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For
40 years, [Murray Schafer] has been writing a huge cycle of 12 music-theater
works, collectively titled "Patria." Larger than Wagner's
"Ring" cycle or Karlheinz Stockhausen's "Licht,"
this cycle challenges the boundaries of both music and theater.
Colin Eatock New York Times August 27, 2005 The most wildly imaginative and physically ambitious series of music theatre works in the history of the Canadian stage. William Littler, Toronto Star |
Patria (homeland) is the title of a cycle of music dramas that Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer has been creating during the last thirty years. At the present time, ten parts of this monumental undertaking have been performed and published. Further works are in various states of creation, but enough has already been presented to reveal the series as among the most radical and challenging works to be produced within the past half century.
Here
is an overview with a brief description of each work.
 Arcana Editions Online catalogue of scores books & recordings |
 Patria Music/ Theatre Projects
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Patria newsletters
(courtesy
Claire Heistek)
June
05 (pdf 800 kb)
In a unique partnership with the Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve, Patria Music/Theatre Projects will be presenting the music/dramas of R. Murray Schafer in the ideal location for these quintessentially Canadian works.
The forests and lake settings of the Haliburton Forest will be home to Patria works over the next five years and hopefully beyond.
“There
is nothing like Patria in the history of Canadian musical theatre, either
in ambition, scope or mythmaking potency”
William Littler, Toronto Star
September 16, 2002
March 2008 2007 news, Jerrard & Diana Smith In May, we were very pleased to be among those representing Canada at the Prague Quadrennial of Scenography. We exhibited our designs for The Enchanted Forest, The Palace of the Cinnabar Phoenix and The Princess of the Stars. It was a wonderful experience and in addition we were very humbled by being nominated to receive the OISTAT honourable scenographers award. link to the work presented at PQ07
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The
Palace of the Cinnabar Phoenix 
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last update:
February 2007
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Asterion: A Journey through the
Labyrinth
Information about the project and about plans for 2008
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The Patria Design Project
Jerrard and Diana Smith, designers for the Patria works since 1981 – have assembled a document describing their involvement in the creation of the Patria cycle and sharing some drawings, photographs and thoughts.