Andrew Burashko, Artistic Director of Art of Time Ensemble, today announced the cast and creative team of Sankofa: The Soldier’s Tale Retold, presented by Art of Time in association with The Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School and Koffler Arts. This world premiere reinvents Igor Stravinsky’s 1918 theatrical work L'Histoire du Soldat with a new libretto by poet Titilope Sonuga, directed by Tawiah M’Carthy. The award-winning cast features Diego Matamoros as Devil, Wade Bogert-O'Brien as Devil understudy, Olaoluwa Fayokun as Soldier, and Ordena Stephens-Thompson as Narrator. A seven-piece ensemble of musicians from The Glenn Gould School will perform the score. Andrew Burashko is the work’s conductor and musical director, with lighting design by Kevin Lamotte, costume design by Des’ree Gray, and sound design by John Gzowski.

Through the journey of a fictional soldier attempting to enlist in WWI, this Soldier's Tale is set against the historical context of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, the only Canadian battalion composed of Black soldiers to serve in the First World War. In a psychological battle with the Devil, the Soldier embodies the battalion’s resilience and enduring struggle against racism, discrimination and historical erasure.

“I believe in this project with all my heart. Re-envisioning Stravinsky's score with a new narrative and staging that speaks directly to one of the most pressing social and political movements of today allows for new ownership, new authorship, and new audiences. It is an important and opportune moment for such creative and radical experimentation.” - Andrew Burashko, Artistic Director, Art of Time Ensemble

Like the symbol of the Sankofa bird from which this story draws its name (a word in the Twi language of Ghana which means to go back and retrieve what was forgotten), Sankofa blends past and future as the rhythm of Sonuga's poetry weaves through Stravinsky's original music. The work is an invitation to honour a difficult history while moving toward a more promising future.

Sankofa: The Soldier’s Tale Retold runs from October 24 to 27, 2024 in the Harbourfront Centre Theatre (231 Queens Quay West). Opening night is Thursday, October 24 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $25-$75 and are available now at artoftimeensemble.com or by contacting the Harbourfront Box Office at tickets@harbourfrontcentre.com or 416-973-4000.

Art of Time Ensemble:

Led by Artistic Director Andrew Burashko, Art of Time Ensemble transforms the way you experience music. Fusing high art and popular culture in concerts that juxtapose the best of each genre, Art of Time entertains as it enlightens, revealing the universal qualities that lie at the heart of all great music.

The Glenn Gould School:

Building on The Royal Conservatory’s century-old tradition of musical excellence, The Glenn Gould School (GGS), named after The Royal Conservatory alumnus, is one of the leading post-secondary music performance training institutions in North America and one of the few to be integrated with a major performing arts centre – Koerner Hall. GGS graduates are widely acclaimed on the world’s stages and hold leadership positions in cultural organisations in Canada and across the globe.

Koffler Arts:

Koffler Arts is a multi-disciplinary arts platform for visual art, performance, and literary events, that situates the contemporary Jewish experience within broader social, historical, and cultural conversations on identity, memory, and place.