I am now officially excited. I know it doesn't take much, really, but let me explain.
Much has been written about the equally much-anticipated performing arts centre coming to downtown St. Catharines in a couple of years. This past Wednesday evening, Niagara residents were given their first look at several proposals on the table from Toronto's Diamond + Schmitt Architects. Gary McCluskie, lead architect on the project, addressed the large crowd at the Dunlop Drive Senior Centre in St. Catharines Wednesday evening with a wealth of valuable information that left this reporter finally excited about this project and almost giddy with the realization this thing is finally getting off the ground.
McCluskie spoke in terms everyone could understand, and spoke with a knowledge of the local area landmarks that I frankly found reassuring. In other words, he gets it. He knows what's important to us and what makes a performing arts centre an important part of the community. Speaking with him afterwards, his genuine enthusiasm for the project is quite evident, as if he were right here in the community sharing in the excitement with us.
There is a long way to go on this, of course; the preliminary designs are just that: preliminary. But the focus of this first community meeting was to tap into the community's thoughts and feelings and try to get a sense of what works for us. McCluskie promises more such meetings to come, and that will help feed the optimism that we are indeed on the right track with this project and everything is working out the best possible way.
One look at some of the other examples of their work in recent years on display at the meeting suggest we have hired the gold standard for designing attractive, viable and workable performing arts centres the world over. The new home of the Detroit and Montreal Symphony Orchestras, for example, and even the New Mariinsky Theatre in Russia are some recent examples on display for our perusal, as well as, of course, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto.
So as I say, I am now officially excited. Let the fun ride now begin! But that's not all this week. That same afternoon I attended a media conference at the new Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls at which the Falls Management Company, operators of the Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Niagara, announced plans are in the works for a 7,000-seat Entertainment Centre for Niagara Falls. The new facility, to be likely situated on land adjacent to the Fallsview Casino Resort and connected to it, will be a magnet for both top-flight entertainment and economic development in the tourism sector year-round in Niagara.
It comes at a price, of course. Try about $ 311-million to construct the new facilty. But FMC thinks it can be done, and is confident their feasibility study conducted at their expense by Deloitte will bring people on-board to build a complex able to house international-scale concerts as well as sports and entertainment events that should keep the facility open well over 300 days of the calendar year. What it won't have, we discovered this week, is a rink to house the Niagara IceDogs or any other sports team that wears skates, so that means St. Catharines' bid to build their own 5,000-seat 'spectator facility' to house the IceDogs should not be affected by it.
What would concern me, though, is the aim of both facilities to book major international acts such as Celine Dion, for example, on an ongoing basis. Build it and they will come...but how many bums will there be in the seats, you have to ask. There are only so many entertainment dollars to go around for most Niagarans, and both venues working on bringing lots of entertainment and sports events to the area on a regular basis might be doable, but at what cost? Do other local events suffer as a result as so many other events are then competing for our entertainment dollars? We'll have to see.
If this new vision from FMC becomes a reality, it will certainly put Niagara on the map as a destination for world-class entertainment to complement the already world-class accomodation, dining and tourism events already in place. The concept is extremely exciting, and I wish them well as they work towards the completion of this project. If it happens, we'll all gain from the added economic impact on an area that depends more and more on tourism dollars to increase our standard of living.
Finally, a couple of quick notes of things also happening this week I attended that brought with them their own level of excitement. Friday afternoon I was on hand for the launch of the new Food & Wine Expo that filled a large exhibition space at the new Scotiabank Convention Centre and will be open throughout this weekend. It is a marvellous showcase for the food and wine industry here in Niagara, and I can imagine this becoming bigger and better in coming years. But for now, get out and see what Niagara has to offer from our area restaurants and wineries in one convenient convention space in Niagara Falls.
I was also on hand for the Open House down at the Welland campus of Niagara College on Thursday evening. In spite of wet weather, everyone came out to see the realization of a vision for expansion at Niagara College on a scale never seen before. The $ 80-million makeover is part of the College's $ 90-million master plan to add 1,700 new student spaces at Niagara College. The new facilities are simply breathtaking, and the lucky students there now and those who will attend in the future will now have all the tools necessary to help prepare them for the future, as the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus has done for several years now.
What an exciting week in Niagara! Could anyone have imagined this much investment in the area even ten years ago? Likely not, but all of these projects will work together to make Niagara an even more attractive destination for those to live, work and play. What could be better than that?
May 28th, 2011.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Shaw Festival and new Performing Arts Centre part of this coming week in the arts
Even though we are well into our first summer holiday weekend of the season (well, okay, it is still spring, but for most this is the unofficial start of summer...), your humble scribe is already looking ahead to the coming week that includes two important arts-related events on the local calendar. We'll address both in this space this week.
First, Wednesday evening, May 25th, many of us with an interest in the local arts scene will want to be on hand at the Dunlop Drive Seniors Centre at 80 Dunlop Drive in St. Catharines for a presentation by the architects involved in the design of the new performing arts centre in downtown St. Catharines. The Open House runs from 6 to 7:30 pm, with a presentation of proposed designs by the project architect from Diamond & Schmitt Architects Inc., Gary McCluskie. The firm wants the public's opinions on three sketched layouts being proposed so they can get a better feel for what works and what doesn't within the community here.
