Susan Waterfall presents: Why We Love Igor
Sunday, July 6, 2:30 PM PDT
$20
Susan Waterfall’s biographical film on Igor Stravinsky provides an ideal prologue to the Festival’s programming this year. Experience the fascinating life of the greatest composer of the 20th century, including excerpts from 25 of his works, along with compelling images and photographs.
A Q&A will follow the screening. Thanks to Deborah Whigham and Gary Ratway for sponsoring this screening.
Written and directed by Susan Waterfall.
Art and photograph collection by Mina Cohen.
Filmed and edited by Julian Pollack.
2025 Featured Composer: Igor Stravinsky
For 2025, Susan Waterfall’s composer series will feature the innovative and influential Igor Stravinsky. Immerse yourself in his world and his music, and understand how his music evolved over his lifetime with narrated chamber recitals featuring exciting guest artists, and various other settings of Stravinsky’s work across the Festival.
Waterfall’s productions always present exciting, absorbing playing of great music, but are also rare, distinctive examples of what can be called music education, though they’re more conversational, truly a sharing of perspective, interest, anecdote. There’s a sense of immediacy to her delivery, weaving in and out of the playing, an intimately conceived present awareness of this heritage. It’s something unique that needs to be experienced.” -Ken Bullock, Berkeley Daily Planet
The Festival will celebrate Igor Stravinsky with a film and 17 works spread across eight different concerts. On Sunday, July 6th, Susan Waterfall’s film, “Why We Love Igor,” will provide an overview of the life and work of the 20th century’s greatest composer. The Russian-born composer revolutionized music with his ballets and experiments with rhythm and dissonance. Two concerts (one of which will be performed twice) will be devoted entirely to works by Stravinsky. Chamber Masterpieces will be played in the tent; Stravinsky at Home, in Preston Hall, will feature intimate and varied music by the composer, dedicated to his wives, children, and close friends. Stravinsky’s varied compositions will be heard in other orchestra concerts and in Preston Hall performances.