/Virtuoso to play in place of The Poet and the Singer

Virtuoso to play in place of The Poet and the Singer

By Sue Tiffin

Published Aug. 24 2017

Plans have changed but music lovers and concertgoers looking to take in a performance described as being different and exceptional will not be disappointed.

Organizers of the Haliburton Concert Series an annual presentation of three concerts featuring international performers have worked quickly to reorganize after an unexpected illness caused the necessary postponement of the anticipated The Poet and the Singer.

“The Singer (Leslie Fagan) the Poet (Jeff Pinkney) and the Piano Man (Lorin Shalenko) are sad to have to postpone their concert” read the note released to concert series ticket holders. “Jeff has recently discovered a health problem requiring heart surgery so he will be out of action for awhile. Leslie Jeff and Lorin look forward to performing again in Haliburton (once the Poet has fixed his broken heart).”

Thankfully pianist Mauro Bertoli was available for the Sept. 9 date and will return to the stage  at the Northern Lights Performing Arts Pavilion.

Bertoli visited Haliburton for the Haliburton Concert Series in 2014 with what series president Lorraine Semple described as an “exciting and virtuoso recital.”
Organizers were excited that Bertoli would return with a program that will include works by Grieg Mendelssohn Bach and Chopin.

“He’s a fabulous wonderful wonderful performer and a really lovely person as well” said Elaine Bell of the HCS. “He was quite taken by the people and the scenery and everything that people get taken with in Haliburton and he agreed in a heartbeat to come back.”

Born in Italy Bertoli now resides in Ottawa where he is piano accompanist at the Conservatoire de Musique de Gatineau and part-time professor at Ottawa University. The internationally-established pianist has won 24 piano competitions and was also the recipient of the prestigious Giuseppe Sinopoli Award and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Prize for the youth. Otttawa Life Magazine named him one of the “Top 25 People in the Capital” last year acknowledging his artistic contribution to the community and country.

When he last visited the area he made as much of an impression on guests at his concert.
“For his encore he cast a whole new light on what Fur Elise should sound like” said Bell. “Lots of people play it really quickly and he didn’t. It was amazing.”

Tickets for the Mauro Bertoli performance on Sept. 9 at 7:30 at the Northern Lights Performing Arts Pavilion in Haliburton cost $30 for adults and $10 for students. For tickets or further information contact Elaine Bell at 705-457-9422 or bushandbell@gmail.com or visit haliburtoncs.blogspot.ca.
Pinkney’s heart surgery took place last week and he is recovering well. The Poet and the Singer will be rescheduled for 2018 or 2019. The final concert in this year’s Haliburton Concert Series will be Ensemble Vivant taking place on Oct. 28.