The new performing arts centre will house an 800-seat concert hall, a 285-seat recital hall, a 180-seat film theatre and a 150-seat dance performance hall and community theatre space. That's the main performance spaces; also included will be a 1,000-square-foot multi-purpose room, central offices, as well as the lobby and front-of-house space and of course, backstage area including receiving and storage and dressing room area for performers. So essentially, a lot to pack into that downtown space. It has to be user-friendly, of course, so that is where we come in. We have a say in all this, and this Wednesday evening is the first opportunity to do just that.
We have a long way to go on this, but the wheels are turning and we are moving forward, so that is a good sign. Let's get out and show our support for the project this week and let them know we are on board and ready to go!
Also Wednesday evening, the Shaw Festival kicks off - officially - their 50th season. Previews have been ongoing since April, of course, but all the fine-tuning comes to an end on Wednesday and much like spring training gives way to the 'real' games of baseball at the beginning of April, this Wednesday is the start of the Shaw's 'regular season.' And what a season it promises to be!
In all, there are 11 productions on four stages this year, ranging from the flagship Festival Theatre to the smaller Court House Theatre, the Royal George Theatre, and the more recent Studio Theatre space just across from the Festival Theatre. The season ranges from looks back to their illustrious past to looking ahead to bold new horizons for the Shaw Festival.
One of the most-anticipated openings will be the musical version of Shaw's play Pygmalion, known of course as My Fair Lady. This Lerner & Loewe classic has never been performed at Shaw before, hard as that is to believe. But it makes a grand entrance at the Festival Theatre this season. Also at the Festival Theatre are Shaw's Heartbreak House and J.M. Barrie's The Admirable Crichton.
On the Court House stage, Lennox Robinson's Drama at Inish - A Comedy will be one to watch. Also at the Court House will be Shaw's On The Rocks, and the first Shaw-produced musical from day one: Maria Severa, written by Jay Turvey and Paul Sportelli of Shaw, and directed by Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell.
Over on the Royal George stage, a new mounting of their first-ever play 50 years ago, Shaw's Candida takes pride of place, as well as Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Molnar's hilarious one-act lunchtime show, The President, starring Lorne Kennedy. Anyone who saw this show a couple of seasons back will want to return to the mayhem again - it is an astounding performance by Kennedy and his cohorts!
Finally, at the Studio Theatre space, TopDog/UnderDog by Suzan-Lori Parks shares the space with Andrew Bovell's When the Rain Stops Falling, which seems rather appropriate after this very wet spring we've been experiencing here in Niagara.
All in all, it promises to be an exciting season, and I am personally looking forward to returning for shows again this year; it will be my 30th year reviewing shows at Shaw, unbelievably! Once again this year, I will be providing reviews in this space throughout the summer, as well as ratings on the calendar page of my website (http://www.finemusic.ca/) and updates on my monthly newsletter, Fine Music News, which you can subscribe to by emailing your email address to me at music@vaxxine.com.
Other news from Shaw this week is the fact they are collaborating with Vintage Hotels of Niagara-on-the-Lake to secure property which overlooks Lake Ontario and the Niagara River now home to the Anchorage Motel and Restaurant. The Shaw has entered into an agreement to purchase this property within the next five years in order to use the site as an additional performance space. That is exciting news, although the loss of the Anchorage will not be good news to many, I suspect. Oh well, time marches on...more news on this as it develops.
Enjoy this week in the arts!
May 21st, 2011.
First, Wednesday evening, May 25th, many of us with an interest in the local arts scene will want to be on hand at the Dunlop Drive Seniors Centre at 80 Dunlop Drive in St. Catharines for a presentation by the architects involved in the design of the new performing arts centre in downtown St. Catharines. The Open House runs from 6 to 7:30 pm, with a presentation of proposed designs by the project architect from Diamond & Schmitt Architects Inc., Gary McCluskie. The firm wants the public's opinions on three sketched layouts being proposed so they can get a better feel for what works and what doesn't within the community here.
The new performing arts centre will house an 800-seat concert hall, a 285-seat recital hall, a 180-seat film theatre and a 150-seat dance performance hall and community theatre space. That's the main performance spaces; also included will be a 1,000-square-foot multi-purpose room, central offices, as well as the lobby and front-of-house space and of course, backstage area including receiving and storage and dressing room area for performers. So essentially, a lot to pack into that downtown space. It has to be user-friendly, of course, so that is where we come in. We have a say in all this, and this Wednesday evening is the first opportunity to do just that.
We have a long way to go on this, but the wheels are turning and we are moving forward, so that is a good sign. Let's get out and show our support for the project this week and let them know we are on board and ready to go!
Also Wednesday evening, the Shaw Festival kicks off - officially - their 50th season. Previews have been ongoing since April, of course, but all the fine-tuning comes to an end on Wednesday and much like spring training gives way to the 'real' games of baseball at the beginning of April, this Wednesday is the start of the Shaw's 'regular season.' And what a season it promises to be!
