Saturday, March 28, 2020

The arts world grinds to a halt during COVID-19

Week 3 of updates on changes to events in the arts world that you should know about...

This is just a partial update list of course; for any organization you have an interest in you have not already heard from, I would suggest contacting them directly.  Mind you, pretty much everything is on hold for the time being, so chances are your event is either cancelled or at least postponed for the time being.

Before we get to this week's list, I should mention almost all arts organizations are being hurt by the pandemic by having to cancel or postpone performances, and it is hard for them to recoup those losses later on.  Often, performances cannot be rescheduled because many guest artists are booked months or even years in advance.  It is hoped all performances can be salvaged but the reality is many of them cannot.

In light of this, we have to make the best of a bad situation and do what we can to help out.  Not everyone can afford to, but again I'll remind you if you can, donate your ticket or subscription money back to the organization as a charitable donation.  They will benefit and so will you.

Once we are out of this situation, be it weeks or even months from now, all of us will need some entertainment to return to, and they will need an audience willing and ready to come back again.  It is not easy for everyone, I understand, but for those who can, please support your favourite arts organization once they are up and running again.  They will all need us more than ever you can be sure.

Now, this weekend Choralis Camerata was to perform Mozart's Requiem tomorrow afternoon in north St. Catharines but that concert has been postponed.  It is hoped they will be able to reschedule for a later date, in which case your ticket for Sunday's concert will be honoured at that later performance.  If a refund is required, you can email them at choraliscamerata@gmail.com.

Up in Guelph the Guelph Chamber Choir performance of John Rutter's Requiem, scheduled for tonight at the River Run Centre, has so far also only been postponed.  The situation for many organizations is fluid, of course, but right now they hope to reschedule.  For further updates go to www.guelphchamberchoir.ca, although this morning that was the only information available at this writing.

I wrote earlier about the Stratford Festival putting everything on hold until June, and now the Shaw Festival has done the same.  At Shaw all operations are on hold until May 25th.  As with Stratford, Shaw cannot hold rehearsals and still maintain social distancing at the same time.  This week coming work on Charley's Aunt was to begin in earnest but alas, not under the present circumstances.

Both Shaw and Stratford posted modest surpluses last year so that will help a little bit, but facing such losses incurred by so many cancellations for the better part of two months will certainly take its toll on both Festivals this year.  No doubt both will be reaching out to longtime patrons with a variety of offers to lure them back into seats if and when the seasons finally do get underway.

Bravo! Niagara has decided to postpone their April and May performances for the time being.  Those include the Brubeck Brothers Quartet concert on April 5th, From Broadway with Love on May 2nd and the May 3rd concert featuring Cho-Liang Lin and Jon Kimura Parker.

Ticket holders and Flex Pack holders have all been contacted directly with options available to them from Bravo! Niagara.  If you want further information you can contact them directly at music@bravoniagara.org.

Finally, the Foster Festival made the decision earlier this week to suspend all public events and performances, including of course the entire 2020 season at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.  The season was set to run from June 24th to August 22nd and while by August one would hope the theatres would all be open again, there are preparations between now and then, and those simply cannot be done under the present circumstances.  So, the season is done, unfortunately.

The Foster Festival asks that patrons do not call the box office with ticket enquiries at this time; rather, they will be in touch directly with options available to ticket holders, probably in the next week or so.

As a side note, the Festival also announced this week playwright Norm Foster was hospitalized last weekend with a serious health issue, but stressed it was unrelated to COVID-19.  Still, our thoughts and prayers go out to Norm, his wife Helena and the rest of the Foster family at this time and wish Norm a speedy recovery.

One suspects a new Foster comedy at the Foster Festival in the future will revolve around a hospital stay...we can only hope!

So that's it for now.  In closing let me say we are all feeling the stress of this pandemic and at times it seems almost too much to handle.  But know we are all in this together and we are here for each other.  Don't be afraid to reach out if you need help, and if you can help, keep in touch with others who might be vulnerable at this time.

