The new holiday “classic” will tour US this season
Audiences in Denver, Napa, Davis and Aliso Viejo CA, Torrington, CT and Fayetteville, AR will experience this “compelling ode to peace.”
The Western Front, Christmas 1914. Out of the violence comes a silence, then a song. A German soldier steps into No Man’s Land singing “Stille Nacht.” Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, peace. A remarkable true story, told in the words and songs of the men who lived it.
All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, has become a new holiday classic and an annual tradition for audiences in Minnesota but this fall audiences around the country will have the opportunity to see this moving story for the first time. With words and songs drawn from the era, All Is Calm recalls the remarkable, spontaneous World War I truce between Allied and German forces in No Man’s Land over Christmas 1914. This compelling ode to peace was created by Peter Rothstein, artistic director of Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis and features Cantus, one of America’s finest vocal ensembles, with musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach. All Is Calm is a co-production of Cantus and Theater Latté Da.
All Is Calm begins its tour with two performances at the Warner Theater in Torrington, CT on December 1st. On December 6th, the University of Denver hosts the performance, followed by three California dates: at the Napa Valley Opera House in Napa on December 7th, University of California at Davis on December 8th and Soka University in Aliso Viejo on December 9th. On December 19th-22nd, Cantus and Theater Latté Da return to the Pantages Theater in Minneapolis to present the work on the stage where it was first premiered.
All Is Calm relates an astounding moment in history when Allied and German soldiers laid down their arms to celebrate the holiday together by trading carols, sharing food and drink, playing soccer and burying each others’ dead. In some places the truce lasted only a night, in others until New Year’s Day. This dramatic re-telling contains quotes and readings from thirty World War I figures brought to life by actors Matt Rein, David Roberts and Alan Sorenson. The tapestry of sound performed by the artists of Cantus ranges from patriotic tunes and trench songs to medieval Scottish ballads and holiday carols from England, Wales, France and Germany. The show opens with a set of carols arranged by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams for his own battalion.
Rothstein, who developed All Is Calm over the course of five years said “I wanted to tell the story in their words, so I created the drama primarily through found text including letters, official war documents, autobiographies, World War I poetry, grave stone inscriptions and even an old radio broadcast. I was able to spend time along the Western Front and conduct extensive research in Brussels, Ieper, Paris and London. It was incredibly powerful to stand on the very spot where this extraordinary happening took place. For decades, the Christmas truce was considered a romantic fable, however there is no doubt thousands of courageous men took part in this remarkable event.”
The world premiere of All Is Calm was broadcast live on Classical Minnesota Public Radio and the story has since been heard around the globe through American Public Media and the European Broadcast Union. The program won the Gold World Medal at the 2010 New York Festivals and the 2010 Gabriel Award, which honors works of excellence in broadcasting that serve audiences through the positive, creative treatment of concerns to humankind. The original All Is Calm cast recording from this highly acclaimed collaboration between Cantus and Theater Latté Da is now available for purchase on CD and as a download.
Critical Praise for All Is Calm:
“A classic to be repeated for years to come”—Graydon Royce, Minneapolis Star Tribune
This excellent “radio musical drama” promises to extend its fame to a greater audience, involving listeners with its engaging music and affecting prose and poetry, while leaving us to ponder the incident’s underlying, poignantly provocative question: what would happen if those sent to fight each other instead laid down their arms, crossed the lines, shook hands, shared a beer, a meal, photographs of their families, and sang a few songs together? —Classics Today
“A work of beauty…not only an outstanding piece of musical theater, but a brilliantly executed production that understands that its power comes from its simplicity.”—Rob Hubbard, St. Paul Pioneer Press
For more information on All Is Calm and Cantus please visit cantussings.org
About Cantus
Acclaimed as “the premier men’s vocal ensemble in the United States” (Fanfare), Cantus is known world-wide for its trademark warmth and blend and its engaging performances of music ranging from the Renaissance to the 21st century. The Washington Post has hailed the ensemble’s sound as having both “exalting finesse” and “expressive power” and refers to the “spontaneous grace” of its music making.
As one of the country’s only two full-time vocal ensembles, Cantus has grown to prominence with its distinctive approach to creating music. Working without a conductor, the members of Cantus rehearse and perform as chamber musicians, each contributing to the entirety of the artistic process. ###
Rebecca Davis
Rebecca Davis Public Relations
Wendy Harder
Director, Community Relations
Soka University
Soka University is a private, four-year liberal arts college and graduate school located on 103-acres overlooking a wilderness park in Aliso Viejo, CA. The university celebrated its 10th Anniversary in Aliso Viejo in 2011, and is ranked in the top 10 liberal arts colleges on the West Coast by US News and World Report. Soka University offers a 9:1 student/faculty ratio and study abroad for every undergraduate student. Founded upon the Buddhist principles of peace, human rights and the sanctity of life, SUA is open to top students of all nationalities and beliefs. About half of Soka University’s students come from the US and half from more than 40 other countries. Admitted students whose annual family income is $60,000 or less may be eligible for Soka Opportunity Scholarships which cover full tuition. Additional scholarship opportunities are available for higher income levels.