In all, there are 11 productions on four stages this year, ranging from the flagship Festival Theatre to the smaller Court House Theatre, the Royal George Theatre, and the more recent Studio Theatre space just across from the Festival Theatre. The season ranges from looks back to their illustrious past to looking ahead to bold new horizons for the Shaw Festival.
One of the most-anticipated openings will be the musical version of Shaw's play Pygmalion, known of course as My Fair Lady. This Lerner & Loewe classic has never been performed at Shaw before, hard as that is to believe. But it makes a grand entrance at the Festival Theatre this season. Also at the Festival Theatre are Shaw's Heartbreak House and J.M. Barrie's The Admirable Crichton.
On the Court House stage, Lennox Robinson's Drama at Inish - A Comedy will be one to watch. Also at the Court House will be Shaw's On The Rocks, and the first Shaw-produced musical from day one: Maria Severa, written by Jay Turvey and Paul Sportelli of Shaw, and directed by Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell.
Over on the Royal George stage, a new mounting of their first-ever play 50 years ago, Shaw's Candida takes pride of place, as well as Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Molnar's hilarious one-act lunchtime show, The President, starring Lorne Kennedy. Anyone who saw this show a couple of seasons back will want to return to the mayhem again - it is an astounding performance by Kennedy and his cohorts!
Finally, at the Studio Theatre space, TopDog/UnderDog by Suzan-Lori Parks shares the space with Andrew Bovell's When the Rain Stops Falling, which seems rather appropriate after this very wet spring we've been experiencing here in Niagara.
All in all, it promises to be an exciting season, and I am personally looking forward to returning for shows again this year; it will be my 30th year reviewing shows at Shaw, unbelievably! Once again this year, I will be providing reviews in this space throughout the summer, as well as ratings on the calendar page of my website (http://www.finemusic.ca/) and updates on my monthly newsletter, Fine Music News, which you can subscribe to by emailing your email address to me at music@vaxxine.com.
Other news from Shaw this week is the fact they are collaborating with Vintage Hotels of Niagara-on-the-Lake to secure property which overlooks Lake Ontario and the Niagara River now home to the Anchorage Motel and Restaurant. The Shaw has entered into an agreement to purchase this property within the next five years in order to use the site as an additional performance space. That is exciting news, although the loss of the Anchorage will not be good news to many, I suspect. Oh well, time marches on...more news on this as it develops.
Enjoy this week in the arts!
May 21st, 2011.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Chorus Niagara closes out the season with Feel the Spirit
It's hard to believe the choral season in Niagara is all but done this weekend, but it is. Chorus Niagara performs their final concert of the season this evening at the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria in downtown St. Catharines with a concert titled Feel the Spirit. The concert takes its name from the John Rutter suite of spirituals he recorded with his Cambridge Singers just a few years ago.
Some of the gospel favourites given the Rutter touch include Deep River, Steal Away, Every Time I Feel the Spirit and of course, Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child. Rutter is no stranger to Chorus Niagara, of course, as his works have been performed many times over the years and in fact, he appeared with the Chorus a few seasons back. He is undoubtedly the finest choral composer/conductor of our generation, and in fact wrote a piece specifically for the recent wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton, the current Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Another nice aspect of this concert is Feel the Spirit will feature a jazz singer well-known in the Region, Tianna H., who along with her group perform regularly at venues both large and small. I have had the pleasure of knowing Tianna H. for a few years now, dating back to my first narration duties for the annual Black History Month concerts staged by Choralis Camerata. Her voice is a powerhouse, and her interpretative skills are exceptional, so she will be a great addition to the evening's proceedings.
The other half of the concert is a commission jointly funded by Chorus Niagara as well as choirs in Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Ottawa, written by Imant Raminsh. Titled Quarternity: A Cantata for Seasons, the work is a lush and harmonic contemporary work exploring the four seasons, much as Vivaldi, Haydn and others have done over the years, as well as the four cycles of life. In spite of being a contemporary choral work, Cooper assures everyone it is still very accessible to the ear and quite exciting to hear.
Joining Chorus Niagara for the concert tonight will be the Orpheus Choir of Toronto, Cooper's 'other' choral initiative, as well as the Chorus iagara Side-by-Side High School Chorale, which is made up of young singers with a love of choral music, who might someday join the adult choir. Musical accompaniment is provided by the Talisker Players.
Should be a great wind-up to a season that has seen a series of "highs" for the folks at Chorus Niagara, beginning of course with their now infamous "flash mob" performance of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah, performed at the food court of the Seaway Mall in Welland last November. To date, that performance has reached 32-million hits worldwide on YouTube, and continuing to grow. Just a phenomenal achievement!
Incidentally, although I won't be selling at the concert this weekend, you can order the John Rutter Feel the Spirit CD conducted by the composer himself through my website, http://www.finemusic.ca/, where you'll find it listed on the Mike's Picks page. Or, you can email me directly at music@vaxxine.com. It's a tremendously uplifting recording and one you'll want in your collection after you hear the performance this evening.