Keep well, wash your hands, and we will win!

Have a good weekend.

March 28th, 2020.

Saturday, March 21, 2020

Week 2 of living in the COVID-19 world

With the first wave of COVID-19 related closures now in effect, we'll revisit the situation again this week to update things and add some observations from your humble scribe on the way matters are unfolding.

For the most part, people are adhering to government requested restrictions such as going out unnecessarily and at least trying to maintain some semblance of social distancing.  I still find people too close for comfort in many situations such as at the grocery store, but by and large I am able to increase my distance even if they won't.

It really isn't that much of a hardship keeping your distance, unless of course you were on a beach in Florida this week for March break with other like-minded misguided souls unconvinced they'll catch the virus.  One even commented he would rather get it than give up his partying on the beach!  Yeeesh...check back with us once you get through the two-week quarantine buddy and let us know if you still feel that way.

I am a walker by nature and thankfully I can keep my exercise levels up while the YMCA is closed by walking several times a day.  I have been logging up to 11 miles a day most days, so it can be done.  My far better half is not thrilled but hey, a guys gotta do what a guys gotta do...

As far as the arts are concerned, we have some updates to pass along since last week's posting in this space.  In local community theatre, Firehall Theatre in Niagara Falls has announced their spring production of Separate Beds will be postponed until the fall season, so those who already have tickets to the spring scheduled shows will not have to return them; those tickets will be honoured for the fall shows.  They'll update us on more developments as they occur.

I wrote last week the Stratford Festival had delayed the start of their season, which was scheduled to get underway early next month.  Now they have pushed the start date back even further, cancelling all shows and even rehearsals through to the end of May.  The rehearsals simply were not compatible with social distancing, so everything had to be put on hold.

Actors the world over abide by the maxim "The show must go on!" but indeed, this is not the first time they have not.  The Festival noted in their news release this week the bubonic plague of 1608 forced the closure of all theatres as actors were terrified of contracting the disease.  Some feared the theatres would not reopen once it was safe to do so but indeed they did, and people returned to the theatre to be entertained once again.

This will happen again I am sure.  Yes the closure is painful for all on both sides of the footlights but it is necessary to stem the growth of COVID-19 at this time.  But just think of how great it will feel to celebrate the return of normalcy later this year with some great theatre that was worth waiting for!

Similarly the Shaw Festival has altered their season as well, although there does not appear, as of yet at least, to be as much of a delay in the start of their season than at Stratford.  They plan to reopen their offices April 6th and begin performances for the season by May 1st.  That could change of course, but right now that is the plan.

Meantime the Hamilton Philharmonic will reopen their offices on April 5th and hopefully they can resume their performance schedule sometime next month as well.  They did, however, offer in their news release this week some worthwhile diversions to keep you occupied during the hiatus of live performances at the moment.  For example, the Met Opera is streaming some past live performances beginning this past week, so that will be worth checking out.  This week they live-streamed a 2008 production of La Boheme, for example.

You can check out Google Arts and Culture where users can virtually tour more than five-hundred museums across the globe, including The Met, London's National Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art.  And the Berlin Philharmonic has made their Digital Concert Hall available to all  for free during the suspension of live performances, so that will be worth checking out as well.

So while the present situation is not ideal, at least there are options out there we would not have had years ago before the digital age.  Besides, you can't spend your entire time shopping online now, can you?

Can you?!

Have a great weekend and hang in there!

March 21st, 2020.


Saturday, March 14, 2020

COVID-19 wreaks havoc on the arts world as well

This has been a very difficult week for many of us, trying to stay on top of the latest developments regarding the coronavirus known as COVID-19.  We knew about it some time ago but until it finally hits home in a significant way - as it did this week - we don't keep it top of mind as perhaps we should.

