“As conductor, Burashko keeps a steady hand, and allows the score to unfold as it should, telling its own story. Stravinsky is truly speaking through him…a Canadian treasure.” – Ludwig van Toronto
(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) In recognition of Black History Month, Leaf Music, Andrew Burashko and the Art of Time Ensemble announce the upcoming digital release of Stravinsky: Sankofa, The Soldier’s Tale Retold & Histoire du soldat Suite (LM304), recorded in March and April of 2025 in Toronto.
Sankofa, The Soldier’s Tale Retold is a reimagining of L’Histoire du soldat, the 1918 theatrical work for three actors and septet, with music composed by Igor Stravinsky. While the original libretto was written by Swiss poet Charles Ferdinand Ramuz, this new version was created by Nigerian-born, Edmonton-based poet Titilope Sonuga. The narrative centres on a fictional Black soldier who the Devil tricks into trading away his identity and dignity in exchange for service in the Canadian army. The release also includes Stravinsky’s Histoire du soldat Suite, an instrumental work drawn from the musical highlights of the original score.
As in the original, Sonuga’s libretto retains the same characters (Soldier, Devil and Narrator) and maintains the expressive use of rhyming verse. This reflects Andrew Burashko’s intention to create a new version of A Soldier’s Tale that pays homage to Stravinsky’s structure, including the Devil’s appearance in different guises and a libretto that aligns seamlessly with the music. A renewed interest in the work emerged in 2020 when Burashko heard Canadian hip-hop artist Shad’s album A Short Story About War, which inspired him to centre the tale on a Black soldier in a white army. Sonuga then set the story around a fictional Black soldier whose experiences draw from the real-life No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s only segregated all-Black battalion during the First World War. The Battalion, formed in Pictou, Nova Scotia, in 1916, performed construction and labour work, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued an official apology in 2022 for the racism experienced by its members.
The Soldier’s Tale Retold is available only in Canada and Japan, with worldwide release restricted until 2042. This limitation reflects decisions made by the parties overseeing Stravinsky’s estate, which restrict the distribution of this derivative work because it reimagines the original narrative while remaining faithful to the original musical structure and scoring.
This decision raises timely questions about who is permitted to reimagine canonical works, how artistic legacies are stewarded, and whether classical music can fully engage with urgent social histories while remaining bound by traditional gatekeeping structures.
| The recording features the following musicians: Andrew Burashko (musical director); Ordena Stephens-Thompson (Narrator), Olaoluwa Fayokun (Soldier), Diego Matamoros (Devil), Benjamin Bowman, violin (concertmaster, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra); Eric Abramovitz, clarinet (principal, Toronto Symphony); Amy Horvey, trumpet (associate principal, National Arts Centre Orchestra); Robert Conquer, trombone (principal, Canadian Opera Company Orchestra); Kris Maddigan, percussion (principal, National Ballet of Canada Orchestra); Joseph Phillips, double bass; Thomas Roy Rochette, bassoon. For the last 25 years, Art of Time Ensemble has been on the cutting edge of the performing arts in Canada, fusing music with theatre, dance, film and literature in unique and unprecedented ways. Founded in 1998 by pianist and artistic director Andrew Burashko, the Toronto-based ensemble has produced over 80 unique productions and recordings, commissioned over 300 works of music, dance, text and film, and performed over 400 concerts throughout North America and Europe. Art of Time brings together some of Canada’s leading classical and jazz musicians – including concertmasters and principal players from major orchestras – and has collaborated with over 350 artists. The list of illustrious artists who have collaborated with Art of Time includes Margaret Atwood, Peggy Baker, Brent Carver, Barbara Hannigan, Branford Marsalis, Michael Ondaatje, Madeleine Péyroux, Jackie Richardson and many others. Before founding Art of Time Ensemble, Andrew Burashko had established himself as one of Canada’s foremost concert pianists. Known for his passionate performances and eclectic repertoire, Burashko performed as a soloist under the batons of some of the world’s leading conductors such as Marin Alsop, Sir Andrew Davis, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Pinchas Zukerman, among many others. As a chamber musician, he has performed with many of Canada’s top string and wind soloists. He was also involved in a 20-year-long collaboration with renowned contemporary dancer Peggy Baker; together they toured internationally to great acclaim. Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Nashville, Tennessee, making and distributing high-quality classical music recordings by artists and composers from across North America. Our growing catalogue of solo, orchestral, and chamber music is distributed by Naxos of America to the world’s most important music retailers, download providers, and streaming services. Leaf Music is also a provider of professional audio and video production, post-production services and integrated music marketing and distribution in North America. |