Happy listening!
May 14th, 2011.
Some of the gospel favourites given the Rutter touch include Deep River, Steal Away, Every Time I Feel the Spirit and of course, Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child. Rutter is no stranger to Chorus Niagara, of course, as his works have been performed many times over the years and in fact, he appeared with the Chorus a few seasons back. He is undoubtedly the finest choral composer/conductor of our generation, and in fact wrote a piece specifically for the recent wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton, the current Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Another nice aspect of this concert is Feel the Spirit will feature a jazz singer well-known in the Region, Tianna H., who along with her group perform regularly at venues both large and small. I have had the pleasure of knowing Tianna H. for a few years now, dating back to my first narration duties for the annual Black History Month concerts staged by Choralis Camerata. Her voice is a powerhouse, and her interpretative skills are exceptional, so she will be a great addition to the evening's proceedings.
The other half of the concert is a commission jointly funded by Chorus Niagara as well as choirs in Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Ottawa, written by Imant Raminsh. Titled Quarternity: A Cantata for Seasons, the work is a lush and harmonic contemporary work exploring the four seasons, much as Vivaldi, Haydn and others have done over the years, as well as the four cycles of life. In spite of being a contemporary choral work, Cooper assures everyone it is still very accessible to the ear and quite exciting to hear.
Joining Chorus Niagara for the concert tonight will be the Orpheus Choir of Toronto, Cooper's 'other' choral initiative, as well as the Chorus iagara Side-by-Side High School Chorale, which is made up of young singers with a love of choral music, who might someday join the adult choir. Musical accompaniment is provided by the Talisker Players.
Should be a great wind-up to a season that has seen a series of "highs" for the folks at Chorus Niagara, beginning of course with their now infamous "flash mob" performance of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah, performed at the food court of the Seaway Mall in Welland last November. To date, that performance has reached 32-million hits worldwide on YouTube, and continuing to grow. Just a phenomenal achievement!
Incidentally, although I won't be selling at the concert this weekend, you can order the John Rutter Feel the Spirit CD conducted by the composer himself through my website, http://www.finemusic.ca/, where you'll find it listed on the Mike's Picks page. Or, you can email me directly at music@vaxxine.com. It's a tremendously uplifting recording and one you'll want in your collection after you hear the performance this evening.
Happy listening!
May 14th, 2011.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Niagara Symphony wraps up Pops! season this weekend
Well, here we are, a fine spring weekend, and Mother's Day on Sunday, too. Any plans for Mom's Day? Aside from the flowers or perhaps brunch or dinner out with Mom, how about another idea she would be thrilled with? The Niagara Symphony wraps up their Pops! season this weekend with performances tonight and tomorrow afternoon at the Sean O'Sullivan Theatre at the Centre for the Arts, Brock University, and either performance would likely fit Mom to a "T".
Music Director Designate Bradley Thachuk returns to conduct the orchestra this weekend in a programme titled "Light Classics to Broadway", and will be joined by Niagara-on-the-Lake native Theodore Baerg and wife Irena Welhasch-Baerg on stage. Selections will range from Bizet to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Strauss to even some classic Rodgers & Hammerstein II from Broadway. Lots of operetta on the programme as well, including selections by Lehar from The Merry Widow and Giuditta.
All in all, this should be a nice, light and airy way to end up the Niagara Symphony season, and hopefully make you want more when Maestro Thachuk takes over the podium full-time in the fall to start the new season. Overall, the Symphony has performed well this year under various conductors, but I still feel they have more to offer, and hopefully Bradley can start to draw it out of them on a regular basis when he takes over next season. For now, let's sit back and enjoy some great music for a spring Mother's Day weekend!
A couple of quick notes to keep in mind, though. Tickets are going fast, but some are still available for both performances, so I would suggest you call the box office at 905-688-5550, ext. 3257 for tickets in advance if you have not already done so. And parking will be interesting this weekend, as Brock University is hosting a dance competition all weekend long as well. Niagara Symphony General Manager Jack Mills sent out a notice this week outlining the situation and making people aware of the extra competition for parking. But this year, a plan is in place to provide dedicated parking for Niagara Symphony patrons, either in Lot D or Lot B, which will be reserved exclusively for Niagara Symphony patrons.
Normally, I would be in the lobby manning my customary table at intermission, before and after the concerts this weekend, but a prior committment will keep me away from the Saturday evening performance, unfortunately. I will be there Sunday afternoon, however, so please stop by and say hello, and check out the great last-minute musical gifts for Mom this weekend.
Happy Mother's Day, and enjoy the weekend with the Niagara Symphony!
Music Director Designate Bradley Thachuk returns to conduct the orchestra this weekend in a programme titled "Light Classics to Broadway", and will be joined by Niagara-on-the-Lake native Theodore Baerg and wife Irena Welhasch-Baerg on stage. Selections will range from Bizet to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Strauss to even some classic Rodgers & Hammerstein II from Broadway. Lots of operetta on the programme as well, including selections by Lehar from The Merry Widow and Giuditta.
