” ( New York City Opera,Patience) “Conductor Gary Thor Wedow was the unifying force and led from the harpsichord with pace and dramatic acuity.” Tribune – Mark Kanny“Conductor Gary Thor Wedow presided deftly over a crackerjack ensemble…managed to create more textural variety than might have seemed possible.” San Francisco Chronicle – Joshua Kosman“…with Gary Thor Wedow conducting with a fine sense of Baroque grandeur and zestiness.” The New York Times – Allan Kozinn“ Gary Wedow led his ensemble of seven players and eight singers in a performance of near seamless aural beauty.” (Giasone) The Globe and Mail – Urjo Kureda“Conductor Gary Thor Wedow (also making his company debut) led the Berkshire Opera orchestra, situated on stage behind the singers. He paced the succession of recitatives and arias perfectly and indulged the dance-like inflection of the music’s phrasing to good effect.” (RINALDO) Clifton J. Noble Jr.“…beguilingly moulded instrumentally by a ten-player ensemble conducted by Gary Thor Wedow.” Canadian Opera Company – (GUILIO CESARE IN EGITTO) The Globe and Mail – Urjo Kareda“Under Gary Thor Wedow’s expert direction…convincingly assimilated the proper style of baroque singing.” Canadian Opera Company – (GIULIO CESARE IN EGITTO) National Post – Tamara Bernstein“Fine Conducting, Imaginative Realization…Gary Thor Wedow deserves tremendous credit both for his work with the singers and for his fine realization of the score, which includes an absorbing (intentionally anachronistic) array of percussion and some additional choral participation in places such as Calisto’s echo aria.” Michael Zwiebach |