Luminato lights up Toronto everything, always, world

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Luminato lights up Toronto
Arts festival in mid-June offers everything from ballet to magic, literature to food - and many events are free

Toronto's cultural scene always has a lot to offer. But it goes into overdrive for 10 days in mid-June with Luminato, a multidisciplinary, multicultural and international arts festival that offers everything from ballet to magic.

"We cover probably the broadest range of arts of any multi-arts festival in the world," says founding CEO Janice Price. "We include all the traditional performing arts of theatre, music, dance, operas, and also film, literature, outdoor events, visual arts. It's just a wide ranging cornucopia."

This year's festival, which runs from June 10 to 19, will offer more than 150 concerts, performances and events - most of them free. Major draws include a free closing day concert by k.d. lang, a partnership with the New Yorker that includes a talk by bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell (June 12/$38), and the National Ballet of Canada performing a new adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (June 10-12, $21.50 and up). Joyce Carol Oates will be on hand for the Toronto launch of her memoir A Widow's Story (June 15, $20), and Ann Patchett (June 11/$20), Geraldine Brooks (June 12/free) and Jeanette Winterson (June 17/free) will discuss their recent books.

Vodavil (June 17-18, starts at $41.50) is a variety show that blends comedy and magic into a retro celebration of early 20th-century vaudeville. And illusionist and author David Ben will be collaborating with Canadian broadcaster Patrick Wilson to explore the theatricality of magic (June 10-12, 14-16, starts at $36.50).

While the festival doesn't have a set focus, Price says that sub-themes naturally emerge.

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This year, several events celebrate arts from the Arab world. Highlights include a world-premiere theatrical retelling of One Thousand and One Nights, adapted by Lebanese novelist Hanan al-Shaykh and directed by Britain's Tim Supple. Specially commissioned for Luminato, the show is split into two parts and runs throughout the festival (tickets start at $30). Concerts will also be held by internationally acclaimed artists like Egypt's Hakim (June 18, free), who blends traditional Egyptian folk music with the sounds of an after-hours club. Hosted by the CBC's Jian Ghomeshi, Beirut39 (June 12, $20) will feature a roundtable discussion with several Arab writers, including Arab American Book Award winner Randa Jarrar and Joumana Haddad, winner of the 2010 Blue Metropolis Al Majidi Ibn Dhaher Arab literary prize. New Yorker editor David Remnick will be moderating a discussion on the recent political upheavals in the Middle East (June 12, $25). And throughout the festival, Luminato will present free screenings of important films with links to the Arab world, from Lawrence of Arabia to Quebec's own Oscar-nominated Incendies, directed by Denis Villeneuve and based upon a play by Wajdi Mouawad.

This year, Montreal is certainly making its presence felt. The festival officially opens with a free outdoor concert featuring Montreal's own Beast, as well as the The Joel Plaskett Emergency from Halifax. Award-winning Montreal poet John Asfour, born in Beirut, will be part of a panel of Arab poets that includes Arab-American Book Award winner Hisham Matar (June 14, $20). And fashion icon Denis Gagnon has created an installation inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (ongoing/free).

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In the festival's final weekend, the 1,000 Tastes of Toronto event features many of the city's finest chefs preparing gourmet street food inspired by international cuisine at $5 per item.

Though ticketed events are held in venues around the city, this year's festival is organized around a central hub at downtown's David Pecaut Square.

IF YOU GO

Luminato runs June 10-19. Event and ticket information can be found at www.luminato.com. The Festival box office is located at David Pecaut Square, 55 John St.

Tickets can be purchased at the box office June 7 - 19, from noon to 8 p.m., or by phone at 416-368-4TIX (4849). Ticket packages and group rates are available.

A special hotel package has been arranged by the Delta Chelsea Hotel, beginning at $182 per night, including parking and a 15-per-cent discount on Luminato tickets. Other packages are also available at several hotels across the city. Visit www.luminato.com for details.

Toronto's Luminato is festival that offers probably the broadest range of arts of any multi-arts festival in the world.