All in all, this should be a nice, light and airy way to end up the Niagara Symphony season, and hopefully make you want more when Maestro Thachuk takes over the podium full-time in the fall to start the new season. Overall, the Symphony has performed well this year under various conductors, but I still feel they have more to offer, and hopefully Bradley can start to draw it out of them on a regular basis when he takes over next season. For now, let's sit back and enjoy some great music for a spring Mother's Day weekend!
A couple of quick notes to keep in mind, though. Tickets are going fast, but some are still available for both performances, so I would suggest you call the box office at 905-688-5550, ext. 3257 for tickets in advance if you have not already done so. And parking will be interesting this weekend, as Brock University is hosting a dance competition all weekend long as well. Niagara Symphony General Manager Jack Mills sent out a notice this week outlining the situation and making people aware of the extra competition for parking. But this year, a plan is in place to provide dedicated parking for Niagara Symphony patrons, either in Lot D or Lot B, which will be reserved exclusively for Niagara Symphony patrons.
Normally, I would be in the lobby manning my customary table at intermission, before and after the concerts this weekend, but a prior committment will keep me away from the Saturday evening performance, unfortunately. I will be there Sunday afternoon, however, so please stop by and say hello, and check out the great last-minute musical gifts for Mom this weekend.
Happy Mother's Day, and enjoy the weekend with the Niagara Symphony!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Some thoughts on the Royal Wedding and In The Soil
I had planned to write about In The Soil midweek after attending the preview on Wednesday evening, but with the weather on Thursday and a myriad of computer problems rearing their collectively ugly heads again this week (look at this! I just discovered my computer was manufactured by Yugo!), my plans were waylayed until now. So I'll briefly touch on In The Soil here first before getting to yesterday's Royal Wedding.
There is lots to enjoy still with our own Homegrown Arts Festival, which continues until tomorrow, May 1st, at various locations in downtown St. Catharines. One of the most interesting, and one I briefly touched on last week, is The Living Archive, running from 3 to 7 pm today and tomorrow at 104 St. Paul Street, downtown. This is a FIXT POINT production for In The Soil, and they invite you to donate a story about St. Catharines; perhaps a memory of something special that happened here you remember or a particular business or building you remember that is no longer there. You can donate your story in person at 104 St. Paul Street, or you can call the toll-free hotline at 1-877-269-9133, or log on to http://www.thelivingarchive.ca/.
Lots of musical entertainment abounds this weekend downtown, and you can access all the information at http://www.inthesoil.ca/. One of the highlights tomorrow is the Barley & Hops! Rock n' Roll Brunch sponsored by the Merchant Ale House. This outdoor brunch with plenty of beer, food and entertainment takes place at the former site of Jerry's Alley at the corner of James and St. Paul Street. If it rains, and unfortunately it just might, you can repair indoors to the Merchant Ale House. The brunch runs from about 11 am and is only $ 5 at the door, plus your food and drink.
Enjoy the spring weekend in Niagara and the wonderful sounds of In The Soil!
Now, I can't let this week pass without a few comments about yesterday's Royal Wedding of William and Kate, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The early-morning spectacle (our time) was well worth getting up for, although for me I am up at that hour every day anyway, so it was no trouble for me. The perfect balance of pomp and circumstance was struck, I think, and there was enough accessibility for everyday folks, given the security no doubt on hand, I would imagine people cannot complain too much.
The ceremony itself was rather brief, all things considered; it was all the related pomp and pageantry that took up most of the time on the broadcast, and that's fine. But you have to admire the service for how beautifully it was handled, with nothing over-the-top. I found most of the music, typically British church-choir proper, of course, to be particularly enjoyable, especially John Rutter's new piece premiered at the wedding. It was also nice to see James O'Donnell, the Master of Music at Westminster Abbey, in full flight conducting the choir. He was in St. Catharines just a couple of months ago and sadly, his wonderful organ recordings are all but gone from the catalogues now. There are plenty still available of the choirs of both Westminster Cathedral and the Abbey, and most of those are readily available on order through my website at http://www.finemusic.ca/, or emailing me directly at music@vaxxine.com.
It you can wait until late May, the offical Royal Wedding album will be released May 23rd by Decca Records, and it will also be readily available through A Web of Fine Music. I am taking pre-orders now, so don't hesitate to get in touch if you are interested. The soundtrack will include music from the day, including hymns; pictures of the wedding; wedding vows, blessings, readings, and a special collector's booklet. Musicians featured on the recording include, of course, James O'Donnell and the Choir of Westminster Abbey, The Chapel Royal Choir; The London Chamber Orchestra and the Fanfare Team from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force. Should be a great-sounding package!
As for the dress and the kiss? Hey, the dress looked fine to me, and since she has to wear it, if she's happy, I'm happy. Some have complained the kiss didn't look all that romantic, but would you want to go overboard with about 2-billion people watching you? You'd likely wait until a private moment, too, I would think.
Overall, it was a great day, and time will tell if tourism gets a boost from the big event; I suspect it will, and that is great news. London has had a tough time of it of late, and I have always enjoyed my visits there, including the Abbey. I am overdue for a return visit, so we'll see when that happens...