To briefly recap, the World Health Organization has now officially declared it to be pandemic, with CVID-19 hitting many countries in all corners of the world now.  The death toll is now significant in such countries as Italy and of course China, where it all began, but just as significant are the numbers of those affected to one degree or another.

Governments including here in Canada are responding the best they can to try to manage the outbreak and limit the deaths and those affected by the virus in some way.  As a result, life as we've known it has been significantly disrupted and will continue to be for some time to come.  This is not going away anytime soon, I'm afraid, so we'd best get used to what is fast becoming the new reality.

That does not, however, include panic.  While concern and worry about how things will play out is understandable to some degree, full-out panic buying is not the answer, nor is it helpful for the rest of the population trying to come to grips with the same situation.

What we've seen in the past few days is remarkable, and not all for the right reasons.  People are taking an every man for himself approach and not showing much if any concern for those around them.  If the next person in line is unable to buy such basics as hand sanitizer or toilet paper because the person ahead of them loaded up a year's worth in one shot, well, that's their tough luck.  Or so it seems.

The fact is, there is no need for the mass hysteria that seems to be breaking out.  We can manage this and still be civil to one another, still show concern for our fellow man, or woman for that matter.  Just use a little common sense and we'll get through this.  It won't be quick, but we can lessen the pain somewhat by simply being good citizens and thinking of others as well as ourselves.

The economic impact here in Canada, as in other countries, will be far reaching and not a short-term aberration.  Not to overstate the case, but it would be realistic to assume a recession of some severity will likely be the outcome with the continuous hits to the economy both here and elsewhere in the world.  Some countries might manage the fallout better than others, but the grim reality could very well be a downturn in the economy as a result of COVID-19.

As hard to accept as that fact might be, it will not come without collateral damage.  People might be out of work who might otherwise be gainfully employed.  Consumers might be reluctant to spend once the pandemic is over for fear of a return or simply because they have taken a financial hit themselves and need to tighten their collective belts.

That is perfectly understandable under the circumstances.

But we have to be open-minded going forward and not forget those who are vulnerable, including those who rely on food banks such as Community Care of St. Catharines & Thorold.  There could very well be further strain on the resources available to them due to the increased number of cases, so those who can help out certainly should.

Another area that will likely suffer both long term and short term will be the arts.  In the short term concerts and events have to be cancelled due to prudency on the part of management in order to protect both their employees as well as the public that comes to the events.

That is why, in the last couple of days, the cancellations have been piling up in my inbox.  Some are outright cancellations and others are postponements to a later date.  But either way, those organizations are taking an unexpected financial hit and some might never recover from it.

Just since yesterday, the City of St. Catharines through an abundance of caution decided to close many social and cultural venues for the time being, including the Farmer's Market, the Welland Canal Visitors Centre & Museum, all public libraries and of course, the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre downtown.

Yes it hurts, especially if you have tickets to events such as tomorrow afternoon's Niagara Symphony concert in Partridge Hall at the PAC.  That concert and others in the near future have to be cancelled as a result as there is simply no other venue suitable at the moment, and the management of said organizations such as the NSO are being prudent in their own right.

The ripple effect is significant.  An orchestra or ensemble can't simply reschedule to another date usually, as schedules are planned out over a year in advance.  So they can and will refund your ticket price because frankly, they can't honour the ticket you paid for.

But there is something you can do to help.  Not everyone can afford to do this, admittedly, but if you can afford to, consider donating your ticket price back to the organization as a donation.  They can use the money at a difficult time and it cuts down on their losses in a meaningful way.  And make no mistake, there will be losses.

Not every concert or event has to be cancelled outright.  Some can indeed be rescheduled or delayed, such as the Stratford Festival season for example.  They announced yesterday they will cancel performances from April 11th, when they were originally scheduled to get underway, until May 2nd.  There is little chance they can make up those lost performances later on in the season, but they can at least offer later dates for the shows affected.

