Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Christmas Gift Ideas - COC's Magic Flute

Oh what a sumptuous idea - a new production of the Magic Flute - check out the teaser below to see the cool costume design sketches by designer Myung Hee Cho:




Can't wait to get mine!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

COC Noon Concerts this week!

Sondra Radvanovsky took the stage yesterday at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre for a free noon hour concert.  The Free Concert Series is a 10-month celebration of creativity and diversity that takes place in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre in the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. I was sorry to miss it however, Joseph So has raved about it on the La Scena Musical Blog.


For more Vocal Series events, check out the concert tomorrow at noon (Thursday, December 16) where Canadian mezzo Krisztina Szabo will take the stage with the Queen of Puddings Music Theatre in A Tribute to György Kurtág.



Friday, December 10, 2010

COC Ensemble goes NORTH!

One of the things I didn't get to do while a member of the COC Ensemble was perform in a school tour (I was 9 months pregnant with my first baby that year and we all thought a pregnant Hansel wouldn't work very well!!!) so I was intrigued (and just a little bit jealous) when I got this press release from the COC:


Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour Travels a Combined 9,068 km

The Canadian Opera Company’s Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour completed its most ambitious tour of elementary schools to date on December 5, 2010, with the casts and crews of two productions travelling a combined 9,068 km in Ontario and Québec, and giving a collective 47 performances since November 8, 2010. This fall, the COC presented its acclaimed operas, Isis and the Seven Scorpions, by Canadian composer Dean Burry, and Cinderella, a combination of Jules Massenet’s and Rossini’s musical scores, as part of the school tour.    
At the behest of Xstrata Nickel, the School Tour Title Sponsor, the Inuit communities of Salluit and Kangiqsujuaq in the Nunavik region of northern Québec, near Xstrata Nickel's Raglan Mine, were added to the list of destinations, taking the school tour farther north than it had ever been before. The trip to Raglan Mine was documented in a series of blog posts on Parlando, the COC blog.


School Tour Facts:
  • The casts and crews of both shows travelled a combined total of 9,068 km and gave a collective 47 performances 
  • The Raglan mine is 600 km north of the tree line, at the 62nd parallel.
  • The region surrounding the Raglan mine is is sub-arctic permafrost.
  • Nunavik's population is about 10,500 people. Cinderella was performed for approximately 400 children and community members, or almost 4% of the population.
  • 150 employees of Raglan mine attended the Ensemble Studio's recital program of operatic arias.
  • Only 11 passengers could be accommodated by the plane that flew the Cinderella cast and crew to Salluit and Kangiqsujuaq

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

New BACH Summer Festival in Canada

Gerald Fagan, Artistic Director  and Friedhelm Hoffmann, Chairperson,  are delighted to announce the inaugural Bach Music Festival of Canada, South Huron Ontario!
The Bach Music Festival of Canada, South Huron Ontario has been established to create a weeklong festival featuring music of Bach and his compatriots. This international music festival will have its debut in July 11 - 17, 2011. 
Confirmed Guests Artists Include:
INSTRUMENTAL CONCERTS:
Lara St John Solo Violin Concert Recital and Master Class
Trio Alla Grande Guitar Trio Concert and Master Class
‘The Art of the Aria’     Bach Aria Symposium with renowned Basso Thomas Paul (Juilliard)
CHORAL – YOUTH TREBLE VOICES: Festival Conductor Brenda Zadorsky
CHORAL - ADULT: Festival Conductor Gerald Fagan
Gerald Fagan Singers (London Canada), conductor Gerald Fagan
Harvestehuder Kammerchor (Hamburg Germany), conductor Claus Bantzer
Regional choristers are encouraged to join in the Festival by actively participating as a week long member of the Mass Youth Choir with a final concert on Friday July 16 or the Mass Adult Choir, culminating in a concert of the B-Minor Mass on Saturday July 17! You can join with your choir or as an individual. Choristers from around the province will gather to share their love of music, and we hope you will join us too! 
Numerous concerts, recitals and masterclasses are scheduled throughout the week for audiences, scholars and musicians! Drawing upon the wealth of talent from Southwestern Ontario as well as welcoming musicians from around the world, this Festival is guaranteed to provide music lovers with numerous opportunities for sharing in the celebration of Bach and his compatriots.
Social events, regional tours, and shared meals will ensure a well-rounded experience for both adult and youth participants.
Special Early Registration rates are set to encourage you to send your registration in early. Please look at the dates and forward your registration, to take advantage of these special prices.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Bach Music Festival of Canada, July 2011!
Louise Fagan, Executive Producer l.fagan@rogers.com 519 851 0393

From the voice of....