Have a great weekend!
April 30th, 2011.
There is lots to enjoy still with our own Homegrown Arts Festival, which continues until tomorrow, May 1st, at various locations in downtown St. Catharines. One of the most interesting, and one I briefly touched on last week, is The Living Archive, running from 3 to 7 pm today and tomorrow at 104 St. Paul Street, downtown. This is a FIXT POINT production for In The Soil, and they invite you to donate a story about St. Catharines; perhaps a memory of something special that happened here you remember or a particular business or building you remember that is no longer there. You can donate your story in person at 104 St. Paul Street, or you can call the toll-free hotline at 1-877-269-9133, or log on to http://www.thelivingarchive.ca/.
Lots of musical entertainment abounds this weekend downtown, and you can access all the information at http://www.inthesoil.ca/. One of the highlights tomorrow is the Barley & Hops! Rock n' Roll Brunch sponsored by the Merchant Ale House. This outdoor brunch with plenty of beer, food and entertainment takes place at the former site of Jerry's Alley at the corner of James and St. Paul Street. If it rains, and unfortunately it just might, you can repair indoors to the Merchant Ale House. The brunch runs from about 11 am and is only $ 5 at the door, plus your food and drink.
Enjoy the spring weekend in Niagara and the wonderful sounds of In The Soil!
Now, I can't let this week pass without a few comments about yesterday's Royal Wedding of William and Kate, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The early-morning spectacle (our time) was well worth getting up for, although for me I am up at that hour every day anyway, so it was no trouble for me. The perfect balance of pomp and circumstance was struck, I think, and there was enough accessibility for everyday folks, given the security no doubt on hand, I would imagine people cannot complain too much.
The ceremony itself was rather brief, all things considered; it was all the related pomp and pageantry that took up most of the time on the broadcast, and that's fine. But you have to admire the service for how beautifully it was handled, with nothing over-the-top. I found most of the music, typically British church-choir proper, of course, to be particularly enjoyable, especially John Rutter's new piece premiered at the wedding. It was also nice to see James O'Donnell, the Master of Music at Westminster Abbey, in full flight conducting the choir. He was in St. Catharines just a couple of months ago and sadly, his wonderful organ recordings are all but gone from the catalogues now. There are plenty still available of the choirs of both Westminster Cathedral and the Abbey, and most of those are readily available on order through my website at http://www.finemusic.ca/, or emailing me directly at music@vaxxine.com.
It you can wait until late May, the offical Royal Wedding album will be released May 23rd by Decca Records, and it will also be readily available through A Web of Fine Music. I am taking pre-orders now, so don't hesitate to get in touch if you are interested. The soundtrack will include music from the day, including hymns; pictures of the wedding; wedding vows, blessings, readings, and a special collector's booklet. Musicians featured on the recording include, of course, James O'Donnell and the Choir of Westminster Abbey, The Chapel Royal Choir; The London Chamber Orchestra and the Fanfare Team from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force. Should be a great-sounding package!
As for the dress and the kiss? Hey, the dress looked fine to me, and since she has to wear it, if she's happy, I'm happy. Some have complained the kiss didn't look all that romantic, but would you want to go overboard with about 2-billion people watching you? You'd likely wait until a private moment, too, I would think.
Overall, it was a great day, and time will tell if tourism gets a boost from the big event; I suspect it will, and that is great news. London has had a tough time of it of late, and I have always enjoyed my visits there, including the Abbey. I am overdue for a return visit, so we'll see when that happens...
Have a great weekend!
April 30th, 2011.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
In the Soil ready to kick off in Niagara this week - Can you dig it?
Okay, so I maybe overdid it a bit with the heading there...what the heck, a fun arts festival like In the Soil knows how to laugh at itself, so why not have some fun now, too?
Yes, the third annual In the Soil - Niagara's Homegrown Arts Festival kicks off Wednesday of this coming week in downtown St. Catharines, running through to May 1st, and already the festival is causing more than a little buzz in the community. If you are not familiar with In the Soil, it is a nice, friendly, down-to-earth grassroots sort of festival of many facets of the arts right here in Niagara, with most performances taking place in various locations in downtown St. Catharines. The previous two festivals have done very well both financially and artistically, proving once again if you give people a decent reason to get out in the evening and come downtown, they will. In the Soil is more than decent; it is the perfect tonic as we launch headfirst into Spring 2011!
I will be attending the festival launch this coming Wednesday evening at the Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse Theatre in downtown St. Catharines, so I hope to write more that evening about all the exciting events coming up. For now, though, by way of a preview, a couple of things I can tell you about right now. One of the most interesting aspects of this year's festival is a theatre showcase at the Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse theatre. Known as a "Three Play Crop Rotation", three plays will run in repertory during the festival, with admission to each show only ten dollars at the door.
Former Welland resident Katie Hood is set to premiere The Animal Show, a touching and quirky tale of an animal rescue worker. Twelve Fold Theatre's Richard Varty, a hard-working Brock theatre student, has written and will direct an ensemble of emerging artists in Room for Improvement. And professional locals, Stolen Theatre Collective will take on The Nona in what promises to be a rather physical and musical show, I'm told.