Many simply cannot.  The Niagara Symphony, for example, will simply have to bite the bullet and pass on tomorrow afternoon's Masterworks 5 concert at the PAC.  Similarly, Gallery Players has cancelled their annual Movie Night scheduled for April 4th.  Those two concerts and many others by various organizations will simply be lost.

Not all performances appear to be cancelled, however, so it is wise to check on the performance you were planning to attend in advance to make sure it is on before heading out.  I reached out Friday to Bravo Niagara! Festival of the Arts regarding their next concert this afternoon but so far had not heard back, so I am assuming with no announcement on their website to the contrary it is still going ahead.  That will be great news for fans of guitarist Milos, who is scheduled to appear at St. Mark's Anglican Church at 41 Byron Street in Niagara-on-the-Lake at 3 pm this Sunday afternoon.  If you have not purchased tickets in advance they should be available at the door.

Beyond the performances though, think of those on minimum wage working in many of our restaurants for example, struggling to make ends meet at the best of times and now with perhaps reduced hours they will find it harder than ever to bridge the gap.  Again if you can, why not order in from an affordable establishment thereby giving them such much needed business.  And if you can increase your tip even just a little, that would be even better.

Being kind and civil to the people you meet will go a long way to making life more bearable for all, too.  Especially in the case of our health-care workers throughout the system working on the front lines to deal with those affected by the virus, please be patient and above all, pleasant to them.  They are doing great work and should be shown thanks and appreciation at every opportunity, not scorn.

Yes, we will be facing tough times in the days, weeks and likely months ahead.  It is not going to be easy.  But instead of running around thinking of where you can find more toilet paper, why not work together as a team to manage the situation in a caring, compassionate way.

What's more Canadian than that?

Have a great weekend and remember to take care of those who matter.

March 14th, 2020.

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Gallery Players bring you Bach on a sunny Sunday afternoon

I know it's difficult being indoors on these early spring days with the sun shining and the promise of warmer weather on the horizon, but hey, everything in moderation, right?  After all, you can get your fill of sunshine this morning and later in the afternoon since Daylight Savings Time is here once again.

In between, I humbly suggest an indoor diversion that will be both edifying and enjoyable at the same time, and supremely entertaining.

This afternoon at 2 The Gallery Players of Niagara present the latest concert in their current series in The Recital Hall at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in downtown St. Catharines, entitled "Songs of Life, Year 2:  Bach on Turtle's Back - Death."  A rather unwieldy title, perhaps, but worth further investigation.

Human expression can take many forms, not the least of which are creation, destruction and transformation, all of which present themselves as connective themes of said expression.  These truths are explored through "Songs of Life" by way of solo performances by Tafelmusik violinist Julia Wedman, the dance performances of Brian Solomon and indeed the always transcendent music of J.S. Bach.

This is the second year of a three-year project, with support provided by the Pluralism Fund.

Brian Solomon is not only the dancer for the performance but also the director and choreographer for "Songs of Life".  Along with violin soloist Julia Wedman, performers include soprano Sinead White, tenor Asitha Tennekoon, mezzo-soprano Jessica Wright and baritone Keith Lam.  Instrumental accompaniment is provided by Alison Melville on flute, Michelle Odorico on violin, Patrick Jordan on viola, Maho Sone on keyboard and Gallery Players Artistic Director Margaret Gay on cello.

There's not a lot of explanation given about the subject matter to be explored in this edition of "Songs of Life" but for those who attended the first instalment last year the continuation will certainly make sense.  For those latecomers who missed the first instalment they should readily be up to speed during the concert and even if not, the experience should still prove both interesting and enjoyable.

So with the coming of spring comes new life, new experiences, new ideas.  Looks like you can experience all that and more over a two-hour span this afternoon.  That to me seems to be time well spent!

Tickets for "Songs of Life" are available in advance by calling Gallery Players at 905-468-1525 or by going to www.galleryplayers.ca.  You should also be able to pick up tickets at the door prior to the performance this afternoon at 2 pm.

Have a great weekend!

March 8th, 2020.