Opening Night of the 33rd IFOA: Words and Music

By Kasey Coholan | October 19, 2012 at 4:01 pm | No comments | Events | Tags: ifoa, Liu Xiaobo, one humanity award, PEN benefit, Rohinton Mistry

A special evening of performance and conversation with Rohinton Mistry

October 18, 2012 – No one was sure what to expect. He promised performance, a story, his journey, deep conversation, but what did that mean from an author who had made only a handful of public appearances in recent years? For those inside the Fleck Dance Theatre it did not matter, because, with his first steps on stage, the room was captivated. In the end, the evening was nothing short of spectacular. Mistry enthralled the audience with his measured yet affective voice, even when he was simply reading. When, at various points, he broke into song, his voice was even more powerful, equal parts charming and commanding. He shared an intimate, yet, in some ways, familiar story to each of us, one of how music can shape our lives in ways unexpected and profound.

Gloria Fung

The evening also included the presentation of PEN Canada’s One Humanity Award. This year the award was given, in absentia, to critic, writer, activist, and Nobel peace laureate, Liu Xiaobo. The prize is given to a writer whose work “transcends the boundaries of national divides and inspires connections across cultures.” Gloria Fung former national vice-president of the Chinese Canadian National Council accepted the award on Dr. Liu’s behalf.

Stay tuned for more photos and video excerpts of the evening.

IN THE MEDIA:
Toronto Review of Books live tweets the event, read here.

PEN Canada thanks the following sponsors for their support of the event:
BMO Financial Group (Principal Sponsor)
McLean Clinic for Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Aesthetics
Naylor Group
Random House

A special thank you to Florence Minz for her annual sponsorship of the One Humanity Award.

As well as our sponsors in kind:
The Globe and Mail
The Walrus
LRC
Torontoist
Soapbox

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