Another new concept this year is provided by Toronto-based company FIXT POINT, who will be in town with an extension of their Tale of a Town series. Their project, The Living Archive, is phase one of The Tale of a Town - St. Catharines, which is inspired by countless hours of oral histories gathered from local residents about the recent history of St. Paul Street. The group will open a storefront space at The Foss Building at 104 St. Paul Street throughout the festival to illuminate some of the stories they've collected so far from the likes of Mayor Brian McMullan, Walter Ostanek, Kurt Swinghammer, Marilyn I. Walker and many more. Some of the stories collected touch on some of the storied sites in St. Catharines, including the recently transplanted Art's Restaurant, the late, lamented Diana Sweets, and Jerry's Alley among others.
Also recently announced, a group from Toronto will share the stage with local youth talent at the festival on Friday evening at 7 at Robertson Hall at 85 Church Street in the Folk Arts Centre. The three local emerging bands participating are Tyganda, Check Lester and Autumn Crush, some of whom are still in high school. They get to share the state with Toronto's conceptual punk pioneers known as...wait for it: "F**ked Up. Okay. Nice to know they can grab your attention with that name, eh?
Here is where I verify my membership in the age-old club known as Old Fogeydom. As good as they apparently are, and as successful as they obviously have become, why do they have to use a name like that to identify the band? I mean, what do you think of when you see that? Exactly. Now I know, I know, the name is just a name and all that, and look at The Barenaked Ladies years ago unable to perform at a Toronto event since the mayor of the day, June Rowlands, thought the name "Barenaked Ladies" was offensive. What an embarrassment that turned out to be! But still, there must have been SOME other name they thought of before settling on that one. Hmmm, maybe they are on to something here, as they just got more electronic ink than they otherwise would have had, had they used a different name. Okay, fine. End of tirade on my part. But jeezzzzz...
In the Soil kicks off April 27th and will feature over 250 artists in 15 events, and new this year is a $ 25 festival pass available for all downtown events, subject to capacity. For more information, go to inthesoil.on.ca.
Happy Easter weekend!
April 23rd, 2011.
Yes, the third annual In the Soil - Niagara's Homegrown Arts Festival kicks off Wednesday of this coming week in downtown St. Catharines, running through to May 1st, and already the festival is causing more than a little buzz in the community. If you are not familiar with In the Soil, it is a nice, friendly, down-to-earth grassroots sort of festival of many facets of the arts right here in Niagara, with most performances taking place in various locations in downtown St. Catharines. The previous two festivals have done very well both financially and artistically, proving once again if you give people a decent reason to get out in the evening and come downtown, they will. In the Soil is more than decent; it is the perfect tonic as we launch headfirst into Spring 2011!
I will be attending the festival launch this coming Wednesday evening at the Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse Theatre in downtown St. Catharines, so I hope to write more that evening about all the exciting events coming up. For now, though, by way of a preview, a couple of things I can tell you about right now. One of the most interesting aspects of this year's festival is a theatre showcase at the Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse theatre. Known as a "Three Play Crop Rotation", three plays will run in repertory during the festival, with admission to each show only ten dollars at the door.
Former Welland resident Katie Hood is set to premiere The Animal Show, a touching and quirky tale of an animal rescue worker. Twelve Fold Theatre's Richard Varty, a hard-working Brock theatre student, has written and will direct an ensemble of emerging artists in Room for Improvement. And professional locals, Stolen Theatre Collective will take on The Nona in what promises to be a rather physical and musical show, I'm told.
Another new concept this year is provided by Toronto-based company FIXT POINT, who will be in town with an extension of their Tale of a Town series. Their project, The Living Archive, is phase one of The Tale of a Town - St. Catharines, which is inspired by countless hours of oral histories gathered from local residents about the recent history of St. Paul Street. The group will open a storefront space at The Foss Building at 104 St. Paul Street throughout the festival to illuminate some of the stories they've collected so far from the likes of Mayor Brian McMullan, Walter Ostanek, Kurt Swinghammer, Marilyn I. Walker and many more. Some of the stories collected touch on some of the storied sites in St. Catharines, including the recently transplanted Art's Restaurant, the late, lamented Diana Sweets, and Jerry's Alley among others.
Also recently announced, a group from Toronto will share the stage with local youth talent at the festival on Friday evening at 7 at Robertson Hall at 85 Church Street in the Folk Arts Centre. The three local emerging bands participating are Tyganda, Check Lester and Autumn Crush, some of whom are still in high school. They get to share the state with Toronto's conceptual punk pioneers known as...wait for it: "F**ked Up. Okay. Nice to know they can grab your attention with that name, eh?
Here is where I verify my membership in the age-old club known as Old Fogeydom. As good as they apparently are, and as successful as they obviously have become, why do they have to use a name like that to identify the band? I mean, what do you think of when you see that? Exactly. Now I know, I know, the name is just a name and all that, and look at The Barenaked Ladies years ago unable to perform at a Toronto event since the mayor of the day, June Rowlands, thought the name "Barenaked Ladies" was offensive. What an embarrassment that turned out to be! But still, there must have been SOME other name they thought of before settling on that one. Hmmm, maybe they are on to something here, as they just got more electronic ink than they otherwise would have had, had they used a different name. Okay, fine. End of tirade on my part. But jeezzzzz...
In the Soil kicks off April 27th and will feature over 250 artists in 15 events, and new this year is a $ 25 festival pass available for all downtown events, subject to capacity. For more information, go to inthesoil.on.ca.
Happy Easter weekend!
April 23rd, 2011.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Niagara College Teaching Brewery now open for business
I thought that title would catch your eye! Let me be the first to admit two things: first, this column will have nothing whatsoever to do with music or the arts this week, which does occasionally happen; and second, I have never become a beer drinker. My Dad used to brew the stuff in the basement at our home in Toronto years ago, and from all reports from all the kids in the neighbourhood who seemed to frequent our place when a new batch was ready for tasting, it was pretty potent stuff. Me, I never developed a taste for it, really, but then, I am more of a tea drinker than anything else these days. That being said, I was invited by my good friend Lynn Ogryzlo, local food afficionado of the highest order, to attend the opening of the new Teaching Brewery at Niagara College this past Wednesday evening and stay for the Brewmaster Dinner planned that evening. Lynn has the inside track on these things at the College as her husband Jon is Dean of the Canadian Food & Wine Institute at Niagara College. It was an evening of great food, interesting beer and a significant upgrade of my own knowledge of the drink forever associated with Canadians. When I arrived late afternoon, just after the skies started to finally dry up, I was immediately ushered into the new brewery location on campus, where the First Draft Campus Brew is made. There, Kevin Somerville, who is an on-site Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Manager for the new operation, gave us the grand tour and described in minute detail how the process works and we achieve a fine local brew you can buy on-site and take home with you. It is a fascinating story, and although I couldn't possibly absorb all the information, I managed to grasp at least a basic understanding of the brewing process as it applies to the Niagara College operation. Kevin, young though he is, knows his product well and should go far in the beer industry should he choose to. After awhile it was off to the newly-renovated and reopened Benchmark Restaurant, a space I have enjoyed many a fine dinner at in the past before the most recent makeover. The head chef and professor in the Culinary Arts programme at Niagara College, Michael Olson, presided over the Brewmaster Dinner much as a proud father shows off his young family to visitors, making sure to introduce individually each of the ten student chefs hard at work in the kitchen for the event, as well as the regular and volunteer wait staff for the evening. Michael also went to great lengths to explain each course as each individual brewmaster described the beer they had provided to be paired with each dish. Okay, so what did we have, you ask. I can't believe I'm doing this, but here is a rundown of the evening's food and beer pairings, just in case you are wondering what you missed: First course: Terrine of Quebec Foie Gras with Spent Grains Brioche and Bok Jelly, paired with Niagara College Teaching Brewery Educator Dopple Bock. The Foie Gras was to die for, the Dopple Bock very dark and rich, and I actually enjoyed it! Second course: Erie Whitefish "Waterzui" with Hothouse Peppers, Yukon Gold Potatoes and Sweet Shallots in an aromatic coriander citrus beer broth, paired with Muskoka Summer Weiss beer. The whitefish was wonderfully moist and tender, and the broth was very fragrant and light. The beer was about as light and summery a brew as I've ever experienced. Palate cleanser: Wort Sorbet, light and refreshing and using a byproduct of the brewing process. Third course: Roast Tenderloin of Black Angus Beef on Barley Root Vegetable Stew and roasted Garlic Lemon Hollandaise, paired with Neustadt 10W30 Brown Ale. The tenderloin was just that, very tender, but I would have preferred it cooked just a little more, but it was a magnificent dish. The appropriately named beer, very dark and robust, proved a bit too bitter for my tastes, but you can't help but love the name! Fourth course: Black Forest Bok Washed Niagara Gold Cheese with Rye Toast and Thyme Honey, followed by Dark Prinz Espresso Torte with Laurel Cream, paired with Russian Gun Imperial Stout. The first dish, summery and light, was a delight, with the Niagara Gold Cheese truly extraordinary; the espresso tort was so rich many couldn't finish even the small slice supplied, but it was worth trying for sure, and yes, I did finish mine! The Imperial Stout was a beer that ensured a strong finish to the evening, and although it was quite dark, I found it smoother and easier on the palate than the Neustadt. So, there you have it, my culinary column, which has to be a first! But, I love good food and some of the wonderful places to visit for same in Niagara and beyond, so as Shakespeare wrote, "If music be the food of love, play on!" Perhaps I will write about food again sometime. In the meantime, my heartfelt thanks to Lynn and husband Jon for inviting me, and Michael and his charges for putting on a spectacular show. Although they can't promise a grand dinner on that scale all the time, the Benchmark Restaurant is a great destination for either lunch or dinner, and the new brewery operation makes it all the more worthwhile to pay them a visit at Niagara College. Bon appetit! April 15th, 2011.
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